Whiteout!

For some reason I had fondly imagined that today would be a relaxing day...how wrong was I! We had to take my car in for a service at 9am and I was worried about the snow, but we hadn't had any more significant showers since yesterday evening so that was a relief.

We dropped my car off and returned home to collect Sophie and take her to uni in ET. I then suggested a light breakfast in Waitrose so we headed there and enjoyed sausage and bacon baps with a hot drink. I chose a Flat White but I'm afraid Waitrose haven't got it quite right yet! It was more like a normal coffee with hot milk!

From Waitrose we went to Jones's and I bought some bird food for our poor feathered friends who are really suffering in this freezing weather. Throughout the morning we had snow showers but in between the sun came out and it was lovely, if bitterly cold.

We returned home and I caught up with some jobs before I went to the doctor's with Keith. As we were getting into the car Sophie called and asked if we could pick her up at 2pm - we'd been waiting for her to let us know what she was doing so I told Mike we were heading into town as he had asked for a lift. I took Keith to the surgery in Brixworth and then returned home to collect Mike who was finishing getting ready. On the way I became caught in a blizzard and the snow and wind was so bad I could barely see! It was a complete whiteout! By the time I got home it had stopped and the sun had come out again! What weird weather!

We headed back to Brixworth where I had a bit of a shock as there was an ambulance in the car park! Thankfully, Keith came out as we drove in and we were able to dash off to uni to collect Sophie. We then dropped Mike off at college as he was meeting a friend. I had just half an hour to get to Broughton and pick up my car from the garage before I started work at 3pm! Phew!

It hasn't risen above -4c today and despite putting proper windscreen wash in the car it still froze up so driving was really difficult. My car was ready and the mechanic said he couldn't get my windscreen washer to work either! Keith drove the car home and I took ET to the school. I was hoping that the children would all be picked up early today but we were still there until about 5.45pm and it was absolutely freezing when we came out. The wind was really fierce and there's talk of us having bad snow and blizzards tomorrow.

For some reason, I'd left ET in "drive" and the engine wouldn't start. I didn't know this at first and called Keith to come and help but once I realised it needed to be in "park" to start I was fine and I gingerly drove home! What a twit I am!

Flooded!

I answered a call from my Mum at 8am and my heart sank as they'd been flooded again and the water stretched the entire length of their kitchen. Keith and I rushed over there to help and I started trying to mop up the water but realised it was going to take forever. I asked Mum to get some hand towels and spread them out and after about half an hour we'd mopped it all up.

It looked like it was the water pipe leading to their outside tap again, the one that should have been fixed the last time it happened back in December. This time it was much worse though as my parents had woken much later than before. We left them with loads of wet towels and promised to call in after we'd dropped Mike off at college.

When we returned they'd called a plumber who was going to try and get out to see them today. We had a cup of coffee and then went home to catch up on some jobs and see Sophie who had been working away in the conservatory.

We've had snow showers all day today but certainly not as much snow as we were expecting. It looks like the "Beast from the East" went off to see other parts of the country! I took Sophie to uni at 2pm and on the way home tried to take my car in for a wash but the machine was closed due to the low temperatures! It's covered in salt and mud and is going in for a service tomorrow but it'll have to go in and be dirty! Unfortunately the garage we use don't offer a valet service as well!

After-school club was OK except I had one child crying because the others were having a bit of a go at her. She came for a cuddle and then brightened up, so that was good. We didn't go out at all because of the snow showers and the freezing cold wind so it was a bit tough being cooped up in the hall for the whole of the session. I'm just hoping that after this week the weather will improve!

Towards the end of the evening, the snow started in earnest again and was really coming down hard so we all stood at the living room window and watched. If it carries on like this overnight, we'll definitely have a snow day tomorrow!

A visit to the theatre

When I awoke at 6.30am (by the alarm I hasten to add...typical!) I noticed that the house felt cold, which wasn't good as the heating was due to come on at 6am... I went downstairs and every radiator was stone cold! I had to wake Keith up who fiddled with the pressure valve and finally got it working! Phew! It would not have been good to have had no heating or hot water during the coldest week of the winter!

It was -2c when I drove into work but at least the sun was up and the sky was blue! I was given another error checking task to do today, which was a bonus as it kept me busy in between answering calls. I dashed home at 2pm through a brief snow shower, and had a quick chat with Sophie and Keith who then left to go and collect Mike from college. The snow was coming and going and I was a little worried about our trip to the theatre this evening and wondered if we would get a refund if we couldn't get into town because of the weather?

At the after-school club we only had four children (plus Lisa's two) so it was a very quiet session indeed. Three of them had been picked up by 4.30pm so that just left one little girl who went at just after 5pm. That was a huge bonus as it meant I could get home early and get ready for our trip into Northampton to see Love From a Stranger at the Royal!

We picked Mum up at 6.30pm and drove into town. I was able to park in the Albion Place car park and this was great as it was a very short walk from the theatre and all on one level. We had a drink in John Franklin's first - two wines and a Mojito - and then took our seats in the stalls. This, much older theatre, is far more intimate than the Derngate with smaller seats and we were all very cosy!

The play by Agatha Christie was very enjoyable with great acting by all the participants. In the interval we had an ice-cream and then it was back for the climactic ending! While we'd been inside it had snowed but the roads were all clear until we reached Mum and Dad's estate. It was great to get home and maybe dream about a possible snow day tomorrow!

Doggy mayhem!

We awoke to another very cold and frosty day and I was up early again at 6.30am, despite trying to go back to sleep! I sat and watched about five or six episodes of Neighbours as we really have got behind with the daily show! Having the ability to record programmes so easily is a huge bonus but we do sometimes get behind with what we've got to watch and then we have to "binge" watch a few episodes to catch up!

Keith and I took Mike to work and then we came home to enjoy a breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast. In the afternoon Sophie and I picked Mum and Dad up and we drove into Leicestershire to see their old friend Marie, who has been involved with Great Dane dogs for 66 years! She's now 81 and about to move into her own bungalow, but she won't be taking any of the huge dogs with her!

Linda and her sons now run the family business of dog and cat boarding and a doggy day creche. I was very good friends with Linda when we were both a lot younger and it was great to see her again and commiserate with her as we both turned 50 in January. We had a tour of the boarding kennels and saw a cat that looked just like Jake! It was a bitterly cold day with an evil wind blowing but the animals all looked very snug as they had heat lamps in their little bedding area.

Marie and Linda keep five Great Danes in the house so it was all a bit mad at times, as the dogs are huge. We had a cup of tea and a good chat about old times and then left at about 4pm to drive home via Market Harborough.

We dropped Mum and Dad off and then returned home where we just had time to eat a quick muffin before going to pick Mike up from work. When we returned home, Sophie made me a strong Margarita and we enjoyed that while we relaxed for half an hour. We were both doing dinner this evening - Panang Chicken stir-fry - and we had fun making it, adding honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and curry powder. It was delicious and having another Margarita was the finishing touch!

An early start to the day!

I was awake at 6.30am this morning, a little earlier than I wanted to be, I have to admit! I got up and watched an old episode of Ever Decreasing Circles with a cup of coffee and Monty for company. It was lovely knowing I had the whole weekend ahead of me!

It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine but the wind was freezing! I spent the morning preparing dinner and making a batch of muffins and then sat in the conservatory with a snoring Monty soaking up the sunshine through the glass. It was gorgeous!

Keith went to the football in the afternoon but he was back within half an hour as the game had been postponed. He hadn't bothered to check before he went as he thought that the match would be on! I had just climbed into the bath and was having a lovely soak when my parents phoned to ask if they could pop in to see me. I hate to say that I put them off as Sophie and I are going out with them tomorrow anyway and the thought of getting out of my lovely hot bath was horrible. I did call them back and we had a chat and they understood...don't disturb me on a Saturday afternoon when I have a bit of a pamper...it's much needed!

I opened a bottle of Vouvray in the evening to go with our creamy chicken pie and it was delicious. Of course, it was a bottle we'd bought in France so not easy to buy again! Dinner was lovely and we made a change with the recipe as Keith had bought a pie mix from Tesco and the contents were mixed with milk (and some leftover white wine - bet you never thought you'd see me write that!) and then added to the pan-fried chicken and pancetta. The dish had a lovely taste and was very filling.

After dinner we decided to watch a new drama called Mosaic starring Sharon Stone but we gave up and reverted back to Modern Family!

A cold wind blows...

It was another cold and frosty start to the day and Keith very kindly went out and cleared all the windows of the car for me!

Work was quiet to start with and then we had a mad hour or two mid-morning. It was just Kathy and I on the phones and I was given a little job to do by one of the other managers that kept me busy. The time did go by very quickly, which was a bonus!

At 2pm I sped home and sat in the conservatory with Sophie and Keith before going off to school. It was film night tonight and we watched Enchanted. Two of the older boys were a bit bored by the film so I went out into the playground with them while they played football. It was bitterly cold and we stuck it out for almost an hour before going back inside.

When the film finished Lisa took the children outside while I mopped the floor (I wanted to get warm) but she came in after ten minutes saying it was too cold! And it's supposed to get even colder next week when the "Beast from the East" arrives! We're due to have snow Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and we have weather warnings in place.

Most of the children were picked up by 5.30pm when film night ends, but we had two children enrolled into the after-school club and they can stay until 6pm. It was nice to sit in the library area and have a chat about favourite meals!

On the way home I popped into the pub to see if Keith was there but he wasn't so I looked out for him on my journey home. I spotted him just before he disappeared down an alley and gave him a lift to the pub. Back home it was bliss to relax with Sophie, curl up on the sofa and watch Married at First Sight, a crazy programme about strangers getting married! Sometimes, on a Friday night, I wish I could pause time and just experience the enjoyment of looking forward to the weekend!

A somewhat annoying day!

I drove myself into work this morning and it was a cold and frosty start to the day. Sara was in and hobbling about very painfully as she has a problem with her back. It was slow on the phones and I was joined by Sadie who normally replaces me in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, Cacklehead was in and being very loud. Her coughing was unbelievable! Even a caller on one of the phones could hear her in the background! I got away a little after 2pm as the woman coming in to take over from us was late. This is annoying as I think the next shift should be in and logged on by 2pm, as we are in the morning when we start at 8am. This lady, although very nice, has a habit of turning up about two minutes before her shift starts and then faffs about gossiping rather than log on and relieve us! It wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to rush off home to get ready for my next job!

I was supposed to have been seeing the headmaster of the school this afternoon to talk about taking the children out for walks in the afternoon or using the kitchen to do some cookery. He had said he was free this afternoon, but when I went to see him he'd disappeared into a meeting. A little later Lisa then saw him drive off which I thought was very rude. I now feel I've let the children down as one of the girls had given me a little list of things she'd like to do at after-school club, which I was hoping to discuss with him.

The afternoon itself was chaotic, as Thursday afternoons often are. One of the boys in particular was very hyper and screaming and shouting at the top of his voice even after I'd repeatedly told him to quieten down a bit. We were able to get the children outside for a while and when we went back in this boy started throwing balls about and hit Lisa's daughter in the face. Even when his Dad arrived to take him home, he threw himself at his parent, nearly knocking him over! I was very glad to get home tonight and relax by watching an episode of Death in Paradise after dinner of Beef Stroganoff!

Niggly problems!

Keith, Sophie and I went out for breakfast this morning to Bill's at Rushden Lakes. It's been one of those days today when there's been little niggly problems. For a start, Mike refused to come out with us as he is going through a spat with Sophie and Keith over an argument they had last Monday. Secondly, the main reason I wanted to go to Rushden Lakes was to visit M&S as I had a £50 voucher from Mum and Dad that I wanted to spend... but I forgot to take it with me and only realised when we were halfway to the shopping centre. Duh!

Breakfast was OK, but I think I picked the wrong dish - pancakes with maple syrup and streaky bacon. Keith and Sophie had scrambled eggs on toast with bacon and they said they were great, but Sophie prefers the way I do the eggs! We sat overlooking the lake and it would have been beautiful if the weather was better - it was cold, misty and very grey. The view did nothing to add to my mood! I should have gone for the cooked full English like I normally do!

We did some shopping and despite me not having my voucher I still managed to spend over £40 on underwear! Keith bought some pants as well which was a surprise. He so rarely goes shopping and if he does never buys anything!

From Rushden Lakes we drove to Majestic in Northampton and I picked up the two cases of wine I'd ordered last weekend. We had no Ned Pinot Gris left so I'd ordered seven bottles of that plus some Californian Zinfandel that was on offer. We had a great chat with James and Jonathan and then headed home, except on the way I remembered I hadn't sent my friend Julia's birthday card and she will be 50 next Friday...

We diverted to the Weston Favell Centre where I said I could buy the card and then send it from the post office...but there was just one problem... I hadn't got her address on me! What a twit! However, I bought the card and the kind lady in the post office stamped the card for me and put the little airmail sticker on so I could send it from our local postbox when I got home! Phew! I just hope it gets there before her birthday!

The weather changed from dull and grey to showery in the afternoon and we managed to dodge the showers at after-school club. I was home by 6pm and dinner tonight was cold roast chicken with crushed new potatoes. Delicious!

Winter continues...

This morning we dropped Mike off at college and then drove over to Mum's for a coffee. Well, Sophie drove and did very well on the busy and pot-holed A43! Our roads are really suffering at the moment - there are deep potholes everywhere - and the cold weather continues, with next week expected to be even colder. We're due to be blasted by cold air from Siberia! The winter is not over yet even though next Wednesday is the first day of the meteorological Spring! It can't come soon enough for me!

We had a coffee with my Mum and then we went to Tesco where we did some shopping for Tuesday and Wednesday nights before Sophie filled little ET up with petrol. It was then back home to catch up with jobs and I even managed to write some more of my poor neglected novel!

After-school club was OK and we were all finished by 6pm. We enjoyed beef casserole for dinner and it was great afterwards to curl up on the sofa and watch James Martin's American Adventure. Some of his recipes were a little too fishy for my liking but it makes for very enjoyable viewing!

Back to school!

I drove to work this morning and it was foggy, horrible and rainy. Not a great start to the week!

We had a bit of a problem with the computers and phones first thing - one of the servers was making a whining noise that drove the other women in the office crazy. It was annoying but it was soon sorted out even though we lost the phones for about five minutes.

The rest of the morning passed fairly quickly and at 2pm I came out of the office to see my friend Lynda waiting in reception. She has lost an astonishing five stone and looked great! She wanted to have a coffee but I had to rush off home to have a bite to eat and then go to the school as the half term holiday is over. We're seeing each other, and Fiona and Andrea, in a couple of weeks so I said we'd be able to catch up then.

Sophie very kindly made me a sandwich when I got home and then it was back to school. Lisa had set up the entire hall which was a bonus and we had a very amenable chat while we waited for the bell to ring. We had seven children this afternoon and we were able to go out for a good half an hour as the rain had stopped.

We managed to get away just before 6pm and I negotiated the small lanes in the village as the road was still closed due to the burst water main. I arrived home, jumped in the bath and then sat with Sophie on the sofa and watched the last hour of the BAFTAs that we recorded last night. It was great to see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri win so many awards!

R.I.P. Archie - 2 years today.

Archie on the left and Monty as kittens

It's 2 years today since we lost Archie - I still miss him and think about him most days. I sometimes dream that one day he'll walk back through the door and miaow to be fed like he always did. He loved his food!

Monty will be 12 years old next month - it's just such a shame that we haven't still got them both. RIP beautiful Archie. 💗

Looking back...

A few weeks ago I dug out some old diaries and this morning I had a read of 1987, a year that stands out in my memory for being a bad year but with the one redeeming feature that I went to Nepal. It was a bad year because my grandfather died in January, there were several national disasters (Kings Cross fire, Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sank, the terrible storm in October) and my Dad had a really bad car accident in November.

I can't believe that it was written 31 years ago and looking at my entries, I haven't really changed that much! I was working hard as my parents had a contract cleaning company and a lot of weekends were given over to working, as well as evenings too. I seemed to spend a lot of time going out with friends into town and working at jobs I hated! Some of the entries were very memorable, others less so and I did feel very thankful that those dark days were in the past.

I'm not really in touch with my friends from that period except for Julia who lives in Chicago. She's coming over to the UK in March with her family and it'll be great to catch up.

Julia and I in June 1987 at a medieval banquet at Coombe Abbey.

One thing I do know is that I went out a lot more than Sophie does now and seemed to be forever driving everywhere, even on nights out in town where we hung out at various bars and clubs! I do wonder what all those people I knew are doing now! I dread to think!

Pushing through...

I had some housework to do today even though I really didn't feel like it. We changed Mike's bed but both of us felt compelled to tidy and clean his room as well, something I didn't fancy doing as he never keeps it up and it degenerates into a pigsty.

However, we pushed on and tidied up, put loads of plastic bottles into the recycling boxes and did several washes of his clothes that had been left on the floor. He is so strict with his personal hygiene and I can't understand why he doesn't keep his room clean and tidy. Teenage boys, hey?!

I also cleaned our en-suite and the bathroom and hoovered upstairs as well as most of downstairs so I felt quite pleased I'd achieved something despite really not wanting to do it!

The weather today has been dry and sunny but there's been a fair amount of cloud about as well. At least it hasn't been bitingly cold so perhaps Spring is on its way at last. Mike stayed out all day and then he called at about 5pm to ask if we could pick him up from Brixworth. I agreed and we collected him on the way to get Sophie.

Dinner tonight was very simple - tomato soup with croutons and crusty bread followed by cheesecake. It was great to have a night off cooking and the soup filled us all up. After dinner we watched a cheesy Elvis Presley film and very good it was, too!

Phew! It's Friday again!

I awoke to another gorgeous morning but it was frosty and cold. Keith took me to work again and I had a busy morning with some complicated phone calls. What is it about Friday?

At 2pm Keith picked me up and we also went to get Sophie who was finishing at 2.30pm. The car park was heaving with cars - far more than we'd ever seen when we ran the business! We stopped and chatted to a man who rents one of the units and was there when we used to have the company. He restores old cars and was working on a 1954 Volvo that had been imported from Sweden. It looked in beautiful condition!

Back home we sat in the sunny conservatory and had something to eat before I took Mike to Moulton. I asked him to get the bus home as I didn't fancy going out later to pick him up and the bus stops right outside the estate!

Keith walked down to the pub and Sophie and I relaxed by catching up on some of our recorded programmes and prepared curry for dinner. When we went to get Keith we found that a road had been suddenly closed in the village because of a burst water main. It was a good job I knew a way around the diversion as I didn't fancy going right up to the A43 and back down into the village! What a pain!

Mike called me to say he was staying over with friends tonight so that meant that we had loads of curry left over! As he's not at work tomorrow I doubt we'll see him before Sunday!

A sneaky drink!

Oddly enough, I've enjoyed today far better than yesterday and I was back at work this morning! Keith drove me in and it was lovely to see the sun shining again. It makes such a difference to drive to work when it's light!

Work was pleasantly busy with nicely spaced calls and a good atmosphere. The time went by very quickly and Keith picked me up at 2pm so we could go and do the shopping together. As he'd been out and about all morning, he just hadn't had the time and I welcomed the chance of going with him for once!

We went to both Aldi and Tesco and the sun was still shining out of a clear blue sky. Typical! I had a good look at everything on offer and managed to resist buying lots of things that caught my eye! We drove home, put everything away, grabbed a quick bite to eat and then went to get Sophie. As Mike was finishing work at 6pm we decided to call into The Brampton Halt for a quick drink, which was a bonus! There was no point in going all the way home and then driving back out for him!

The pub was busy with early evening drinkers and we sat in a quiet corner and had a chat. I think we're all going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment as Sophie is worried about leaving uni and finding a job, Mike's in the same boat and I don't really enjoy the two jobs I do. It's been lovely this week not having to rush off at 3pm and I miss being home in the early evening and watching Pointless! Finding a job from 9am until 4pm would be ideal!

We collected Mike from work and after dinner we watched two episodes of Trauma, which were very good. We've left the last one until tomorrow night when it's Friday! Yoohoo!

A bit of a dud!

I'd really been looking forward to today as I had the whole of Wednesday off with no plans but it turned out to be a bit of a dud! To make matters worse, the weather was terrible with constant rain and wind, an exact replica of yesterday!

We took Sophie to uni and then drove to Aldi to get dinner for this evening. We'd decided on steak but Keith wasn't that keen on the offerings in the supermarket so we bought some veg and other bits we needed and went to Waitrose. I offered to buy Keith a coffee but I quickly realised there wasn't a table to be had in the cafe! It was packed!

We bought our steak and went home where we pottered about and I applied for a job working at the court in Northampton. I had to do an online test, similar to the ones Sophie's been doing for some high-powered jobs! I was flabbergasted!

We took Mike to Brixworth and then went to get Sophie before driving over to Market Harborough as Sophie needed to take some clothes back to New Look. It was still a really miserable wet day and after having a cup of tea and a cake in Caffe Nero we decided to go home. There was no point wandering around the town in the cold and wet!

We cooked the steak in the evening and it was hard work! Sophie said that the next time we fancy steak for dinner we should go out to a restaurant and I heartily agree!

Ahhh! Relax!

I had booked Sophie and I into the Kettering Park Hotel and Spa today, which was a present for us both from my Mum. We went to Beckworth for breakfast first as we were going to be enjoying afternoon tea at 3pm so I figured that this would keep us going until then!

We both had a cooked breakfast and the food was delicious, as always. I had two lovely cups of coffee and it made a great start to our day. Sophie drove us over to Kettering and we were shown to the spa. There was a comfortable lounge area and we were offered tea or coffee while we filled in our forms. We were then taken to the changing rooms and allocated lockers which contained a robe, slippers and a towel.

We had booked facials at 12pm and we had enough time for a dip in the pool, a session in the sauna and a bubbly time in the jacuzzi. The spa was quite busy and there were people lolling about on loungers reading and relaxing.

We showered and then made our way back to the spa lounge where we were collected by the beauticians. My lady was called Jo and she did an excellent job, making me feel very relaxed and giving me an incredible shoulder and neck massage. I was also treated to a hand and arm massage and she also concentrated on my scalp with essential oils which was lovely.

We were in our rooms for about an hour and we both emerged with our hair sticking up from the oil! We made straight for the showers and then spent the next hour swimming, indulging in the jacuzzi and wallowing in the steam room and sauna. I could certainly get used to this and we both agreed it would be great to have a spa day every few months to relax. It had begun to get a bit busier and several children made an appearance so we called it a day and went and had a lovely hot shower, before drying our hair and getting ready for our afternoon tea.

This was taken in the beautifully quiet bar and we enjoyed a bit pot of tea, various sandwiches, scones and cakes. We took our time and didn't rush and we were both enjoying the day immensely.

By 4pm we were all done and we emerged into the horrible rainy and grey afternoon. It had rained all day and it was horrible, but it didn't matter as we had been cosseted in warmth for the last four hours! Sophie drove home where we relaxed on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon and then enjoyed pancakes for a light supper as today was Shrove Tuesday!

Half term madness!

I was back at work this morning but at least I didn't have to rush home at 2pm and start work again at 3pm!

We were very busy due to the half-term, and there were three of us manning the almost constant phone calls. It was a relief to escape at 2pm, pop over to the Weston Favell Centre to collect Sophie's glasses and go home for a late lunch. Keith and I even sat and watched some television, something we hardly ever do. Both Sophie and Mike were working today and Sophie phoned us towards the end of the day, a bit upset about her wages as one of the more senior staff had rejected a claim she'd made for overtime. I hate hearing her upset on the phone and I was absolutely livid. It was a good job that Sophie stopped me as I was all ready to give the woman a piece of my mind when I picked her up from work at 6pm!

It was lovely to sit and sip a glass of wine in the evening and look forward to our spa day tomorrow!

Busy Sunday!

Today has been very busy and not a lazy Sunday at all!

Sophie was working again today so we dropped her off at 9am and then drove to Market Harborough to collect Mike who'd stayed overnight with a friend. The horrible weather of yesterday had disappeared to be replaced with clear blue skies and winter sunshine, so that was a bonus!

We took Mike home and then drove over to Tesco in Kettering to buy some mince and part-baked baguettes that Keith hadn't bought when he'd done the main shop last week. There's always something! On the way home we called to see Mum and Dad and then it was time for a quick breakfast before we took Mike to work at midday.

As the weather was so nice (but there was a cold wind) I decided to sweep the driveway, something I'd been meaning to do ever since next door had their new kitchen fitted. I swept all the sawdust up and then removed loads of leaves from the bushes at the front of the house. I spotted Sue working in her garden so we had a quick chat but it really was a very cold day so we didn't hang about!

Once that was all sorted I hoovered the garage and tidied it up and then washed Sophie's car inside and out. As soon as I finished it started snowing!

Luckily it stopped so I decided to risk taking my car through the carwash. I took a couple of Sunday magazines with me as I knew there'd be a queue...and there was! Obviously everyone had the same idea! However, after getting it cleaner (I still finish it off myself) we had a hailstorm so all plans to go over it with one of my cloths went by the wayside! Typical!

This set the pattern for the afternoon and we had sleet, rain and snow showers for the rest of the day. I languished in a hot bath and then went to collect Mike a bit earlier than normal. He looked really tired and wasn't planning on going anywhere this evening so that was a relief!

For dinner in the evening we had paella and very good it was too. I think we've perfected cooking the rice until it's soft and fluffy!

Rain, rain, rain...

I was awake before 7am this morning and was treated to a beautiful sunrise. The sky was a mix of purples and pinks and it was gorgeous. However, the old saying goes "Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning" and it came true as the rest of the day was horrible, cold and rainy. I was so glad I was awake to see the sun peep its head above the horizon, though!

Mike waltzed in mid-morning and I took him to work at 11am. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my phone with me and one minute after dropping him off, he called me to say he wasn't actually working today...I didn't get his message until I got home so I had to go all the way back again. I was not happy!

I caught up with various jobs today and had a lot more energy than last weekend, thank goodness! Mike went off to the village in the afternoon and Keith decided that he wasn't going to go and see Sileby play as he felt too horrible - he has well and truly caught the cold I have. I went and had a lovely hot bath but this week I didn't feel chilled to the bone so that was good. I have no idea what was up with me last Saturday!

Mike called to say he was going to see a friend in Market Harborough so the beef pie Keith had prepared was just eaten by the three of us. Sophie and I shared another bottle of the Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel and after eating we watched a silly film called Wakefield starring Brian Cranston and Jennifer Garner. It was about a man who "disappeared" from his family, but was actually living in the garage watching them. It was two hours of my life I'll never get back!

School breaks up!

I didn't have the best night's sleep and woke up this morning feeling groggy and horrible again. I really didn't want to go to work! However, the woman I work with on a Friday was off yesterday as her Dad was ill and I didn't want to let Sara down, so I went in.

Luckily, one of the other staff gave me an error checking job to do in between phone calls which I always find interesting, especially as I spotted several mistakes! I knew I should have been a proof-reader!

It all got a bit manic towards the end of my shift and I was late leaving. I had barely ten minutes at home before I was back out again! Keith hadn't felt well either today as he has caught my cold and irritating cough. What a pair we are!

I arrived at school to find that Lisa had set the hall up completely so there was nothing for me to do! I was gobsmacked! We had ten children at the Film Night and we took them out into the playground first so they could run off some steam. We watched Epic which I thought looked a bit like Avatar but I don't think it held the children's attention. After the film I swept and mopped the floor and by about 5.45pm we were all finished and facing a week off. Never have I looked forward to a February half term so much!

It was bliss to get home before 6pm and enjoy a glass of wine with Sophie. Keith didn't go to the pub tonight as he still felt very unwell so it was great to not have to go out again and relax completely!

More worries!

Mike had an Orthodontist appointment this morning so he came with us to work. Keith dropped me off and then went to get some diesel for my car before taking Mike who had put his retainers in just before we left even though he hadn't been wearing them for ages!

Work was pleasant enough and the phone calls were nicely spaced, for a change! Keith picked me up at 2pm and we popped to the doctor's to pick up a prescription before going home. He also went to the surgery yesterday as he's been having a problem with his neck and the doctor prescribed some co-codamol. Unfortunately, his blood pressure was on the high side again which was a bit alarming but I'm sure it's down to being in the surgery and worrying. We have a blood pressure monitor at home so he's going to start using that again.

The after-school club was very busy as we had almost twenty children! We took them out into the playground and after snack we also managed to get back out, which was a bonus. After I'd cleared away and washed up I went out to discover that most of them had gone home!

At 6pm I sped off to help Sophie prepare dinner of Beef Tacos and I couldn't resist opening a bottle of my Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel. We haven't had a drink all week, but I just fancied a glass of red tonight!

The singing robin

Today dawned beautiful, but very cold. I felt a little better and went to the doctor's with Sophie as she had an appointment about her eye problem. The doctor took her blood pressure which was perfect and then asked for a urine sample! Sophie took it to the loo but couldn't do anything, poor thing, so we took the bottle home with us to return later!

We went over to the Weston Favell centre and had a coffee at Costa. I don't know whether there's something wrong with my taste buds at the moment but coffee tastes bitter to me and for the first time I didn't enjoy my Flat White like I normally do. We popped into Wilco's and I bought some more bird food and a new broom. Now I just need a dry, sunny and mild weekend to use it!

Back home I went out into the garden to feed the birds and the robin came to say hello. I held out some food on my hand in an attempt to get him to feed from me, but although he didn't fly away, he was still a bit wary. He did sing a lovely song, though, and it was lovely to stand out in the garden for a little while and see the gorgeous blue sky.

At after-school club the hall was dominated by a collapsed bouncy castle as the children had been doing sponsored bounces all afternoon. We went out into the playground while it was removed and had a chat about getting some new toys. We bring out the same old things every afternoon and I really think we need some new activities to keep the children amused!

Felling a bit off...

I really didn't feel very well this morning so Keith took Mike to work and then popped to Tesco while I stayed at home with Sophie. I curled up on the sofa and watched some daytime TV, something I never do, and then I had a nap. I felt doubtful about whether to go to work in the afternoon or not, but after a little sleep I did feel better.

Sophie made me lunch of hash browns and spaghetti hoops (nursery food) and I felt well enough to go to work at 3pm as usual. I'm fed up with feeling horrible at the moment though and hate having this cold and cough.

Work was OK but we all decided to stay in rather than go out into the playground as it was bitterly cold outside. We were finished by 6pm and as soon as I arrived home Sophie was ready to go out. She was off for a meal in town with friends so I dropped her off at the university and returned home for dinner with Keith.

We were back out again at 10pm to collect her and sitting waiting for her to come back was a bit nerve-wracking, as there seemed to be some event going on and there were large numbers of students milling about, all shouting and yelling and blocking the road. Luckily she arrived soon afterwards but we later learned that minutes after we'd left there been an incident and the police had been called! Wonderful!

Manic Monday!

I drove myself to work this morning as Keith had to get Mike up and off to college. We were very busy with phone calls throughout my session and the time passed quickly. Some of my after-school club children were in the main hall doing a gymnastics competition so I waved to them before I left for home.

We only had five children in the afternoon and Lisa was in a bad mood because the numbers were so low. It doesn't bother me at all as the ones we had in were a bit older and therefore more sensible. It would have been a great afternoon to take them out for a walk in the village. I took out some paints and craft stuff and the children made cards or painted pictures. Apparently they're not allowed to make Valentine's cards...whyever not?

After they'd made a big mess the children played outside for a while as it was dry and sunny and then Lisa put a film on. By 5.45pm we were all done and I headed home to relax for a while before dinner of Spaghetti Bolognese. I started to feel cold again and just hoped that I wasn't coming down with a bad cold...or even the flu!

Mercy mission!

It was lovely to have a lazy start to our Sunday but by 11am I was getting a bit worried as Mike wasn't home from yet another night out in Market Harborough. I sent him a text and then called him but the call went straight to voicemail.

I did think that he was going to go straight to work because by 11.30am he still wasn't home and he has to start at 12! However, just as I was resigning myself to the fact that we wouldn't see him until the evening, he called the house phone to say he was stranded in Market Harborough as his mate's car had broken down...

Keith and I sped over to get him while Sophie phoned the cafe to say he would be late. We picked him up in the middle of the very busy town (I think there may have been some sort of sporting event taking place) and got him home where he showered and changed. He was just under an hour late and already the car park was full as today the weather has been much better with blue skies and sunshine, although it's still cold.

I spent the afternoon helping Sophie with two job applications and then had another bath. Although I felt a bit better today I still couldn't get warm again and it was a real effort to get dressed and go and collect Mike from work.

It was lovely to get back home and curl up on the sofa swaddled in warm clothes. I just hope I feel better tomorrow!

Feeling poorly...

Today has not been a good day! I haven't felt well at all and spent much of the day on the sofa or in the bath trying to get warm! It didn't help that the weather today has been truly horrible with unrelenting grey skies and constant rain...and it's been cold!

Mike came home from being out in Market Harborough but just as he was getting out of the shower his work called to say his shift was cancelled. It was no surprise given the state of the elements outside. Who would want to walk in this weather?

He did go to Brixworth, though, and Keith took him as I was chin deep in hot water in the bath where I stayed for a good hour! I then spent another hour on our bed watching A Place in the Sun: Home or Away. How I wished I was living somewhere sunny and warm. This bad weather is really getting to me at the moment!

Keith and I went to pick up Mike from Brixworth and then we drove to get Sophie who walked out just as we got there. Keith and I were supposed to be attending Sue's 50th party celebrations this evening but we had to cancel as neither of us would have been good companions.

After dinner (which I barely ate) I was in bed by 9.45pm...not the best of Saturday nights!

Thank goodness it's Friday!

I was very glad today was Friday as it's been a busy week and I was looking forward to a weekend at home catching up with jobs.

The session in the call centre today was not a pleasant one, because, although it started off slowly, things picked up mid-morning and I had a nasty woman on the phone complaining that her membership hadn't been cancelled and demanding a refund. As she hadn't actually cancelled with anyone and hadn't even stopped her direct debit, we all had little sympathy, but talking to her was not pleasant at all as she wound herself up into a fury. We also had lots of calls booking children onto the holiday playscheme as February half-term is looming!

It was a relief to get out at 2pm and head home for a quick sandwich before going to the school. It was film night tonight and we were watching Despicable Me 3. Unfortunately, Lisa was back to her old tricks again, leaving me to set everything up and then disappearing when the children were watching the film to have a chat with another member of staff. Luckily they were all well-behaved!

At the end of the film she took them out into the playground while I hoovered and mopped the floor... I felt a bit like a skivvy!

As a bonus, though, we were finished by about 5.30pm so I dashed home and caught Keith just about to walk down to the pub. I offered him a lift which he was very grateful for! Sophie and I watched 90 Day Fiance while he was at the pub and I prepared dinner of pizza and wedges...I wanted something easy tonight! Mike went off to Market Harborough with a friend in his car - another cause to worry about him, but he did text me when he arrived so that was a relief!

Worry, worry!

It was back to work for me this morning and the session passed pleasantly enough. I put in a request for holiday for the week after Easter Sunday, something I haven't done since 1994! I'm still finding it very difficult to come to terms with the fact that I'm not my own boss and I can't just come and go as I please. Thinking about the rest of my working life - probably about fifteen to sixteen years - being the same is a bit depressing!

Thursday afternoon at after-school club is not my favourite session as for some reason we have lots of children attend and they are all younger and very rowdy! This afternoon was no exception and we had several children crying about different things and a chaotic session in the hall where the boys kept kicking balls, one of which hit me in the face. Not a good idea! It was a relief to get home and enjoy dinner with Keith as Sophie was attending an event at uni and didn't need picking up until later. Mike had been out in Walgrave and didn't want dinner so it was just the two of us.

We went to get Sophie at about 8pm and she was a bit depressed as the event had been about securing a job after uni and it was quite clear that it was tough out there, as so many young people now attend university and competition is fierce. I tried to assure her that it will all work out in the end but it is a worry. The old saying "the bigger the child, the bigger the problem" has never been so apt!