A darker shade of pale...

It was back to normal hours this morning and a wake-up call at 6am. Keith and I took Mike to work and I went in at 7.30am to try and get a head start on the admin jobs. I was working with Jo today and the shift passed very pleasantly, enlivened with cakes as it was Nicola's birthday yesterday.

Keith picked me up at 2pm and it was strange saying goodbye to my colleagues and walking out. It was quite sultry outside and we headed to Jones's where I bought some toiletries and batteries for my camera.

As we were early for Mike we parked the car and had a walk around the park. A lot of people were out enjoying the sunshine and the cafe nearby was packed. It was very pleasant walking around in the sunshine and admiring the gorgeous trees, especially a couple of huge Copper Beeches.

As the time was getting on we headed back to where I'd parked the car and had a pleasant conversation with a man who had a very boisterous dog! Mike appeared a few minutes later and we headed home to do some more preparation for the holiday. It is looming large on the horizon!

Sophie and I went down to Virgin at 6.30pm as she had an appointment for a spray tan, while I was being more modest and going for a quick eyebrow shape. She went in before me and while she was showering off the exfoliating cream, I had my eyebrows down.

When Sophie came out she was a dark shade of mahogany...and I mean, dark! I couldn't get over the colour of her legs! It didn't look like her!!

We headed home and Keith made me a nice G&T while we heated up some soup for a light supper. We watched the last episode of The Widow tonight and the ending didn't disappoint!

Misty morning

Sophie and I had a very early start as she had to be at her manager's house at 6am this morning. I took her and it was a misty journey along the A14 to Thrapston. Sophie had to ring the doorbell three times before she went in, which was unusual as normally her manager is all ready and waiting. Perhaps she was feeling a bit sleepy too!

I drove back, had a coffee and waved Keith and Mike off to work. It was a bit like old times this morning when I set off at 7.30am!

Work was fine and as there were three of us in I was able to do a lot of admin work. At 2pm I went over to the post office in the Weston Favell Centre to send off the last of our eBay items. We have done really well with our little hobby and have made enough for excursions to:

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Alcatraz
The Winchester Mystery House
Muir Woods
An escorted wine trip in Napa

Plus,

Our travel insurance
Night at a hotel at Heathrow
Our ESTAs

We still have enough left over to pay for one of the hotels! At times it has been frustrating, but it's all been worthwhile!

I went to wait for Mike and was an hour early, so I sat and read in the car, which was lovely and relaxing!

We went another route home and as he'd finished a bit early, we were back by 3.45pm. Yippee!

We picked Sophie up from Thrapston and she'd had a long tiring day. Her foot hurt which was a bit worrying and she thinks she hurt in when she was running on the treadmill. Back home she rubbed some Ibuprofen gel into it and put it up to rest.

Mum and Dad popped around to see us and we had a drink to say goodbye. They are going on a cruise on the day we fly back so it'll be a fair while before we see them again!

Hitting the shops!

Sophie went to the gym this morning and Keith and I gave her a lift and then went and bought some diesel and the Sunday papers. Before going back to collect her we had a coffee at Costa, which was a very pleasant way of spending Sunday morning!

Sophie and I went to Milton Keynes at lunchtime and we decided to try the new multi-storey by John Lewis. We normally park the car by Debenhams and the multi-storey there, run by Intu, is lovely and clean and bright with large spaces and easy access to the shops.

The new one, which used to be a surface car park was opened in November 2018 and has 1400 spaces...blimey! We drove in and we were informed by a noticeboard that somewhere in the car park were 290 spaces, most of them on the upper floors. As soon as I drove in I didn't like it - it reminded me of an airport multi-storey with very low ceilings. We went up to the third floor and although the spaces were generous, I didn't like the fact that we had to wait for ages for the lift. Six of us finally got in and it descended to the second floor where we were met with a family wanting to get in. As there was four of them, with a tot in a pushchair, it would have been impossible for them to have fitted in, but the dad looked daggers at us as if we should somehow have all squashed together to make room! The two women in front of us couldn't believe the look he gave us and we all giggled about it for the rest of the journey to the ground floor!

It was a short walk into the centre and Sophie and I headed for Pizza Express where we were going to have lunch. We chose a glass of wine each and decided on the Dopio Dough Balls to start along with some flatbread and hummus, and then pizzas for the main course. Mine was lower in calories as it had a hole in the middle filled with salad. It was delicious!

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to eat first as we were both full when we left. We had a good look around the shops and bought some things in Boots, Accessorize and M&S. I also bought some tops and by 4pm we'd had enough!

Back at the car park there was a long queue to pay for our tickets, another thing that never happens at Intu! We will be back! We drove from Milton Keynes via Roade and called to see Mum and Dad before going home. We had a quick cup of tea and then it was back to relax with a drink while Keith cooked roast lamb for dinner. Sophie didn't eat any as she was still full and I had a small plate. There was enough left over for bubble and squeak tomorrow!

Storm Hannah

Sophie and I had a hair appointment this morning at 10.15am and we made our way there in rain and wind as Storm Hannah has hit our shores. I really wasn't expecting another storm this year but I seriously doubt we'll get to Storm Jane!

The man who cut my hair talked non-stop from the minute I sat in the chair to the time I got up, and I do sometimes wonder why people love to hear the sound of their own voice. As I could hardly hear him over the sound of the hair-dryer it was definitely a one-sided conversation!

We battled our way home through the tempest and I managed to persuade Sophie to stay indoors for the rest of the day. I did want to see Red Joan that was showing at the Northampton Filmhouse, but it was fully booked. I amused myself instead by "driving" the route from our Airbnb to the Golden Gate Bridge - how useful are Google Maps?!

We had leftovers from last night for lunch (Mike made an appearance!) and when Keith had gone to see the last Sileby match of the season, I made a cocktail for Sophie and I and we watched a new show from America called 60 Days In about jails. It was very scary!

The weather continued to be terrible for the rest of the day and the wind was really strong. It was also cold - what a difference to last week when we were sitting out in the garden and it was lovely and warm!

Dinner tonight was Beef Stroganoff and Keith made a delicious meal - Sophie enjoyed even though she had cut down drastically on meat lately. Roll on a lie in tomorrow!

So glad it's Friday!

I felt really tired last night after we got in as I haven't been sleeping that well lately and we're having early mornings five days a week. This morning I was very glad it was Friday!

Work was OK, and I was busy helping Sheila with the emails and other admin work. I was looking forward to a quiet weekend but Sophie and I are planning on going shopping on Sunday to get some last minute bits.

Keith picked me up at 2pm and we didn't have too long to wait before Mike finished. He was all done by 2.40pm so that was a real bonus! We went home a different way which was a lot quieter and it was great to be back at a reasonable time for once!

I had a nap in the afternoon and did very little! Keith went to the pub in the evening and Sophie and I cooked (or heated up) dinner of chicken escalopes and mashed potatoes, what I always call "nursery food." Mike went out with friends and he was really pleased to be paid, so that's a bit of a relief for him as he's had virtually no money since the end of October!

Mrs Grumpy!

Today was much like any other Thursday, the quietest day of the week! Keith picked me up at 3pm and we went straight to get Mike, who came out five minutes late. This meant that we managed to catch all the school traffic so we literally crawled home. We were still in Moulton at 4pm and I was fuming! We are not going along the Kettering road again!

I moaned all the way home, much to the despair of Keith, as I was annoyed that I'd lost almost three hours of my time. We're now leaving at 6.45am and this afternoon we didn't get home until well past 4pm. I remember fondly the days when I was home by 2.30pm!

In the evening we went out to The Lamplighter in town, but Mike went off to see Avengers: Endgame with a mate so there was just the three of us. It was lovely to go out and relax (yes, I know we'd been out yesterday!) and both Sophie and I chose a veggie chilli for dinner, with garlic bread to start. The food was very good and we were all finished and heading home by 8pm.

I've decided that on holiday I'm going to try and eat as healthily as I can and try new seafood and salads. Not long to go now!

Lunch out!

Keith and I hadn't really made any plans for today so we were a bit at a loss as to what to do! I didn't fancy spending the day doing housework so we decided to have a look at bathrooms again as ours is desperately in need of replacing.

I spotted a bathroom showroom called Soak in Nuneaton and as it was only about 45 minutes away, we went! The route took us onto the A14 and the M1 and I have to say that the junction improvements have made the transition onto the motorway a lot smoother! We came off the M1 at Junction 20 and headed out into the countryside to get to the Warwickshire town. The outskirts were full of big houses and it looked a lovely little place.

We found the showroom easily and had a look around, spotting an L-shaped bath that would be perfect in our bathroom. It would give us some extra space while we're showering. The place was very quiet and the only member of staff said hello, but that was about it. We looked around for a while and then left and I wasn't that impressed with their customer service, to be honest. It would have been nice if someone had asked what we were looking for and discussed our options!

We headed back and Keith remembered a pub he'd seen on the way, called The Barn, which looked like it had a brewery attached. We decided to stop and made our way into a lovely welcoming area set with tables and a window that overlooked the brewery.

Keith had a pint of the local beer while I had half of a chocolate orange Porter and very good it was, too! We had a look at the menu and Keith asked if I wanted to have lunch there. Too true! It was all very relaxed and pleasant and we spent a good two hours there eating huge sandwiches served with chips and salad.

From the pub we drove straight to get Mike from work and then it was home to relax for a while. Tonight I cooked spaghetti bolognese with Sophie, which was hard work, especially as I wasn't hungry after our big lunch. We decided not to make garlic bread, that would have been too much!

Another new routine!

We had a very early start this morning and left the house at 6.45am. We had no idea what the traffic would be like but we arrived at Abington Park at 7am, so a little premature! At about 7.15am we saw one of Mike's work vans turn up so we followed it until we realised he'd entered the park by another route!

It soon became very clear where Mike had to be so he got out and made his way to the cluster of buildings near to the bowling greens and tennis courts. It's such a lovely area of the park and it's much easier for us to drop him off and pick him up, and it's certainly not as far!

As I was early myself for work, we put some diesel in my car and then I went in as I knew I'd have some emails to deal with. Work was manically busy so the time flew by!

Keith picked me up at 2pm and we went to Tesco Weston Favell to do some shopping. I said to Keith that we really are at the mercy of where Mike works now! When we'd finished, Keith suggested a coffee so we went to Costa and my parents were sitting enjoying a coffee in there as well. They joined us and we talked about their horrible experience of finding a surgical dressing in a jar of Uncle Ben's Sweet and Sour sauce last week...it was disgusting! They'd been into Tesco to let them know about it and Tesco wanted to keep the jar, but they refused. They had already called the helpline number on the jar but hadn't had much luck so I said I would try.

We went straight from the Weston Favell Centre to collect Mike and then it was home to try and catch up with some chores!

Back to work...

I was in at work today at 9am, so not such a long shift. I really didn't mind as I knew I'd be finished at 2pm and able to go home and relax.

I worked with Robyn and we were very quiet so I was able to get a lot of admin work done. Keith and Sophie picked me up at 2pm and after we'd got home, Keith went out again to see Sileby play.

Sophie and I headed out to Tesco as we needed a few bits for the start of the working week and when we returned we sat in the garden and I put our umbrella up. I'm sure this is earlier than we normally put it up and it was lovely to sit and enjoy the weather so early in the year. However, it became really quite hot, so we retreated inside! We relaxed in the living room and opened the windows but it was so windy! The breeze kept knocking everything off the windowsill, but it was still nice to feel the warm air!

A bit of a tidy up!

I had a long, leisurely start to my Sunday which was bliss! Mid-morning we went to see my Mum and Dad and took Sophie and Mike with us, as my parents wanted some furniture moving. Mike and Keith did it with ease and then re-hung the Big Sur picture on the wall at the top of the stairs. It looks so much better there.

We enjoyed a coffee and a biscuit and then we left to drop Mike off at home and continue down to Abington Park as Mike is starting there on Tuesday morning. As expected the park was heaving with people all out enjoying the warm temperatures and sunshine. The ice-cream vans were doing a roaring trade!

Keith and Sophie went off to look for any sign of the company Mike works for while I waited on tenterhooks on a double yellow line!

Back home I decided to cut the grass and tidy up the garden while Sophie went for a quick swim. I mowed the long grass in the lawn and strimmed the edges before digging over the borders. It looked lovely when I'd finished but next year I'm determined to have some Spring flowers to give the garden some colour.

Next door also decided to go to do some gardening and the noise of their strimmer was unbelievable. It does bring it home to me that summer can be noisy, especially with children playing football and the noise of garden machines!

Sophie and I opened a bottle of sparkling wine in the evening and sat relaxing in the garden, which was now thankfully very quiet! We enjoyed quiche and salad for dinner and watched a couple of episodes of The Widow after we'd eaten. I'm back at work tomorrow!

Saturday working

Unusually, I was at work today and started at 8.30am. Sophie gave me a lift as she was off to the gym and had promised to sort some clothes out to sell on eBay (a last push before we go!) when she got home.

Work was very pleasant and I was covering the shift with Sara (G) who I had never worked with before. She was lovely and chatty and we got on very well. As well as answering calls, I dealt with all the customer service emails so they certainly kept me busy!

Outside, the weather was lovely and it's set to continue into the early part of next week. Keith and Sophie picked me up and we decided to make use of the spare time and go and buy our currency in Tesco at Kettering.

It's been a real gamble as to the best time to get our dollars, because of all the upheaval with Brexit, but I think we obtained a good rate and certainly a better one than I'd anticipated. I did think at one time the dollar would be the same as the pound!

Back home we sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine. Keith had set up the barbecue as it was perfect weather for cooking our food outside. The temperatures today have been around 23-24c and we're wondering if this is going to signal another long hot summer. At least the grass is still lovely and green and soft underfoot, not like last year when it was yellow and crackly!

We enjoyed sausages and chicken served with new potatoes and salad and settled down to watch The Truman Show after we'd eaten. It was great!

A Good Friday mooch...

Thursday was a quiet day, pretty much the same as normal. When we picked Mike up from work he was in a bad mood as he'd been told he would be based at Abington Park from next week, something he wasn't really happy about. I think he likes working in a different place every day and has got used to the people he's working with.

There was an air of jollity this evening as we were all off tomorrow as it's Good Friday. I, however, am working Saturday and Monday but at least I still have two days off!

The Easter Bank Holiday weekend has been forecast to be a scorcher and we awoke to blue skies and sunshine on Friday. The plan was to go out for a mooch, just off the A14 near Thrapston. First of all, though, we had to go to the Co-op in Broughton as we had an eBay item to send out and various other parcels and cards. The shop was packed as usual, with people stocking up on salads and barbecue foods.

As soon as we were done we sped off to the A14 and decided to call at The Vane Arms in Sudborough. We have been visiting this pub for years and it used to be the place to go for real ales. It's now run by a family who used to have our local, The Royal Oak, and the woman behind the bar recognised us straight away.

After a chat we went to sit in the garden as it was so gorgeous. The sun was lovely and warm and it was sheer bliss sitting on the small patio with a cold lager and chatting.

From the Vane Arms we took a long and single lane road to Slipton but the pub, The Samuel Pepys, was closed. This was a huge shame as it was a very popular pub with a large conservatory serving good food. We pushed on to Twywell and The Old Friar which was packed with people sitting in the garden and enjoying the sunshine.

We just about bagged the last space in the car park and went into the bar where the bar staff seemed a bit clueless. There were no tables free outside so we sat on a low sofa opposite the bar and discussed going to Berlin in September! It was lovely seeing so many people getting out and supporting our pubs because I think they're in dire straits at the moment. I was shocked that such a popular inn such as the Samuel Pepys was closed as I always thought it was very popular. However, I don't think that the price of the drinks helps - each round we had of two pints and two halves came to almost £12.

From Twywell we drove the short distance to The Snooty Fox at Lowick, which was another favourite of ours in the past. Again, people were sitting in the small garden in front of the pub and enjoying the weather. We went to the bar (the pub was empty) and asked if we could order some food. The barman glanced at the clock, grunted that it was almost 2pm and said he would see. Not really the reaction we had hoped for as we only wanted a couple of bowls of chips!

He came back and said we were OK to order food and seemed pleased we only wanted a simple lunch! We said we'd be in the garden and found a table overlooking the small play area. However, our table and bench seats were dirty and had splodges of bird poo on them...with all the forecasts of hot and sunny weather this weekend, you would think someone would have gone out and made sure they were clean!

Our chips arrived, served by a very surly young girl who looked like she was about to be given a death sentence! The food was good and hot and after they'd eaten Sophie and Mike decided to have a go on the swings, much to the amusement of the other customers sitting in the garden!

Before heading home we called in for a drink at The Wheatsheaf at Titchmarsh, which used to be part of the same chain as our local, The White Horse. However, we have learnt that it has been taken over by the manager and has cut all ties with The Proper Pub Co.

The pub was quiet but after a good chat with the woman behind the bar, we sat out in the delightful garden and soaked up the sunshine. We recognised lots of touches from our local, especially in the garden and the witty sayings on signs throughout the pub. It was like being back at home!

Our last pub of today was indeed our own local, The White Horse, and we sat in their lovely garden with several other drinkers. We have learned that the lease is up for sale and that the villagers are trying to take it over so it can continue being a pub. It will be a huge shame if it does close down.

Back home, it was time to relax and Mike went off to see some friends and stay the night. Keith, Sophie and I had fish and chips for dinner (not from the fish shop, though). It is Good Friday, after all!

Rattle, rattle!

Keith and I had to stay in this morning as Sophie had ordered some new noise cancelling ear buds and they were due to be delivered between 11am and midday. The weather was gorgeous and I spent time in the conservatory researching San Francisco's public transport system and booking tickets to Alcatraz. We weren't going to go but everyone I spoke to had had a great time so we're going on Monday 6 May, the day before we leave.

As soon as Sophie's parcel was delivered we went to see Mum and Dad, had a quick coffee with them and then popped to Tesco. I think fondly back to the days when we just used to go once a week! After getting diesel for my thirsty car, we headed home to put our purchases away and drove to Beckworth to look at their turkeys, as we were considering having a roast on Easter Sunday.

They had the same turkey crowns that we'd bought at Christmas, but as the weather is set to be sunny and warm we decided not to...it would be great to have a barbecue!

After Beckworth we went to Jones's where I spent more than I had intended to, before going to get Mike from work. Keith kept hearing an irritating rattling coming from the back of my car so we pulled into a small car park and did some investigation. We think it was the screen that goes over the boot as it disappeared after we'd taken it out and put it back again! I had the rear shock absorbers sorted out a few weeks ago but the banging noise is still there and I suspect it's something to do with the suspension. It's definitely worse when the weather is dry!

Learning the lingo!

Mike and I had a bit of an argument this morning when we set off for work. We were late getting into the car and then he said he'd lost his gloves so he disappeared back into the house. It meant I had to drive like the clappers to get him there on time, and I was really thankful that I'd discovered an alternative route that avoids the busy dual carriageway, as the traffic has been backed up lately, for no apparent reason.

I drove back to work and sat and read for a while until it was time for me to go into work (I was still early). Work was busy again with almost non-stop phone calls making it very difficult for us to get things done!

As I had an hour and a half to spare before collecting my son, I went into Tesco (yet again!) for some bottled water and a salad to go with dinner tonight. While I was there I bought a GCSE French book to help with my studies! I can understand a lot of written French, I've just forgotten things like grammar and whether nouns are feminine or masculine!

Back where we started!

We took Mike to Camp Hill this morning for what we hoped would be the last time, as next week the schools are back and there is one right next to where he works, that closes at 3.30pm. The traffic will no doubt be horrendous! It's difficult to wait outside the building for him so if he's based at a park, it might be a lot better...but then again, it might not! He doesn't seem to grasp the fact that his work impacts on my life now and he can be infuriatingly vague when it comes to getting information out of him!

Keith dropped me off at work and we had a busy morning answering hundreds of phone calls. Thank goodness this is the last week of the school holidays! I'd received a text from Mike to ask us to pick him up at Camp Hill as he hadn't been assigned a park yet...

At 2pm Keith collected me and we went to Tesco Mereway to do some shopping as it's easier going there than the notorious Weston Favell Centre!

We somehow managed to choose two meals for tonight and tomorrow and then Keith treated me to a coffee in Costa. I showed him the little country park where I could wait but we're still hoping Mike will be moved soon.

I cooked dinner tonight and it was delicious. We rubbed some olive oil, salt and pepper into some chicken drumsticks and roasted them in the oven with a tray of veggies. Delicious! Simple but very tasty!

Crab non-guine!

It was heavenly to have a lazy morning and do very little first thing. Sophie went to the gym and bought the Sunday newspaper for us so we didn't even have to go out and get that!

I had a lot to do today and Sophie helped me put a colour on my hair as it was way overdue. We also asked Keith to get the suitcases down from the wardrobe and I went through all of my summer clothes. It's quite hard to know what to pack, as the weather can be unpredictable and I don't think it's going to be red hot, not like Florida, anyway!

What we did put in, though, were the adaptors! It doesn't bear thinking about going off for ten days without them as we're taking Sophie's laptop so I can update this blog and of course, we'll have our phones, Sophie's ipad and various hair implements with us as well!

It's been a cold day today and we ventured out for a quick walk around the estate at about 5pm. Monty came with us for part of the way but we didn't stay out too long as the wind was freezing.

After making a couple of cocktails, we relaxed and then made dinner of crab linguine. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of our raving successes as the crab was really fishy and none of us liked it. I had a couple of mouthfuls and that was it, so I think we really should have used the white crab meat from the legs and claws. It was a huge shame, but you live and learn!

Waiting for God

Mum and Dad had asked if we could go down and see my Aunt Pat today who has been moved into a Care Home in Hextable, Kent. Her house near Worthing has been sold to fund her care and Mum had looked up the home on the internet, saying it looked beautiful.

Sophie came with me and we picked my parents up at 10am. After getting diesel and the Saturday papers, we headed off down the M1 and the M25 and made very good time. All the way down we had April showers, which I wasn't expecting!

It was a little strange coming off the M25 and driving into Dartford and nothing had changed since we'd visited last. We arrived in Hextable at about 12.15pm and found my Aunt Pat sitting in one of the plush lounges with some other residents. The care home was beautiful and resembled a five star hotel or resort with two bars/dining areas downstairs, a cinema and a gym. Upstairs were two large and comfortable lounges and more areas for eating. As she was about to go and have her lunch we decided to head to Swanley for lunch of our own as I was dying for a cup of coffee after our journey.

We could have had a coffee downstairs but they only had biscuits or pastries, so we said we'd be back after trying to find a cafe. Sophie googled nearby eateries and found one called the Step Inn so we headed there, but we saw an Asda which had a cafe so we decided to eat there instead...big mistake!

To be honest, the whole area was depressing and it had started to rain so we dashed into the store and I sat Mum and Dad down at a table. They weren't doing sandwiches but Mum and Dad asked for a jacket potato with cheese while Sophie had one with beans. I ordered a chicken burger and with drinks it came to a very reasonable £14.

The jacket potatoes looked over-cooked and were tiny. I waited for my food to arrive and saw my parents and Sophie gamely eating them, but all three gave up, they were so bad. Opposite was a Costa so after waiting 20 minutes for my food, we gave up and left. In Costa I had a sandwich and a decaffeinated Flat White and what a difference! I wish we'd noticed it sooner!

On the way back to the car we witnessed a furious row between two families so it was a relief to get out of the town and head back into the Kent countryside!

We found my Aunt in her lovely room but all she had of her own possessions were some photos. She said all of her furniture and the things she had collected over the years had been sold, so that was a real shock. I had imagined that it had all been put in storage.

We went into the lounge but it was all a bit depressing. My Aunt thinks she's going to leave some day but she now no longer has her own home, so where would she go? We sat and chatted for a while and left at about 3pm as my Mum wanted to go and see some old friends of my Nan who lived near Dartford. Google maps got us there and after parking on a steep hill and walking down, we were knocking on the door of an immaculate bungalow with a beautiful garden.

Pat and Den used to be wardens at the flats where my Nan lived and they're a lovely couple. They're both in their late 70s but are very fit and happy living out their retirement. The house was spotless and the garden absolutely gorgeous. We enjoyed a cup of tea and a doughnut and had a good chat about old times. They are both very good friends with my Uncle Terry and have been out to Cyprus to visit him, just like my Mum and Dad. Their experiences were very similar!

We chatted for over an hour but had to leave to get back onto the motorways so we weren't too late home. I could have stayed for hours!

We had a good journey home and after dropping Mum and Dad back we arrived at just after 6.30pm. I made Sophie a cocktail with Rum and enjoyed a Gin and Tonic while Keith put the finishing touches to the dinner. After we'd eaten we decided to watch Flight of the Phoenix, after a lively discussion about classic films. It was a great ending to a busy day!

Thank goodness...it's Friday!

On Thursday we awoke to a very frosty morning and while Keith took Mike to work, I gave Sophie a lift over to Thrapston as she was meeting her manager there.

I just had time when I got home, to have a quick cup of coffee and make the bed and then it was time for work for me!

Work was OK and Sue made me laugh with some of the things she said, especially about a shocking programme she'd seen on TV with her husband! It's great to have a laugh in between the phone calls and it certainly makes the day go better!

At 3pm I went to get Mike from work while Keith went to get Sophie! It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine but it's still on the chilly side.

I gave Keith the day off on Friday and took Mike to work. When I finished at 2pm I popped to the nearby Tesco and before collecting my son I did some exploring and found a little country park nearby which was lovely and quiet. On Tuesdays I have about an hour to kill between finishing work and picking him up so this place will be ideal for me to sit and read (or study French as I've decided to try and polish up my language skills!).

However, when he got into the car he said that he wouldn't be based at Camp Hill any more and would be going to one of the parks in town. Typical! Just as long as it's not Irchester country park near Wellingborough! He was covered in grass today as he'd been strimming and smelt very green!

Sophie was home earlier than normal and we made cocktails and fish pie for dinner. Thank goodness it's Friday!

Crab hunting!

Sophie went off to the gym this morning, and Keith took Mike to work and I managed to do quite a few jobs before 7.30am! On his way home Keith called into Tesco to get some bits and when he arrived home he asked if I had any plans for today.

For once, I said no, but in the end we decided to go out on the hunt for crab meat for Sunday night's dinner. We popped down to B&Q to look at the bathrooms again but the choice was as mediocre as ever. From there we went to Aldi and I bought some of their veggie straws that we love and that are hard to find, and a bottle of Kalamata olive oil. Keith and I flew into Kalamata airport in Greece when we stayed at a small resort called Stoupa years and years ago so I couldn't resist buying the oil!

However, there was no crab meat in the supermarket so we ambled off to Lidl and we bought beer, Dark Rum, limes...but no crab! On the way home Keith remembered there was a fishmonger's on the Kettering road so we called in there and they had some frozen meat which cost £9. I just hope it'll be OK!

Back home we pottered about and just had time for lunch before we were back out to pick up Mike from work. Today, he'd been out strimming and mowing grass around the town and he was thoroughly enjoying himself! Phew!

Dinner tonight was paella and Sophie cooked. Before we went and worked in the kitchen we caught an episode of John Torode's tour of Korea. Some of the food looked lovely, while some did not!

A new work routine.

So, we were all up this morning at 6am, for the start of a new regime. I went straight into the shower, which is something I don't do very often, much preferring to have a coffee first! Sophie left at 6.30am for her regular gym visit and the rest of us followed at 6.45am, as we weren't sure what the traffic would be like and Mike's new place of work is on the far side of town.

We made it easily by his start time of 7.30am so that left us a good 45 minutes before I started work at 8am. I have no idea what we'd have done if Mike was starting at 8am as well!

Before I went into work we called into the garage and we got some diesel for my car and then I went in early as I had some jobs to catch up with. I was working with Jo today and at 9am we had to go to a presentation by one of the managers about how the business was doing in the face of some tough competition from a number of budget gyms that were opening nearby.

The time went very fast and at 2pm Keith picked me up. As we had some shopping to do we decided to go to the Tesco at Hunsbury as it was near to where Mike was. The only problem was that we couldn't find anything!

Waiting for Mike was a bit of a pain, to be honest. The golf club it is not! There, I used to love watching the squirrels and the crows but the area around Mike's place of work is not the nicest of neighbourhoods and there were yellow lines everywhere. We saw him with a fearsome looking lawn mower and he was dressed up in his new uniform...

When he got into the car he was also wearing heavy black boots that can't have been cheap! It's surprising that they kitted him out so soon in all his new stuff!

He seemed to have enjoyed his first day, though, with a lot of the time taken up with an induction. We're just keeping our fingers crossed he settles down now and gets on with it!

Job success!

It was horrible going back to work this morning especially as the weather wasn't particularly good! We were very busy indeed with almost non-stop phone calls all morning and it was a relief to get out at 2pm and walk over to the Weston Favell Centre.

Keith had taken Mike to a job interview at 2pm and they texted me to say they were on their way. I'd visited the post office and done some shopping for Sophie so I was more than ready to be picked up.

When I got in the car I was thrilled to learn that Mike had got the job and starts tomorrow! He will be doing a very similar job to the one he had at the Gold Club, so a lot of grass-mowing and landscape work, which he really enjoyed. His pay is also very good, so that pleased him! It's such a relief to know that he has a job as Keith and I were starting to get really worried about him and it was costing his Dad quite a lot of money every month to pay for his phone and other expenses!

When we got home we helped him fill out lots of forms and get everything together for when he starts tomorrow. He'll  be doing 7.30am until 3.30pm Monday-Thursday with an earlier finish on Friday at 3pm, which fits in with my hours. It'll mean I'll have to leave the house at about 7am but that's a small price to pay if he gets on in the job and does well.

In the early evening we had a terrific thunderstorm with heavy rain - quite unusual, I think, for this time of year!

A day of rest...

It was lovely to have a lie-in this morning and I didn't wake up until almost 8.30am! Heaven! Unfortunately we awoke to a grey and misty day with no sunshine at all. I looked back on that sunny morning in Wimereux with fond memories!

After getting ready we headed out to Tesco to buy dinner for tonight and popped into Mum and Dad's on the way home as they wanted to see Sophie and wish her Happy Birthday. They had laid on Prosecco and cake so it was all lovely and festive. My parents were delighted with the little gifts we brought them back, although they were all bought in this country as we really didn't do any shopping in France.

Back home we caught up with mounds of washing, ironing and preparation for dinner (Sophie did most of the work). We made a version of "Le Welsh" for lunch but it wasn't the same! The cheese was much thinner and didn't have the same taste so I'd love to find out what variety they use!

In the late afternoon it started to rain so we put off a walk and stayed indoors. Sophie and I did the dinner - the steaks in gravy that always turns out to be delicious and tonight was no exception. Instead of frites, though, we did loads of vegetables and mashed potatoes!

A birthday trip to France - Day 2

Exploring history

Keith and I were up fairly early this morning after a good night's sleep. The bed was very comfortable!

We were both desperate for a coffee (me) and a mug of tea (Keith) so we tiptoed out into the kitchen/living area to find Mike snoring on the sofa bed. I peered out of the window to make sure my car was still where we left it, as Mike had gone out last night to sit in it and charge up his phone!

There was no kettle in the kitchen which was disappointing. Keith tried to figure out how to work the induction hob but all we managed to do was set the timer! Giving up, I poured some water into mugs and set about finding how the microwave worked. It would have been ideal if our host had left some kind of "housebook" to show us how things worked!

The microwave kept beeping and this disturbed both Sophie and Mike who were not happy with us! Nothing can get in the way of us when we want a hot drink in the morning, though!

We decided to have breakfast in the apartment so Soph and Mike went over the road and bought some pastries which were delicious. We all then showered and packed everything back up and Natalie arrived just before 10am to take back the keys.

Our bedroom window - uppermost one under the blue A-frame.

Outside, it was a beautiful day and before setting off we popped into Carrefour again and bought wine, beer and chocolates. We were going to go to Cite Europe but the supermarket had everything we needed, so with the boot full to the brim, we set off up the coast road towards Boulogne and Le Touquet.

On the way we spotted a sign for a British cemetery, so we turned around and decided to go and have a look. It was very quiet and peaceful and beautifully maintained.

The cemetery was mainly for British soldiers, with a small area reserved for the German fatalities. It was very sobering walking up and down and seeing so many graves, each with a flowering shrub or plant in front of it. We saw one grave of a man named George Pell who served with the Northamptonshire Regiment.

Our plan had been to drive to Le Touquet but the roads looked busy and larger than the gorgeous coastal D940, so we decided to drive back to Wimereux for a coffee and a walk along the promenade.

It was chilly but the tide was out and people were enjoying the beach.

Les Oyats was busy with people sitting in the sun and enjoying a coffee, but we sat in the lovely covered terrace and ordered hot chocolates and a cappuccino for Keith.

Mike looks a bit worse for wear!

As we felt we had explored all of Wimereux, we decided to head back towards Calais and have lunch there. Our train back to England was at about 5pm so we had to be back at the Eurotunnel terminal at around 4pm. We walked back to the car and drove through the busy main street and out onto the coastal road. The previously clear sky now showed signs of mist and we couldn't see the White Cliffs of Dover today at all. We were very lucky yesterday!

Near the village of Audinghen we saw signs for a World War 2 museum so we stopped and decided to visit. By now it was foggy and cold and as the museum is in a vast concrete bunker, we felt a little chilly!

The museum was once the Batterie Todt, a huge gun placement that was manned by the German forces in the Second World War. The gun used was regularly fired at Dover and Folkestone, 30 kms away.

It cost about 8 euros each to go in and it was well worth it.

Inside was lots of memorabilia, uniforms, old bicycles, motorbikes, weaponry and rooms set up as they were during the war.

The museum was on three levels and was very interesting. It was hard to imagine this beautiful area under German occupation.

There weren't many people about and the visitors were mostly Belgian, British and Dutch. We spent a good hour and half looking around and trying to imagine the place swarming with soldiers.

We emerged into the misty sunlight and pushed on towards Calais where we followed signs for the town centre. We parked easily by the river, overlooking the marina, and in the distance we could see huge cross Channel ferries waiting to leave.

This area had a lot of apartment blocks with restaurants underneath but the first few we came to were proper eateries with prices to match. We walked further into the town and found Cafe-Brasserie de la Tour, named after the tall tower opposite.

It was bustling and busy and the waiters were very friendly. We were seated on banquettes and studied the extensive menu. We ordered beers and Sophie and I chose the Escalope Normandie while Keith and Mike both opted for the half chicken with chips. And, boy! did they give us some chips!

I have never seen so many chips on a plate, but the food was delicious and my chicken escalope was much tastier than the turkey I had last night. A lot of French diners were enjoying mussels served with chips and I wish I'd chosen to have them at some point over the two days.

We had a long relaxing lunch but we had one eye on the clock as we had to be back at the terminal, so regretfully we paid the bill and left. It didn't take us long to get to the terminal at all but as we drove in we saw signs that the French customs staff were on strike and there were delays.

Rear mirror catastrophe!

We were very early and we had a choice to get onto the 4.30pm crossing. We decided to accept and made our way to passport control which was very busy. On the way we tried to put the paper sign with our embarkation letter onto my rear view mirror but we managed to pull it off! Not a great start to our journey home!

As before, we headed straight for the train and were loaded immediately. Keith managed to get the mirror back on, but it wasn't fixed. I settled down and napped while the train crossed the Channel and we arrived back in Folkestone at about 4pm UK time, far too early to go to The Tiger in Stowting where we'd booked a table for 7.30pm.

We made the decision to abandon our dinner plans because after our lunch, none of us were hungry! There seemed no point in hanging about waiting to go and eat when we could go home so I called the pub and cancelled and we made our way back to the M20. On the way I went over a bump in the road and the mirror fell off again...

We stopped and this time Keith managed to fix it back on properly. We made good time going home despite the roadworks and after stopping at Morrison's to buy some tonic water (I was craving a G&T) we arrived back at 7.30pm.

After unpacking and changing into my pyjamas and dressing gown, we had a lovely relaxing evening with a leftover picnic bap and a slice of Sophie's Birthday ice-cream cake for our tea. We'd had a brilliant couple of days and I'm looking forward to going back!

A birthday trip to France - Day 1

An early start...

I woke up at about 3am and noticed that Keith had gone downstairs. I tried and tried to get back to sleep, but by 4am I gave up and joined him as Sophie had set her alarm for 4.30am anyway.

I had a coffee and checked on Monty who had been in all night. I had warned Mum and Dad that he wasn't himself but they said they would look after him and I just think he needed rest and some quiet.

Sophie and Mike woke up at 4.30am and then it was everyone having showers and packing last minute bits. I wanted to leave at 5.30am for our 9.06 train, as Google Maps said the journey to Folkestone would take 2 hours and 47 minutes, which was cutting it fine to be honest, especially if we encountered any problems!

We made good time down to the M25 and we were crossing the Dartford Bridge at 7.15am which gave us an hour to get to the Eurotunnel terminal. There were lots of roadworks on the M20 which limited my speed to 50 miles an hour, but we still managed to get there at the time I wanted and we were asked if we wanted to take an earlier train. Yes!

We went through passport control and had a great chat with the woman in the booth who wished Sophie a happy birthday and said she looked younger than her 23 years! We were then pulled over for an inspection and a man came down the line of cars explaining what was happening and waved an instrument over my steering wheel! I was worried we'd all have to get out but that was it and we were told we could go to boarding immediately.

We were on the 8.50am train and it was on time. I tried to have a nap but before we knew it we were in France and the sun was shining out of a lovely blue sky! Fantastic!

We found the D940 very easily and drove through Sangatte before heading out onto the gorgeous coast road. This time we could clearly see the white cliffs of Dover so we decided to stop at Cap Blanc Nez and look at the views from there. There was an ample car park and a good path up to the viewing point but it was very windy!

It was lovely looking over the English Channel and seeing Dover in the distance. We also saw ferries crossing and Calais behind us.

Dover Patrol monument - World War 1

There was lots of information about the history in the area during the Second World War and one of the Dover Patrol monuments to look at (the other two are in Dover and New York).

We spent a very pleasant half hour looking around and Mike jumped down to explore an abandoned look-out. The views along the coast were stunning and we were so glad that we were able to see across to England!

As we were being buffeted about by the wind we decided to head back to the car and we passed several large French school groups on the way - the peace and quiet would definitely have been broken!

I now fancied a cup of coffee so we got back onto the road and the next village we came to, Audinghen, had a lovely little brasserie called Le Vent du Nord, which was quite apt! We parked the car in the immaculate square and found the restaurant very quiet. In fact, the staff appeared to be having an early lunch. We were given menus and after a while we ordered - two beers for the men, a hot chocolate for Sophie and a coffee for me. I had forgotten to order cafe au lait so it came as an espresso and very strong it was, too! However, the mini Toblerone softened the strength and it was good to have the caffeine flow through my veins as we'd been up very early!

We later found out that Audinghen had been completely demolished by the British during the last war and also, in 1643, an army of British had captured all the villagers and set fire to them inside the church! I'm surprised we were treated with such kindness! It also explains why the village is so modern and immaculate!

Back on the road we were soon in Wimereux and we found ourselves on the narrow side streets. I pulled in and tried to text Natalie but the message wouldn't send. Sophie tried on her phone but in the end I was forced to call her! Unfortunately she didn't speak a word of English, so after telling her we'd arrived she said she would come and open the door for us.

We found the apartment on Rue du Capitaine Ferber and managed to park in front of a couple of garages where we waited for Natalie to arrive. She came about half an hour later and spoke to me in a flurry of French which I somehow understood (thank goodness for my A level French!). She explained about the key and then took us up two flights of stairs to an apartment at the top of the building. She showed us all the rooms and we arranged for her to return in the morning at 10am.

I have to say I was a bit annoyed about the handover as if none of us spoke French we would have had a lot of difficulty. It would have been far better to have had a key box and been sent a code to open it, but I suppose we have been spoilt in the past when it comes to accessing villas!

Luckily, I had managed to bag a space right in front of the building so we unpacked the car and explored the apartment which was airy and light with two bedrooms, a large open plan living room/kitchen diner, a modern bathroom and a single loo. We had a balcony (of sorts) which overlooked the patios of the apartments below and we had views across the town. Opposite was a Carrefour Express and the Hotel Le Carnot, both of which came in useful during our stay!

"We've lost an oil rig!"

After unpacking and settling in, we walked the short distance to the seafront and decided to have a light lunch at Les Oyats, the small restaurant we'd had a beer at last May. It was a gorgeous day and the views over the sea were beautiful. Last time it had been very misty but today we could see lots of ships in the distance and what looked like an oil rig? I didn't think we had any in the Channel?!

We took a table in the sun and ordered four beers - how lovely that I didn't have to drive any more today! As we were all a bit peckish we decided to try "Le Welsh" - a dish that seemed to be on every menu in the area.

It consisted of a slice of bread topped with ham and then smothered in melted cheese. We all thought it was a great hangover cure! We ordered two to share as we didn't want to spoil our appetite for this evening.

The remains of one of Le Welsh!

We ordered frites to go with the food and it was sheer bliss to sit in the warm sun, relax and enjoy our lunch. Whilst we were sitting enjoying the sunshine, we noticed that the oil rig had moved... we all came to the conclusion that maybe it was going somewhere for a service because it had definitely moved further down the coast!

We had one little problem, though...we had forgotten to bring our adapters so we couldn't plug in any of our appliances or charge our devices, something that was terrifying for the children! We decided to have a wander along the main street and see if any shops sold French-UK adapters but none of them did, even after I asked in my schoolgirl French if they had any (I'm sure most of them thought we were mad!).

Mike resorted to sitting in my car and charging up his battery that way as most of the time he was on about 10%! After walking up and down, we felt a bit weary so we called into the fantastic Carrefour where I bought a bottle of sparkling wine, a bottle of strong beer and some biscuits and we retired for the day. I think three of us had a nap before getting ready for the evening meal, and the shower was lovely and very hot!

A close encounter with a crab!

Rather than go out beforehand for a drink (and pay 7 euros for a 50cl measure of beer!) we had a drink at the apartment and wished Sophie a happy birthday. We hadn't booked a table at Le Carnot but despite it being very busy they had a table free right at the back, and to Keith's annoyance, next to the loos! He wanted to go somewhere else, but we persuaded him to stay and we were given the menus by a very young male waiter.

Sophie said the menu differed from what she'd seen online and I was a bit stumped as to what to have for a starter, to be honest. In the end Mike and I decided on a plate of prawns, while Keith and Sophie opted for the crab. I ordered my courses and told the waiter that we wanted two plates of the prawns, which was a mistake. I should have let Mike order his own...

When they brought our cutlery to the table Sophie was a bit alarmed to be given a nutcracker and a thin metal implement with a hook on the end...I said that the crab would be served as it was and it was up to her to prise the meat out of its legs! She looked very worried!

It duly arrived, intact, and I had to laugh!

Keith gets to grips with his fishy friend

Unfortunately, the waiter hadn't understood that we wanted two plates of prawns so we only received one...I gave it to Mike as I wasn't that hungry but I did have a couple, along with some bread and butter. They, of course, came complete with shells, heads and tails. Talk about fiddly! When Sophie turned over her crab to get at the meat in the body, the thing looked like an alien on her plate, with the legs and pincers covered in fine black hair...Urgghhh! I was very proud of her for eating it as I wouldn't have been able to, despite the lovely taste!

Sophie and I shared a pichet of very good Pinot Gris while the men stuck to beers. For their main courses, Keith had ordered some kind of meaty dish (rabbit and pork featured) while Mike went with the safe choice of a chicken burger. Sophie had chosen cod in a ginger and hazelnut crumb while I went for turkey escalope in a mushroom sauce.

Another party had arrived and sat to our left - all three ordered Le Welsh and the woman, slim as a reed, couldn't wait to tuck into her cheese, winding it around her fork like spaghetti! We were fascinated!

Our main courses arrived and Keith and Mike's looked suspiciously like steak, both served with a sauce. Sophie was more than happy with her choice and mine came accompanied by chips...in fact that was it for "vegetables"!

We tried to catch the waiter to tell him the orders were wrong but we gave up. He mumbled when he spoke to us and we just put it down to miscommunication. Sophie said her cod was delicious but my turkey and sauce were tasteless.

None of us went for dessert so we braced ourselves for the bill which came to 134 euros. I was expecting the steaks to be about 25 euros each but they were 17, so I think we got off lightly!

It was bliss to just cross the road and be in our apartment block. I changed for bed and drank the last of the fizz with Sophie and then it was time to turn in as we were all very tired. However, we had some entertainment just before we turned in as Keith fell over while putting on his pyjama bottoms...I think beer may have been the culprit!

Getting ready!

Sophie was off to Birmingham this morning, to visit an exhibition, so Keith drove her down to the train station at about 7am while I took her car to work. My own car was going into the garage at Broughton to have the rear shock absorbers replaced so Dave (Keith's drinking buddy) was picking him up and taking him home. I just hoped that it would be ready by the evening otherwise we would be in trouble tomorrow!

Work was fine and it didn't seem as busy as Tuesday, thank goodness. I'd been receiving texts from Keith to say that Mike had been called for an interview with a landscaping firm but hadn't realised Keith didn't have the car today, so they'd had a row when he refused to call and re-arrange it... Why I needed to know that when I was at work, I don't know, but of course all I did was worry.

Sophie also kept in touch and said that she was able to finish earlier than she'd hoped and would be back in Northampton at about 3.30pm, perfect for me as I could go straight from work and pick her up.

It was great to finish at 3pm and dash off down to Northampton, where I had about a fifteen minute wait. Sophie emerged from the station with a suitcase and a bag full of goodies, including several pens, which we badly need at the moment!

We drove home and Keith said the car was ready so that was great. He agreed to go to Tesco and get dinner for tonight as well as some picnic items for tomorrow, while Sophie and I went to the post office to send out an eBay parcel. Rather than pre-pay for the postage, I just paid for it in the shop and it was remarkably easy and straightforward! We popped to see Mum and Dad before going home and they wished us "Bon Voyage"!

Back home I packed and made sure we had everything and Keith came home bearing bags of rolls, cooked meats and picnic foods which he prepared before dinner. We had a very early start in the morning and I Googled the directions to the apartment and opened an email from Jerome who said we had to text Natalie an hour before arriving in Wimereux so she could welcome us... I was rather hoping for a code to a key box, but there you go!

As tomorrow is Sophie's birthday and we didn't want to take her cards and presents to France, she opened them before dinner and was delighted with everything she received. It felt like today was her birthday!

Needless to say we all had an early night as tomorrow the alarm is set for 4.30am!

A gossipy afternoon!

I was up early with Sophie this morning and when she went off to the gym I enjoyed a coffee and eased myself slowly into the day!

Keith and I went over to my Mum and Dad's house first thing and gave them the spare set of keys to the house as they're looking after Monty while we're in France on Friday and Saturday. The living room was looking lovely but Mum said her furniture no longer matched anything in there so I suggested she try and sell it on eBay, perhaps. It would be such a shame to just get rid of it.

After we'd had a coffee with them, we popped to Tesco and decided to have an easy dinner tonight - breaded chicken escalopes with mashed potatoes, and we bought Sophie vegetarian versions. I also bought Sophie's card from Mike and two presents - a bottle of Tequila and one of Cointreau - so she can make cocktails when we return from our break!

Back home I kept an eye on Monty as he seems to be a bit unwell at the moment. He doesn't want to move and hasn't eaten anything which is very unusual for him indeed, as he is very fond of his food!

We had lunch and I pottered about and did some worrying about why we hadn't heard from our Airbnb host. We needed to know how to get into our apartment so I sent him a message about the arrangements. Normally, whenever we've rented a villa abroad, there's normally a key box with a code you get sent before you arrive and I'd hoped it would be the case this time!

At about 3pm I walked up to Michelle's house as I'd been invited for a cup of tea with her and Sue who was coming around. Sue was already there and it did feel a bit awkward at first as it was the first time I'd seen her since she'd left Paul.

Michelle went to get me a cup of tea and a scone and when she came back we sat and talked to Sue who was happy to answer our (many) questions. Sue said she'd known her new partner since school and had always held a torch for him over the years. She seemed very happy and we both agreed that she was brave to live with him straight away. We chatted for about an hour and then Sue left while I had another cup of tea with Michelle and we chatted some more. Sophie texted me to say she was leaving work and could she pop around as well, so we ended up having a long afternoon and didn't leave until almost 7pm! Hector and Lily were in and out and were great fun so it was a lovely afternoon and it was very interesting to hear Sue's side of the story.

Back home we cooked dinner and looked forward to getting up for work for just one more day before our little break on Friday!

Work grumbles!

Today was another hard shift as I was working with Joanne, who is relatively new, and the phones were busy with people booking classes because the online reservations system had a glitch! We therefore took quite a few moany calls from people who hated the new system!

Louisa came in at lunchtime and as she is very new, I helped her with several calls to try and take the load off Sara, who was busy with her own work. It didn't help that a few managers were in and swanning about doing very little!

At 2pm I went home and caught up with some jobs. Outside it was raining but it did brighten up a little mid-afternoon, only to rain again later. I think we're well and truly in April shower season but the gardens are benefiting!

Keith cooked a lovely chicken pie for dinner but Sophie opted to have a nut roast which just looked, and tasted, like regular stuffing. As we were eating the heavens opened and the rain lashed down on the roof of the conservatory. It's also been a lot colder than of late but I hope it improves for the weekend! Tomorrow is my day off and I'm planning on an afternoon cup of tea with Michelle and Sue...it'll be good to catch up!

A very trying day!

Work was very busy this morning as people phoned up to book their children onto the various holiday activities we offer over Easter. The phone rang non-stop but then the system went down for about an hour which made us even busier later in the morning when the phones were restored!

I got myself into a pickle over a holiday playscheme booking so I had to stay behind at 2pm to sort it out! I sped home and gathered up the eBay parcels to send out and we headed over to Broughton. Mike wanted his hair cut so he came with us but both him and Keith sat in the car while I went into the post office.

The girl behind the counter was also stressed because a lot of people had arrived to shop all at once and she was the only person manning the tills. I had a desultory chat with the man who runs the fish and chip shop next door and then it was my turn and as I always pre-pay for my postage, I hoped it would be easy!

Unfortunately, there were problems with two of my packages but I still don't know why as the postage was correct for the weight. I became very annoyed when I was told I'd have to pay extra even though the weight of them was in the correct range. I went outside to get my purse and as I was ranting to Keith the woman appeared and said she'd made a mistake! We went back inside, she handed me my receipts and we were done. It was just par for the course for today, though!

Mike went off to get his hair cut while Keith and I had a quick cup of tea and then wandered around Tesco trying to get some inspiration for dinners. We ended up with a Tesco take-away curry and chicken pie (homemade) for tomorrow. Neither of us really felt like cooking a meal tonight so it was easy to buy the food and know we could shove it in the oven!