Last night's dinner was OK, and Keith loved it, but Sophie and I found the garlic really strong, for some reason, and Mike wasn't keen at all. We were a bit disheartened but as I said to Sophie, we're going to try new things and some will work while others won't!
This morning it was back to work and I felt really weary. Because the weather had been so horrible over the weekend I felt I hadn't had a weekend at all! I wore the company polo shirt to work today so at least that will save wearing my own tops. It just means I have to change quickly when I get home and before I go to the school!
The time went by very quickly and after a quick chat and a cup of tea with Sophie and Keith, it was off to my second job. We managed to get out into the playground for a short while but it was very cold so we went back inside. The children were in a whiny mood this afternoon and a couple were very naughty so the session wasn't one of the best! The forecast heavy rain never appeared and towards the evening the skies brightened up a bit.
Sophie was out with friends for a meal in the evening so I gave them all a lift into town so they could have a glass of wine. Keith cooked dinner and afterwards went upstairs to watch the football so I had the living room to myself...bliss! I watched the latest episode of The Durrells until Sophie called me to ask me to pick them all up!
Monday 30 April 2018
Sunday 29 April 2018
Retail therapy?
We awoke to another grey day this morning with little promise of sunshine or warmth. It's the first thing I do every morning, actually! I pull back the curtains to see what the weather's like and I have a broad smile on my face if I see blue skies and the sun!
Mike seemed much better this morning. He ate dinner with us last night which he hadn't done for a couple of days, preferring to exist on ice-cream smoothies and tomato soup. It reminded me of when I had repeated bouts of tonsillitis as a child and in the end I had my tonsils removed, something they don't seem to do these days. We asked him if he wanted to come out to the shops with us but he declined. I don't blame him!
Keith, Sophie and I went down to B&Q in town to look at curtains, paint and lampshades for Sophie's room. As expected, the roads around the retail parks were crowded and this is why I like having Tuesday and Wednesday mornings off as we can go then and avoid the hordes of people! Sophie spotted a lampshade she liked but it looked like a sample so we decided to look elsewhere. She bought two sample pots of Dulux paint and a photograph frame and that was it! We looked at blinds for Mike's room, as he hasn't got one up at his front window so his room gets the full sun every morning, but they all had to be cut, something Keith's not keen on doing!
From B&Q we went to Dunelm, a store I'm not really a fan of. It was packed with people all looking confused about what they were buying and I have to say we felt the same! We looked at lampshades first (along with crowds of other people) and Sophie finally picked a copper coloured one that will go well with her quilt cover and other furnishings. We then went on the hunt for curtains and inspected every colour you could think of, finally settling on some warm stone coloured curtains that cost Sophie £75, a price she wasn't really expecting! Last time we re-decorated her room we paid for everything so she's had a bit of a shock!
I bought Mike a black-out blind that will need cutting but I'll help Keith with it. It was either that or nothing and he badly needs something to keep the early morning sun out of his room. We drove home via the Tesco garage as I needed some diesel, and made sandwiches and cups of tea to recover from the retail shock!
After lunch Sophie and I started preparing dinner. We'd decided to cook satay chicken from an old recipe book I have dating from 1992! We had to cut up the chicken breasts and marinate them in a concoction of ingredients including soy sauce, garlic, curry powder and coconut milk. The kitchen smelt delicious! We then ground up a huge amount of peanuts in my new pestle and mortar, and I assembled the rest of the ingredients, namely more curry powder, chilli powder, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and onions.
To finish we cooked some rice as we're serving the chicken with egg fried rice and the proper way to do it is to wait for it to cool so it doesn't stick. We've decided to cook something different every Sunday and we wrote in the diary what we're doing up until Father's Day in June. Some of the recipes are from the excellent Hairy Bikers Chicken and Egg book and TV series from 2016, and we've been wanting to cook them ever since I bought it!
Mike seemed much better this morning. He ate dinner with us last night which he hadn't done for a couple of days, preferring to exist on ice-cream smoothies and tomato soup. It reminded me of when I had repeated bouts of tonsillitis as a child and in the end I had my tonsils removed, something they don't seem to do these days. We asked him if he wanted to come out to the shops with us but he declined. I don't blame him!
Keith, Sophie and I went down to B&Q in town to look at curtains, paint and lampshades for Sophie's room. As expected, the roads around the retail parks were crowded and this is why I like having Tuesday and Wednesday mornings off as we can go then and avoid the hordes of people! Sophie spotted a lampshade she liked but it looked like a sample so we decided to look elsewhere. She bought two sample pots of Dulux paint and a photograph frame and that was it! We looked at blinds for Mike's room, as he hasn't got one up at his front window so his room gets the full sun every morning, but they all had to be cut, something Keith's not keen on doing!
From B&Q we went to Dunelm, a store I'm not really a fan of. It was packed with people all looking confused about what they were buying and I have to say we felt the same! We looked at lampshades first (along with crowds of other people) and Sophie finally picked a copper coloured one that will go well with her quilt cover and other furnishings. We then went on the hunt for curtains and inspected every colour you could think of, finally settling on some warm stone coloured curtains that cost Sophie £75, a price she wasn't really expecting! Last time we re-decorated her room we paid for everything so she's had a bit of a shock!
I bought Mike a black-out blind that will need cutting but I'll help Keith with it. It was either that or nothing and he badly needs something to keep the early morning sun out of his room. We drove home via the Tesco garage as I needed some diesel, and made sandwiches and cups of tea to recover from the retail shock!
After lunch Sophie and I started preparing dinner. We'd decided to cook satay chicken from an old recipe book I have dating from 1992! We had to cut up the chicken breasts and marinate them in a concoction of ingredients including soy sauce, garlic, curry powder and coconut milk. The kitchen smelt delicious! We then ground up a huge amount of peanuts in my new pestle and mortar, and I assembled the rest of the ingredients, namely more curry powder, chilli powder, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and onions.
To finish we cooked some rice as we're serving the chicken with egg fried rice and the proper way to do it is to wait for it to cool so it doesn't stick. We've decided to cook something different every Sunday and we wrote in the diary what we're doing up until Father's Day in June. Some of the recipes are from the excellent Hairy Bikers Chicken and Egg book and TV series from 2016, and we've been wanting to cook them ever since I bought it!
Saturday 28 April 2018
Wet weekend...
Yesterday, when Mike appeared and said his throat still hurt, I asked Keith to make him an appointment at the doctor's. It turned out he had tonsillitis and was given antibiotics, a spray to ease the pain and told to take paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
This morning he seemed a little better but I told him to stay in the house and not even think about going out! The weather today has been terrible with constant rain, grey skies and a chilly wind. What happened to those glorious days of last week? Apparently, it's set to get colder over the next few days and we have a weather warning out for heavy rain on Monday. Wonderful...
We took Sophie to work as we needed to get the newspaper and some more soup for Mike as that's all he can eat at the moment. Back home we had toasted crumpets for breakfast and then I caught up with all the little things I need to do on a Saturday! All plans for going out into the garden or washing the cars were put on hold!
I did see a little bit of brightness in the afternoon but that was swiftly replaced by more grey skies and heavy clouds. When I went to collect Sophie from work it looked like it was going to lash down! Oh well, we'll appreciate the warm summer days when they eventually arrive!
This morning he seemed a little better but I told him to stay in the house and not even think about going out! The weather today has been terrible with constant rain, grey skies and a chilly wind. What happened to those glorious days of last week? Apparently, it's set to get colder over the next few days and we have a weather warning out for heavy rain on Monday. Wonderful...
We took Sophie to work as we needed to get the newspaper and some more soup for Mike as that's all he can eat at the moment. Back home we had toasted crumpets for breakfast and then I caught up with all the little things I need to do on a Saturday! All plans for going out into the garden or washing the cars were put on hold!
I did see a little bit of brightness in the afternoon but that was swiftly replaced by more grey skies and heavy clouds. When I went to collect Sophie from work it looked like it was going to lash down! Oh well, we'll appreciate the warm summer days when they eventually arrive!
Friday 27 April 2018
Told off!
At work this morning, Sara asked me to go to the reception area of the building for a little chat and I was really worried I'd done something wrong! However, she wanted to tell me that wearing jeans would no longer be allowed and thought it was a good idea to tell me before an official email went out! I was OK with it but felt it was a bit silly as we are all closeted away in the office and never get to see any of the customers we talk to! It had never been mentioned to me in the past about the rule so I hadn't known. However, she also mentioned a supervisor's job that will be coming up soon and thought I should apply, so that was a good thing!
This is the second little telling off I've had this week and it's really down to poor communication (not that I'm looking for excuses!). At school on Tuesday I'd missed a short training session on the use of epi-pens but as I'm still not on the email list and nobody had thought to mention it to me, I didn't go!
Towards the end of my session at work, Sara wanted to see me again so I went into the office with her and Sheila. They asked if I wanted to do some extra work in May which would involve the cinema administration and I was only too happy to oblige! It sounded very interesting!
Although Lisa had said last week she wasn't going to do Film Night any more, we put it on this afternoon and the children watched The Emoji Movie. It was pouring with rain outside, and had been all day, so afterwards we let the children use the ipads in the library while Lisa cleared up. She has decided to change it slightly in September and have the session finish at 5pm as that extra half an hour is difficult to fill if the weather is horrible and the children get bored. There's no point getting all the toys out for half an hour so we have to fall back on technological help!
The parents trickled in between 5pm and 5.30pm and took their offspring home which left us with just two children who were picked up before 6pm, thank goodness. I came across Keith walking to the pub and gave him a lift for the rest of the way before returning home and having a glass of red wine with Sophie. It certainly wasn't cocktail weather!
This is the second little telling off I've had this week and it's really down to poor communication (not that I'm looking for excuses!). At school on Tuesday I'd missed a short training session on the use of epi-pens but as I'm still not on the email list and nobody had thought to mention it to me, I didn't go!
Towards the end of my session at work, Sara wanted to see me again so I went into the office with her and Sheila. They asked if I wanted to do some extra work in May which would involve the cinema administration and I was only too happy to oblige! It sounded very interesting!
Although Lisa had said last week she wasn't going to do Film Night any more, we put it on this afternoon and the children watched The Emoji Movie. It was pouring with rain outside, and had been all day, so afterwards we let the children use the ipads in the library while Lisa cleared up. She has decided to change it slightly in September and have the session finish at 5pm as that extra half an hour is difficult to fill if the weather is horrible and the children get bored. There's no point getting all the toys out for half an hour so we have to fall back on technological help!
The parents trickled in between 5pm and 5.30pm and took their offspring home which left us with just two children who were picked up before 6pm, thank goodness. I came across Keith walking to the pub and gave him a lift for the rest of the way before returning home and having a glass of red wine with Sophie. It certainly wasn't cocktail weather!
Thursday 26 April 2018
Sunny skies!
Today the weather has been glorious with sunshine and gorgeous "Florida" skies. Work went very quickly today as I was kept busy with extra jobs and halfway through the morning I went and bought some sweets for the girls who tidied the cupboard yesterday. Our reception at work sells large packets of sweets for customers visiting the cinema so it was ideal.
We spent the whole of the after-school session out in the playground which was a real bonus. Unfortunately, the weather is due to go downhill again tomorrow and over the weekend so we made the most of it while we could! Although it's been sunny it hasn't been that warm so there was no sitting out in the garden this evening when I returned home!
We spent the whole of the after-school session out in the playground which was a real bonus. Unfortunately, the weather is due to go downhill again tomorrow and over the weekend so we made the most of it while we could! Although it's been sunny it hasn't been that warm so there was no sitting out in the garden this evening when I returned home!
Wednesday 25 April 2018
Something new...
The garage mechanic had called me yesterday afternoon to say they couldn't really find anything wrong with my car but suggested I drive it around for a while to see if the light came on again. It was too late to collect it yesterday so Keith drove Sophie and I there this morning and there was no charge! However, if the light comes on again I'll take it back and I'll need to contact them next week anyway, as I still owe for the bulb and the labour.
Sophie and I drove to Ikea in Milton Keynes after we'd picked up my car and after looking around the furniture part of the store and picking out a new headboard for her bed and some shelving, we had an early lunch of meatballs and mashed potatoes.
We then headed for the market hall where, after a lot of searching, Sophie found me a pestle and mortar, something I've wanted for ages. My daughter continued to splurge on new bedding (a quilt and four pillows) and looked at the curtains. However, after calling Keith and asking him to measure her window, we realised they were far too long so we'll go somewhere else for them.
I treated her to a new sheet and she chose some lovely pictures and frames for the new style of her room, which she wants to be "Floridian". She's already spotted a new duvet cover of lovely green fern-like leaves and she wants green curtains to match, with creamy walls and white woodwork. It'll certainly be a change from the black and maroon she currently has in her room.
When we went to collect the furniture and I was a bit shocked to see how long and heavy the headboard was. We could hardly lift it! However, we loaded it onto the flatbed and made our way to the checkouts where Sophie paid for all her purchases - she spent a fair wad of money!
Out in the car park we managed (eventually) to get everything into the car, although Sophie had to pull her seat forward to get the headboard in! It had just started to rain and on the way home we had a torrential downpour. The April showers have arrived at last!
Keith was a bit amazed when we arrived home and unloaded all our shopping. He will be kept busy once we've painted her room! We stored everything in the conservatory and I went off to work where I decided to park in the pub car park, despite the stormy looking sky!
The children played in both the hall and outside and two of the girls offered to tidy up the toy cupboard and made an excellent job of it! I promised them a treat to say thank you! Walking back to the car after the session was very wet as the heavens had opened again and I'm sure I heard a clap of thunder!
Sophie and I drove to Ikea in Milton Keynes after we'd picked up my car and after looking around the furniture part of the store and picking out a new headboard for her bed and some shelving, we had an early lunch of meatballs and mashed potatoes.
We then headed for the market hall where, after a lot of searching, Sophie found me a pestle and mortar, something I've wanted for ages. My daughter continued to splurge on new bedding (a quilt and four pillows) and looked at the curtains. However, after calling Keith and asking him to measure her window, we realised they were far too long so we'll go somewhere else for them.
I treated her to a new sheet and she chose some lovely pictures and frames for the new style of her room, which she wants to be "Floridian". She's already spotted a new duvet cover of lovely green fern-like leaves and she wants green curtains to match, with creamy walls and white woodwork. It'll certainly be a change from the black and maroon she currently has in her room.
When we went to collect the furniture and I was a bit shocked to see how long and heavy the headboard was. We could hardly lift it! However, we loaded it onto the flatbed and made our way to the checkouts where Sophie paid for all her purchases - she spent a fair wad of money!
Out in the car park we managed (eventually) to get everything into the car, although Sophie had to pull her seat forward to get the headboard in! It had just started to rain and on the way home we had a torrential downpour. The April showers have arrived at last!
Keith was a bit amazed when we arrived home and unloaded all our shopping. He will be kept busy once we've painted her room! We stored everything in the conservatory and I went off to work where I decided to park in the pub car park, despite the stormy looking sky!
The children played in both the hall and outside and two of the girls offered to tidy up the toy cupboard and made an excellent job of it! I promised them a treat to say thank you! Walking back to the car after the session was very wet as the heavens had opened again and I'm sure I heard a clap of thunder!
Tuesday 24 April 2018
Dreaming of sunny skies!
Mike woke up with a sore throat this morning so he didn't go to college. He said he felt really horrible so we urged him to take some painkillers and go back to bed.
Keith and I dropped my car off at the garage in Broughton as my emissions light had come on and also I needed a new brake light bulb. The mechanic said he would call me when it was ready and I hoped that it wouldn't cost too much money!
Keith, Sophie and I went over to the Weston Favell Centre for our usual shopping trip - I think it's time we found somewhere else to go on a Tuesday! We went into Tesco and I made straight for the international foods aisle where I like to hang out, as all the different goods there make me feel happy...yes, I know I'm sad but it reminds me of being in a supermarket abroad! I especially like the section of Caribbean foods as I swear I can feel the sunlight and warmth when I'm looking at all the labels! We bought some Jamaican snacks and a box of Chinese fortune cookies as we're going to cook satay chicken on Sunday night.
Buoyed up by dreaming about all the foods we could cook we took our bags to the car and then made our way to Costa as we were meeting my Mum and Dad for a quick coffee. My Dad had been to the dentist but he didn't really look very well, to be honest and I'm a little worried about him. We seem to have nothing but health worries at the moment!
After enjoying a coffee and chatting to my parents we returned home and I mooched about until it was time to go to school. We had no choice but to stay inside today as the weather was horrible and I thought longingly of the gorgeous sunshine we enjoyed last week. Alas, it is a distant memory!
Keith and I dropped my car off at the garage in Broughton as my emissions light had come on and also I needed a new brake light bulb. The mechanic said he would call me when it was ready and I hoped that it wouldn't cost too much money!
Keith, Sophie and I went over to the Weston Favell Centre for our usual shopping trip - I think it's time we found somewhere else to go on a Tuesday! We went into Tesco and I made straight for the international foods aisle where I like to hang out, as all the different goods there make me feel happy...yes, I know I'm sad but it reminds me of being in a supermarket abroad! I especially like the section of Caribbean foods as I swear I can feel the sunlight and warmth when I'm looking at all the labels! We bought some Jamaican snacks and a box of Chinese fortune cookies as we're going to cook satay chicken on Sunday night.
Buoyed up by dreaming about all the foods we could cook we took our bags to the car and then made our way to Costa as we were meeting my Mum and Dad for a quick coffee. My Dad had been to the dentist but he didn't really look very well, to be honest and I'm a little worried about him. We seem to have nothing but health worries at the moment!
After enjoying a coffee and chatting to my parents we returned home and I mooched about until it was time to go to school. We had no choice but to stay inside today as the weather was horrible and I thought longingly of the gorgeous sunshine we enjoyed last week. Alas, it is a distant memory!
Monday 23 April 2018
Computer meltdown!
When I arrived at work this morning I discovered we had no computer system, and therefore, no phones. At 8am the calls started coming through but we weren't able to answer them. At one point we had twelve calls in the queue so we turned the system off so we couldn't see them! One of the managers turned off the router in our office which didn't achieve anything except make a horrible, high-pitched whining noise!
After about 45 minutes Sara made the decision for us to go to another centre and try and work from there. I sped off in the car but she called me five minutes later to say that the system was back up and running!
Because of our delayed start we were busy with phone calls, but I was also able to do some proof-reading work for Sheila and test the prices of the holiday play scheme.
Keith called me as I was leaving and warned me that the traffic was bad on the A43 so I took another route home. It was all down to a new development of houses on the A43 and I fear the work will be going on for a good while yet!
At the school we ventured out into the playground but the temperatures have been a lot lower today than they were last week. Two of the older girls amused themselves by setting up a course on the pirate ship and asking me to time them completing it using the stopwatch on my phone. Lisa stayed inside and set up a Scalextric track that the headmaster had donated.
We all managed to get out later in the session but it was definitely a lot colder. We have rain forecast for tomorrow so it looks like we've gone back to Spring after a brief spell of Summer! When I got home I was so cold I jumped into a hot bath!
After about 45 minutes Sara made the decision for us to go to another centre and try and work from there. I sped off in the car but she called me five minutes later to say that the system was back up and running!
Because of our delayed start we were busy with phone calls, but I was also able to do some proof-reading work for Sheila and test the prices of the holiday play scheme.
Keith called me as I was leaving and warned me that the traffic was bad on the A43 so I took another route home. It was all down to a new development of houses on the A43 and I fear the work will be going on for a good while yet!
At the school we ventured out into the playground but the temperatures have been a lot lower today than they were last week. Two of the older girls amused themselves by setting up a course on the pirate ship and asking me to time them completing it using the stopwatch on my phone. Lisa stayed inside and set up a Scalextric track that the headmaster had donated.
We all managed to get out later in the session but it was definitely a lot colder. We have rain forecast for tomorrow so it looks like we've gone back to Spring after a brief spell of Summer! When I got home I was so cold I jumped into a hot bath!
Sunday 22 April 2018
Making the most of the weather!
I've had a slightly busier day today in that I changed Sophie's bedding to get it out on the line in the glorious sunshine, and mowed the front verge before washing my car.
Mike went to work at the cafe for the last time today. He handed his notice in a couple of weeks ago as he wasn't enjoying the work and found it unbearably hot when the sun shone! After we'd dropped him off I tackled the front garden and it was very pleasant working in the sun and chatting to various neighbours who passed by!
After cold meats and salad for lunch I washed my car using the shampoos that Audi had given me (well, I think they were a gift...they were in my boot after the recall so I assumed they were!). A couple of them, the wheel cleaner and the shampoo, had a very strange smell but the car did look lovely and shiny when I finished!
It looked like it was going to rain in the afternoon but thankfully it passed over so I breathed a sigh of relief. Mum and Dad popped around for a cup of tea as they'd been to an antiques fair in Brixworth and we had a pleasant chat for an hour. After they'd gone Sophie and I walked Monty around the estate a couple of times as the weather was so beautiful. It's been slightly cooler today which is more typical of this time of year! We chatted to Tom next door who was cleaning his car with little Leo, his son, who was delighted to be helping Daddy. He's so sweet!
Mike was finished earlier today so after collecting him from work Sophie and I poured ourselves a drink and we watched A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun which was set in Naples, Florida. Watching the show brought back some lovely memories for all of us!
Sophie and I cooked dinner in the evening - Mary Berry's Panang chicken which was delicious. Next week we're going to attempt Satay chicken!
Mike went to work at the cafe for the last time today. He handed his notice in a couple of weeks ago as he wasn't enjoying the work and found it unbearably hot when the sun shone! After we'd dropped him off I tackled the front garden and it was very pleasant working in the sun and chatting to various neighbours who passed by!
After cold meats and salad for lunch I washed my car using the shampoos that Audi had given me (well, I think they were a gift...they were in my boot after the recall so I assumed they were!). A couple of them, the wheel cleaner and the shampoo, had a very strange smell but the car did look lovely and shiny when I finished!
It looked like it was going to rain in the afternoon but thankfully it passed over so I breathed a sigh of relief. Mum and Dad popped around for a cup of tea as they'd been to an antiques fair in Brixworth and we had a pleasant chat for an hour. After they'd gone Sophie and I walked Monty around the estate a couple of times as the weather was so beautiful. It's been slightly cooler today which is more typical of this time of year! We chatted to Tom next door who was cleaning his car with little Leo, his son, who was delighted to be helping Daddy. He's so sweet!
Mike was finished earlier today so after collecting him from work Sophie and I poured ourselves a drink and we watched A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun which was set in Naples, Florida. Watching the show brought back some lovely memories for all of us!
Sophie and I cooked dinner in the evening - Mary Berry's Panang chicken which was delicious. Next week we're going to attempt Satay chicken!
Saturday 21 April 2018
Catching up!
I had various little chores to do today and by lunchtime they were all completed. I did try and print out some photos for Richard and Michelle of their house being built, but in the end I gave up and emailed them the photos instead!
The weather today has been glorious again but I didn't really venture outside, preferring to sit in the conservatory and soak up the sun through the glass. One annoyance was the constant buzz of wasps who had somehow found their way in! We all look forward to the warm days but we forget about annoying insects!
Both Sophie and Mike were at work and Keith went off to see Sileby play so I had the peaceful house to myself and managed to fall asleep on the sofa! When Keith came home we watched the first part of the Scottish Grand National until the horse he had backed fell and then he lost interest!
I went to collect Sophie from work and left Keith at home to wait for Mike's call. When we returned he was still waiting to hear from him so obviously the cafe he works in was really busy. At just after 7pm Keith gave up waiting for the call and went to collect him, with Mike calling mere minutes after he'd left!
This meant we had a late dinner and Sophie and I cooked beef tacos. After dinner we watched a silly film starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. It was a bit far-fetched but enjoyable!
The weather today has been glorious again but I didn't really venture outside, preferring to sit in the conservatory and soak up the sun through the glass. One annoyance was the constant buzz of wasps who had somehow found their way in! We all look forward to the warm days but we forget about annoying insects!
Both Sophie and Mike were at work and Keith went off to see Sileby play so I had the peaceful house to myself and managed to fall asleep on the sofa! When Keith came home we watched the first part of the Scottish Grand National until the horse he had backed fell and then he lost interest!
I went to collect Sophie from work and left Keith at home to wait for Mike's call. When we returned he was still waiting to hear from him so obviously the cafe he works in was really busy. At just after 7pm Keith gave up waiting for the call and went to collect him, with Mike calling mere minutes after he'd left!
This meant we had a late dinner and Sophie and I cooked beef tacos. After dinner we watched a silly film starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. It was a bit far-fetched but enjoyable!
Friday 20 April 2018
Film night abandoned!
I was on my own today at work so I was kept very busy with answering phone calls and doing some of Sheila's work and the time flew by. Before going home I went and put some petrol in Sophie's car as the light had come on...in the morning, on the way to work, I was worried I'd run out!
Back home I discovered Sophie had hoovered the house for me and Keith had mown the lawn so that was a bonus! At school we started watching a film called Mirror Mirror, but the children were bored and really wanted to play outside so Lisa took them into the playground while I cleared away and mopped the floor. It's been another gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and warm temperatures. The weekend is looking good as well!
The children were all gone by 5.45pm so it was home to have a drink with Sophie and prepare dinner of cold meats, salad and new potatoes. Perfect for this weather!
Back home I discovered Sophie had hoovered the house for me and Keith had mown the lawn so that was a bonus! At school we started watching a film called Mirror Mirror, but the children were bored and really wanted to play outside so Lisa took them into the playground while I cleared away and mopped the floor. It's been another gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and warm temperatures. The weekend is looking good as well!
The children were all gone by 5.45pm so it was home to have a drink with Sophie and prepare dinner of cold meats, salad and new potatoes. Perfect for this weather!
Thursday 19 April 2018
A lovely surprise!
I was back at work this morning and working with Sadie rather than Sue. I had a lot of swimming lesson phone calls again and Sheila came over to show me how to do some work for her, which although complicated at first, was very simple once I got used to it!
We spent the session at the after-school club out in the playground again and I made sure I applied some sun cream before I went! A lot of the children were doing the same which was good although some informed me they had neither hats nor lotion! We gave them their snack in the little shed that's in the playground and it was really very pleasant! Lisa had been offered another job but she's decided to stay and on reflection, it's not a bad place to be as we get paid for all the school holidays and in weather like this it's great to play with the children in the playground!
Back home we decided to sit in the garden before dinner and Keith produced a Vodka and Tonic for me, which was a complete surprise! I was in heaven with the lovely weather, sitting in the garden and looking forward to some more of the same!
We spent the session at the after-school club out in the playground again and I made sure I applied some sun cream before I went! A lot of the children were doing the same which was good although some informed me they had neither hats nor lotion! We gave them their snack in the little shed that's in the playground and it was really very pleasant! Lisa had been offered another job but she's decided to stay and on reflection, it's not a bad place to be as we get paid for all the school holidays and in weather like this it's great to play with the children in the playground!
Back home we decided to sit in the garden before dinner and Keith produced a Vodka and Tonic for me, which was a complete surprise! I was in heaven with the lovely weather, sitting in the garden and looking forward to some more of the same!
Wednesday 18 April 2018
A quick shopping trip!
Today dawned sunny and warm - Spring has arrived! Or maybe we've gone straight into summer!
Sophie and I went to Rushden Lakes this morning as my daughter had some vouchers to spend and she wanted to get a pair of black jeans. We decided to have a coffee in Jamaica Blue rather than going to our trusted Costa and I'm not sure we will go back, to be honest. Customers are asked to order at the counter and we were met with a friendly girl who took my order for a Flat White. We made our way to the counter and chose a couple of cakes to go with our drinks and Sophie ordered an iced coffee. The girl, who literally minutes before, had taken my order for a Flat White seemed to have forgotten about it and asked if we just wanted one drink!
Sophie paid for the drinks and cakes which came to £11 and we found a seat, albeit not the one we'd pointed out as it was like sitting in a wind tunnel! We waited for our drinks and were surprised to see lots of other people having drinks and food delivered to their tables. Why not offer table service then? we mused, as you don't get your food straight away and have to wait anyway!
When our order did arrive the food was fine but I still prefer Costa's coffee. I had a wedge of blueberry "scone" served with clotted cream and lemon curd while Sophie had a warmed slice of banana loaf served with butter. We found it all a bit disjointed and the meals were expensive compared to Bill's next door. Next time we're going to try Bewitched Coffee so we'll see what that's like! It's just a shame there isn't an independent coffee shop to choose at the retail park!
Sophie bought some jewellery in Accesorize and we paid £1 to choose a lucky dip prize, ending up with two little tins of sweets! After a quick look in House of Fraser we went to River Island where Sophie tried on a Graduation dress and a pair of skinny black jeans. The dress was OK but looked cheap so that was rejected by both of us.
I popped into Boots before we left as I wanted to get some bits to make my feet look a bit better now that I'll be swapping to sandals for the rest of the week! I'm not sure I'm going to trust this weather completely as it could be freezing again next week, but it will be nice to jettison the boots for cooler sandals!
Back home I decided to make the most of the fine weather by washing Sophie's car and Keith came out for a chat. It really was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky and temperatures of around 23c. It's due to get hotter tomorrow with highs of 27c predicted. That's too warm for Spring!
We spent the entire session at school out in the playground which was lovely!
Sophie and I went to Rushden Lakes this morning as my daughter had some vouchers to spend and she wanted to get a pair of black jeans. We decided to have a coffee in Jamaica Blue rather than going to our trusted Costa and I'm not sure we will go back, to be honest. Customers are asked to order at the counter and we were met with a friendly girl who took my order for a Flat White. We made our way to the counter and chose a couple of cakes to go with our drinks and Sophie ordered an iced coffee. The girl, who literally minutes before, had taken my order for a Flat White seemed to have forgotten about it and asked if we just wanted one drink!
Sophie paid for the drinks and cakes which came to £11 and we found a seat, albeit not the one we'd pointed out as it was like sitting in a wind tunnel! We waited for our drinks and were surprised to see lots of other people having drinks and food delivered to their tables. Why not offer table service then? we mused, as you don't get your food straight away and have to wait anyway!
When our order did arrive the food was fine but I still prefer Costa's coffee. I had a wedge of blueberry "scone" served with clotted cream and lemon curd while Sophie had a warmed slice of banana loaf served with butter. We found it all a bit disjointed and the meals were expensive compared to Bill's next door. Next time we're going to try Bewitched Coffee so we'll see what that's like! It's just a shame there isn't an independent coffee shop to choose at the retail park!
Sophie bought some jewellery in Accesorize and we paid £1 to choose a lucky dip prize, ending up with two little tins of sweets! After a quick look in House of Fraser we went to River Island where Sophie tried on a Graduation dress and a pair of skinny black jeans. The dress was OK but looked cheap so that was rejected by both of us.
I popped into Boots before we left as I wanted to get some bits to make my feet look a bit better now that I'll be swapping to sandals for the rest of the week! I'm not sure I'm going to trust this weather completely as it could be freezing again next week, but it will be nice to jettison the boots for cooler sandals!
Back home I decided to make the most of the fine weather by washing Sophie's car and Keith came out for a chat. It really was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky and temperatures of around 23c. It's due to get hotter tomorrow with highs of 27c predicted. That's too warm for Spring!
We spent the entire session at school out in the playground which was lovely!
Tuesday 17 April 2018
Back to school
After dropping Mike off at college, Keith, Sophie and I went over to the Weston Favell Centre (as usual!) to get meals for tonight and Wednesday. Sophie needed index cards to help her revise for her exam in May and after fruitless searching we managed to find a huge choice in WHSmith. We went to Wilco's and we bought two sample pots of paint for the garden fence and loveseat. It would be great to add some colour to the garden this year!
After our shopping trip we returned home for lunch and I mooched about until it was time to go to school for the first session back after the holidays. Today has been cloudy again but we're promised sunshine and warmer temperatures for the rest of the week and maybe the weekend. Let's hope so!
After school I sped home and we ate a quick dinner as Sophie and I were going to the cinema to see You Were Never Really Here starring Joaquin Phoenix. Sophie drove so I could have a glass of wine with dinner!
The film was good, if a bit disturbing, dark and violent and Sophie really liked it. Joaquin Phoenix did mumble a bit and at times I was a bit confused but I'm glad we went to see it. There are still so many films we want to see including Ladybird, A Quiet Place, A Fantastic Woman and The Shape of Water. We are seriously thinking of getting a joint membership to the Errol Flynn, but tonight we enjoyed the film at the Forum cinema. It was quiet, almost empty which was just how we liked it!
After our shopping trip we returned home for lunch and I mooched about until it was time to go to school for the first session back after the holidays. Today has been cloudy again but we're promised sunshine and warmer temperatures for the rest of the week and maybe the weekend. Let's hope so!
After school I sped home and we ate a quick dinner as Sophie and I were going to the cinema to see You Were Never Really Here starring Joaquin Phoenix. Sophie drove so I could have a glass of wine with dinner!
The film was good, if a bit disturbing, dark and violent and Sophie really liked it. Joaquin Phoenix did mumble a bit and at times I was a bit confused but I'm glad we went to see it. There are still so many films we want to see including Ladybird, A Quiet Place, A Fantastic Woman and The Shape of Water. We are seriously thinking of getting a joint membership to the Errol Flynn, but tonight we enjoyed the film at the Forum cinema. It was quiet, almost empty which was just how we liked it!
Monday 16 April 2018
Sunny Monday
It was lovely to drive to work this morning with the sun shining! It's about time but why does it have to be when I'm at work!
I had a few irritating phone calls this morning and it was mainly mums trying to book swimming lessons for children that are already doing loads of different hobbies. These mums can only do certain days or certain times because the children are participating in dance/music/drama classes so it's very annoying when they think we can work miracles!
I finished a little earlier today as we were having a show-around at one of the other leisure centres where they had installed brand new changing facilities. I had never driven there before but managed to find the car park at the back and made my way through the maze of rooms to reception. I had a look around with two other women that I worked with and we were all impressed by how it looked!
By 2.30pm I was on my way home to relax with Keith and Sophie in the conservatory and as the weather was so nice we walked Monty around the estate a couple of times. He was reluctant to go on the second trip but we enticed him with treats!
I had a few irritating phone calls this morning and it was mainly mums trying to book swimming lessons for children that are already doing loads of different hobbies. These mums can only do certain days or certain times because the children are participating in dance/music/drama classes so it's very annoying when they think we can work miracles!
I finished a little earlier today as we were having a show-around at one of the other leisure centres where they had installed brand new changing facilities. I had never driven there before but managed to find the car park at the back and made my way through the maze of rooms to reception. I had a look around with two other women that I worked with and we were all impressed by how it looked!
By 2.30pm I was on my way home to relax with Keith and Sophie in the conservatory and as the weather was so nice we walked Monty around the estate a couple of times. He was reluctant to go on the second trip but we enticed him with treats!
Sunday 15 April 2018
Lazy Sunday
I didn't wake up until 9.30am this morning, which I wasn't too pleased about! I felt like I'd wasted half the day!
Sophie and I had a leisurely hour of watching Graham Norton before we embarked on the final clearing up from last night and putting everything back in its place. I'd moved things around to give us more space in the kitchen and a lot of our utensils were in the garage!
Keith took Mike to work and when he returned we had a late breakfast of fried potatoes and leftovers from last night. The weather today certainly hasn't been as good as yesterday with overcast skies and a chilly breeze.
We spent the afternoon dong very little and I did some (fruitless) research on my family tree. Mike asked to be picked up early from work which was good news and we set off in the rain to get him. Was yesterday our summer?!
Keith cooked roast beef for dinner and Sophie and I hoovered up the remains of the wine! We had a half glass of most of them and enjoyed the rest of the red with dinner!
Sophie and I had a leisurely hour of watching Graham Norton before we embarked on the final clearing up from last night and putting everything back in its place. I'd moved things around to give us more space in the kitchen and a lot of our utensils were in the garage!
Keith took Mike to work and when he returned we had a late breakfast of fried potatoes and leftovers from last night. The weather today certainly hasn't been as good as yesterday with overcast skies and a chilly breeze.
We spent the afternoon dong very little and I did some (fruitless) research on my family tree. Mike asked to be picked up early from work which was good news and we set off in the rain to get him. Was yesterday our summer?!
Keith cooked roast beef for dinner and Sophie and I hoovered up the remains of the wine! We had a half glass of most of them and enjoyed the rest of the red with dinner!
Saturday 14 April 2018
Old versus new!
After dropping Sophie off at work, Keith and I popped to the Co-op in Moulton and bought all of the salad stuff we needed for tonight's Wine Evening. I even bought some early strawberries to put in the Summer Punch cocktail I was serving beforehand.
Back home we enjoyed poached eggs on toast in the conservatory before I made a start on cleaning the downstairs of the house. When we took Mike to work we realised we needed butter and napkins so it was off to the Co-op in Brixworth to get those! There's always something!
I spent the rest of the day giving the downstairs rooms a good clean and setting the table ready for tonight. I do like it when the house is all set and looking clean and tidy! After having a bath Keith and I settled down to watch the Grand National as we had both backed several horses in the race. I chose Seeyouatmidnight which I think stood a good chance.
I have no idea why I actually watch the Grand National as it always has me in tears and today was no exception. Seeing the horses fall was horrible and at one point I couldn't stand it any longer and got up to run out of the room, but I still watched. What amazes me is the riderless horses gamely jumping along with all the others!
Unfortunately neither Keith or I had a winner (and neither did the children who had picked horses) but it was great to know that all the horses were fine after the race.
We went to collect Sophie from work and then carried on to get Mike as he said he was finishing at 6.30pm. It's been a beautiful day today so we knew he would be busy! Even though he said he'd be finished we still waited twenty minutes for him to come out, and I was champing at the bit as I needed to get home and put the finishing touches to the buffet and get changed! I was just glad I'd made the salad before we left!
Keith and Sophie helped prepare the food and I went to get changed. Michelle and Richard arrived at 7.30pm and Sue and Paul shortly afterwards so there was a flurry of welcomes and serving cocktails. Sophie was a huge help as always and she beavered away in the background as we chatted to our guests in the conservatory.
With the buffet I served the two sparkling wines we'd bought - the French Chardonnay from Waitrose and then the New Zealand Oyster Bay. Both of the wines were lovely but we all preferred the French fizz. Next up was Richard and Michelle's wines - a Vouvray from France and a Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Again, the old world won as we all loved the Vouvray!
Lastly we enjoyed two Merlots from Sue and Paul - one from Chile and a French wine. I preferred the Chilean but it was interesting to note that there wasn't any left in the bottle (or jug as Sue and Paul had decanted it!) at the end of the evening!
We had a really great night and according to Sophie we were "really loud"! Everyone left at midnight so after clearing the table of glasses (Sophie had washed up the plates earlier) and leaving it all in the kitchen for tomorrow morning, it was off to bed!
Back home we enjoyed poached eggs on toast in the conservatory before I made a start on cleaning the downstairs of the house. When we took Mike to work we realised we needed butter and napkins so it was off to the Co-op in Brixworth to get those! There's always something!
I spent the rest of the day giving the downstairs rooms a good clean and setting the table ready for tonight. I do like it when the house is all set and looking clean and tidy! After having a bath Keith and I settled down to watch the Grand National as we had both backed several horses in the race. I chose Seeyouatmidnight which I think stood a good chance.
I have no idea why I actually watch the Grand National as it always has me in tears and today was no exception. Seeing the horses fall was horrible and at one point I couldn't stand it any longer and got up to run out of the room, but I still watched. What amazes me is the riderless horses gamely jumping along with all the others!
Unfortunately neither Keith or I had a winner (and neither did the children who had picked horses) but it was great to know that all the horses were fine after the race.
We went to collect Sophie from work and then carried on to get Mike as he said he was finishing at 6.30pm. It's been a beautiful day today so we knew he would be busy! Even though he said he'd be finished we still waited twenty minutes for him to come out, and I was champing at the bit as I needed to get home and put the finishing touches to the buffet and get changed! I was just glad I'd made the salad before we left!
Keith and Sophie helped prepare the food and I went to get changed. Michelle and Richard arrived at 7.30pm and Sue and Paul shortly afterwards so there was a flurry of welcomes and serving cocktails. Sophie was a huge help as always and she beavered away in the background as we chatted to our guests in the conservatory.
With the buffet I served the two sparkling wines we'd bought - the French Chardonnay from Waitrose and then the New Zealand Oyster Bay. Both of the wines were lovely but we all preferred the French fizz. Next up was Richard and Michelle's wines - a Vouvray from France and a Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Again, the old world won as we all loved the Vouvray!
Lastly we enjoyed two Merlots from Sue and Paul - one from Chile and a French wine. I preferred the Chilean but it was interesting to note that there wasn't any left in the bottle (or jug as Sue and Paul had decanted it!) at the end of the evening!
We had a really great night and according to Sophie we were "really loud"! Everyone left at midnight so after clearing the table of glasses (Sophie had washed up the plates earlier) and leaving it all in the kitchen for tomorrow morning, it was off to bed!
Friday 13 April 2018
Steak night!
Sophie had an appointment this morning at 9.15am at Woodlands hospital for a specialist to have a look at her right eye, the one that the Optician was a bit worried about. We had a bit of difficulty parking (as predicted) but we managed to get a space in the end and sat and waited in the comfortable reception area.
Luckily we were called into the consultation room at just after our appointed time and Sophie explained that she'd had a problem about four years ago but that everything had been fine since then. The optician had a thorough look (he was a bit grumpy) and said that everything was fine and that the veins in eyes can vary from person to person. I think the original optician she saw was just being very zealous but it was a huge relief to find that she was OK and there was no further investigations needed.
We drove home along the busy A14 and then I had time for a quick breakfast before I went off to work. I'd arranged to take three hours as holiday so I was due in at 11am and found it difficult to park this morning! Normally, at 8am, there's plenty of spaces! I parked in the Weston Favell Centre and dashed off to work where I did my three hours until 2pm.
The weather today has been grey and dismal but fortunately the fog has dissipated so we just have a lot of cloud hanging about. Mike had also been working today but came home at the same time as me so that was good - I didn't have to go out and get him at 6pm!
Keith went to the pub, but drove as he was my taxi driver for the evening. I was going out with Lynda, Fiona and Andrea to the Miller and Carter Steakhouse in Northampton, which used to be a tired-looking Toby Carvery. Sophie did my hair and Keith drove me the short distance to the restaurant where I met Fiona and Andrea at the bar ordering their drinks.
We hadn't seen each other since just before Christmas so we had a lot to catch up on! Lynda arrived looking very glamorous wearing a short skirt and jumper and had an enormous pair of heels on! She looked fab! We were shown to our table and took ages to choose our food because we were talking so much!
In the end I decided on the Sticky Chipotle Chicken followed by an 8oz Sirloin. My starter was delicious and my steak cooked to perfection. My only gripe was that I'd ordered normal fries and was given sweet potato fries which I hate!
After a decent interval we found room for pud and I chose the Lemon and Clotted cream posset tart which was lovely, if a little sweet. With drinks beforehand, a bottle of Argentinian Malbec and liqueur coffees the bill came to £162 so not a cheap night, but the food and service were very good.
Keith and Sophie came to pick me up at 11pm and when we got home my daughter told me who'd won Masterchef as she'd found out by Twitter earlier in the evening! I was surprised and delighted to discover that Kenny won so we watched the last fifteen minutes before going to bed!
Luckily we were called into the consultation room at just after our appointed time and Sophie explained that she'd had a problem about four years ago but that everything had been fine since then. The optician had a thorough look (he was a bit grumpy) and said that everything was fine and that the veins in eyes can vary from person to person. I think the original optician she saw was just being very zealous but it was a huge relief to find that she was OK and there was no further investigations needed.
We drove home along the busy A14 and then I had time for a quick breakfast before I went off to work. I'd arranged to take three hours as holiday so I was due in at 11am and found it difficult to park this morning! Normally, at 8am, there's plenty of spaces! I parked in the Weston Favell Centre and dashed off to work where I did my three hours until 2pm.
The weather today has been grey and dismal but fortunately the fog has dissipated so we just have a lot of cloud hanging about. Mike had also been working today but came home at the same time as me so that was good - I didn't have to go out and get him at 6pm!
Keith went to the pub, but drove as he was my taxi driver for the evening. I was going out with Lynda, Fiona and Andrea to the Miller and Carter Steakhouse in Northampton, which used to be a tired-looking Toby Carvery. Sophie did my hair and Keith drove me the short distance to the restaurant where I met Fiona and Andrea at the bar ordering their drinks.
We hadn't seen each other since just before Christmas so we had a lot to catch up on! Lynda arrived looking very glamorous wearing a short skirt and jumper and had an enormous pair of heels on! She looked fab! We were shown to our table and took ages to choose our food because we were talking so much!
In the end I decided on the Sticky Chipotle Chicken followed by an 8oz Sirloin. My starter was delicious and my steak cooked to perfection. My only gripe was that I'd ordered normal fries and was given sweet potato fries which I hate!
After a decent interval we found room for pud and I chose the Lemon and Clotted cream posset tart which was lovely, if a little sweet. With drinks beforehand, a bottle of Argentinian Malbec and liqueur coffees the bill came to £162 so not a cheap night, but the food and service were very good.
Keith and Sophie came to pick me up at 11pm and when we got home my daughter told me who'd won Masterchef as she'd found out by Twitter earlier in the evening! I was surprised and delighted to discover that Kenny won so we watched the last fifteen minutes before going to bed!
Thursday 12 April 2018
Work cuddles!
I was in at work at 8am this morning but it was a nice thought that I could go home and not have to go out again!
Halfway through the morning I went to get myself a cup of tea from reception and I saw Gill, who looked marvellous! She appeared really healthy and I was delighted to see her looking so good! We hugged and had a quick catch up, promising to get in touch soon and have a coffee. As I went back to the office I saw one of my after-school club children so I had another cuddle and I told her I really missed seeing her every day, which is the truth!
Just before I went home one of the women who works in the office brought her granddaughter in to see us all and as she was only 9 months old it was a real treat to have yet another cuddle! It was a lovely session at work today and I only wish every day was like that!
Back home it was time for a cup of tea and a biscuit and a catch up with Sophie and Keith. Luckily Mike hadn't gone out so we didn't have anywhere to go, which was bliss! Keith cooked dinner and afterwards we watched the penultimate episode of Masterchef. It's the final tomorrow and I predict that Nawamin will win! Let's see!
Halfway through the morning I went to get myself a cup of tea from reception and I saw Gill, who looked marvellous! She appeared really healthy and I was delighted to see her looking so good! We hugged and had a quick catch up, promising to get in touch soon and have a coffee. As I went back to the office I saw one of my after-school club children so I had another cuddle and I told her I really missed seeing her every day, which is the truth!
Just before I went home one of the women who works in the office brought her granddaughter in to see us all and as she was only 9 months old it was a real treat to have yet another cuddle! It was a lovely session at work today and I only wish every day was like that!
Back home it was time for a cup of tea and a biscuit and a catch up with Sophie and Keith. Luckily Mike hadn't gone out so we didn't have anywhere to go, which was bliss! Keith cooked dinner and afterwards we watched the penultimate episode of Masterchef. It's the final tomorrow and I predict that Nawamin will win! Let's see!
Wednesday 11 April 2018
Change of plans!
Sophie drove to Beckworth this morning to meet her friends Daisy and Laura for coffee while Keith and I went and did the big weekly shop. It wouldn't have been my first choice of things to do but needs must! The weather has been horrible, foggy and grey again and really very depressing so we wouldn't have been doing anything exciting anyway! I'm hoping there will be an end in sight at the weekend as I think the whole country has had enough of this blanket of grey gloom now.
We went to Aldi and Tesco and bought groceries for the week, and for Saturday night in particular, when we have Paul, Sue, Richard and Michelle coming around for a Wine Evening and buffet. By lunchtime we were home with everything put away and Mike asked us to take him into town with one of his mates, Charlie. We picked him up in Brixworth and drove into town, dropping them both off by the Guildhall. I remembered it would have been my day to be at CAB and I did wonder whether Frank was still volunteering.
Back home I waited nervously for Sophie to come home and when she did she said she'd enjoyed driving on her own and had given Daisy a lift home. We decided to go down to Riverside, visit Boots and have a coffee in Costa, which was busy with families having a half term treat.
Back home Sophie and I relaxed by watching The Island with Bear Grylls and then she went to get ready as she was off out again in the evening to have a meal with friends. However, her mate Danni called to cancel so Sophie decided to just go out with her friend George, but he cancelled as well, just five minutes before we were due to leave to meet him! Sophie was furious as she'd spent a while getting ready and to be let down at the last minute was very annoying.
We went to get Mike from Moulton and while we were gone Keith made a real hotchpotch of a dinner! We weren't expecting Sophie to be in so we'd bought a steak pie and a ready meal for Mike, who informed us when we got home that he was going to Pizza Hut with his friends later in the evening! Keith put the pie, the ready meal, last night's cottage pie and some leftover chicken in the oven and then became really grumpy as we sat down to eat. It's no wonder!
We went to Aldi and Tesco and bought groceries for the week, and for Saturday night in particular, when we have Paul, Sue, Richard and Michelle coming around for a Wine Evening and buffet. By lunchtime we were home with everything put away and Mike asked us to take him into town with one of his mates, Charlie. We picked him up in Brixworth and drove into town, dropping them both off by the Guildhall. I remembered it would have been my day to be at CAB and I did wonder whether Frank was still volunteering.
Back home I waited nervously for Sophie to come home and when she did she said she'd enjoyed driving on her own and had given Daisy a lift home. We decided to go down to Riverside, visit Boots and have a coffee in Costa, which was busy with families having a half term treat.
Back home Sophie and I relaxed by watching The Island with Bear Grylls and then she went to get ready as she was off out again in the evening to have a meal with friends. However, her mate Danni called to cancel so Sophie decided to just go out with her friend George, but he cancelled as well, just five minutes before we were due to leave to meet him! Sophie was furious as she'd spent a while getting ready and to be let down at the last minute was very annoying.
We went to get Mike from Moulton and while we were gone Keith made a real hotchpotch of a dinner! We weren't expecting Sophie to be in so we'd bought a steak pie and a ready meal for Mike, who informed us when we got home that he was going to Pizza Hut with his friends later in the evening! Keith put the pie, the ready meal, last night's cottage pie and some leftover chicken in the oven and then became really grumpy as we sat down to eat. It's no wonder!
Tuesday 10 April 2018
Swapping cars
I had to take my car into the Audi dealership this morning as it had been recalled over a heater fault. The weather continues to be horrible and today was no exception, with heavy grey cloud and constant drizzle.
Keith and I drove to the dealership and the operation was all very slick with a man greeting me and directing me to take my car into the service area which was a covered garage. From there I was met by another woman who took my keys and then showed me to a desk where we were asked if we wanted coffee. I definitely did as it's always good!
I had booked a courtesy car and was hoping for an A5 or even an A6 but I was given a brand new, white A3 which had only done about 50 miles. I took out the option to have the excess on the insurance reduced from £1000 to £50, which cost £12. Heaven help me if anything happened so I thought £12 wasn't a bad price to pay for peace of mind, especially as I was getting the courtesy car for free!
Keith and I drove home through the drizzle and we particularly liked the pop-up satnav! The car was great to drive but I do prefer my own A4!
Mike was supposed to be working today but he was cancelled because of the weather so he stayed at home while Keith, Sophie and I went to the Weston Favell Centre. To be honest, despite having a lovely new car to drive today, the whole experience was a bit depressing. This weather and the lack of sun and blue skies is really getting to me now.
I wanted to buy my fizz for Saturday night and I picked out an Oyster Bay Sparkling wine which was on offer. I looked in vain for an Old World wine to match it but the only bottle I could see that was made from 100% Chardonnay was an expensive Champagne!
I decided to pop to Waitrose afterwards as I knew there was a French sparkling wine there made from Chardonnay, so after buying some bird food in Wilco's, we drove there and I managed to get a bottle for £10.
It was then home to have some lunch and wait for Audi to call me to go and collect my car. Before they called, though, they sent me a text saying the brake fluid needed changing and something about the cam belt...Keith told me neither needed any action and after a few minutes they rang to say the car was ready.
I had been hoping they wouldn't try and sell me other services so I was amazed to see a "recommendation" about the brake fluid, the cam belt and the rear tyres which came to a cost of almost £800! No thanks!
I swapped the A3 over for mine and after a short while we were driving home. The weather did brighten up briefly in the evening and we saw some blue sky but the forecast for the rest of the week is still dull and cloudy!
Keith and I drove to the dealership and the operation was all very slick with a man greeting me and directing me to take my car into the service area which was a covered garage. From there I was met by another woman who took my keys and then showed me to a desk where we were asked if we wanted coffee. I definitely did as it's always good!
I had booked a courtesy car and was hoping for an A5 or even an A6 but I was given a brand new, white A3 which had only done about 50 miles. I took out the option to have the excess on the insurance reduced from £1000 to £50, which cost £12. Heaven help me if anything happened so I thought £12 wasn't a bad price to pay for peace of mind, especially as I was getting the courtesy car for free!
Keith and I drove home through the drizzle and we particularly liked the pop-up satnav! The car was great to drive but I do prefer my own A4!
Mike was supposed to be working today but he was cancelled because of the weather so he stayed at home while Keith, Sophie and I went to the Weston Favell Centre. To be honest, despite having a lovely new car to drive today, the whole experience was a bit depressing. This weather and the lack of sun and blue skies is really getting to me now.
I wanted to buy my fizz for Saturday night and I picked out an Oyster Bay Sparkling wine which was on offer. I looked in vain for an Old World wine to match it but the only bottle I could see that was made from 100% Chardonnay was an expensive Champagne!
I decided to pop to Waitrose afterwards as I knew there was a French sparkling wine there made from Chardonnay, so after buying some bird food in Wilco's, we drove there and I managed to get a bottle for £10.
It was then home to have some lunch and wait for Audi to call me to go and collect my car. Before they called, though, they sent me a text saying the brake fluid needed changing and something about the cam belt...Keith told me neither needed any action and after a few minutes they rang to say the car was ready.
I had been hoping they wouldn't try and sell me other services so I was amazed to see a "recommendation" about the brake fluid, the cam belt and the rear tyres which came to a cost of almost £800! No thanks!
I swapped the A3 over for mine and after a short while we were driving home. The weather did brighten up briefly in the evening and we saw some blue sky but the forecast for the rest of the week is still dull and cloudy!
Monday 9 April 2018
Back to work!
It's been another dreary, grey day with rain and chilly temperatures. I went back to work and we were really busy with calls throughout the session. Some parents were even booking their children into the holiday playscheme we operate but a few were disappointed as the slots they were looking for were full.
At 2pm I went home and it was lovely not to have to go back out again at 3pm! I sat and chatted to the family and stayed in the conservatory for most of the afternoon. Before dinner we played cards and Sophie made us a Margarita with the last of the Tequila while the boys drank beer. If the weather had been better we could have sat outside in the garden but it was still raining! Never mind!
At 2pm I went home and it was lovely not to have to go back out again at 3pm! I sat and chatted to the family and stayed in the conservatory for most of the afternoon. Before dinner we played cards and Sophie made us a Margarita with the last of the Tequila while the boys drank beer. If the weather had been better we could have sat outside in the garden but it was still raining! Never mind!
Sunday 8 April 2018
Nosy parkers!
Mike started work today at 11am which was a bit of a shock as he normally goes in at midday! I woke him at 10.15am and by some sort of miracle he was ready to go half an hour later and was (almost!) on time!
In the afternoon, Sophie and I went to pick up my Mum as we were off looking at showhomes...and therefore being very nosy! The weather today has been atrocious - constant rain and heavy, grey skies. We are all really fed up with it now and the day we had in London seems like a miracle!
We went to a new sprawling estate on the outskirts of Kingsthorpe and looked at a five bedroom, three storey house from Martin Grant Homes. I have no intention of moving, we just wanted to have a look at the latest trends in decorating and what colours are currently "in".
The house we looked at had a very small layout downstairs - I'm sure our living room was bigger - with a kitchen/dining room to the right of the front door. There was no utility room, which would be something I'd expect from a house of this size. On the first floor were four bedrooms, one of which was being used as an office, while on the second floor were two more large bedrooms and a bathroom. To be honest, we weren't impressed!
The house was decorated in neutral shades but I would have expected more living space for the price, which was a jaw-dropping £530,000. Five bedroom, three storey houses on our estate have recently sold (albeit a couple of years ago) for just shy of £500,000 with a lot more space!
We then went across the road to David Bloor Homes but their show homes were closed so we got back in the car and drove to the outskirts of Moulton, to a new development called Morrisse Fields. They had two five bedroom homes open to look around and we all fell in love with The Kirkham. The difference in layout and finish was amazing!
https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/morisse-fields/plot-35/
The house was beautiful with two large living areas and a huge landing with five bedrooms. We particularly liked the downstairs cloakroom as Sophie said it reminded her of a spa.
The house next door was equally beautiful but we preferred the first for the finish and the decor. We all knew that this had been done by professionals and that if you moved into one of the houses you wouldn't get the same specifications, but it was nice to dream for a while! We all like the baths which had an integral shower:
On the way out we had a chat with the saleswoman and she knew we were just having a look around, but we still complimented her on the houses. If I win the lottery I would be tempted!
From Moulton Sophie drove us to Beckworth where we had tea and cakes. Amazingly, there was no queue! Perhaps the horrible weather had put people off going out! I enjoyed a cheese scone with cream cheese and chutney while Sophie had a normal scone with jam and cream. My Mum chose a slice of lemon drizzle cake and it was great to sit and chat about the houses and get some inspiration from them for our own houses!
After buying a few trays of violas to brighten up the garden we sloshed home along the sodden roads and dropped Mum off before going home. Mike was back from work which was a bonus as now we didn't have to go out again!
In the afternoon, Sophie and I went to pick up my Mum as we were off looking at showhomes...and therefore being very nosy! The weather today has been atrocious - constant rain and heavy, grey skies. We are all really fed up with it now and the day we had in London seems like a miracle!
We went to a new sprawling estate on the outskirts of Kingsthorpe and looked at a five bedroom, three storey house from Martin Grant Homes. I have no intention of moving, we just wanted to have a look at the latest trends in decorating and what colours are currently "in".
The house we looked at had a very small layout downstairs - I'm sure our living room was bigger - with a kitchen/dining room to the right of the front door. There was no utility room, which would be something I'd expect from a house of this size. On the first floor were four bedrooms, one of which was being used as an office, while on the second floor were two more large bedrooms and a bathroom. To be honest, we weren't impressed!
The house was decorated in neutral shades but I would have expected more living space for the price, which was a jaw-dropping £530,000. Five bedroom, three storey houses on our estate have recently sold (albeit a couple of years ago) for just shy of £500,000 with a lot more space!
We then went across the road to David Bloor Homes but their show homes were closed so we got back in the car and drove to the outskirts of Moulton, to a new development called Morrisse Fields. They had two five bedroom homes open to look around and we all fell in love with The Kirkham. The difference in layout and finish was amazing!
https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/morisse-fields/plot-35/
The house was beautiful with two large living areas and a huge landing with five bedrooms. We particularly liked the downstairs cloakroom as Sophie said it reminded her of a spa.
 |
| I loved the huge sink even though this was the cloakroom! |
The house next door was equally beautiful but we preferred the first for the finish and the decor. We all knew that this had been done by professionals and that if you moved into one of the houses you wouldn't get the same specifications, but it was nice to dream for a while! We all like the baths which had an integral shower:
 |
| Very clever! I like it! |
From Moulton Sophie drove us to Beckworth where we had tea and cakes. Amazingly, there was no queue! Perhaps the horrible weather had put people off going out! I enjoyed a cheese scone with cream cheese and chutney while Sophie had a normal scone with jam and cream. My Mum chose a slice of lemon drizzle cake and it was great to sit and chat about the houses and get some inspiration from them for our own houses!
After buying a few trays of violas to brighten up the garden we sloshed home along the sodden roads and dropped Mum off before going home. Mike was back from work which was a bonus as now we didn't have to go out again!
Saturday 7 April 2018
A spot of gardening.
I was able, at last, to get out into the garden today and mow the lawn. The weather wasn't perfect but it was mild enough for me to go out wearing a tee-shirt rather than a coat, and I did get to sit on our seat for a while and watch the robin looking for worms.
I mowed the lawn (I fear our lawnmower is on its last legs) and tidied up half of the border, taking out some plants that have run riot and which I don't particularly like. The robin was always with me, finding little worms in the soil and keeping a close eye on what I was doing.
I now feel ready to buy some violas or pansies to add a splash of colour as our garden just seems to be shades of brown and green. Sophie has suggested painting the fence to break it up a bit so I will investigate some different paints to brighten it up. We saw the sun a little bit today but on the whole it's been overcast although the milder temperatures have been welcome!
Keith went to see Sileby play and Mike was at work so it was just Sophie and I at home in the afternoon. She made us a small Margarita while we indulged in a couple of episodes of The Middle which we have on DVD.
I went and had a long soak in the bath and asked Keith to go and get Mike from work. He left at just before 6pm but Mike was very late and they didn't get home until almost 7pm which was a pain as Mum and Dad were coming around for dinner. Sophie and I had started a big pan of Paella and she looked after it while I sat and chatted to my parents.
The meal was a success and although I was originally planning to do it again next week for our Wine Evening, I've changed my mind as it needs constant supervision. I would also need to cook two pans as Michelle is vegetarian so I've decided to put on a buffet instead! It'll be much easier!
After we'd eaten and finished off our meal with a slice of ice-cream cake we caught up with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, something we don't normally watch, but it was coming from Universal in Florida. It was a real treat to see the Florida sky and wish we were there too!
I mowed the lawn (I fear our lawnmower is on its last legs) and tidied up half of the border, taking out some plants that have run riot and which I don't particularly like. The robin was always with me, finding little worms in the soil and keeping a close eye on what I was doing.
I now feel ready to buy some violas or pansies to add a splash of colour as our garden just seems to be shades of brown and green. Sophie has suggested painting the fence to break it up a bit so I will investigate some different paints to brighten it up. We saw the sun a little bit today but on the whole it's been overcast although the milder temperatures have been welcome!
Keith went to see Sileby play and Mike was at work so it was just Sophie and I at home in the afternoon. She made us a small Margarita while we indulged in a couple of episodes of The Middle which we have on DVD.
I went and had a long soak in the bath and asked Keith to go and get Mike from work. He left at just before 6pm but Mike was very late and they didn't get home until almost 7pm which was a pain as Mum and Dad were coming around for dinner. Sophie and I had started a big pan of Paella and she looked after it while I sat and chatted to my parents.
The meal was a success and although I was originally planning to do it again next week for our Wine Evening, I've changed my mind as it needs constant supervision. I would also need to cook two pans as Michelle is vegetarian so I've decided to put on a buffet instead! It'll be much easier!
After we'd eaten and finished off our meal with a slice of ice-cream cake we caught up with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, something we don't normally watch, but it was coming from Universal in Florida. It was a real treat to see the Florida sky and wish we were there too!
Friday 6 April 2018
Back to reality!
After a lazyish morning, we dropped Mike off at work and went to do our big weekly shop in Kettering. I wasn't looking forward to it, to be honest, but after an initial irritation with the other customers in Aldi, most of whom seemed to be dithering about, it wasn't too bad!
After getting home and unpacking it all and enjoying some lunch, it was lovely to relax in the conservatory as the sun had warmed it up beautifully. I even had a little nap on the sofa in there! I did toy with the idea of going out and mowing the lawn but decided to try and do it tomorrow if the weather stayed dry. Our garden is badly in need of some care at the moment and looks a right mess, if I'm honest. Sometimes I feel we should just start again and take everything out, but I have a feeling the birds use all the ivy along the fence to sleep in at night! They do say that a messy garden attracts wildlife, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
Sophie and I went to collect Mike from work at 6pm and as the weather had been so nice, he was late coming out. Back home we opened a bottle of Champagne to toast Sophie's birthday and I prepared fishcakes for dinner, which, when it came to eat them I didn't really want!
After getting home and unpacking it all and enjoying some lunch, it was lovely to relax in the conservatory as the sun had warmed it up beautifully. I even had a little nap on the sofa in there! I did toy with the idea of going out and mowing the lawn but decided to try and do it tomorrow if the weather stayed dry. Our garden is badly in need of some care at the moment and looks a right mess, if I'm honest. Sometimes I feel we should just start again and take everything out, but I have a feeling the birds use all the ivy along the fence to sleep in at night! They do say that a messy garden attracts wildlife, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
Sophie and I went to collect Mike from work at 6pm and as the weather had been so nice, he was late coming out. Back home we opened a bottle of Champagne to toast Sophie's birthday and I prepared fishcakes for dinner, which, when it came to eat them I didn't really want!
Thursday 5 April 2018
Mingling with the tourists by the Thames!
It was Sophie's birthday today and to celebrate we went down to London to spend some time by the Thames. She opened her cards first and we all managed to get ready for 8.30am.
The journey down the M1 was uneventful but we did get held up a bit in London itself. We drove past Regent's Park and saw the giraffes at the zoo. It looked like it was going to be a busy day for them as there were lots of people queuing up outside, no doubt making the most of the beautiful sunshine and blue skies!
We found our parking space (through Just Park again) on a quiet residential street about a leisurely twenty minute walk from Tower Bridge. The place was teeming with tourists (us included) and after taking a few snaps we descended to the river walk below.
I'm so glad it was a gorgeous day for Sophie's birthday - we certainly wouldn't have thought about coming if the weather was wet and cold. On the way we looked at possible venues for dinner in the evening and saw a promising looking pub called The Horniman at Hays. All this area was busy with shops, pubs and restaurants so we were spoilt for choice.
We walked towards Southwark and then crossed the river at London Bridge which gave us glorious views of both sides of the Thames. There were lots of office workers out having lunch in the sun and the bars and restaurants were doing a roaring trade. As well as tourists milling about there were also loads of joggers who were having a run in their lunch hour. It was a nice idea but dodging them was another matter!
We re-crossed the river by walking over the packed Millennium Bridge with views towards Tate Modern and behind us, St Paul's Cathedral.
We decided to take in a bit of culture by visiting Tate Modern as none of us had ever been before. It's housed in the old Bankside power station and is a very imposing building, divided into two galleries - the Boiler Room and Blavatnik Building which goes up to ten storeys with a viewing gallery at the top.
First up was a cup of coffee and a sandwich though, which set me back £25 even though Mike didn't have anything to eat, having had a Subway at the services on the M1. The cafe was busy with people eating and drinking and it was great to sit for a while and rest our legs!
At the time of our visit there was an exhibition of Picasso artwork but I think it cost about £22 each to see it so we gave that a miss! We looked at various forms of modern art and all I can say is... I don't get it and probably never will! Some of the photographs were good, including some taken in the US in the 1970s but a lot of it was just plain weird, including this exhibit:
I'm glad we went and visited but I doubt very much I will ever go back. My taste is more traditional and I love the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. There were lots of yummy mummies with their children all talking earnestly about what the art symbolised but I just thought it was a waste of time. The one thing we did like was the tenth floor viewing gallery with its fantastic aspect overlooking the river and some major London landmarks. I think it even rivalled the Shard for the views and of course, it was free!
One of our biggest gripes, though, were the lifts which were always full. We wanted to go from the fourth floor up to the tenth but every time the lift stopped it was full of people. Keith managed to get in one which left the three of us waiting, then Mike decided to walk up, while Sophie and I finally managed to get into one with two other (German, I think) women. We squealed with delight and after a trip to the ground floor we were whizzed up to the tenth just the four of us! It was like a little victory!
We decided to call it a day and headed back towards Southwark, passing the Globe Theatre on the way.
We arrived at Borough Market and stopped for a much-needed drink at the Southwark Tavern. Mike bought the round and it was heaven to sit and rest our feet and do a spot of people watching! After we'd enjoyed our drinks we had a wander around Borough Market and had a good look at all the different food and drink on offer.
The place was winding down at the end of the day so we walked on and saw the old Vinopolis building which has now shut down. It was such a shame as I have very happy memories of going there with Paul and Sue a long time ago for my Birthday. We were tempted into going to see the Clink prison but decided to re-trace our steps and head back to The Horniman At Hays for an early drink and dinner.
Even though it was only about 5.30pm the place was packed but we took a table up on the mezzanine level which was much quieter. We ordered nachos and garlic bread to share as a starter followed by burgers for the children, fish and chips for Keith and scampi for me. The pub grew steadily busier and by the time we left it was packed with early evening diners and drinkers.
The walk back to the car took about half an hour and I set Google maps to get me home, hopefully via East London and the A2 rather than the route we'd taken on the way down. However, I'm not sure exactly which way we went but we ended up crossing the river twice, once over the very pretty Southwark Bridge and then again via the Rotherhithe Tunnel, which I'd never used before!
We eventually got onto the M11 and then the M25 and arrived home at about 9.30pm. It had been a really enjoyable day and just emphasises how much we all love London!
The journey down the M1 was uneventful but we did get held up a bit in London itself. We drove past Regent's Park and saw the giraffes at the zoo. It looked like it was going to be a busy day for them as there were lots of people queuing up outside, no doubt making the most of the beautiful sunshine and blue skies!
We found our parking space (through Just Park again) on a quiet residential street about a leisurely twenty minute walk from Tower Bridge. The place was teeming with tourists (us included) and after taking a few snaps we descended to the river walk below.
I'm so glad it was a gorgeous day for Sophie's birthday - we certainly wouldn't have thought about coming if the weather was wet and cold. On the way we looked at possible venues for dinner in the evening and saw a promising looking pub called The Horniman at Hays. All this area was busy with shops, pubs and restaurants so we were spoilt for choice.
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| Everyone was loving the warm and sunny weather |
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| The Tower of London on the opposite bank |
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| Birthday girl and her bruv |
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| The Shard dominated the skyline |
We walked towards Southwark and then crossed the river at London Bridge which gave us glorious views of both sides of the Thames. There were lots of office workers out having lunch in the sun and the bars and restaurants were doing a roaring trade. As well as tourists milling about there were also loads of joggers who were having a run in their lunch hour. It was a nice idea but dodging them was another matter!
We re-crossed the river by walking over the packed Millennium Bridge with views towards Tate Modern and behind us, St Paul's Cathedral.
We decided to take in a bit of culture by visiting Tate Modern as none of us had ever been before. It's housed in the old Bankside power station and is a very imposing building, divided into two galleries - the Boiler Room and Blavatnik Building which goes up to ten storeys with a viewing gallery at the top.
First up was a cup of coffee and a sandwich though, which set me back £25 even though Mike didn't have anything to eat, having had a Subway at the services on the M1. The cafe was busy with people eating and drinking and it was great to sit for a while and rest our legs!
At the time of our visit there was an exhibition of Picasso artwork but I think it cost about £22 each to see it so we gave that a miss! We looked at various forms of modern art and all I can say is... I don't get it and probably never will! Some of the photographs were good, including some taken in the US in the 1970s but a lot of it was just plain weird, including this exhibit:
I'm glad we went and visited but I doubt very much I will ever go back. My taste is more traditional and I love the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. There were lots of yummy mummies with their children all talking earnestly about what the art symbolised but I just thought it was a waste of time. The one thing we did like was the tenth floor viewing gallery with its fantastic aspect overlooking the river and some major London landmarks. I think it even rivalled the Shard for the views and of course, it was free!
One of our biggest gripes, though, were the lifts which were always full. We wanted to go from the fourth floor up to the tenth but every time the lift stopped it was full of people. Keith managed to get in one which left the three of us waiting, then Mike decided to walk up, while Sophie and I finally managed to get into one with two other (German, I think) women. We squealed with delight and after a trip to the ground floor we were whizzed up to the tenth just the four of us! It was like a little victory!
We decided to call it a day and headed back towards Southwark, passing the Globe Theatre on the way.
We arrived at Borough Market and stopped for a much-needed drink at the Southwark Tavern. Mike bought the round and it was heaven to sit and rest our feet and do a spot of people watching! After we'd enjoyed our drinks we had a wander around Borough Market and had a good look at all the different food and drink on offer.
The place was winding down at the end of the day so we walked on and saw the old Vinopolis building which has now shut down. It was such a shame as I have very happy memories of going there with Paul and Sue a long time ago for my Birthday. We were tempted into going to see the Clink prison but decided to re-trace our steps and head back to The Horniman At Hays for an early drink and dinner.
Even though it was only about 5.30pm the place was packed but we took a table up on the mezzanine level which was much quieter. We ordered nachos and garlic bread to share as a starter followed by burgers for the children, fish and chips for Keith and scampi for me. The pub grew steadily busier and by the time we left it was packed with early evening diners and drinkers.
The walk back to the car took about half an hour and I set Google maps to get me home, hopefully via East London and the A2 rather than the route we'd taken on the way down. However, I'm not sure exactly which way we went but we ended up crossing the river twice, once over the very pretty Southwark Bridge and then again via the Rotherhithe Tunnel, which I'd never used before!
We eventually got onto the M11 and then the M25 and arrived home at about 9.30pm. It had been a really enjoyable day and just emphasises how much we all love London!
Wednesday 4 April 2018
A bit of a Spring clean...
Keith, Sophie and I all pitched in and gave the downstairs of the house a good clean this morning. Keith and I tackled the kitchen while Sophie dusted and hoovered the rest of the rooms. We even washed all of our glasses on top of the cupboards and gave the surfaces up there a thorough scrubbing. It was hard work but I did feel pleased when we'd finished.
We had a late breakfast of bacon, mushrooms, eggs and toast and I changed our bed, another chore I never look forward to! Sophie and I went over to Tesco at Kettering later in the day as I needed to get my boots re-heeled at Timpsons and I was going to buy Sophie a little present as she really had nothing to open on her birthday tomorrow. However, she insisted she didn't want anything as she'd had so many treats (plus a trip to London in the offing) so I gave in and just bought some beer for Keith and Mike.
On the way home we called to see Mum and Dad as they wanted to give Sophie her present for tomorrow. She received a beautiful scarf and some money to go towards a new phone, which she was really pleased with. We had a chat and then we sloshed home through the rain and relaxed for a bit before it was time to prepare Sophie's favourite meal of Jerk Chicken Pasta. She made us both strong Margaritas which were delicious and we played cards for a while in the conservatory. It's been a day of April showers but the forecast is very good for tomorrow, thank goodness! There's no way I would have arranged a trip to London if there was going to be heavy downpours.
Sophie and I cooked dinner and although the dish was hot, it was also creamy. With a side of garlic bread, it was delicious!
We had a late breakfast of bacon, mushrooms, eggs and toast and I changed our bed, another chore I never look forward to! Sophie and I went over to Tesco at Kettering later in the day as I needed to get my boots re-heeled at Timpsons and I was going to buy Sophie a little present as she really had nothing to open on her birthday tomorrow. However, she insisted she didn't want anything as she'd had so many treats (plus a trip to London in the offing) so I gave in and just bought some beer for Keith and Mike.
On the way home we called to see Mum and Dad as they wanted to give Sophie her present for tomorrow. She received a beautiful scarf and some money to go towards a new phone, which she was really pleased with. We had a chat and then we sloshed home through the rain and relaxed for a bit before it was time to prepare Sophie's favourite meal of Jerk Chicken Pasta. She made us both strong Margaritas which were delicious and we played cards for a while in the conservatory. It's been a day of April showers but the forecast is very good for tomorrow, thank goodness! There's no way I would have arranged a trip to London if there was going to be heavy downpours.
Sophie and I cooked dinner and although the dish was hot, it was also creamy. With a side of garlic bread, it was delicious!
Tuesday 3 April 2018
Experiencing the unexpected!
I was very nervous this morning as I had an interview for a Court usher job and I had to be in town for 9.30am. I left at 8.30am as I wasn't sure how the traffic was going to be and I was also a bit worried about parking.
However, I arrived at 9am and parked easily, paying for three hours just in case. I walked to the court in the drizzle and had my bag checked. As usual I set the buzzer off and was then directed to Security who didn't know of my appointment!
The man I saw did then go and find out and ticked me off a list, asking me to go up a ramp to the top and sit down on some wooden benches - the most uncomfortable I've ever sat on! I waited a fair while as I was early and noticed a woman go into the conference suite opposite. I wondered whether it would be this lady interviewing me but then I was a bit shocked to see another man go into the room as well. Perhaps there was a meeting going on? I hoped so!
When another woman went into the room I started to get really worried! After a couple of minutes she emerged and called my name, asking if I'd brought any documentation with me. I gave her my passport, my DBS letter and a P45 with my National Insurance number and she took these away to photocopy them. I then faced the prospect of being interviewed by three people, not the one I had imagined (and hoped for!).
The woman returned with my original documents and told me to wait for a couple of minutes. I was really nervous now and couldn't believe that I was being interviewed by three people for a job that wasn't paying that much! Sophie's interview the other week had been conducted by just two people and that was for a job paying far more, and in a much more prestigious organisation!
I was perhaps naive, but I'd imagined having a little chat on the way to the room and some small talk, but the reality of this interview was very different to what I'd been expecting. Sophie had warned me and had asked me some questions beforehand but I wasn't prepared for the type of questions they were asking - all of them about "behavioural" situations in the past. They didn't seem to know what I'd been doing in my working life for the last twenty-five years and really didn't know anything about me at all. I suspected that two of them didn't even work at the court, but had been brought in to oversee the interviews.
They each took it in turns to ask questions and although I managed to answer them all, I had a feeling that they were looking for more specific answers and I certainly don't think I played their "game" very well. It was a horrible experience and I left after forty-five minutes feeling like a failure. I know I would have been good at the job but I wasn't given a chance to explain why I'd applied for the job or to give them any information on what sort of person I was.
I drove home and had a chat with Sophie over a cup of coffee. Keith had gone to Kettering to get the puncture in my tyre fixed after taking Mike to work but I think Sophie had told him how I'd got on when I called her from the car. I worked out that the court job was paying less per hour than my call centre job! Even in the unlikely event that I get offered the job, I will turn it down!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Beckworth for a treat. Sophie bought lunch and she chose a barbecued pulled pork panini while I went for a peri peri chicken wrap, both served with chunky chips, salad and coleslaw. The restaurant was busy as always and we were seated inside this time, not in the conservatory. The earlier grey drizzle had been replaced with sunnier skies, which was a bonus!
After picking Mike up from work, Sophie and I cooked the Hairy Bikers' sausage casserole, but we ate a little later than usual. We were still full from lunch!
However, I arrived at 9am and parked easily, paying for three hours just in case. I walked to the court in the drizzle and had my bag checked. As usual I set the buzzer off and was then directed to Security who didn't know of my appointment!
The man I saw did then go and find out and ticked me off a list, asking me to go up a ramp to the top and sit down on some wooden benches - the most uncomfortable I've ever sat on! I waited a fair while as I was early and noticed a woman go into the conference suite opposite. I wondered whether it would be this lady interviewing me but then I was a bit shocked to see another man go into the room as well. Perhaps there was a meeting going on? I hoped so!
When another woman went into the room I started to get really worried! After a couple of minutes she emerged and called my name, asking if I'd brought any documentation with me. I gave her my passport, my DBS letter and a P45 with my National Insurance number and she took these away to photocopy them. I then faced the prospect of being interviewed by three people, not the one I had imagined (and hoped for!).
The woman returned with my original documents and told me to wait for a couple of minutes. I was really nervous now and couldn't believe that I was being interviewed by three people for a job that wasn't paying that much! Sophie's interview the other week had been conducted by just two people and that was for a job paying far more, and in a much more prestigious organisation!
I was perhaps naive, but I'd imagined having a little chat on the way to the room and some small talk, but the reality of this interview was very different to what I'd been expecting. Sophie had warned me and had asked me some questions beforehand but I wasn't prepared for the type of questions they were asking - all of them about "behavioural" situations in the past. They didn't seem to know what I'd been doing in my working life for the last twenty-five years and really didn't know anything about me at all. I suspected that two of them didn't even work at the court, but had been brought in to oversee the interviews.
They each took it in turns to ask questions and although I managed to answer them all, I had a feeling that they were looking for more specific answers and I certainly don't think I played their "game" very well. It was a horrible experience and I left after forty-five minutes feeling like a failure. I know I would have been good at the job but I wasn't given a chance to explain why I'd applied for the job or to give them any information on what sort of person I was.
I drove home and had a chat with Sophie over a cup of coffee. Keith had gone to Kettering to get the puncture in my tyre fixed after taking Mike to work but I think Sophie had told him how I'd got on when I called her from the car. I worked out that the court job was paying less per hour than my call centre job! Even in the unlikely event that I get offered the job, I will turn it down!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Beckworth for a treat. Sophie bought lunch and she chose a barbecued pulled pork panini while I went for a peri peri chicken wrap, both served with chunky chips, salad and coleslaw. The restaurant was busy as always and we were seated inside this time, not in the conservatory. The earlier grey drizzle had been replaced with sunnier skies, which was a bonus!
After picking Mike up from work, Sophie and I cooked the Hairy Bikers' sausage casserole, but we ate a little later than usual. We were still full from lunch!
Monday 2 April 2018
Rainy Monday!
Keith and I went to get Mike from Market Harborough this morning and we were amazed at how much water was on the roads, and running off the fields. We've certainly had some rain so far this year! Originally we had a weather warning out for snow for our area but this was downgraded to heavy rain and although it did rain in the morning, we had a dry afternoon, but there wasn't much sign of any sun, I'm afraid!
We took Mike home and luckily he was cancelled at work which meant he could relax a bit. Keith, Sophie and I went over to Kettering to do some shopping at Aldi and Tesco and we were a bit dismayed to see how busy the supermarkets were! I bought some ice-cream and ingredients to make Sophie an ice-cream cake plus food for dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I also bought a bottle of Tequila and one of Triple Sec to make Margaritas to have with the Jerk Chicken pasta that Sophie wanted to eat on the night before her Birthday!
After we'd had some lunch, Sophie and I went to the Generous George pub because last week, when she'd had lunch there, she was charged twice. The pub was packed with Bank Holiday drinkers and people eating. The staff member we saw didn't make any fuss at all about the over-charging and gave Sophie her money back as cash.
We popped into Waitrose to get some bread for dinner and then I suggested to Sophie that she drive around the town to get used to the roads as all of her lessons had been in Kettering. She coped really well with the heavy traffic and the unfamiliar surroundings!
We took Mike home and luckily he was cancelled at work which meant he could relax a bit. Keith, Sophie and I went over to Kettering to do some shopping at Aldi and Tesco and we were a bit dismayed to see how busy the supermarkets were! I bought some ice-cream and ingredients to make Sophie an ice-cream cake plus food for dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I also bought a bottle of Tequila and one of Triple Sec to make Margaritas to have with the Jerk Chicken pasta that Sophie wanted to eat on the night before her Birthday!
After we'd had some lunch, Sophie and I went to the Generous George pub because last week, when she'd had lunch there, she was charged twice. The pub was packed with Bank Holiday drinkers and people eating. The staff member we saw didn't make any fuss at all about the over-charging and gave Sophie her money back as cash.
We popped into Waitrose to get some bread for dinner and then I suggested to Sophie that she drive around the town to get used to the roads as all of her lessons had been in Kettering. She coped really well with the heavy traffic and the unfamiliar surroundings!
Sunday 1 April 2018
An Easter Sunday walk
Unfortunately, even though today was supposed to be the driest day of the weekend, it was still dismal and grey with a spattering of rain first thing. It didn't put us off going for a walk as planned, though, and we walked down to the village to see the alpacas.
Keith and I didn't have our walking boots on but Sophie had her trainers on and couldn't understand why we hadn't worn proper footwear as the fields were really muddy. We took a bit of a detour to avoid a mud bath around a stile and made our way over the sodden fields to the alpacas, who were all gathered at the far end of a meadow, watching some dogs who were being walked by their owners.
On the way we slipped and slid all over the place and Sophie ended up on her bum! Rather than treat her sympathetically, we laughed hysterically, which wasn't quite the reaction she was hoping for!
Sadly, the alpacas weren't very friendly and all attempts to stroke them were met with a tossing of the head and a kind of grunt.
They looked as muddy and dishevelled as we did! We spotted a gate leading onto the road and made for it but between it and us was a large area of very wet field. Keith had the best solution - he used the gate as a way of keeping his feet dry!
Sophie and I tried to find another way but we gave up and had to follow his example. I was scared I was going to fall backwards and take an impromptu swim in the muddy water!
Safely back on the road, we walked through the cemetery before making our way over a short section of the fields and back into the village. It was lovely to get home, make a cup of tea and treat myself to some of the Easter egg that Keith had bought for me while reading the Sunday papers!
To work off the chocolate I cut back our Hypericum bush at the front of the house in the afternoon. It looked terrible after all the cold weather we've had so I cut it down and it looked much neater and healthier. Paul and Sue came and said hello with their dogs and I was just glad that Sue didn't tell me off for pruning the shrub - she did say I could do it over the Easter weekend!
I gathered up all the branches I'd cut down and was delighted to see the robin hopping about looking for worms in the soil I'd cleared. He kept looking at me as if to say, "Dig some more soil over then!"
After my efforts in the garden I had a lovely hot bath and then it was almost time to pick up Mike from work. It's so lovely waiting for him in the daylight as the place he works can be so dark in the winter...and very creepy!
Dinner tonight was my favourite - cold meats, salad, new potatoes and little nibbly foods such as pork pie, Scotch eggs and quiche. Delicious!
Keith and I didn't have our walking boots on but Sophie had her trainers on and couldn't understand why we hadn't worn proper footwear as the fields were really muddy. We took a bit of a detour to avoid a mud bath around a stile and made our way over the sodden fields to the alpacas, who were all gathered at the far end of a meadow, watching some dogs who were being walked by their owners.
On the way we slipped and slid all over the place and Sophie ended up on her bum! Rather than treat her sympathetically, we laughed hysterically, which wasn't quite the reaction she was hoping for!
Sadly, the alpacas weren't very friendly and all attempts to stroke them were met with a tossing of the head and a kind of grunt.
They looked as muddy and dishevelled as we did! We spotted a gate leading onto the road and made for it but between it and us was a large area of very wet field. Keith had the best solution - he used the gate as a way of keeping his feet dry!
Sophie and I tried to find another way but we gave up and had to follow his example. I was scared I was going to fall backwards and take an impromptu swim in the muddy water!
Safely back on the road, we walked through the cemetery before making our way over a short section of the fields and back into the village. It was lovely to get home, make a cup of tea and treat myself to some of the Easter egg that Keith had bought for me while reading the Sunday papers!
To work off the chocolate I cut back our Hypericum bush at the front of the house in the afternoon. It looked terrible after all the cold weather we've had so I cut it down and it looked much neater and healthier. Paul and Sue came and said hello with their dogs and I was just glad that Sue didn't tell me off for pruning the shrub - she did say I could do it over the Easter weekend!
I gathered up all the branches I'd cut down and was delighted to see the robin hopping about looking for worms in the soil I'd cleared. He kept looking at me as if to say, "Dig some more soil over then!"
After my efforts in the garden I had a lovely hot bath and then it was almost time to pick up Mike from work. It's so lovely waiting for him in the daylight as the place he works can be so dark in the winter...and very creepy!
Dinner tonight was my favourite - cold meats, salad, new potatoes and little nibbly foods such as pork pie, Scotch eggs and quiche. Delicious!
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