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!
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