Crowds!

We awoke to a grey day which was a bit disappointing, even though the weather forecast had predicted a bit of a wash out for the Easter weekend so it was no real surprise!

Mike had gone out last night to the village and had then texted me to say he was staying with a friend so it was a bit of a shock to take a call from him asking us to pick him up from an address in Rushden! I was very annoyed as I was just about to make myself some toast and had no idea he was there. I thought he was going to be walking home!

Keith and I sloshed our way over to get him and all I can say is...thank goodness for Google Maps on my phone. The app got us there without a wrong turning! He was due to start work at 12pm so we were cutting it very fine and had to delay my parents coming over to see us. However, when we arrived home and he disappeared to have a shower, he was told he wasn't needed at work after all.

Mum and Dad arrived bearing an Easter Egg for Mike, an Accessorize voucher for Sophie and a new garden shrub for Keith and I. It's called "Angel in the Garden" and is a Camellia, so I will look forward to finding a place to plant it and may take out some unwanted bushes that have gone a bit rampant.

After Mum and Dad had gone Sophie and I drove into town and went to Homesense on St James Retail Park. We enjoyed a drink in Starbucks first, but Sophie's attempts to re-create that Florida feeling we had at the Starbucks there didn't go too well. For a start we were sitting inside as outside was cold and rainy and everyone looked miserable! It's no wonder!

We walked to Homesense and the place was packed. The retail park is undergoing a bit of a hit at the moment as we had already lost BHS and now Toys R Us are in the process of shutting down. A new store had opened where Brantano's used to be, which was good, but the place was starting to look a bit shabby around the edges and Homesense was the only place that looked really busy. The BHS store was still vacant and looked rundown and neglected.

We had a mooch about but I wasn't in the mood to buy anything for the house or garden. If the weather had been lovely I would have been tempted but what was the point at the moment? Sophie picked out a cleanser and I picked up a twin set of soap and moisturising lotion for the cloakroom but changed my mind when I realised I was paying over the top for the two products - £7.99...really?

I was a bit fed up with the crowds of people and constantly being asked to move when I was looking at the products so we left and went to the Weston Favell Centre, as Sophie was interested in finding out the cost of a series of tanning sessions at a place called Indigo Sun. She is graduating in July and wants to look her best. With our summers she needs a little boost!

Again, the place was packed with people so we hurriedly left and decided to head home. Sophie couldn't get over how everywhere was so packed and I said that was the reason I never went anywhere while she was at work as it was so busy! She has taken today and next Saturday off work as it's her "Birthday Week"!