After taking Sophie to uni this morning we drove over to Mum and Dad's house as they had a cheque for Mike. They had been saving money for him, as they did with Sophie, and we're going to use the money to buy Premium Bonds for him. If I had my way I'd put the money into a pension for him and it's something I really regret not doing when the children were smaller. Rather than buying toys that they hardly played with, I wish I'd set up some sort of savings for them which they could access when they were much older, to either use as a deposit for a house or to go into a pension pot. I would still have bought toys for them at Christmas and Birthdays, but I would have spent far less as they never seemed to get the most out of what we bought anyway!
While we were having a coffee at Mum and Dad's they happened to mention their car insurance had been renewed and it was almost £500! I said I could get it cheaper for them...and I did! We went onto Compare The Market and I managed to get a quote for about £360 so they were very pleased! I urged them to look at other policies they had or think about switching their fuel providers as my parents tend to just keep on renewing every year with the same company, which isn't the best way of doing things. I know it can be a bit of a hassle but when you're saving money, it all helps!
We returned home where we had to wait ten minutes to get onto our own drive as next door's skip was being taken away, thank goodness. Our neighbours have had a new kitchen fitted and to be honest, it's been a real pain as the man fitting the cupboards has been sawing wood on the drive, meaning that both our cars have been covered in sawdust and it's all over the drive itself. We're just pleased it's all finished and things can return to normal!
I caught up with my usual jobs and then it was time to go and collect Sophie from uni. When she saw the Optician yesterday they kept her glasses as she has a slight change to her prescription and they're going to put an anti-glare coating on them to help with night driving.
In the evening we had a full moon but it was also a Super Moon. Sophie and I watched a programme all about it and also saw footage of the solar eclipse in the US last year, which brought back nice memories!
Wednesday 31 January 2018
Tuesday 30 January 2018
A busy morning!
We had a busy morning ahead of us, and after dropping Mike off at college we headed to Jones's where we bought some new dishes for the kitchen as well as new spoons and a spatula. We also treated ourselves to a new frying pan as our current one has a wonky handle!
From Jones's we went to Riverside and enjoyed a coffee in Costa and after a quick trip to Boots we drove to the Weston Favell Centre as both Sophie and I had eye tests booked, after postponing them last week.
Sophie's examination was at 12.30pm so while she was being seen we did some shopping for Tuesday and Wednesday night dinners and I trotted off to be seen at about 1pm. Fortunately, I was in and out within ten minutes as I just had a contact lens check but Sophie was still being seen. It turned out she has a little abnormality with a vein that goes over her eye so she will need to be referred to an eye clinic by her doctor. It wasn't anything urgent but it was a little worrying, nonetheless.
On the way home we dropped her off at work as she was interviewing some of her colleagues for her dissertation question. I just had enough time to have a quick bite to eat and then it was off to after-school club where we managed to get the children out into the playground for a while. It won't be long now before we can go out both before and after snack!
From Jones's we went to Riverside and enjoyed a coffee in Costa and after a quick trip to Boots we drove to the Weston Favell Centre as both Sophie and I had eye tests booked, after postponing them last week.
Sophie's examination was at 12.30pm so while she was being seen we did some shopping for Tuesday and Wednesday night dinners and I trotted off to be seen at about 1pm. Fortunately, I was in and out within ten minutes as I just had a contact lens check but Sophie was still being seen. It turned out she has a little abnormality with a vein that goes over her eye so she will need to be referred to an eye clinic by her doctor. It wasn't anything urgent but it was a little worrying, nonetheless.
On the way home we dropped her off at work as she was interviewing some of her colleagues for her dissertation question. I just had enough time to have a quick bite to eat and then it was off to after-school club where we managed to get the children out into the playground for a while. It won't be long now before we can go out both before and after snack!
Monday 29 January 2018
Monday rolls around again!
The weekends whizz by and all too soon it's Monday morning again! Keith took me into work and we saw a beautiful sunrise.
Work passed very pleasantly as there were only three of us in the office. Sophie and Keith picked me up at 2pm and we went home to have a quick bite to eat and a cup of tea.
At after-school club I learnt I was to be on my own for an hour as Lisa was taking her son to the doctor's at 4pm. As I only had six children (all of whom were my favourites) it wasn't a problem and we had a very pleasant session playing outside and using up all the foods in the cupboard for snack. While the children ate we talked about life and the universe which was great!
Lisa returned at 4.30pm and by about 5.45pm all the children had gone. Now I have two days off! Well, I still have after-school club, but I do love Monday evenings!
Work passed very pleasantly as there were only three of us in the office. Sophie and Keith picked me up at 2pm and we went home to have a quick bite to eat and a cup of tea.
At after-school club I learnt I was to be on my own for an hour as Lisa was taking her son to the doctor's at 4pm. As I only had six children (all of whom were my favourites) it wasn't a problem and we had a very pleasant session playing outside and using up all the foods in the cupboard for snack. While the children ate we talked about life and the universe which was great!
Lisa returned at 4.30pm and by about 5.45pm all the children had gone. Now I have two days off! Well, I still have after-school club, but I do love Monday evenings!
Sunday 28 January 2018
A glimpse of Spring?
It was great to have a lazy morning and at lunchtime Sophie and I drove over to collect my Mum as we were going for lunch at Farndon Fields. The weather today has been beautiful with blue skies and sunshine and a hint of Spring...am I being a bit optimistic?
The restaurant was very busy with people waiting for a table and we were seated at one that could have accommodated six! I did think we were going to get other diners but we had the whole table to ourselves, despite some people looking at us as if it wasn't fair!
We enjoyed sandwiches and cups of tea and afterwards we wandered around the shop and looked at some Spring plants. I was tempted but I know only too well that February can be a cruel month! Sophie bought some cider for a young lad who was leaving work today and I bought a pot of cream to go with Mike's cake tonight.
We took Mum home (Sophie did all the driving today and did really well considering that some of the country roads were very muddy and narrow) and spent half an hour answering questions that Sophie had devised for her dissertation on socially responsible cosmetics companies. It was very interesting and I think my Mum was delighted to take part.
From Mum's we drove to Sophie's work where she delivered her gifts and then it was home to relax for a little while before we had to go and pick up Mike from work. Keith came with me and when we reached the car park he went to see if he was ready and I couldn't believe how dark the area was. The sunny skies had given way to thicker cloud in the early evening but it had still been lovely to see the sun!
Mum and Dad came around for dinner at about 7pm and handed Mike his presents and cards. I still can't believe he's 18! The Coq au Vin we'd prepared in the morning was delicious. I'd used almost a whole bottle of French wine in the preparation and it made the sauce really rich. Afterwards, we had Mike's birthday cake and a dollop of whipped cream and I lit some candles for him!
The restaurant was very busy with people waiting for a table and we were seated at one that could have accommodated six! I did think we were going to get other diners but we had the whole table to ourselves, despite some people looking at us as if it wasn't fair!
We enjoyed sandwiches and cups of tea and afterwards we wandered around the shop and looked at some Spring plants. I was tempted but I know only too well that February can be a cruel month! Sophie bought some cider for a young lad who was leaving work today and I bought a pot of cream to go with Mike's cake tonight.
We took Mum home (Sophie did all the driving today and did really well considering that some of the country roads were very muddy and narrow) and spent half an hour answering questions that Sophie had devised for her dissertation on socially responsible cosmetics companies. It was very interesting and I think my Mum was delighted to take part.
From Mum's we drove to Sophie's work where she delivered her gifts and then it was home to relax for a little while before we had to go and pick up Mike from work. Keith came with me and when we reached the car park he went to see if he was ready and I couldn't believe how dark the area was. The sunny skies had given way to thicker cloud in the early evening but it had still been lovely to see the sun!
Mum and Dad came around for dinner at about 7pm and handed Mike his presents and cards. I still can't believe he's 18! The Coq au Vin we'd prepared in the morning was delicious. I'd used almost a whole bottle of French wine in the preparation and it made the sauce really rich. Afterwards, we had Mike's birthday cake and a dollop of whipped cream and I lit some candles for him!
Saturday 27 January 2018
Catching up with old friends!
I was amazed this morning to see Mike walk through the door at 10am looking much brighter than I had expected! He'd obviously got a lift home and had been in Market Harborough all evening. Apart from a couple of dodgy stains on his tee-shirt, he looked remarkably well!
The weather today has been horrible with almost constant rain and cold temperatures. I caught up with a lot of jobs and at midday we took Mike to work. Afterwards I called into the Co-op as I needed to get Mike a Birthday cake and I also wanted to get some wine and chocolates for Sue as we're off to their house for dinner this evening.
Back home I put a colour on my hair and Keith went off to see Sileby play. It was lovely to have a hot shower and then curl up on the sofa and catch up with a couple of recorded programmes. Keith came home at 5pm and minutes later Mike called to say he had finished work. I was really pleased he'd gone in today with no trouble and when we picked him up he said he felt a little tired and was going to stay in tonight. Hooray!
At 7pm we walked across the road to Sue and Paul's house and enjoyed a glass of Prosecco with cassis before our meal. Sarah and Liam also came for dinner so we had a very pleasant night catching up with our news and having a good laugh. Sarah had very kindly bought Sue and I a gift for our 50th Birthdays which was a lovely touch and totally unexpected!
Sue made us chilli con carne which is what Keith had cooked for Sophie and Mike, so that was a funny coincidence! We also had a delicious raspberry trifle and cheese and biscuits accompanied by Port.
Keith and I arrived back home on the dot of midnight to find both children still up so after a quick chat it was off to bed. Lie in tomorrow!
The weather today has been horrible with almost constant rain and cold temperatures. I caught up with a lot of jobs and at midday we took Mike to work. Afterwards I called into the Co-op as I needed to get Mike a Birthday cake and I also wanted to get some wine and chocolates for Sue as we're off to their house for dinner this evening.
Back home I put a colour on my hair and Keith went off to see Sileby play. It was lovely to have a hot shower and then curl up on the sofa and catch up with a couple of recorded programmes. Keith came home at 5pm and minutes later Mike called to say he had finished work. I was really pleased he'd gone in today with no trouble and when we picked him up he said he felt a little tired and was going to stay in tonight. Hooray!
At 7pm we walked across the road to Sue and Paul's house and enjoyed a glass of Prosecco with cassis before our meal. Sarah and Liam also came for dinner so we had a very pleasant night catching up with our news and having a good laugh. Sarah had very kindly bought Sue and I a gift for our 50th Birthdays which was a lovely touch and totally unexpected!
Sue made us chilli con carne which is what Keith had cooked for Sophie and Mike, so that was a funny coincidence! We also had a delicious raspberry trifle and cheese and biscuits accompanied by Port.
Keith and I arrived back home on the dot of midnight to find both children still up so after a quick chat it was off to bed. Lie in tomorrow!
Friday 26 January 2018
Phew! He made it to 18!
It' Mike's birthday today but we had to delay celebrating until we were all at home later in the day. Keith took me into work again and my session passed pleasantly enough, which was a relief!
Both Keith and Sophie picked me up at 2pm and we drove home in sunshine again. I have a feeling, though, that the weather is due to change over the weekend! My session at the after-school club was great, mainly due to the fact that Lisa was in a better mood and the children were very well-behaved (probably due to the dire warnings we both issued before we watched the film!). We took them all out into the playground for half an hour and then we watched Cars 3 which was very good - the setting of Florida also helped!
By 5.45pm all the children had gone and I sped home to have a quick freshen up and get changed as we were all off into Northampton to celebrate Mike's 18th. Keith had taken him to the pub for a quick pint and they arrived home as I was finishing getting ready. He opened his cards and presents and then we drove into town and parked in the small car park opposite the Princess Alexandra pub. It was heaving with early drinkers but we managed to grab a seat and we had a lovely time chatting and enjoying a drink with our son and daughter, both of whom are now fully-fledged adults!
We had a couple of drinks and then Mike went off to meet his mates while we drove home, collecting some fish and chips on the way. I felt really tired and headachey so it was bliss to have dinner and collapse on the sofa with my PJs and a couple of episodes of Modern Family. I tried not to think about what Mikey was up to in Northampton with his friends! Luckily, he was staying over at someone's house so I wouldn't be woken in the small hours by him coming home, a bit worse for wear!
Both Keith and Sophie picked me up at 2pm and we drove home in sunshine again. I have a feeling, though, that the weather is due to change over the weekend! My session at the after-school club was great, mainly due to the fact that Lisa was in a better mood and the children were very well-behaved (probably due to the dire warnings we both issued before we watched the film!). We took them all out into the playground for half an hour and then we watched Cars 3 which was very good - the setting of Florida also helped!
By 5.45pm all the children had gone and I sped home to have a quick freshen up and get changed as we were all off into Northampton to celebrate Mike's 18th. Keith had taken him to the pub for a quick pint and they arrived home as I was finishing getting ready. He opened his cards and presents and then we drove into town and parked in the small car park opposite the Princess Alexandra pub. It was heaving with early drinkers but we managed to grab a seat and we had a lovely time chatting and enjoying a drink with our son and daughter, both of whom are now fully-fledged adults!
We had a couple of drinks and then Mike went off to meet his mates while we drove home, collecting some fish and chips on the way. I felt really tired and headachey so it was bliss to have dinner and collapse on the sofa with my PJs and a couple of episodes of Modern Family. I tried not to think about what Mikey was up to in Northampton with his friends! Luckily, he was staying over at someone's house so I wouldn't be woken in the small hours by him coming home, a bit worse for wear!
Thursday 25 January 2018
Return of the sun!
It was back to work for me today and I'm glad that Keith took me in as the car park was full. We had a pleasant session as none of the managers were in so they weren't hanging over us and listening to our every word, which has been a bit disconcerting!
Keith picked me up at 2pm and we drove over to Kettering to collect Mike who'd been for a hair-cut. It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine...am I a little premature in hoping for an early Spring this year? Mike was waiting for us in McDonald's so we picked him up and Keith took me home where I barely had five minutes before it was time to go to the school. Keith then took Mike to Brixworth! I think he finds Thursdays and Fridays a bit hard at the moment as Sophie is at uni all day and he has to do a lot of running about in between shopping and trying to keep on top of our laundry basket which always seems to be full!
The after-school club was OK, but Lisa seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason. All of the children were gone by 5.45pm so that was a bonus, and I rushed home as I thought we needed to go and get Mike only to find he'd gone into town and was getting a lift home. Phew! One less journey!
Keith picked me up at 2pm and we drove over to Kettering to collect Mike who'd been for a hair-cut. It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine...am I a little premature in hoping for an early Spring this year? Mike was waiting for us in McDonald's so we picked him up and Keith took me home where I barely had five minutes before it was time to go to the school. Keith then took Mike to Brixworth! I think he finds Thursdays and Fridays a bit hard at the moment as Sophie is at uni all day and he has to do a lot of running about in between shopping and trying to keep on top of our laundry basket which always seems to be full!
The after-school club was OK, but Lisa seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason. All of the children were gone by 5.45pm so that was a bonus, and I rushed home as I thought we needed to go and get Mike only to find he'd gone into town and was getting a lift home. Phew! One less journey!
Wednesday 24 January 2018
The worries of having a teenage son!
We awoke to a wild and woolly morning as Storm Georgina made her presence felt across the UK! Northamptonshire was affected by strong winds and heavy rain and as it coincided with bin day (like it always seems to) we had rubbish flying about everywhere!
We also awoke to the fact that Mikey had not come home last night, which was a bit worrying. We tried to contact him but he didn't respond which is unlike him as normally he lets me know what he's doing. The one good thing was that his phone was still ringing so I guessed he was at a friend's house otherwise his phone would have lost battery. By midday we were getting really worried (and had cancelled mine and Sophie's eye tests) and we were at the point of wondering whether to contact the police, when he answered his phone to a hugely relieved Sophie. He had been at a friend's house and said that his phone wasn't working but we all took that information with a pinch of salt. I was really angry that he hadn't told us where he was, and when he sheepishly turned up an hour later I told him exactly how we'd all been feeling.
I was also annoyed that my day off (well, up until 2.45pm anyway) had been wasted with worrying about my son who had been perfectly safe and well. Sophie and I have had to re-arrange our eye tests for next week and some other jobs that needed doing didn't get done! Boys! My only revenge will be if he has children of his own and they put him through the same worries!
We also awoke to the fact that Mikey had not come home last night, which was a bit worrying. We tried to contact him but he didn't respond which is unlike him as normally he lets me know what he's doing. The one good thing was that his phone was still ringing so I guessed he was at a friend's house otherwise his phone would have lost battery. By midday we were getting really worried (and had cancelled mine and Sophie's eye tests) and we were at the point of wondering whether to contact the police, when he answered his phone to a hugely relieved Sophie. He had been at a friend's house and said that his phone wasn't working but we all took that information with a pinch of salt. I was really angry that he hadn't told us where he was, and when he sheepishly turned up an hour later I told him exactly how we'd all been feeling.
I was also annoyed that my day off (well, up until 2.45pm anyway) had been wasted with worrying about my son who had been perfectly safe and well. Sophie and I have had to re-arrange our eye tests for next week and some other jobs that needed doing didn't get done! Boys! My only revenge will be if he has children of his own and they put him through the same worries!
Tuesday 23 January 2018
A much needed haircut!
I took Sophie to work and Mike to college today and then went to get some diesel. As I hadn't eaten breakfast I bought myself a sandwich and a Costa Latte and pulled into a layby to enjoy them as I had a hair appointment at 11am and was very early.
The weather today has been typically bleak and grey - I really will be pleased when January is over! Sophie and I had decided to go to a new salon in Brixworth and I was really pleased with my cut. The ends of my hair badly needed chopping off - I think it's been about six months since we last had our hair cut which is much too long to leave it. The hairdresser cut off about three inches so it was quite a bit shorter, but much healthier. Sophie is going on Friday so it will be interesting to see how she gets on.
As soon as I was home Keith and I went out again to Tesco in Kettering. He also went to get his hair cut while I did some shopping. At least we didn't go to the Weston Favell Centre today! When we came out the sun had appeared and the clouds had parted, revealing blue skies, which was lovely. As it was also about 13c it really felt that Spring had arrived for a while!
Work in the afternoon was OK and we managed to get away well before 6pm which was a bonus. The hall was in a messy state and as we were late clearing away, most of the children had gone before we even made a start! I don't think Lisa was too pleased! I sped off to collect Sophie from work and arrived just as she was finishing. It was great to go home and sample Keith's corned beef and potato pie!
The weather today has been typically bleak and grey - I really will be pleased when January is over! Sophie and I had decided to go to a new salon in Brixworth and I was really pleased with my cut. The ends of my hair badly needed chopping off - I think it's been about six months since we last had our hair cut which is much too long to leave it. The hairdresser cut off about three inches so it was quite a bit shorter, but much healthier. Sophie is going on Friday so it will be interesting to see how she gets on.
As soon as I was home Keith and I went out again to Tesco in Kettering. He also went to get his hair cut while I did some shopping. At least we didn't go to the Weston Favell Centre today! When we came out the sun had appeared and the clouds had parted, revealing blue skies, which was lovely. As it was also about 13c it really felt that Spring had arrived for a while!
Work in the afternoon was OK and we managed to get away well before 6pm which was a bonus. The hall was in a messy state and as we were late clearing away, most of the children had gone before we even made a start! I don't think Lisa was too pleased! I sped off to collect Sophie from work and arrived just as she was finishing. It was great to go home and sample Keith's corned beef and potato pie!
Monday 22 January 2018
Monday again!
It was a good job Keith drove me to work today as the car park was full! That's the first time I've known that happen!
Work was OK and Fran and I were answering the calls on our own as Sara was staring later today. I felt guilty when she rushed in, in a bit of a flap as I had a few queries for her and she had a meeting to go to!
Time passed very quickly today and when I left at 2pm Keith and Sophie were waiting for me. The car park was still full and one car was having a lot of difficulty getting out of a space so I was really glad I hadn't driven. When we got home I had a quick sandwich and then it was off to after-school club where we had eleven children to look after. It was great that we were able to get out into the fresh air for half an hour.
While I was doing the washing up after the children's snack I had a chat with Sarah which took up a fair bit of time! When I went back into the hall, there was paper and pens everywhere and stuff all over the floor! The children seem to prefer playing with the climbing apparatus and balls rather than the stuff we get out for them!
We left at just before 6pm and it was great to get home and jump into a bath as I felt quite cold, even though the weather has been milder today. After dinner of Pasta Carbonara cooked by Sophie and Keith, my daughter and I snuggled up on the sofa with Monty and binge-watched Modern Family!
Work was OK and Fran and I were answering the calls on our own as Sara was staring later today. I felt guilty when she rushed in, in a bit of a flap as I had a few queries for her and she had a meeting to go to!
Time passed very quickly today and when I left at 2pm Keith and Sophie were waiting for me. The car park was still full and one car was having a lot of difficulty getting out of a space so I was really glad I hadn't driven. When we got home I had a quick sandwich and then it was off to after-school club where we had eleven children to look after. It was great that we were able to get out into the fresh air for half an hour.
While I was doing the washing up after the children's snack I had a chat with Sarah which took up a fair bit of time! When I went back into the hall, there was paper and pens everywhere and stuff all over the floor! The children seem to prefer playing with the climbing apparatus and balls rather than the stuff we get out for them!
We left at just before 6pm and it was great to get home and jump into a bath as I felt quite cold, even though the weather has been milder today. After dinner of Pasta Carbonara cooked by Sophie and Keith, my daughter and I snuggled up on the sofa with Monty and binge-watched Modern Family!
Sunday 21 January 2018
Snow again!
We woke up this morning to a light covering of snow and thin flakes falling out of a grey sky. At around 10am Sophie and I went to see Mum and Dad and while we were there having a coffee and a good chat, the snow came down a bit harder.
On the way to Mum's, the roads were clear, but when we left an hour later, everywhere was covered with a layer of snow so driving home in ET was a bit dicey! Once safely back home we pottered about and I hoovered and dusted upstairs as Keith had cleaned the bathrooms while we were out. Mike's job at the country park cafe was cancelled so it was great that we didn't have to venture out again.
By the early afternoon the snow stopped and it turned to rain, which was partly a relief as I didn't fancy driving in it tomorrow morning. Sophie and I made a potato and sausage soup for dinner followed by sticky toffee pudding so we were in the kitchen for over an hour preparing it all, which was very enjoyable!
On the way to Mum's, the roads were clear, but when we left an hour later, everywhere was covered with a layer of snow so driving home in ET was a bit dicey! Once safely back home we pottered about and I hoovered and dusted upstairs as Keith had cleaned the bathrooms while we were out. Mike's job at the country park cafe was cancelled so it was great that we didn't have to venture out again.
By the early afternoon the snow stopped and it turned to rain, which was partly a relief as I didn't fancy driving in it tomorrow morning. Sophie and I made a potato and sausage soup for dinner followed by sticky toffee pudding so we were in the kitchen for over an hour preparing it all, which was very enjoyable!
Saturday 20 January 2018
Dismal Saturday!
When I looked at the weather forecast earlier in the week, it said today would be the best of the weekend with blue skies and sunshine. The forecaster even suggested that Saturday was the best day to do "outside" things so I planned on clearing out our garage and going to the tip.
The result? Rain all day and it was a dismal and horrible Saturday! The rain even turned a bit sleety at times so I changed my plans and gave the downstairs of the house a good clean. Tomorrow I will concentrate on upstairs.
We still had things hanging about from Christmas so I had a good clearout and the house looked so much better. I've been neglecting things a bit lately and the last couple of weekends haven't been the best time to clean so today was the day!
Sophie was at work, Mike went in at midday as well so Keith and I had the house to ourselves. We also made a Chicken Chasseur dish for the evening meal and I used a whole bottle of wine to make the gravy.
I went to pick Sophie up from work (she needs to get her driving glasses sorted as they make oncoming lights dazzle her) and when we got home it was heaven to sit and relax with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio and some popcorn. I hadn't eaten much all day (poached eggs for breakfast and a few chocolates to keep me going) so I was really looking forward to dinner!
The result? Rain all day and it was a dismal and horrible Saturday! The rain even turned a bit sleety at times so I changed my plans and gave the downstairs of the house a good clean. Tomorrow I will concentrate on upstairs.
We still had things hanging about from Christmas so I had a good clearout and the house looked so much better. I've been neglecting things a bit lately and the last couple of weekends haven't been the best time to clean so today was the day!
Sophie was at work, Mike went in at midday as well so Keith and I had the house to ourselves. We also made a Chicken Chasseur dish for the evening meal and I used a whole bottle of wine to make the gravy.
I went to pick Sophie up from work (she needs to get her driving glasses sorted as they make oncoming lights dazzle her) and when we got home it was heaven to sit and relax with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio and some popcorn. I hadn't eaten much all day (poached eggs for breakfast and a few chocolates to keep me going) so I was really looking forward to dinner!
Friday 19 January 2018
Taxi duties!
It was very frosty this morning but at least we had clear skies on the way to work and it was noticeably lighter. It won't be long before the days get longer!
Keith took me in again and I had a much better session at work. I finished at 2pm and Keith and I went to get Sophie from uni before heading home. Mike was getting a lift to Brixworth with a friend and had been gone all night as he'd stayed over.
At after-school club we only had four children so it was a lot quieter! We took them outside for a while and then watched The Lego Movie as the bulb has been replaced in the projector. All the children were gone by 5.45pm so I sped home to collect Sophie who was meeting friends in town and looking forward to a cocktail or two!
On the way we picked up Mike from Brixworth and we didn't get back home until 7pm. I hastily sorted out dinner even though Keith had suggested we go and get fish and chips from Broughton. I didn't want to have to drive there, though, and try and park, so I decided to do dinner at home anyway. It didn't take long!
After dinner we started watching the latest episode of Vera but Keith fell asleep! I managed to stay awake even though I was pretty tired myself! We left to collect Sophie at 9.30pm and it was great to finally get home and relax after a busy day and a hectic week!
Keith took me in again and I had a much better session at work. I finished at 2pm and Keith and I went to get Sophie from uni before heading home. Mike was getting a lift to Brixworth with a friend and had been gone all night as he'd stayed over.
At after-school club we only had four children so it was a lot quieter! We took them outside for a while and then watched The Lego Movie as the bulb has been replaced in the projector. All the children were gone by 5.45pm so I sped home to collect Sophie who was meeting friends in town and looking forward to a cocktail or two!
On the way we picked up Mike from Brixworth and we didn't get back home until 7pm. I hastily sorted out dinner even though Keith had suggested we go and get fish and chips from Broughton. I didn't want to have to drive there, though, and try and park, so I decided to do dinner at home anyway. It didn't take long!
After dinner we started watching the latest episode of Vera but Keith fell asleep! I managed to stay awake even though I was pretty tired myself! We left to collect Sophie at 9.30pm and it was great to finally get home and relax after a busy day and a hectic week!
Thursday 18 January 2018
Not a good day!
Today has not exactly been the best of days, to be honest! We had a lot of wind overnight - Keith said it was dreadful in the early hours but as usual I didn't hear a thing.
He took me into work and one of the roads we usually travel on was closed. We suspected it was a fallen tree but all we could see was a flashing blue light. We managed to turn around and thankfully I wasn't late to work.
Work was quite busy and at 2pm I was still answering a call. This is one of the downsides of the job as I need to get away as soon as I can to get home, have a bite to eat and a break before I start work again!
We had twelve children at after-school club and it was not the best of sessions. Although we managed to get out for a little while when they came back in they made a complete mess of the hall and the noise was unbelievable! Lisa didn't help as she kept shouting and yelling as well, and by the end of the session my ears were ringing! We had three new (to me anyway) children and one little girl was picked up on the dot of 6pm. Her mother was surprised to see her all alone so we said that normally the children are picked up at about 5.45pm. Even then, we still had eight children which was unheard of!
When we were locking up we saw a flash of lightning and heard a rumble of thunder. The previously good weather had given way to wind and rain again!
I felt really tired this evening and fell asleep on the sofa at 9pm, something I rarely do. I woke up at 9.30pm and went straight to bed!
He took me into work and one of the roads we usually travel on was closed. We suspected it was a fallen tree but all we could see was a flashing blue light. We managed to turn around and thankfully I wasn't late to work.
Work was quite busy and at 2pm I was still answering a call. This is one of the downsides of the job as I need to get away as soon as I can to get home, have a bite to eat and a break before I start work again!
We had twelve children at after-school club and it was not the best of sessions. Although we managed to get out for a little while when they came back in they made a complete mess of the hall and the noise was unbelievable! Lisa didn't help as she kept shouting and yelling as well, and by the end of the session my ears were ringing! We had three new (to me anyway) children and one little girl was picked up on the dot of 6pm. Her mother was surprised to see her all alone so we said that normally the children are picked up at about 5.45pm. Even then, we still had eight children which was unheard of!
When we were locking up we saw a flash of lightning and heard a rumble of thunder. The previously good weather had given way to wind and rain again!
I felt really tired this evening and fell asleep on the sofa at 9pm, something I rarely do. I woke up at 9.30pm and went straight to bed!
Wednesday 17 January 2018
Into town...
We had a lazy start to the day and after dropping Sophie off at uni we drove into town with Mike to go to the Apple store in the Grosvenor centre. Thankfully it was a lovely day, as if there was a definition for "depressing" in the dictionary it would say "Northampton town centre."
Unfortunately the Apple store couldn't help Mike as if he had his iPod repaired he would lose all the data anyway. The only solution was to use a company to somehow retrieve it all but the cost would be £300+. He doesn't want a new one, just all of his data restored but he really should have uploaded it to the cloud (wherever that is!).
After popping into the bank for Keith to pay in a cheque, we made a quick visit to McDonald's and Mike was accosted by a homeless man outside who asked if he would bring him any change we had after we'd paid for our food. It amounted to 12p but he seemed pleased with it anyway.
After eating we headed home and I did a few jobs before it was time to go and get Sophie again. The weather today has remained cold and sunny but we have a bitter wind as well. According to the forecast, it's going to get worse this evening!
My session at the after-school club went well and we managed to get out in the fresh air for a little while. All the children were gone on time so it was great to go home and enjoy a drink while watching 90 Day Fiance!
Unfortunately the Apple store couldn't help Mike as if he had his iPod repaired he would lose all the data anyway. The only solution was to use a company to somehow retrieve it all but the cost would be £300+. He doesn't want a new one, just all of his data restored but he really should have uploaded it to the cloud (wherever that is!).
After popping into the bank for Keith to pay in a cheque, we made a quick visit to McDonald's and Mike was accosted by a homeless man outside who asked if he would bring him any change we had after we'd paid for our food. It amounted to 12p but he seemed pleased with it anyway.
After eating we headed home and I did a few jobs before it was time to go and get Sophie again. The weather today has remained cold and sunny but we have a bitter wind as well. According to the forecast, it's going to get worse this evening!
My session at the after-school club went well and we managed to get out in the fresh air for a little while. All the children were gone on time so it was great to go home and enjoy a drink while watching 90 Day Fiance!
Tuesday 16 January 2018
Out again!
It was great to be able to have a sort-of lie in this morning although I was still awake at 7am. Mike went to college at 10.30am so we dropped him off and went down to Riverside as one of the headlights on my car wasn't working. A man from Halfords fixed it for me and after popping into Boots we drove to the Weston Favell Centre to go to Tesco and Wilco's as I needed bird food.
It's very cold at the moment with a bitter wind blowing and they are warning about possible snow flurries towards the end of the week. I had run out of fat snax completely as the birds are very hungry at the moment!
After shopping we went home and after some lunch (leftover curry) Sophie and I took ET to get some petrol. This was the first time my daughter had put petrol in the car so I helped her out and we also put it through the carwash to get rid of all the salt.
The after-school club was great in the afternoon as we sat with two of the older children and had a great chat. We were going to go out but the children weren't keen so we sat in the warm instead and played cards.
At 6pm I left to go home and had a quick wash and change as Sophie and I were out in the evening again! Sophie drove into town and we had dinner at Foodies Rocks, opposite Derngate. We ordered a variety of delicious dishes including the Double Fried Chicken and the Pork Gyoza. I enjoyed a glass of wine and by the end of the meal we were stuffed! The place was empty when we arrived but it was filling up when we left and it was very cosy in there with dimmed lighting, which was lovely. Outside it was very cold indeed!
We'd booked to see a film at the Errol Flynn - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - but we were a little early so we had a drink in John Franklin's first. I had another glass of wine while Sophie sipped a fruity non-alcoholic concoction.
The film was very good and directed by the same man who did In Bruges. There was a lot of bad language but we both enjoyed it even though there were some very sad (and shocking) moments.
We emerged from the cinema into the bitterly cold night at almost 11pm so it was a very late night for us both!
It's very cold at the moment with a bitter wind blowing and they are warning about possible snow flurries towards the end of the week. I had run out of fat snax completely as the birds are very hungry at the moment!
After shopping we went home and after some lunch (leftover curry) Sophie and I took ET to get some petrol. This was the first time my daughter had put petrol in the car so I helped her out and we also put it through the carwash to get rid of all the salt.
The after-school club was great in the afternoon as we sat with two of the older children and had a great chat. We were going to go out but the children weren't keen so we sat in the warm instead and played cards.
At 6pm I left to go home and had a quick wash and change as Sophie and I were out in the evening again! Sophie drove into town and we had dinner at Foodies Rocks, opposite Derngate. We ordered a variety of delicious dishes including the Double Fried Chicken and the Pork Gyoza. I enjoyed a glass of wine and by the end of the meal we were stuffed! The place was empty when we arrived but it was filling up when we left and it was very cosy in there with dimmed lighting, which was lovely. Outside it was very cold indeed!
We'd booked to see a film at the Errol Flynn - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - but we were a little early so we had a drink in John Franklin's first. I had another glass of wine while Sophie sipped a fruity non-alcoholic concoction.
The film was very good and directed by the same man who did In Bruges. There was a lot of bad language but we both enjoyed it even though there were some very sad (and shocking) moments.
We emerged from the cinema into the bitterly cold night at almost 11pm so it was a very late night for us both!
Monday 15 January 2018
Birthday celebrations!
In hindsight, I really should have taken today as holiday but I figured that I would still be at school so I may as well go in. I left earlier than usual (leaving the rest of my family in bed...so depressing) and called into a shop on my way to work to buy some biscuits to share with the others in the office. I also treated myself to a Birthday Latte and a pastry!
My session at work was not a very pleasant one...we had an angry phone call first thing and this dragged on during the morning with Sara having to call the customer back just before I left with him ranting and raving. He'd already been rude to me and a woman who handles all the direct debits! I also took some calls that were difficult to understand and then, right before I had to dash off, one of the other women was given the task of teaching me about orders! I really feared I would be late!
To make things even worse I nearly had an accident in Sophie's car on the way home which really shook me up! I was going down a short slip road onto the busy dual carriageway but because of a car pootling along and not either slowing down or speeding up to let me in, I found myself at the end of the slip road with nowhere to go. Just as I saw a space to merge into the traffic, an idiot in a huge car nearly hit me. I don't know whether he hadn't seen me or what, but how he avoided hitting the back of the car I'll never know.
I bought some sweets for the children on the way home, had a very hasty lunch and then went off to the after-school club. The children had all signed a card and gave me some chocolates so that certainly cheered me up! We were there until almost 6pm and then I sped home to open my cards and presents. While I was at work, a big box had been delivered and it contained a rose plant, Champagne and chocolates from Fiona, Andrea and Lynda. I also received another bottle of Champagne from Sue, a Mary Berry cookery book from Keith, a furry hot water bottle from Sophie and a bottle of wine from Mike, so I did extremely well! I had some beautiful cards and felt very lucky.
After a lovely soak in the bath we all made our way to India 2 Mawsley for our celebration meal. Sophie drove us so I was able to have a large glass of wine while we looked at the menu and waited for my Mum and Dad to arrive.
When they turned up I had more cards and a £50 M&S voucher. I also received a beautiful necklace from my Mum - a little gem encrusted cross set in a silver heart. I was really touched.
We had a fabulous meal with poppadoms, starters and a selection of curries and rice served with naan breads. I took half of my Chicken Balti curry home as I couldn't finish it! It was a great end to a somewhat mixed day!
My session at work was not a very pleasant one...we had an angry phone call first thing and this dragged on during the morning with Sara having to call the customer back just before I left with him ranting and raving. He'd already been rude to me and a woman who handles all the direct debits! I also took some calls that were difficult to understand and then, right before I had to dash off, one of the other women was given the task of teaching me about orders! I really feared I would be late!
To make things even worse I nearly had an accident in Sophie's car on the way home which really shook me up! I was going down a short slip road onto the busy dual carriageway but because of a car pootling along and not either slowing down or speeding up to let me in, I found myself at the end of the slip road with nowhere to go. Just as I saw a space to merge into the traffic, an idiot in a huge car nearly hit me. I don't know whether he hadn't seen me or what, but how he avoided hitting the back of the car I'll never know.
I bought some sweets for the children on the way home, had a very hasty lunch and then went off to the after-school club. The children had all signed a card and gave me some chocolates so that certainly cheered me up! We were there until almost 6pm and then I sped home to open my cards and presents. While I was at work, a big box had been delivered and it contained a rose plant, Champagne and chocolates from Fiona, Andrea and Lynda. I also received another bottle of Champagne from Sue, a Mary Berry cookery book from Keith, a furry hot water bottle from Sophie and a bottle of wine from Mike, so I did extremely well! I had some beautiful cards and felt very lucky.
After a lovely soak in the bath we all made our way to India 2 Mawsley for our celebration meal. Sophie drove us so I was able to have a large glass of wine while we looked at the menu and waited for my Mum and Dad to arrive.
When they turned up I had more cards and a £50 M&S voucher. I also received a beautiful necklace from my Mum - a little gem encrusted cross set in a silver heart. I was really touched.
We had a fabulous meal with poppadoms, starters and a selection of curries and rice served with naan breads. I took half of my Chicken Balti curry home as I couldn't finish it! It was a great end to a somewhat mixed day!
Sunday 14 January 2018
A visit to The Shard
We had an early start this morning and were on our way by 8.15am. Luckily the weather was dry, but a little cloudy and we hoped that it would brighten up in the afternoon.
We stopped at the London Gateway services and bought a newspaper before entering our Just Park address into my phone. Google maps got us to the driveway at about 10.15 which was great timing! It didn't take us long to walk to the Imperial War Museum and we were delighted to see a slab of the Berlin Wall in the grounds!
First up was a cup of coffee and we also enjoyed a slice of cake or a muffin. While Mike and Sophie were looking at things in the gift shop I called my parents who were in Woburn for an Antiques Fair. I said my Dad would love the museum was there was a Spitfire dangling from the ceiling!
We had a look at the WW1 exhibition first and then made our way to The Holocaust floor, which was very sad. I could see why children under the age of 14 weren't supposed to be admitted as there were several very disturbing photographs on display and the collection of shoes and objects left behind at the concentration camps was heart rending. It made for a very sobering experience.
Our next visit was to the WW2 section where we learned about a family's experiences in the war and saw a mock-up of their house. By now it was around 1pm so we decided to call it a day and as we could see The Shard in the distance we walked there rather than take the underground.
It was a very pleasant half hour's walk and the weather had brightened up considerably with glimpses of blue sky through the clouds.
We arrived at The Shard at about 2pm so we were far too early to go in. We decided to look at the prices for the underground to Covent Garden and were horrified to discover that a return price would cost about £40 while a day travelcard (so we could go to another station on our return trip) would set us back over £50! If we took the return option it would mean we would need to walk back to the car which none of us fancied doing.
Taxis, of course, were another option and then Sophie set upon the idea of taking an Uber instead. She downloaded the app onto her phone and looked at prices, which were about £8-£10 for the trip to Covent Garden from The Shard. A much better prospect!
While we were waiting for our time slot we called into The Bunch of Grapes for a drink. It was a lovely pub with white tiles on the wall and scrubbed wooden tables. We enjoyed a very pleasant hour there, soaking up the atmosphere and having a chat.
At about 3.15pm we made our way the short distance to The Shard and had to go through airport-like security which was very reassuring. We then took a lift up to the 33rd floor where we transferred to another elevator which took us up to the 68th floor. The staff member who accompanied us was very chatty and friendly.
From the ground the building doesn't look that high, but when you're at the top you realise it's a very long way down! I felt slightly wobbly as there is glass all around and the views were spectacular.
It was very busy with people but we all managed to get close to the glass to have a good look at London spread out below us. We even saw a plane taking off and at one point it was level with us!
We went up a bit higher where it was quite open and exposed to the elements. The sun was trying to make an appearance but we knew it was going to soon sink behind a thick band of cloud. We decided to descend to street level and Sophie called up an Uber on her phone. We were given the registration plate of the car and told to expect it within ten minutes, which was great. It arrived very quickly and met us outside the Shangri-La hotel. He drove us to Covent Garden and dropped us right in the middle of all the shops and restaurants. The cost? £8! Brilliant!
We found Shake Shack easily and we ordered our burgers and fries. We found a place to sit outside and although it was chilly, it wasn't freezing. I don't think Keith was too impressed with my choice of eaterie but it was great to be able to go back to a place we enjoyed in Florida. I just wish it was a bit warmer! That searing hot day we visited is a distant memory!
The burgers were delicious and after eating we wandered around and visited a very weird public loo set up which cost us £1 to enter. There were only two small cubicles for women and urinals for men but it was all very chaotic with people having difficulty getting in and out!
By now we were all feeling a bit tired so we made the decision to return to the car and head home. We called up another Uber who took us to where we'd parked the car (cost £10) and we programmed Google maps to get us back to the M1. By 7.45pm we were home, cosied up in our pyjamas and relaxing with the Sunday papers. It had been a really lovely day!
We stopped at the London Gateway services and bought a newspaper before entering our Just Park address into my phone. Google maps got us to the driveway at about 10.15 which was great timing! It didn't take us long to walk to the Imperial War Museum and we were delighted to see a slab of the Berlin Wall in the grounds!
 |
| The Shard in the distance. |
First up was a cup of coffee and we also enjoyed a slice of cake or a muffin. While Mike and Sophie were looking at things in the gift shop I called my parents who were in Woburn for an Antiques Fair. I said my Dad would love the museum was there was a Spitfire dangling from the ceiling!
We had a look at the WW1 exhibition first and then made our way to The Holocaust floor, which was very sad. I could see why children under the age of 14 weren't supposed to be admitted as there were several very disturbing photographs on display and the collection of shoes and objects left behind at the concentration camps was heart rending. It made for a very sobering experience.
Our next visit was to the WW2 section where we learned about a family's experiences in the war and saw a mock-up of their house. By now it was around 1pm so we decided to call it a day and as we could see The Shard in the distance we walked there rather than take the underground.
It was a very pleasant half hour's walk and the weather had brightened up considerably with glimpses of blue sky through the clouds.
We arrived at The Shard at about 2pm so we were far too early to go in. We decided to look at the prices for the underground to Covent Garden and were horrified to discover that a return price would cost about £40 while a day travelcard (so we could go to another station on our return trip) would set us back over £50! If we took the return option it would mean we would need to walk back to the car which none of us fancied doing.
Taxis, of course, were another option and then Sophie set upon the idea of taking an Uber instead. She downloaded the app onto her phone and looked at prices, which were about £8-£10 for the trip to Covent Garden from The Shard. A much better prospect!
While we were waiting for our time slot we called into The Bunch of Grapes for a drink. It was a lovely pub with white tiles on the wall and scrubbed wooden tables. We enjoyed a very pleasant hour there, soaking up the atmosphere and having a chat.
At about 3.15pm we made our way the short distance to The Shard and had to go through airport-like security which was very reassuring. We then took a lift up to the 33rd floor where we transferred to another elevator which took us up to the 68th floor. The staff member who accompanied us was very chatty and friendly.
From the ground the building doesn't look that high, but when you're at the top you realise it's a very long way down! I felt slightly wobbly as there is glass all around and the views were spectacular.
It was very busy with people but we all managed to get close to the glass to have a good look at London spread out below us. We even saw a plane taking off and at one point it was level with us!
We went up a bit higher where it was quite open and exposed to the elements. The sun was trying to make an appearance but we knew it was going to soon sink behind a thick band of cloud. We decided to descend to street level and Sophie called up an Uber on her phone. We were given the registration plate of the car and told to expect it within ten minutes, which was great. It arrived very quickly and met us outside the Shangri-La hotel. He drove us to Covent Garden and dropped us right in the middle of all the shops and restaurants. The cost? £8! Brilliant!
We found Shake Shack easily and we ordered our burgers and fries. We found a place to sit outside and although it was chilly, it wasn't freezing. I don't think Keith was too impressed with my choice of eaterie but it was great to be able to go back to a place we enjoyed in Florida. I just wish it was a bit warmer! That searing hot day we visited is a distant memory!
The burgers were delicious and after eating we wandered around and visited a very weird public loo set up which cost us £1 to enter. There were only two small cubicles for women and urinals for men but it was all very chaotic with people having difficulty getting in and out!
By now we were all feeling a bit tired so we made the decision to return to the car and head home. We called up another Uber who took us to where we'd parked the car (cost £10) and we programmed Google maps to get us back to the M1. By 7.45pm we were home, cosied up in our pyjamas and relaxing with the Sunday papers. It had been a really lovely day!
Saturday 13 January 2018
Out for lunch!
We had a bit of a shock today when we discovered the identity of ET's first owner. We received the V5 logbook through the post yesterday and this morning Keith asked me to Google the name of the owner, a company called ERAC Ltd. We found out that this was Enterprise Rent-a-Car which would explain the slightly higher mileage for a year old car.
We were both furious as this should have been explained to us by the dealership when we were looking to buy the car. There is some argument that ex-rental cars have been maintained well but little ET could have had many, many different drivers and we might have changed our minds had we known the truth.
I looked on the internet and discovered that a dealership in Middlesbrough had been fined £4000 for not telling a prospective buyer the truth about a car's first owner, i.e. that it was an ex-rental car. I called the Hyundai dealership and the man I spoke to sounded very sheepish. I was put through to the manager who gave us three options: two years' free servicing or £300 in lieu of that, or a complete refund, which is something we didn't want as the car matched Sophie's wish list perfectly and what a hassle that would be, to take it back!
To be honest, the manager sounded very arrogant so I informed him that we would be talking to Citizens' Advice on Monday with a view to contacting Trading Standards. We were all very angry but we still love the car and it's already part of our family.
Sophie and I went to Market Harborough at lunchtime and my daughter drove, which was great because I had a glass of wine in Pizza Express! We chose the doughballs to start along with 'Nduja Arancini, little risotto balls with 'Nduja sausage. They were delicious! We each had a pizza for our main course and by the time we were finished we were stuffed!
We had a wander around the shops but it was very cold and we didn't see anything we liked so we went home. It was lovely to curl up on the sofa in our warm living room and relax before it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
For dinner in the evening we had Beef Stroganoff and afterwards we watched a film called Berlin Syndrome, which was very good, if a little long!
We were both furious as this should have been explained to us by the dealership when we were looking to buy the car. There is some argument that ex-rental cars have been maintained well but little ET could have had many, many different drivers and we might have changed our minds had we known the truth.
I looked on the internet and discovered that a dealership in Middlesbrough had been fined £4000 for not telling a prospective buyer the truth about a car's first owner, i.e. that it was an ex-rental car. I called the Hyundai dealership and the man I spoke to sounded very sheepish. I was put through to the manager who gave us three options: two years' free servicing or £300 in lieu of that, or a complete refund, which is something we didn't want as the car matched Sophie's wish list perfectly and what a hassle that would be, to take it back!
To be honest, the manager sounded very arrogant so I informed him that we would be talking to Citizens' Advice on Monday with a view to contacting Trading Standards. We were all very angry but we still love the car and it's already part of our family.
Sophie and I went to Market Harborough at lunchtime and my daughter drove, which was great because I had a glass of wine in Pizza Express! We chose the doughballs to start along with 'Nduja Arancini, little risotto balls with 'Nduja sausage. They were delicious! We each had a pizza for our main course and by the time we were finished we were stuffed!
We had a wander around the shops but it was very cold and we didn't see anything we liked so we went home. It was lovely to curl up on the sofa in our warm living room and relax before it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
For dinner in the evening we had Beef Stroganoff and afterwards we watched a film called Berlin Syndrome, which was very good, if a little long!
Friday 12 January 2018
Friday! Phew!
Keith drove me to work this morning and it was horrible - dark, misty and rainy. I will be so glad when I can drive in the daylight!
This morning was quite challenging with some complicated phone calls and I was mightily glad to finish my shift at 2pm and go home. Sophie and Keith picked me up and we drove home in ET - Sophie is getting a lot of driving in at the moment which is great!
After-school club was very quiet - we only had four children and two of them were Lisa's but we had a lovely afternoon, managing to get out for half an hour and then the children made their own pizzas. Afterwards we let them use the iPads while I mopped the hall floor. They were all very well behaved so it was a great afternoon.
Sophie and Keith collected me but when we went to take Keith to the pub he thought better of it as there had been a funeral going on since the early afternoon and the place was still packed. He said he was going to go to The White Horse, so we dropped him off but after ten minutes, just as I was sitting down to relax, he called us to pick him up! I knew he should have just gone home in the first place! I went to collect him and then it was time for a glass of wine while he cooked the dinner. I don't think he was that amused!
This morning was quite challenging with some complicated phone calls and I was mightily glad to finish my shift at 2pm and go home. Sophie and Keith picked me up and we drove home in ET - Sophie is getting a lot of driving in at the moment which is great!
After-school club was very quiet - we only had four children and two of them were Lisa's but we had a lovely afternoon, managing to get out for half an hour and then the children made their own pizzas. Afterwards we let them use the iPads while I mopped the hall floor. They were all very well behaved so it was a great afternoon.
Sophie and Keith collected me but when we went to take Keith to the pub he thought better of it as there had been a funeral going on since the early afternoon and the place was still packed. He said he was going to go to The White Horse, so we dropped him off but after ten minutes, just as I was sitting down to relax, he called us to pick him up! I knew he should have just gone home in the first place! I went to collect him and then it was time for a glass of wine while he cooked the dinner. I don't think he was that amused!
Thursday 11 January 2018
Parents' evening
I was at work today and took ET for the first time. It really is a lovely car to drive. The morning passed pleasantly enough and it was quite busy so the time went quickly. I sped home at 2pm, managed to have some lunch and then it was off to the school.
We didn't have many children this afternoon and they had all been picked up by 5.30pm which was a bonus as Keith and I were due to go to a Parents' Evening at college. I arrived home at the same time as Keith and Sophie who had driven in the dark from uni, her first time of driving at night. She wasn't impressed!
Keith and I picked up Mike from Brixworth and then carried on into town to the college. We didn't have to wait long to see Mike's teacher who said he was doing OK, but he could do better! The story of his life!
We weren't as late as we thought we'd be so it was home to spaghetti bolognese and a relaxing evening in front of the box!
We didn't have many children this afternoon and they had all been picked up by 5.30pm which was a bonus as Keith and I were due to go to a Parents' Evening at college. I arrived home at the same time as Keith and Sophie who had driven in the dark from uni, her first time of driving at night. She wasn't impressed!
Keith and I picked up Mike from Brixworth and then carried on into town to the college. We didn't have to wait long to see Mike's teacher who said he was doing OK, but he could do better! The story of his life!
We weren't as late as we thought we'd be so it was home to spaghetti bolognese and a relaxing evening in front of the box!
Wednesday 10 January 2018
Getting things done!
We all woke up a little late this morning and unfortunately the weather hadn't improved much!
Sophie drove to uni at about 10am but until she picks up a parking permit, she can't park in the car park. Hopefully, she'll get it by the end of the week, although at the moment she is only in on a Wednesday and a Thursday.
We came home and I set about completing some chores that had been on my "To Do" list. I felt very satisfied when I'd worked my way through most of them by the time it came to collect Sophie again! I booked a spa retreat day in February which was a gift for Sophie and I from my Mum. I'm really looking forward to a bit of pampering and a facial!
The weather brightened up a bit at midday and we actually saw the sun and some blue sky. It was lovely. Sophie drove home and then it was time for me to go to school. We were able to go outside for a while but the sun and blue skies soon disappeared to be replaced with grey skies and a heavy fog. Not very pleasant!
We were at work until 5.30pm and then it was back home until 6pm when we had to venture out into the horrible night to pick up Mike from Brixworth. The fog was really thick and visibility was very poor. I didn't think it would be fair for Sophie to drive so I took my car and it was a great relief when we finally got back home!
Sophie drove to uni at about 10am but until she picks up a parking permit, she can't park in the car park. Hopefully, she'll get it by the end of the week, although at the moment she is only in on a Wednesday and a Thursday.
We came home and I set about completing some chores that had been on my "To Do" list. I felt very satisfied when I'd worked my way through most of them by the time it came to collect Sophie again! I booked a spa retreat day in February which was a gift for Sophie and I from my Mum. I'm really looking forward to a bit of pampering and a facial!
The weather brightened up a bit at midday and we actually saw the sun and some blue sky. It was lovely. Sophie drove home and then it was time for me to go to school. We were able to go outside for a while but the sun and blue skies soon disappeared to be replaced with grey skies and a heavy fog. Not very pleasant!
We were at work until 5.30pm and then it was back home until 6pm when we had to venture out into the horrible night to pick up Mike from Brixworth. The fog was really thick and visibility was very poor. I didn't think it would be fair for Sophie to drive so I took my car and it was a great relief when we finally got back home!
Tuesday 9 January 2018
ET comes home!
We awoke to a really dreary, grey and misty day. Horrible!
After dropping Mike off at college at 9am we drove to Milton Keynes to the Hyundai dealership. Little ET wasn't there as apparently some of the cars are stored at Wolverton but when the salesman returned, the handover took about an hour. They tried to sell us "gap" insurance which we refused and as you can imagine that didn't go down well! If Sophie really feels she needs it we can shop for it competitively online! They were trying to sell it for about £350 but I know you can buy it for under £100 with a reputable insurance company. It really annoys me when they make up some excuse about the finances having to go through the Business Manager...what they really mean is they're going to try and do a hard sell. At least they didn't try and sell us paint or damage cover!
Once everything was complete and a small forest had been cut down to provide the paperwork, we were handed the keys and I drove back to Northampton. We called in at the Weston Favell Centre to get dinner for tonight and Wednesday and on the way home I stopped so Sophie could take over. She drove really well considering she'd never driven the car before and said she loved it! It's a lovely little thing with part of the registration plate being ET so that's what we're calling it!
I went off to work and we had a very pleasant session sitting around the table with a couple of the older children and having a good chat. They can be a lot of fun sometimes!
Keith drove to get Mike from college and he put £30 of petrol in ET - they had given us a quarter of a tank of petrol which got us back to Northampton and back home again but that was it. Thankfully, the £30 almost filled the tank!
After dropping Mike off at college at 9am we drove to Milton Keynes to the Hyundai dealership. Little ET wasn't there as apparently some of the cars are stored at Wolverton but when the salesman returned, the handover took about an hour. They tried to sell us "gap" insurance which we refused and as you can imagine that didn't go down well! If Sophie really feels she needs it we can shop for it competitively online! They were trying to sell it for about £350 but I know you can buy it for under £100 with a reputable insurance company. It really annoys me when they make up some excuse about the finances having to go through the Business Manager...what they really mean is they're going to try and do a hard sell. At least they didn't try and sell us paint or damage cover!
Once everything was complete and a small forest had been cut down to provide the paperwork, we were handed the keys and I drove back to Northampton. We called in at the Weston Favell Centre to get dinner for tonight and Wednesday and on the way home I stopped so Sophie could take over. She drove really well considering she'd never driven the car before and said she loved it! It's a lovely little thing with part of the registration plate being ET so that's what we're calling it!
I went off to work and we had a very pleasant session sitting around the table with a couple of the older children and having a good chat. They can be a lot of fun sometimes!
Keith drove to get Mike from college and he put £30 of petrol in ET - they had given us a quarter of a tank of petrol which got us back to Northampton and back home again but that was it. Thankfully, the £30 almost filled the tank!
Monday 8 January 2018
A bad choice for lunch!
It was back to work for me today, the first full Monday I've worked since the 3 December! We were busy on the phones and the time went quickly, which was a bonus.
I dashed home at 2pm and on the way I put £10 of petrol in Jim and bought myself some lunch at the garage. I didn't fancy a sandwich so I chose a "Chicken on a stick" and some savoury eggs. When I unwrapped the chicken it looked disgusting! It was covered in a red slime (a Chinese sauce, which I had failed to notice) but it tasted OK. I'm not sure I'll ever buy it again, though! Unfortunately the savoury eggs were mouldy so they went out into the garden for the birds! Not the best of choices!
Sophie was out having lunch with friends at Bella Italia (lucky thing) so I had a quick chat with Keith before going to school. We had eleven children and we stayed inside and entertained them until 6pm as it was too cold and horrible to go outside.
Dinner tonight was chicken soup with some added potatoes. My tummy still feels sore and tender and it was all I fancied!
I dashed home at 2pm and on the way I put £10 of petrol in Jim and bought myself some lunch at the garage. I didn't fancy a sandwich so I chose a "Chicken on a stick" and some savoury eggs. When I unwrapped the chicken it looked disgusting! It was covered in a red slime (a Chinese sauce, which I had failed to notice) but it tasted OK. I'm not sure I'll ever buy it again, though! Unfortunately the savoury eggs were mouldy so they went out into the garden for the birds! Not the best of choices!
Sophie was out having lunch with friends at Bella Italia (lucky thing) so I had a quick chat with Keith before going to school. We had eleven children and we stayed inside and entertained them until 6pm as it was too cold and horrible to go outside.
Dinner tonight was chicken soup with some added potatoes. My tummy still feels sore and tender and it was all I fancied!
Sunday 7 January 2018
Sunny skies
This morning I felt a little better and after a lazy start to the day Sophie, Keith and I went to see Mum and Dad and had a coffee.
The weather has been lovely with lots of sunshine and clear blue skies but it has been cold and there's been a very chilly wind blowing.
Once we got back from seeing Mum and Dad we took Mike to work and then it was home to have lunch (leftover Chinese take-away) and sit in the conservatory and relax. The birds have been out in abundance today and we have been seeing lots of sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, Blue Tits, our robin and some new visitors - a flock of Long-tailed Tits who arrive in a group and hang from the feeders. Sophie thinks we have an injured sparrow in the garden but I haven't seen him. We named him Spud and I've been looking out for him all day. We haven't seen Cheryl for ages, either.
I'm taking part in the Big Garden Watch in a few weeks time so I'm hoping to get lots of birds in the garden then!
The weather has been lovely with lots of sunshine and clear blue skies but it has been cold and there's been a very chilly wind blowing.
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| The Silver Birch outside the conservatory window. We do sometimes get blue skies in the winter! |
I'm taking part in the Big Garden Watch in a few weeks time so I'm hoping to get lots of birds in the garden then!
Saturday 6 January 2018
The lost day...
I have to confess to feeling lousy today - I'm so glad it's not next week: my Birthday weekend!
Sophie woke me up at 8.30am and I'd had a terrible night's sleep - gripey tummy pains and the return of the ache that laid me low last May. We took Sophie to work and came home to have some breakfast but I felt horrible so I spent the day doing very little. Keith took Mike to work and then went to see Sileby play in the afternoon. I had a long, hot bath as I just couldn't get warm.
When I went back downstairs I watched an old 1940s film starring Bette Davis called The Letter, which was very good. I recorded it as I fell asleep after the first ten minutes and slept for almost an hour!
Mike phoned at 5pm to say he was waiting to be picked up, so as soon as Keith returned we went to get him. However, we learnt that he had left work at 2pm and he was waiting for us at the library in Brixworth...a big argument ensued between him and me with him accusing me of not listening to what he had said on the phone!
No sooner had we got home than it was time to collect Sophie from work so off we went again. Maybe this time next week she'll be driving herself?! On the way home we stopped off at the Chinese takeaway in Brixworth to order our dinner. For the four of us the meal came to £32, about £7 more than the van. The food was OK... I chose a fried rice dish and pancake rolls and only ate half of the meal as I didn't want to risk upsetting my stomach again!
No photo today again...felt too yucky to take one and there was very little of note, anyway!
Sophie woke me up at 8.30am and I'd had a terrible night's sleep - gripey tummy pains and the return of the ache that laid me low last May. We took Sophie to work and came home to have some breakfast but I felt horrible so I spent the day doing very little. Keith took Mike to work and then went to see Sileby play in the afternoon. I had a long, hot bath as I just couldn't get warm.
When I went back downstairs I watched an old 1940s film starring Bette Davis called The Letter, which was very good. I recorded it as I fell asleep after the first ten minutes and slept for almost an hour!
Mike phoned at 5pm to say he was waiting to be picked up, so as soon as Keith returned we went to get him. However, we learnt that he had left work at 2pm and he was waiting for us at the library in Brixworth...a big argument ensued between him and me with him accusing me of not listening to what he had said on the phone!
No sooner had we got home than it was time to collect Sophie from work so off we went again. Maybe this time next week she'll be driving herself?! On the way home we stopped off at the Chinese takeaway in Brixworth to order our dinner. For the four of us the meal came to £32, about £7 more than the van. The food was OK... I chose a fried rice dish and pancake rolls and only ate half of the meal as I didn't want to risk upsetting my stomach again!
No photo today again...felt too yucky to take one and there was very little of note, anyway!
Friday 5 January 2018
Two days...almost exactly the same!
It was really not pleasant getting up on Thursday morning to go to work. I drove myself and the weather was truly horrible - misty, rainy and dark even though the sun officially rises at just after 8am.
When I walked into the office Sara said that the phones had been really busy since Tuesday so I steeled myself for a hard few hours. We were busy, but not tremendously so, and the time did pass very quickly.
At 2pm I dashed off home and managed a quick cup of tea before going into school. I caught Sophie writing out the menu for the next few days as Keith had been grocery shopping today:
The after-school club wasn't that busy and for half an hour we took the children outside to play. The strong winds have died down now but it was still cold!
On Friday, I felt like I was having deja vu - up at 6.30am, off to work, another busy day, speeding home at 2pm to have a quick break before working at the after school club again. Sophie and Keith had taken down all of the Christmas decorations so the living room, study and conservatory looked really bare. I will certainly miss the lights in our tree outside! I think there should be a law introduced that makes people hang lights outside for the whole of January and February, two of the darkest months of the year!
We didn't have film night tonight because the projector still needs a new bulb and we only had five children attend anyway. It was great to finish at 5.30pm and go home to enjoy a drink with Sophie. Keith and Mike both went to the pub and we picked them up at 7.30pm. No photo today. First fail of the New Year! Oh dear!
When I walked into the office Sara said that the phones had been really busy since Tuesday so I steeled myself for a hard few hours. We were busy, but not tremendously so, and the time did pass very quickly.
At 2pm I dashed off home and managed a quick cup of tea before going into school. I caught Sophie writing out the menu for the next few days as Keith had been grocery shopping today:
The after-school club wasn't that busy and for half an hour we took the children outside to play. The strong winds have died down now but it was still cold!
On Friday, I felt like I was having deja vu - up at 6.30am, off to work, another busy day, speeding home at 2pm to have a quick break before working at the after school club again. Sophie and Keith had taken down all of the Christmas decorations so the living room, study and conservatory looked really bare. I will certainly miss the lights in our tree outside! I think there should be a law introduced that makes people hang lights outside for the whole of January and February, two of the darkest months of the year!
We didn't have film night tonight because the projector still needs a new bulb and we only had five children attend anyway. It was great to finish at 5.30pm and go home to enjoy a drink with Sophie. Keith and Mike both went to the pub and we picked them up at 7.30pm. No photo today. First fail of the New Year! Oh dear!
Wednesday 3 January 2018
Back to school!
This morning was very windy and Keith and Sophie both said that the storm in the night had been terrible. This, the fifth storm of the season called Eleanor, had woken them both up and when I went downstairs this morning Monty had been brought in by Sophie during the night!
I had to go into school at midday for a three hour training session on "Emotion Coaching." We had to sit on teeny tiny chairs that were very uncomfortable so it wasn't the most enjoyable of experiences!
A lot of what was said was good and I agreed with, but I do think that these sort of things work in theory, but not so easily in practice. We had to do various activities and role play and it was a relief to be let out after the session and go home!
Mike was off to Brixworth so we dropped him off and drove to Tesco's in Kettering via the A14 for a change. Once there, we did some shopping to tide us over for a few days and then it was home to relax before going back to pick Mike up.
After dinner we watched our usual shows - it's back to work for me tomorrow after the New Year break!
I had to go into school at midday for a three hour training session on "Emotion Coaching." We had to sit on teeny tiny chairs that were very uncomfortable so it wasn't the most enjoyable of experiences!
A lot of what was said was good and I agreed with, but I do think that these sort of things work in theory, but not so easily in practice. We had to do various activities and role play and it was a relief to be let out after the session and go home!
Mike was off to Brixworth so we dropped him off and drove to Tesco's in Kettering via the A14 for a change. Once there, we did some shopping to tide us over for a few days and then it was home to relax before going back to pick Mike up.
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| Sophie and Monty on the sofa watching 90 Day Fiance. |
After dinner we watched our usual shows - it's back to work for me tomorrow after the New Year break!
Tuesday 2 January 2018
Proud Mum!
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| First donation! |
Sophie and I had an appointment to give blood at midday and Mike wanted to come along as well. We'd all had a lazy start to the day and so it was good to get out at 1pm and donate a pint each!
Everything went very well and Sophie gave her 10th pint of blood. Mike enjoyed the experience and luckily felt fine. We sat and enjoyed a drink and a biscuit afterwards and then drove over to Rushden Lakes as Mike needed to take some clothes back to River Island.
The shopping centre was busy but we parked easily enough and went to change the clothes first. Mike picked out a faux suede jacket, a hoodie and some socks and had to pay just £2. The jacket had been reduced from £85 to £40. I would have cried if I'd bought it for him for Christmas!
We went for a coffee at Costa and then had a mooch about in House of Fraser but we didn't see anything else we liked so we called it a day and drove home in the gloom. I dropped Mike off in the village so he could see one of his mates but warned him to be home in time for dinner as it was Paella (we didn't have it in the end, on New Year's Eve).
Sophie prepared all the vegetables and I really enjoyed cooking the dish. Mike arrived home about ten minutes before we were due to eat and we all agreed that it was delicious. In the past the rice has still been a bit gritty but we cooked it slowly and it was lovely. This year we're going to try and be a bit more adventurous with our cooking and Sophie and I love creating dishes together in the kitchen!
Monday 1 January 2018
No room at the Inn...
Even though Keith was reluctant (and the children too, probably) I wanted to go to Broadway in the Cotswolds today to celebrate New Year's Day as the last few years, when we didn't go, weren't the best! I am very superstitious!
We didn't leave until midday as Mike had stayed out overnight at a friend's house and Sophie and I went to pick him up at 10am. He was very bleary! I have to admit to all of us being a bit tired as we didn't get to bed until 2am (we'd gone over to Sue and Paul's and seen the New Year in with them and Richard and Michelle, with a bottle of Champagne) and a nuisance phone call had woken us all at 7.30am. It was one of these automated messages and Keith had bounded downstairs to answer it thinking it was Mike!
We set off in the rain even though the New Year had dawned sunny and bright. Google maps on my phone told us which way to go and as we made our way over towards Stratford-upon-Avon, the sun came out, which was great. It was a bit cold, though - 5c.
We parked easily in Broadway and walked into the village to find a shop to get some change as Keith only had £1 to put into the meter. Hardly any shops were open and in my opinion, they certainly missed a trick as there were loads of people walking about and taking advantage of the blue skies and sunshine.
We went into the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and amused ourselves by looking at the clothes and we picked up a box of orange chocolate straws which cost £1 to change a £20 note. The woman at the till was not amused and asked in a demanding tone whether we had anything smaller! Well, of course not, otherwise we would have used coins!
Sophie and I went to feed the meter while the boys went to a nearby pub as the intention was to have lunch. However, when we met them walking down the High Street we knew that the pub was full. This set the tone for the rest of our visit as every pub, even one tucked away down a side street, was packed to the gunnels with people eating and drinking. I hate it when you walk in somewhere and there's no tables to be had and the people already there look very smug. Ho hum!
We made the decision to go somewhere else as there was no point staying and waiting for a table as in one place there was already a queue! As very few shops were open we went back to the car (£4 wasted) and drove to Evesham, thinking that as it was a bigger place, there would bound to be somewhere open for food.
We weren't impressed at all with Evesham. Driving in, the town looked a bit run down and tired so we drove straight through and decided to head back to Stratford. There were a couple of pubs on the way and off the busy A46 we saw a sign for the Blue Boar.
The car park was almost full and inside it was rammed with people and a group of Morris Men who were very jolly indeed. We found it very difficult to actually walk through the pub and I'm sure I stood on a poor dog's toes as we made our way to the crowded bar. With all the people and the noise of locals having a wonderful time, we made the decision to leave and push on into Stratford itself. The day was not shaping up to be a good one!
Keith regularly meets his old friend Malcolm at The Swan's Nest hotel right on the river so we headed there and parked nearby. The pub attached to the hotel, The Bear, was very busy (where wasn't?) and we ordered some drinks at the bar hoping they were still doing food. They weren't. The kitchen was closed.
By now it was almost 3pm and we had hardly eaten anything. Next to the pub was a bistro with empty tables and as they were advertising pre-theatre meals, we hoped they would be serving into the evening. But, no...the kitchen was closed.
We drank our drinks and decided to have one last attempt at finding a meal by walking into Stratford. A lot of people were out milling about by the river and feeding the swans so we walked past the grand Shakespeare theatre (they still had tickets available!) and into the town. There was a fish and chip restaurant on the corner, but a few feet away was a branch of Zizzi, an Italian restaurant so we went in...and they had a table!
The first thing that struck me was the price of a bottle of beer - £4.85 for a 330ml serving! How they get away with it, I'll never know! Anyway, we had no choice but to settle down and look at the menu and we chose various garlicky breads to start followed by pizzas for Mike and Sophie, a shoulder of lamb for Keith and a chicken and vegetable skewer for me, served with herby potatoes and green beans.
Mike and Keith had an expensive beer each while Sophie had a glass of Pinot Grigio. Poor old me sipped a glass of sparkling water! The breads were lovely and served with a salsa-like dip and a garlic one but I was a little disappointed with my main course, as there wasn't much of it and as the kebab was served "hanging" the hook kept getting in my way!
Mike's pizza was wrong, unfortunately, as he had asked for an extra topping of chicken and this had been forgotten. Keith brought it to the attention of the waiter (after Mike had eaten a slice) so we got another one for free. That was great as I ate most of the original one!
We skipped desserts and returned to the car thinking it was much later than it was (5pm). The restaurant was still going strong when we left but I'm not sure I would rush to go back. Our journey home was fine until I almost reached the M6 and saw that it was signposted for the north so I carried on and ended up on the M69 instead, heading for Leicester! This meant that we had gone quite a way off our route but we were still home for 6.30pm and it was lovely to change into comfortable clothes and relax for the rest of the evening!
In 2018 I'm going to try and post a photo that sums up my day. Here is today's...the theatre in Stratford at dusk.
We didn't leave until midday as Mike had stayed out overnight at a friend's house and Sophie and I went to pick him up at 10am. He was very bleary! I have to admit to all of us being a bit tired as we didn't get to bed until 2am (we'd gone over to Sue and Paul's and seen the New Year in with them and Richard and Michelle, with a bottle of Champagne) and a nuisance phone call had woken us all at 7.30am. It was one of these automated messages and Keith had bounded downstairs to answer it thinking it was Mike!
We set off in the rain even though the New Year had dawned sunny and bright. Google maps on my phone told us which way to go and as we made our way over towards Stratford-upon-Avon, the sun came out, which was great. It was a bit cold, though - 5c.
We parked easily in Broadway and walked into the village to find a shop to get some change as Keith only had £1 to put into the meter. Hardly any shops were open and in my opinion, they certainly missed a trick as there were loads of people walking about and taking advantage of the blue skies and sunshine.
We went into the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and amused ourselves by looking at the clothes and we picked up a box of orange chocolate straws which cost £1 to change a £20 note. The woman at the till was not amused and asked in a demanding tone whether we had anything smaller! Well, of course not, otherwise we would have used coins!
Sophie and I went to feed the meter while the boys went to a nearby pub as the intention was to have lunch. However, when we met them walking down the High Street we knew that the pub was full. This set the tone for the rest of our visit as every pub, even one tucked away down a side street, was packed to the gunnels with people eating and drinking. I hate it when you walk in somewhere and there's no tables to be had and the people already there look very smug. Ho hum!
We made the decision to go somewhere else as there was no point staying and waiting for a table as in one place there was already a queue! As very few shops were open we went back to the car (£4 wasted) and drove to Evesham, thinking that as it was a bigger place, there would bound to be somewhere open for food.
We weren't impressed at all with Evesham. Driving in, the town looked a bit run down and tired so we drove straight through and decided to head back to Stratford. There were a couple of pubs on the way and off the busy A46 we saw a sign for the Blue Boar.
The car park was almost full and inside it was rammed with people and a group of Morris Men who were very jolly indeed. We found it very difficult to actually walk through the pub and I'm sure I stood on a poor dog's toes as we made our way to the crowded bar. With all the people and the noise of locals having a wonderful time, we made the decision to leave and push on into Stratford itself. The day was not shaping up to be a good one!
Keith regularly meets his old friend Malcolm at The Swan's Nest hotel right on the river so we headed there and parked nearby. The pub attached to the hotel, The Bear, was very busy (where wasn't?) and we ordered some drinks at the bar hoping they were still doing food. They weren't. The kitchen was closed.
By now it was almost 3pm and we had hardly eaten anything. Next to the pub was a bistro with empty tables and as they were advertising pre-theatre meals, we hoped they would be serving into the evening. But, no...the kitchen was closed.
We drank our drinks and decided to have one last attempt at finding a meal by walking into Stratford. A lot of people were out milling about by the river and feeding the swans so we walked past the grand Shakespeare theatre (they still had tickets available!) and into the town. There was a fish and chip restaurant on the corner, but a few feet away was a branch of Zizzi, an Italian restaurant so we went in...and they had a table!
The first thing that struck me was the price of a bottle of beer - £4.85 for a 330ml serving! How they get away with it, I'll never know! Anyway, we had no choice but to settle down and look at the menu and we chose various garlicky breads to start followed by pizzas for Mike and Sophie, a shoulder of lamb for Keith and a chicken and vegetable skewer for me, served with herby potatoes and green beans.
Mike and Keith had an expensive beer each while Sophie had a glass of Pinot Grigio. Poor old me sipped a glass of sparkling water! The breads were lovely and served with a salsa-like dip and a garlic one but I was a little disappointed with my main course, as there wasn't much of it and as the kebab was served "hanging" the hook kept getting in my way!
Mike's pizza was wrong, unfortunately, as he had asked for an extra topping of chicken and this had been forgotten. Keith brought it to the attention of the waiter (after Mike had eaten a slice) so we got another one for free. That was great as I ate most of the original one!
We skipped desserts and returned to the car thinking it was much later than it was (5pm). The restaurant was still going strong when we left but I'm not sure I would rush to go back. Our journey home was fine until I almost reached the M6 and saw that it was signposted for the north so I carried on and ended up on the M69 instead, heading for Leicester! This meant that we had gone quite a way off our route but we were still home for 6.30pm and it was lovely to change into comfortable clothes and relax for the rest of the evening!
In 2018 I'm going to try and post a photo that sums up my day. Here is today's...the theatre in Stratford at dusk.
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