We ended the week on a quieter note as the half term finishes today and I can hardly believe we only have seven and a half weeks until the children break up for the long summer holidays. I have been trying to get our Funzone playscheme set up for the summer (on the computer) as some parents have already started to enquire! I find it also very hard to believe that today is the last day of May - what a month it's been!
Mike was back at work today and I picked him up at 3pm and then dashed home to collect Keith. I had a parcel to send back for Sophie and couldn't face going to the Weston Favell Centre on such a busy day so we went to the post office in Brixworth instead. This turned out to be a mistake as I queued for ages both in the post office and in the Co-op when I went to buy a newspaper...I do wonder how much time I've wasted standing in queues!
Mike went out in the evening and Keith walked down to the pub so Sophie and I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay and watched the film Sideways set near Solvang. It's somewhere Sophie and I have our eye on for a future trip!
As always, the film was brilliant and we carried on watching it after we'd had dinner. Keith had started a curry and Sophie had finished it and the food was delicious! Yippeee! It's Friday!
Friday 31 May 2019
Thursday 30 May 2019
Trials and tribulations.
Mike went out last night and assured us that he would be home at a decent time as he had work the next morning but when Sophie went in to wake him up he wasn't there... I checked my phone and found a text he'd sent me at 5am to say he messaged his boss to say he was going to be late but the man had given him the day off! I hope he wasn't telling porky pies!
This is because Mike was paid on Tuesday so now he has some money in the bank...I just hope we don't have this situation every week as Wednesday is Student Night in town and the drinks are cheap. On the topic of being paid, he still doesn't have his payslip even though we have urged him to get it as we have no idea whether he's paying the right amount of tax or not. He won't listen to us though, which annoys me because Keith and I do have some experience of payroll and tax!
When I finished my shift at 3pm, Mike was in the car with Keith and he knew I was annoyed with him. He seems to think he has limitless holiday and again, doesn't realise that his annual leave is on a pro-rata basis as his contract only lasts until October. Kids!
Today has been grey and overcast but we're due a mini-heatwave on Saturday!
This is because Mike was paid on Tuesday so now he has some money in the bank...I just hope we don't have this situation every week as Wednesday is Student Night in town and the drinks are cheap. On the topic of being paid, he still doesn't have his payslip even though we have urged him to get it as we have no idea whether he's paying the right amount of tax or not. He won't listen to us though, which annoys me because Keith and I do have some experience of payroll and tax!
When I finished my shift at 3pm, Mike was in the car with Keith and he knew I was annoyed with him. He seems to think he has limitless holiday and again, doesn't realise that his annual leave is on a pro-rata basis as his contract only lasts until October. Kids!
Today has been grey and overcast but we're due a mini-heatwave on Saturday!
Wednesday 29 May 2019
Mooching about...
This morning, Matt from the plumbing showroom in Market Harborough came around to measure up our bathroom and give us a quote for a new bath, sink, loo and radiator. We are a bit constricted by a shelf that runs the length of the room and which houses pipes so we couldn't have the wall mounted loo that I wanted. Nor for that matter, a P or L shaped bath...Never mind!
After he'd gone we popped to Tesco and then called in to see Mum and Dad. I said to Keith that we really must try and organise something for a Wednesday because we're being bogged down with boring chores and it would be good, with the arrival of summer, to go and do something interesting instead!
The weather has been disappointing, though, and today has been overcast and chilly. When we returned home I put a colour on my hair as it badly needed it and mooched about until it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
We did sit and play cards in the evening but it's back to work tomorrow and I expect it'll be just as busy!
After he'd gone we popped to Tesco and then called in to see Mum and Dad. I said to Keith that we really must try and organise something for a Wednesday because we're being bogged down with boring chores and it would be good, with the arrival of summer, to go and do something interesting instead!
The weather has been disappointing, though, and today has been overcast and chilly. When we returned home I put a colour on my hair as it badly needed it and mooched about until it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
We did sit and play cards in the evening but it's back to work tomorrow and I expect it'll be just as busy!
Tuesday 28 May 2019
An evening treat!
I took Mike to work this morning to give Keith a break and went in straight away as I knew I had lots of work ahead of me. I was doing the Box Office returns as well as any orders that came in...oh, and answering the phones!
I was working with Jo and we had a pleasant start to day but that lulled us into a false sense of security...after about 9.30am the phones went mad and stayed that way for the rest of our shift! I wished I could have stayed on longer as I had invoices to sort out, but my replacement was champing at the bit to get into my seat so I had to go at 2pm.
I then had an hour and a half to wait for Mike and I managed to grab a parking space by the park where I read my book and napped. I'm sure my time could have been used better, so I might suggest to Keith that we use this hour to do some shopping and get what we need for Monday when he goes on a Thursday. It poured with rain periodically which was probably why I was able to find a space! It's half term in the UK at the moment so very busy everywhere.
We had a very pleasant evening as Sophie and I had booked to go to the Northampton Filmhouse to see Destination Wedding starring Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Mike and Keith went for a drink while we enjoyed the film, which was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. Just the two main actors had speaking parts and the film reminded me very much of Sideways. It was set in San Luis Obispo as well, which is in the central part of California, so that was lovely, and the wedding of the title was situated in a vineyard, which brought back some nice memories!
When we came out, Mike said he and Keith had just ordered a drink so we met them in The Old Bank before going on to Akasaka for a delicious meal. I started with Tempura King prawns followed by sweet and spicy chicken with rice. Keith and Sophie had their usual Katsu curry while Mike enjoyed his spicy chicken Ramen. It was scrumptious and made a lovely end to a somewhat hectic day!
I was working with Jo and we had a pleasant start to day but that lulled us into a false sense of security...after about 9.30am the phones went mad and stayed that way for the rest of our shift! I wished I could have stayed on longer as I had invoices to sort out, but my replacement was champing at the bit to get into my seat so I had to go at 2pm.
I then had an hour and a half to wait for Mike and I managed to grab a parking space by the park where I read my book and napped. I'm sure my time could have been used better, so I might suggest to Keith that we use this hour to do some shopping and get what we need for Monday when he goes on a Thursday. It poured with rain periodically which was probably why I was able to find a space! It's half term in the UK at the moment so very busy everywhere.
We had a very pleasant evening as Sophie and I had booked to go to the Northampton Filmhouse to see Destination Wedding starring Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Mike and Keith went for a drink while we enjoyed the film, which was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. Just the two main actors had speaking parts and the film reminded me very much of Sideways. It was set in San Luis Obispo as well, which is in the central part of California, so that was lovely, and the wedding of the title was situated in a vineyard, which brought back some nice memories!
When we came out, Mike said he and Keith had just ordered a drink so we met them in The Old Bank before going on to Akasaka for a delicious meal. I started with Tempura King prawns followed by sweet and spicy chicken with rice. Keith and Sophie had their usual Katsu curry while Mike enjoyed his spicy chicken Ramen. It was scrumptious and made a lovely end to a somewhat hectic day!
Monday 27 May 2019
Bank Holiday Monday
It was lovely having today as holiday and it was bliss to have a lazy start to the week. The weather was supposed to be good today, but half way through washing my car the heavens opened! I gave it ten minutes until the shower had passed and then went back out and finished cleaning it.
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Homesense, but before going in we had a coffee at Starbucks. The place was absolutely packed with people and the queue for the drive-thru was mind boggling! Are all of us really that addicted to caffeine?
I chose a sandwich as a late lunch but I'd finished it by the time Sophie brought my coffee over. The queue was horrendous! I chatted with Sophie and said that when I was her age we had never heard of Starbucks or Costa but now they seem to be taking over every corner of our towns and cities! (I have since discovered that Costa is now owned by Coca Cola so no wonder they are everywhere!)
We wandered around Homesense as Sophie was looking for gifts for her friend, Laura, but nothing inspired us so we decided to head home. The old BHS store has now been taken over by The Range which looked full of tat when we peered in through the window! It is good that the space is now occupied, though, as it was horrible seeing the place so empty.
We had planned on sitting in the garden when we got home but the wave of showers put paid to that! We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and played cards in the evening while our chilli cooked in the oven. After dinner, the rain became torrential and the sky darkened. It looks very much like we're having April showers in May!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Homesense, but before going in we had a coffee at Starbucks. The place was absolutely packed with people and the queue for the drive-thru was mind boggling! Are all of us really that addicted to caffeine?
I chose a sandwich as a late lunch but I'd finished it by the time Sophie brought my coffee over. The queue was horrendous! I chatted with Sophie and said that when I was her age we had never heard of Starbucks or Costa but now they seem to be taking over every corner of our towns and cities! (I have since discovered that Costa is now owned by Coca Cola so no wonder they are everywhere!)
We wandered around Homesense as Sophie was looking for gifts for her friend, Laura, but nothing inspired us so we decided to head home. The old BHS store has now been taken over by The Range which looked full of tat when we peered in through the window! It is good that the space is now occupied, though, as it was horrible seeing the place so empty.
We had planned on sitting in the garden when we got home but the wave of showers put paid to that! We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and played cards in the evening while our chilli cooked in the oven. After dinner, the rain became torrential and the sky darkened. It looks very much like we're having April showers in May!
Sunday 26 May 2019
Niggling annoyances...
Today has been one of those days when things have been out of "sync" if that makes sense...Keith and I bickered a lot this morning as I nearly ran him over in the car when I was trying to get out of the way of a car behind me (just as he opened the door to get in), and then I stepped on his toe when we visited Mum and Dad after shopping in Tesco... it wasn't a brilliant start to the day!
Yesterday we had tree surgeons at the house opposite for most of the day and I was a bit sad that they'd taken a tree down that we could see from our front window. All the birds used to sit in it but now it's gone. The noise from the chainsaws and the shredding machine was tremendous and it was a bit annoying seeing as it was a Bank Holiday weekend! They were back again this morning at 9.30am and started it all up again! We now have new neighbours in this particular house but we haven't seen them or spoken to them yet.
I'd sorted all of our recycling out yesterday with the aim of taking it all to Milton Keynes today and Sophie offered to drive. I suggested we go on the M1 as she hasn't yet driven on a motorway, and as there is a 50mph speed limit at the moment because of roadworks, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity for her to use it for the first time today.
It was only when we were driving past the house where we take the recycling that I realised we'd left it all at home... I mean, really? I am such a twit! It was the only reason to be going to Milton Keynes in the first place!
We parked in the usual multi-storey and went straight to John Lewis to have a bite to eat. I fancied their soup which has always been delicious in the past but today it was lukewarm and tasteless. Oh dear! Sophie had a baguette and wasn't that impressed with it, either!
We had a look around the shops but didn't linger. Before leaving we popped into M&S and we treated our selves to a lovely bottle of Californian wine to go with our Coq au Vin this evening. Keith and I had bought a couple of bottles of wine in Tesco this morning but the Barefoot Zinfandel I'd picked out wasn't very good!
Back home it was bliss to watch the last episode of Big Little Lies (the next series is coming out on the 10 June, yippee!) and sip the delicious wine!
Yesterday we had tree surgeons at the house opposite for most of the day and I was a bit sad that they'd taken a tree down that we could see from our front window. All the birds used to sit in it but now it's gone. The noise from the chainsaws and the shredding machine was tremendous and it was a bit annoying seeing as it was a Bank Holiday weekend! They were back again this morning at 9.30am and started it all up again! We now have new neighbours in this particular house but we haven't seen them or spoken to them yet.
I'd sorted all of our recycling out yesterday with the aim of taking it all to Milton Keynes today and Sophie offered to drive. I suggested we go on the M1 as she hasn't yet driven on a motorway, and as there is a 50mph speed limit at the moment because of roadworks, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity for her to use it for the first time today.
It was only when we were driving past the house where we take the recycling that I realised we'd left it all at home... I mean, really? I am such a twit! It was the only reason to be going to Milton Keynes in the first place!
We parked in the usual multi-storey and went straight to John Lewis to have a bite to eat. I fancied their soup which has always been delicious in the past but today it was lukewarm and tasteless. Oh dear! Sophie had a baguette and wasn't that impressed with it, either!
We had a look around the shops but didn't linger. Before leaving we popped into M&S and we treated our selves to a lovely bottle of Californian wine to go with our Coq au Vin this evening. Keith and I had bought a couple of bottles of wine in Tesco this morning but the Barefoot Zinfandel I'd picked out wasn't very good!
Back home it was bliss to watch the last episode of Big Little Lies (the next series is coming out on the 10 June, yippee!) and sip the delicious wine!
Saturday 25 May 2019
Bank Holiday weekend!
Friday was a quiet, uneventful day and things were back to normal on the work front. I took Mike to work and had a busy shift myself, but at 2pm I was free to go home as my son was off to see some friends. It was a real bonus getting home at 2.30pm!
When Sophie returned from work we went down into town to pick him up and then we had half an hour of relaxation before preparing dinner. We opened a bottle of French sparkling wine to celebrate the forthcoming long weekend!
Saturday was spent at home catching up with things and making the most of the beautiful weather. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be cooler and showery so it was lovely to mooch about and spend some time sitting in the garden soaking up the sunshine.
At the moment the garden is alive with baby starlings shrieking to be fed and we have been visited by Rooky, the magpies and several Jackdaws as they look for food, no doubt to feed their babies as well. As soon as we put food down it disappears! I really think May is the loveliest month as everything is green and new and you can almost see things growing!
Keith made a delicious beef pie for dinner and Sophie and I opened the bottle of Merlot we bought at the Hans Fahden winery. It was stunningly delicious, and so it should be for $28! I was just worried that it wouldn't live up to our expectations, but it did.
We watched Eurovision in the evening, which we had recorded last week but we only made it through to Madonna's weird appearance on the show...I have no idea what it was all about!
When Sophie returned from work we went down into town to pick him up and then we had half an hour of relaxation before preparing dinner. We opened a bottle of French sparkling wine to celebrate the forthcoming long weekend!
Saturday was spent at home catching up with things and making the most of the beautiful weather. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be cooler and showery so it was lovely to mooch about and spend some time sitting in the garden soaking up the sunshine.
At the moment the garden is alive with baby starlings shrieking to be fed and we have been visited by Rooky, the magpies and several Jackdaws as they look for food, no doubt to feed their babies as well. As soon as we put food down it disappears! I really think May is the loveliest month as everything is green and new and you can almost see things growing!
Keith made a delicious beef pie for dinner and Sophie and I opened the bottle of Merlot we bought at the Hans Fahden winery. It was stunningly delicious, and so it should be for $28! I was just worried that it wouldn't live up to our expectations, but it did.
We watched Eurovision in the evening, which we had recorded last week but we only made it through to Madonna's weird appearance on the show...I have no idea what it was all about!
Thursday 23 May 2019
An unexpected outing!
Sophie was back at the exhibition in Coventry today so Keith took her to the station while I took Mike to work.
Sophie was later home this evening as she had to help take down the stand, so we didn't pick her up until about 5.30pm. On the way home Keith suggested a drink at The White Horse, which is under new ownership. We also went to vote in the European Elections at the Community Centre, along with what looked like a good turnout. We called Mike to see if he wanted to join us but he was busy so we sat in the window and had a good natter. We saw a lot of people strolling up in the early evening sunshine to cast their votes and I think our Government is going to get a bit of a bloody nose today as the Brexit negotiations have taken on a farcical aspect. I, for one, am fed up with it all and I know a lot of other people are as well!
Sophie kept hinting about staying for a meal and in the end Keith gave in and called The Royal Oak to see if they had a table free. We then phoned Mike who was at home to let him know we were going for a meal and we collected him on the way.
The pub had a new menu as I think there's a new chef and the food was very good indeed. We did have to wait a fair while but when our meals arrived they were worth the wait. I had the turf and surf which was steak, scampi and battered King Prawns. The steak was seasoned beautifully and was delicious. Sophie enjoyed a burger, Mike had meatball linguine while Keith chose fish and chips - now there's a surprise!
Sophie was later home this evening as she had to help take down the stand, so we didn't pick her up until about 5.30pm. On the way home Keith suggested a drink at The White Horse, which is under new ownership. We also went to vote in the European Elections at the Community Centre, along with what looked like a good turnout. We called Mike to see if he wanted to join us but he was busy so we sat in the window and had a good natter. We saw a lot of people strolling up in the early evening sunshine to cast their votes and I think our Government is going to get a bit of a bloody nose today as the Brexit negotiations have taken on a farcical aspect. I, for one, am fed up with it all and I know a lot of other people are as well!
Sophie kept hinting about staying for a meal and in the end Keith gave in and called The Royal Oak to see if they had a table free. We then phoned Mike who was at home to let him know we were going for a meal and we collected him on the way.
The pub had a new menu as I think there's a new chef and the food was very good indeed. We did have to wait a fair while but when our meals arrived they were worth the wait. I had the turf and surf which was steak, scampi and battered King Prawns. The steak was seasoned beautifully and was delicious. Sophie enjoyed a burger, Mike had meatball linguine while Keith chose fish and chips - now there's a surprise!
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Chores!
Sophie was off to an exhibition in Coventry today so we took her to the station and returned home to have breakfast before tackling some housework.
I couldn't put it off any longer and didn't fancy doing it over the Bank Holiday weekend, so Keith cleaned the bathrooms for me while I did the rest of the house and changed our bedding. It didn't help that it was a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine and blue skies. I have to admit that I was glad I'd done it though and at least I now know that everything is clean!
I finished at about 1pm and while I ate a sandwich for my lunch we looked at the bathroom brochures and tried to pick out a new suite. The choice was boggling...every kind of bath, sink and loo you could think of as well as taps, radiators and accessories!
Sophie finished at about 3pm and managed to catch the 4pm train so we drove down to the station to meet her. She will be doing it all over again tomorrow and isn't really that happy about it, to be honest!
I couldn't put it off any longer and didn't fancy doing it over the Bank Holiday weekend, so Keith cleaned the bathrooms for me while I did the rest of the house and changed our bedding. It didn't help that it was a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine and blue skies. I have to admit that I was glad I'd done it though and at least I now know that everything is clean!
I finished at about 1pm and while I ate a sandwich for my lunch we looked at the bathroom brochures and tried to pick out a new suite. The choice was boggling...every kind of bath, sink and loo you could think of as well as taps, radiators and accessories!
Sophie finished at about 3pm and managed to catch the 4pm train so we drove down to the station to meet her. She will be doing it all over again tomorrow and isn't really that happy about it, to be honest!
Tuesday 21 May 2019
A walk in the park...
We had a few niggly problems at work today so I felt quite nostalgic about the holiday. I kept thinking about the beach at Carmel and how beautiful it was, and how I wish now we'd spent more time there. It was like being in Paradise for a short while and I'm annoyed we had planned so little time in Monterey and Carmel. Oh well, never mind! We'll just have to make plans to go back!
Keith picked me up at 2pm and because we were very early to get Mike, I decided to go and get my car washed. We went to the BP station but the carwash was closed. This is the second time this has happened so this will be the last time I attempt that! It put me in a really bad mood, for some reason!
We decided to just drive to the park and have an ice-cream at the cafe, but again parking was difficult and I had to squeeze in between two cars. I didn't make a very good job of it!
We walked over to the cafe and I was reminded of three weeks ago when Keith and I had walked around the park on the day before we drove down to Heathrow...I have the holiday blues very badly today!
Keith sat down and I went to get him a cup of tea. and an ice cream for me, from a complete dork behind the counter. Everything I said he gave me the opposite of!
Outside, people were sitting in the sun and enjoying the weather. It was an absolutely beautiful day with a Florida sky and a gentle breeze. Before going back to the car we wandered through the aviaries and we spotted two rats in the peacock enclosure! At first I thought they were part of the display!
The peacock looked thoroughly fed up and I felt sorry for him being cooped up rather than free to wander over the park. The smaller birds looked happier though, and fluttered about busily!
We watched a bowls match in progress and I told Keith I'd booked it for them, which was a bit strange! The woman who called this morning had left it a bit late! A man walking his dog also stopped to watch and engaged us in conversation and Keith blamed me as I always attract people who want to stop and chat!
We saw Mike bombing about on a small vehicle and when he finished we all walked back to the car. He has tomorrow off as I was supposed to have been going to Elstree to see Pointless being filmed but Sophie needs a lift to the station and Keith really didn't want to go, so I've cancelled. Mike took the day off so we didn't have to pick him up in the afternoon but I'm not that gutted, to be honest. I'm hoping there'll be other times to go and watch and Sophie really wants to go with me if we get to go.
Back home we relaxed and as soon as Sophie returned we had another couple of games of cards in the conservatory. Dinner tonight was barbecued beef burgers and very good they were, too!
Keith picked me up at 2pm and because we were very early to get Mike, I decided to go and get my car washed. We went to the BP station but the carwash was closed. This is the second time this has happened so this will be the last time I attempt that! It put me in a really bad mood, for some reason!
We decided to just drive to the park and have an ice-cream at the cafe, but again parking was difficult and I had to squeeze in between two cars. I didn't make a very good job of it!
We walked over to the cafe and I was reminded of three weeks ago when Keith and I had walked around the park on the day before we drove down to Heathrow...I have the holiday blues very badly today!
Keith sat down and I went to get him a cup of tea. and an ice cream for me, from a complete dork behind the counter. Everything I said he gave me the opposite of!
Outside, people were sitting in the sun and enjoying the weather. It was an absolutely beautiful day with a Florida sky and a gentle breeze. Before going back to the car we wandered through the aviaries and we spotted two rats in the peacock enclosure! At first I thought they were part of the display!
The peacock looked thoroughly fed up and I felt sorry for him being cooped up rather than free to wander over the park. The smaller birds looked happier though, and fluttered about busily!
We watched a bowls match in progress and I told Keith I'd booked it for them, which was a bit strange! The woman who called this morning had left it a bit late! A man walking his dog also stopped to watch and engaged us in conversation and Keith blamed me as I always attract people who want to stop and chat!
We saw Mike bombing about on a small vehicle and when he finished we all walked back to the car. He has tomorrow off as I was supposed to have been going to Elstree to see Pointless being filmed but Sophie needs a lift to the station and Keith really didn't want to go, so I've cancelled. Mike took the day off so we didn't have to pick him up in the afternoon but I'm not that gutted, to be honest. I'm hoping there'll be other times to go and watch and Sophie really wants to go with me if we get to go.
Back home we relaxed and as soon as Sophie returned we had another couple of games of cards in the conservatory. Dinner tonight was barbecued beef burgers and very good they were, too!
Monday 20 May 2019
A very early start!
We had a very early start this morning and Sophie was up at 3.30am to get ready. She woke Keith and I at 4.15am and we blearily took her to Thrapston. At least it was light!
When we arrived home I went back to bed and slept for another hour which did me a lot of good. I certainly didn't feel as tired. Keith took Mike to work and I used Sophie's car so it was like old times!
Work was busy again but not as busy as I feared. Next week is the May half term holidays and although we had a fair few calls booking children into our playscheme and onto holiday activities, it wasn't as manic as I expected.
At 2pm I drove over to the Weston Favell Shopping Centre and bought tonight's dinner in Tesco. As we weren't sure what time Sophie would be home we decided to just have soup and a dessert. I bought a delicious Gu cheesecake which was a bit naughty!
I was early for Mike but I relaxed by reading as I waited for him. Because the weather is so good at the moment, parking was difficult so I had to wait further down the road. This confused him a bit until I spotted him and shouted to him! It doesn't take a lot!
Sophie had already texted me to say she was on her way home and we went to collect her at 5pm. It meant we were home at a reasonable hour so we played cards in our sunny conservatory. We used the new cards we'd bought at Muir Woods, which brought back memories!
When we arrived home I went back to bed and slept for another hour which did me a lot of good. I certainly didn't feel as tired. Keith took Mike to work and I used Sophie's car so it was like old times!
Work was busy again but not as busy as I feared. Next week is the May half term holidays and although we had a fair few calls booking children into our playscheme and onto holiday activities, it wasn't as manic as I expected.
At 2pm I drove over to the Weston Favell Shopping Centre and bought tonight's dinner in Tesco. As we weren't sure what time Sophie would be home we decided to just have soup and a dessert. I bought a delicious Gu cheesecake which was a bit naughty!
I was early for Mike but I relaxed by reading as I waited for him. Because the weather is so good at the moment, parking was difficult so I had to wait further down the road. This confused him a bit until I spotted him and shouted to him! It doesn't take a lot!
Sophie had already texted me to say she was on her way home and we went to collect her at 5pm. It meant we were home at a reasonable hour so we played cards in our sunny conservatory. We used the new cards we'd bought at Muir Woods, which brought back memories!
Sunday 19 May 2019
Just pottering...
I was in bed until 9.30am today and I think the jet lag is catching up with me! Sophie woke me up to say she was going to the gym and I went downstairs to have a much-needed cup of coffee. The weather was a lot better today and I decided to tackle the long grass on our front verge and do a general tidy up.
As always, it was very sociable and I caught up with Michelle who drove past. She seemed to think the same as me about Sharon and I found out that Paul had met her online! I thought he'd known her before he split with Sue so I was all the more surprised!
I cut the grass and weeded the garden and it looked a lot better when I'd finished. I also cut Vince and Sue's front verge as it was looking like a jungle!
When I finished I put all the flowers Mike had given me into pots and some into the border in the corner of the back garden. I'm hoping they will add some colour! Keith fetched me a cold beer and I sat in the conservatory with Sophie and drank it - bliss!
I was planning on taking the car through the carwash but just before we decided to leave, the heavens opened and we had torrential rain! I'm so glad I had waited! This was perfect for watching television with Sophie (we have a lot of recorded programmes to catch up with...I have about 20 episodes of Neighbours to get through!). I, of course, fell asleep so I must be trying to capture some of the hours we lost on the flight home!
Keith cooked dinner of beef stroganoff tonight but we've decided to watch the recorded Eurovision next weekend. At 8.30pm we were all in bed! Sophie is going up to Stockton-on-Tees tomorrow and has to be at her manager's house at 5am...yikes!
As always, it was very sociable and I caught up with Michelle who drove past. She seemed to think the same as me about Sharon and I found out that Paul had met her online! I thought he'd known her before he split with Sue so I was all the more surprised!
I cut the grass and weeded the garden and it looked a lot better when I'd finished. I also cut Vince and Sue's front verge as it was looking like a jungle!
When I finished I put all the flowers Mike had given me into pots and some into the border in the corner of the back garden. I'm hoping they will add some colour! Keith fetched me a cold beer and I sat in the conservatory with Sophie and drank it - bliss!
I was planning on taking the car through the carwash but just before we decided to leave, the heavens opened and we had torrential rain! I'm so glad I had waited! This was perfect for watching television with Sophie (we have a lot of recorded programmes to catch up with...I have about 20 episodes of Neighbours to get through!). I, of course, fell asleep so I must be trying to capture some of the hours we lost on the flight home!
Keith cooked dinner of beef stroganoff tonight but we've decided to watch the recorded Eurovision next weekend. At 8.30pm we were all in bed! Sophie is going up to Stockton-on-Tees tomorrow and has to be at her manager's house at 5am...yikes!
Saturday 18 May 2019
New friends...
As we'd had such a late night last night (we went to bed at 2am after a nightcap) I didn't wake up until 10am this morning! Mike was out and I had warned him not to call us early to be picked up, but he eventually did at midday.
Sophie and I went to get him and on our return we had a late breakfast (or lunch!). Today the weather has been a bit off with lots of cloud and cooler temperatures.
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Riverside and my daughter treated me to a coffee. The place was packed and I just about managed to get a table! Afterwards, we went to Next where Sophie bought some trousers (she's now a size 8 - she has done so well with losing weight) and Wilco's where I bought bird food and compost for the flowers Mike brought home yesterday.
On the way home we called to see Mum and dad and took them all the pamphlets and stuff we had collected on our trip. They were looking forward to hearing all about our holiday as they both love California and San Francisco in particular.
We left at 6pm and arrived to find Keith in the bath. I jumped in after him as we are out tonight for dinner at Richard and Michelle's house and we're meeting Paul's new girlfriend, Sharon. It will seem very strange seeing him with another woman after knowing him and Sue for so long! Sophie was not best pleased with us as tonight is Eurovision and we traditionally watch it as a family...
We were the first to arrive and we stood and chatted in Richard and Michelle's beautiful kitchen and conservatory. The weather had improved a bit but it wasn't warm enough to sit outside. After a few minutes Paul and Sharon arrived and it did feel very strange seeing them together. Paul seems very happy and Sharon was nice, but I think it's going to take a while to adapt!
We had a lovely meal of chilli, rice and salad and there was a lot of affection going on between Paul and Sharon, which was hilarious! OK, we get it! The cats came in after a while and Lily was very affectionate. I hope she remembers me from when I looked after them a few months ago!
Keith and I were a bit weary tonight after our late evening yesterday so by 11pm we were ready to head home. We have planned a movie night for the next get-together and we've chosen Casablanca as the film to watch. I just hope there isn't a back row!
Sophie and I went to get him and on our return we had a late breakfast (or lunch!). Today the weather has been a bit off with lots of cloud and cooler temperatures.
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Riverside and my daughter treated me to a coffee. The place was packed and I just about managed to get a table! Afterwards, we went to Next where Sophie bought some trousers (she's now a size 8 - she has done so well with losing weight) and Wilco's where I bought bird food and compost for the flowers Mike brought home yesterday.
On the way home we called to see Mum and dad and took them all the pamphlets and stuff we had collected on our trip. They were looking forward to hearing all about our holiday as they both love California and San Francisco in particular.
We left at 6pm and arrived to find Keith in the bath. I jumped in after him as we are out tonight for dinner at Richard and Michelle's house and we're meeting Paul's new girlfriend, Sharon. It will seem very strange seeing him with another woman after knowing him and Sue for so long! Sophie was not best pleased with us as tonight is Eurovision and we traditionally watch it as a family...
We were the first to arrive and we stood and chatted in Richard and Michelle's beautiful kitchen and conservatory. The weather had improved a bit but it wasn't warm enough to sit outside. After a few minutes Paul and Sharon arrived and it did feel very strange seeing them together. Paul seems very happy and Sharon was nice, but I think it's going to take a while to adapt!
We had a lovely meal of chilli, rice and salad and there was a lot of affection going on between Paul and Sharon, which was hilarious! OK, we get it! The cats came in after a while and Lily was very affectionate. I hope she remembers me from when I looked after them a few months ago!
Keith and I were a bit weary tonight after our late evening yesterday so by 11pm we were ready to head home. We have planned a movie night for the next get-together and we've chosen Casablanca as the film to watch. I just hope there isn't a back row!
Friday 17 May 2019
A midnight trip...
At least this week has been a short one in terms of working and it seems that Friday has come around very quickly!
Work was fine, but busy, which it will be now as I've been given extra duties, such as monitoring all the customer service emails that come in and dealing with them. It means that I literally don't have a spare minute!
Keith had a doctor's appointment at 2pm today so I popped over to Tesco and bought some groceries for my parents who are returning home tonight. I sat and waited for him in the Costa downstairs, not realising he had asked me to meet him upstairs! Luckily I spotted him!
We went to get Mike and had a half hour wait. When he came out he was carrying a big tray of flowers that were going to be thrown out so he had rescued them to give to me! They made my day!
Sophie and I couldn't have wine night tonight as we had to go up to Birmingham at midnight to fetch my parents home. I wasn't sure what to expect and had arranged for assistance for them, both at the airport in Madeira and at Birmingham. Before we went we called into their house to put the lights on and put the shopping away and we were surprised to find a car on their driveway! It belonged to the people next door whose parents were staying but I wish they had asked first!
The journey to Birmingham was marred slightly by almost continuous roadworks on the M6 but we arrived in plenty of time and while we waited Sophie treated us to a hot chocolate from Costa. We also mooched about the M&S food shop and salivated over all the lovely foods!
My parents arrived and as they hadn't any hold luggage came through very quickly. My Dad was walking and seemed fine so all of that worry was for nothing. They both looked extremely smart! We all walked over to the car park and although my Dad was a bit slow, he was fine with just a stick to help him.
In the car on the way home my Mum confessed to hating the cruise ship and especially their cabin which was tiny. I suspect my Dad was ill for a while, but that just provided the perfect excuse to come home!
Work was fine, but busy, which it will be now as I've been given extra duties, such as monitoring all the customer service emails that come in and dealing with them. It means that I literally don't have a spare minute!
Keith had a doctor's appointment at 2pm today so I popped over to Tesco and bought some groceries for my parents who are returning home tonight. I sat and waited for him in the Costa downstairs, not realising he had asked me to meet him upstairs! Luckily I spotted him!
We went to get Mike and had a half hour wait. When he came out he was carrying a big tray of flowers that were going to be thrown out so he had rescued them to give to me! They made my day!
Sophie and I couldn't have wine night tonight as we had to go up to Birmingham at midnight to fetch my parents home. I wasn't sure what to expect and had arranged for assistance for them, both at the airport in Madeira and at Birmingham. Before we went we called into their house to put the lights on and put the shopping away and we were surprised to find a car on their driveway! It belonged to the people next door whose parents were staying but I wish they had asked first!
The journey to Birmingham was marred slightly by almost continuous roadworks on the M6 but we arrived in plenty of time and while we waited Sophie treated us to a hot chocolate from Costa. We also mooched about the M&S food shop and salivated over all the lovely foods!
My parents arrived and as they hadn't any hold luggage came through very quickly. My Dad was walking and seemed fine so all of that worry was for nothing. They both looked extremely smart! We all walked over to the car park and although my Dad was a bit slow, he was fine with just a stick to help him.
In the car on the way home my Mum confessed to hating the cruise ship and especially their cabin which was tiny. I suspect my Dad was ill for a while, but that just provided the perfect excuse to come home!
Thursday 16 May 2019
Back into the routine...
So, it was back to work for me this morning and after dropping Mike off in town, I was in nice and early.
I was kept busy all morning and the time passed very quickly. I was working with Paige today as Sue's father had died a couple of weeks ago and she'd attended his funeral yesterday. What is it about fathers dying at the moment? My friend Lynda's dad also died while we were on holiday and I hope that this time it doesn't come in threes...
Keith picked me up at 3pm and we went down to get Mike from work. I could hardly believe that two weeks ago we were flying to San Francisco. The time has gone so quickly!
Back home my Mum called to say that they had arrived at the hotel and it was lovely. She said Madeira was beautiful and it's a place I've always wanted to visit. I only wish they could stay there a bit longer!
I was kept busy all morning and the time passed very quickly. I was working with Paige today as Sue's father had died a couple of weeks ago and she'd attended his funeral yesterday. What is it about fathers dying at the moment? My friend Lynda's dad also died while we were on holiday and I hope that this time it doesn't come in threes...
Keith picked me up at 3pm and we went down to get Mike from work. I could hardly believe that two weeks ago we were flying to San Francisco. The time has gone so quickly!
Back home my Mum called to say that they had arrived at the hotel and it was lovely. She said Madeira was beautiful and it's a place I've always wanted to visit. I only wish they could stay there a bit longer!
Wednesday 15 May 2019
A early morning shock...
In contrast to last night, I slept very poorly and was up and downstairs at 5am. It was a good thing as my Mum phoned to say that my Dad was really ill and she wanted to return from their cruise...
Obviously this was not what I wanted to hear this morning as I had hoped they'd be having a great time and really enjoying themselves. I told her to take my Dad to the shop's doctor and let me know when they'd seen him.
Sophie came downstairs as well and was really concerned but until my Mum called back there was little I could do. She went to get ready and then went off to the gym. She was at work today so we're back to the normal routine.
I went with Keith to take Mike to work this morning as I needed to know where to drop him off if I ever take him on my own. We drove back as if we were going to my place of work and I was confident that I would be early, so that was a relief.
My Mum called later to say that my Dad had seen the doctor and they'd advised some tests, which my Dad didn't want to have. She asked if we could get a flight home from Madeira where they'll dock tomorrow so I spent an hour looking at flights home for them.
We popped over to their house to make sure everything was OK and watered the plants. As we were leaving my Mum called and said could we go to Madeira as she wouldn't be able to manage all the suitcases they'd taken with them...
Keith and I went straight home but I had no intention of flying out to the island. For a start there were hardly any flights and even then we'd have to stay a couple of nights before returning home. My Mum phoned again and said that the cruise liner would arrange for their bags to be brought home so they would only have one to carry.
I spent the next few hours booking a hotel near the airport as the next available flight was on Friday night and the cruise ship left on Thursday evening. I was then able to get them onto a Jet2 flight going to Birmingham on Friday evening. I felt really low about all this and worried about how my Dad would be on the journey home.
Keith and I spent the rest of the day at home and I had a nap in the early afternoon. It was another glorious day but the weather is set to change after tomorrow, unfortunately.
I am back at work tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it!
Sophie came downstairs as well and was really concerned but until my Mum called back there was little I could do. She went to get ready and then went off to the gym. She was at work today so we're back to the normal routine.
I went with Keith to take Mike to work this morning as I needed to know where to drop him off if I ever take him on my own. We drove back as if we were going to my place of work and I was confident that I would be early, so that was a relief.
My Mum called later to say that my Dad had seen the doctor and they'd advised some tests, which my Dad didn't want to have. She asked if we could get a flight home from Madeira where they'll dock tomorrow so I spent an hour looking at flights home for them.
We popped over to their house to make sure everything was OK and watered the plants. As we were leaving my Mum called and said could we go to Madeira as she wouldn't be able to manage all the suitcases they'd taken with them...
Keith and I went straight home but I had no intention of flying out to the island. For a start there were hardly any flights and even then we'd have to stay a couple of nights before returning home. My Mum phoned again and said that the cruise liner would arrange for their bags to be brought home so they would only have one to carry.
I spent the next few hours booking a hotel near the airport as the next available flight was on Friday night and the cruise ship left on Thursday evening. I was then able to get them onto a Jet2 flight going to Birmingham on Friday evening. I felt really low about all this and worried about how my Dad would be on the journey home.
Keith and I spent the rest of the day at home and I had a nap in the early afternoon. It was another glorious day but the weather is set to change after tomorrow, unfortunately.
I am back at work tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it!
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Getting back into the swing of things!
Although I woke up during the night and went downstairs for an hour, I feel I slept well. Sophie woke me up at about 9am as she was off to the gym and I went downstairs and made myself a cup of coffee. I felt a bit dehydrated to be honest and downed two mugs of coffee in quick succession!
Sophie returned from the gym and said she'd found it hard after not going for almost two weeks. This, despite all the walking we did! Keith wanted to go to Market Harborough to look at a bathroom showroom as while we'd been away he'd had a plumber over to give us a quote.
We drove over to the town and found the showroom after having to Google it! It was called Pochin and we chatted to a helpful member of staff who has agreed to come out to our house in a couple of weeks to measure up. We have a slight problem in that there's a shelf running behind the loo and the sink to house the pipes so we feel it's better to have some expert knowledge!
After visiting the showroom we parked the car and went to the post office as Sophie and I had some dollars left over! We paid the money into my bank account which went towards settling the bill for the two hotels in Napa and Monterey. We didn't pay for these until we arrived so I was glad we still had some money left over to pay for them!
After a quick trip to Starbucks for a coffee and a pastry and a trip to Tesco, we returned home. Again, the weather has been beautiful today which is always a relief. I hate coming home from a holiday to cloudy skies and rain!
I suggested going to the pub in the evening and it was bliss to sit in the garden and enjoy a drink. Afterwards we went and bought fish and chips for dinner as none of us could be bothered to cook!
Sophie returned from the gym and said she'd found it hard after not going for almost two weeks. This, despite all the walking we did! Keith wanted to go to Market Harborough to look at a bathroom showroom as while we'd been away he'd had a plumber over to give us a quote.
We drove over to the town and found the showroom after having to Google it! It was called Pochin and we chatted to a helpful member of staff who has agreed to come out to our house in a couple of weeks to measure up. We have a slight problem in that there's a shelf running behind the loo and the sink to house the pipes so we feel it's better to have some expert knowledge!
After visiting the showroom we parked the car and went to the post office as Sophie and I had some dollars left over! We paid the money into my bank account which went towards settling the bill for the two hotels in Napa and Monterey. We didn't pay for these until we arrived so I was glad we still had some money left over to pay for them!
After a quick trip to Starbucks for a coffee and a pastry and a trip to Tesco, we returned home. Again, the weather has been beautiful today which is always a relief. I hate coming home from a holiday to cloudy skies and rain!
I suggested going to the pub in the evening and it was bliss to sit in the garden and enjoy a drink. Afterwards we went and bought fish and chips for dinner as none of us could be bothered to cook!
Monday 13 May 2019
Back home...
Our overnight flight was one of the worst I've ever had, thanks in part to the woman in the seat in front of me who reclined hers from the moment we boarded the plane, until the cabin crew told her to put it upright before we landed. Some people had whole rows to themselves but we were cramped into our seats and I wish we'd decided to move somewhere else!
I felt cramped and exhausted and even though I did manage to sleep, I felt very uncomfortable. What a difference to the flight on the way over! The food was bland and the "breakfast" they served (at about 1.30pm UK time) was horrible! The lights didn't go up until just before we landed so we had to eat in the dark!
Keith was there to meet us and it was great to see him again! We had a huge hug and then made our way to the car for the journey home. The one good thing was that the weather was gorgeous!
We had a good journey home and arrived back at about 4pm. Mike had managed to get a lift home with one of his mates and Sophie and I dispensed our gifts to him and Keith who seemed delighted with what we'd bought them.
Sophie and I unpacked and started on our mounds of washing that needed to be done! At least with the weather we'd be able to dry some outside!
Dinner tonight was toad-in-the-hole and I enjoyed a couple of G&Ts! By 9pm we were all more than ready for bed!
I felt cramped and exhausted and even though I did manage to sleep, I felt very uncomfortable. What a difference to the flight on the way over! The food was bland and the "breakfast" they served (at about 1.30pm UK time) was horrible! The lights didn't go up until just before we landed so we had to eat in the dark!
Keith was there to meet us and it was great to see him again! We had a huge hug and then made our way to the car for the journey home. The one good thing was that the weather was gorgeous!
We had a good journey home and arrived back at about 4pm. Mike had managed to get a lift home with one of his mates and Sophie and I dispensed our gifts to him and Keith who seemed delighted with what we'd bought them.
Sophie and I unpacked and started on our mounds of washing that needed to be done! At least with the weather we'd be able to dry some outside!
Dinner tonight was toad-in-the-hole and I enjoyed a couple of G&Ts! By 9pm we were all more than ready for bed!
Sunday 12 May 2019
California Road Trip - Day 12, Homeward Bound
By 9am this morning we were mostly packed and heading down to eat breakfast. We thought it sensible to have the meal at the hotel and we sat on the small terrace and chatted to Keith and Mike who were at home. The weather looked beautiful in the UK! I didn't dare touch the waffle machine again so I made myself some toast and had a mini muffin.
We checked out and plugged in the SatNav to get us back to the airport but avoiding freeways as I wanted to drive up Highway 1 which hugs the coast. She did a bit of a freak out, so we turned her off and followed the road signs, it wasn't difficult!
The weather was overcast and cloudy again which was a disappointment as the road we were travelling on was supposed to be beautiful. We passed the aptly named Seaside, and Moss Landing and decided we could stop in Santa Cruz for a coffee. I had imagined the town to be small and strung out along the road but when we arrived we would have had to turn off the road to get there and I just didn't fancy leaving the car where I couldn't see it.
We carried on, both hoping we would come across a lovely little coffee shop where I could park directly outside. By now the weather had improved a bit and we were treated to blue skies and sunshine. After Santa Cruz, the road wound its way along the coastline and we saw three towns mentioned on the signs - Davenport, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay. This area is sparsely populated and the towns are few and far between. The coastline was beautiful with wide sandy beaches, rocks, cliffs and crashing waves. A lot of people were out surfing.
Davenport and Pescadero were tiny but Half Moon Bay was bigger and had a string of fast food restaurants and cafes. We stopped at one small shopping centre and went into the independent cafe but it was packed and neither of us really fancied staying. It didn't help that today was Mother's Day in the US!
We drove on and saw a Dunkin' Donuts where we could at least use the loo and have a coffee. Better still, I could see the car out of the window! It wasn't the most pleasant of places and to our dismay, we saw a Starbucks a little further along!
Neither of us were really hungry and our plan to go to a BJ's near the airport had been abandoned because of the terrible reviews. We made the decision to push on and get to the airport and maybe have something to eat there, or even try and get into one of the lounges.
We turned the SatNav back on and she took us straight to the airport with just one small mistake when I came off the freeway an exit too early. Very soon, we could see planes taking off and we followed the rental car return signs.
We said goodbye sadly to our little Hyundai and made sure we'd taken everything out! I was handed a receipt for about $60 which was for fuel (the full tank when we'd picked up the car) which I thought was a rip-off.
At 2pm we were able to check in and it took us 40 minutes to go through security. It was pandemonium and the staff were rude and hectoring. Once through, we looked for somewhere to eat and picked a restaurant serving pizza and burgers. Sophie trudged off to look for a lounge and came back to say the Air France one was $50 each which included food and drink. We did a quick Google search to look at reviews and after sharing a pizza and some fries, we decided to go. The restaurant we ate at was serving cocktails for $16 and normal beers for about $9 so it was worth it!
We couldn't pay cash at the desk so I got my poor old credit card out again and we were in. The lounge wasn't small, but it had a lovely choice of spirits and wines, snack foods, fruit and desserts. We sat at a table, I brought over two whisky and lemonades and we made use of the wifi and the chargers everywhere!
We tried not to think of the long flight home!
We checked out and plugged in the SatNav to get us back to the airport but avoiding freeways as I wanted to drive up Highway 1 which hugs the coast. She did a bit of a freak out, so we turned her off and followed the road signs, it wasn't difficult!
The weather was overcast and cloudy again which was a disappointment as the road we were travelling on was supposed to be beautiful. We passed the aptly named Seaside, and Moss Landing and decided we could stop in Santa Cruz for a coffee. I had imagined the town to be small and strung out along the road but when we arrived we would have had to turn off the road to get there and I just didn't fancy leaving the car where I couldn't see it.
We carried on, both hoping we would come across a lovely little coffee shop where I could park directly outside. By now the weather had improved a bit and we were treated to blue skies and sunshine. After Santa Cruz, the road wound its way along the coastline and we saw three towns mentioned on the signs - Davenport, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay. This area is sparsely populated and the towns are few and far between. The coastline was beautiful with wide sandy beaches, rocks, cliffs and crashing waves. A lot of people were out surfing.
Davenport and Pescadero were tiny but Half Moon Bay was bigger and had a string of fast food restaurants and cafes. We stopped at one small shopping centre and went into the independent cafe but it was packed and neither of us really fancied staying. It didn't help that today was Mother's Day in the US!
We drove on and saw a Dunkin' Donuts where we could at least use the loo and have a coffee. Better still, I could see the car out of the window! It wasn't the most pleasant of places and to our dismay, we saw a Starbucks a little further along!
Neither of us were really hungry and our plan to go to a BJ's near the airport had been abandoned because of the terrible reviews. We made the decision to push on and get to the airport and maybe have something to eat there, or even try and get into one of the lounges.
We turned the SatNav back on and she took us straight to the airport with just one small mistake when I came off the freeway an exit too early. Very soon, we could see planes taking off and we followed the rental car return signs.
We said goodbye sadly to our little Hyundai and made sure we'd taken everything out! I was handed a receipt for about $60 which was for fuel (the full tank when we'd picked up the car) which I thought was a rip-off.
At 2pm we were able to check in and it took us 40 minutes to go through security. It was pandemonium and the staff were rude and hectoring. Once through, we looked for somewhere to eat and picked a restaurant serving pizza and burgers. Sophie trudged off to look for a lounge and came back to say the Air France one was $50 each which included food and drink. We did a quick Google search to look at reviews and after sharing a pizza and some fries, we decided to go. The restaurant we ate at was serving cocktails for $16 and normal beers for about $9 so it was worth it!
We couldn't pay cash at the desk so I got my poor old credit card out again and we were in. The lounge wasn't small, but it had a lovely choice of spirits and wines, snack foods, fruit and desserts. We sat at a table, I brought over two whisky and lemonades and we made use of the wifi and the chargers everywhere!
We tried not to think of the long flight home!
Saturday 11 May 2019
California Road Trip - Day 11, 17 Mile Drive
Neither of us could face breakfast at the hotel this morning, so we drove into Monterey and tried to find Fisherman's Wharf. We wanted to look at restaurants for tonight and I thought there would be somewhere to have breakfast overlooking the bay.
However, we ended up back at Cannery Row again, so we parked the car (using some of the huge amount of coins we had) and walked towards the centre along the seafront. It was a stunning day and there were loads of people preparing to go into the water to do scuba diving. Cars were arriving and there were tanks and wet suits everywhere. It must be a popular thing to do on a Saturday morning!
We carried on into the town and spotted a cafe called Tidal which looked perfect. It was near a wide expanse of promenade with tables outside. We queued up inside and ordered a coffee apiece and a breakfast muffin. They had a whole egg in the middle and were delicious! It was absolute bliss sitting in the sun and enjoying the wonderful coastal views. A lot better than the hotel, I can tell you!
We strolled back the way we'd come after our breakfast but it looked like we couldn't walk to Fisherman's Wharf even though I knew it wasn't far away. We decided to get back into the car and head for the 17 Mile Drive instead, and perhaps try and get there again later in the afternoon.
After a slight detour to a lovely area called Pacific Grove, we arrived at the start of the 17 Mile Drive and paid $10.50 for the privilege of driving the route! I have to say though, that it was well worth it and was another highlight of our trip.
Minutes after entering we spotted a deer by the side of the road. I slowed right down and he trotted next to us for a while! We were given a leaflet when we paid and it listed various points of interest on the route. It was really lovely driving slowly and stopping every now and again to gaze at the views.
The tree is about 250 years old and is stabilised by cables to help it weather the Pacific storms. As well as the Lone Cypress, we also came across a grove of "ghost" trees.
We made our way to Pebble Beach golf club and what a beautiful (and wealthy) place it is! The US Open is due to be held here next month and we signed the flag that will be flying over the proceedings! There was lots of golf memorabilia on show and several gorgeous trophies.
We decided to have an ice-cream and sat outside on the terrace to enjoy them. In the distance we could see the beach at Carmel.
We strolled along a walkway containing some very exclusive shops and watched golfers hitting balls on a practice green. You could smell the riches in the air!
As it was nearing lunchtime we thought that a picnic would be a great idea so we bought a sandwich, a salad, some crisps, water and grapes and decided to enjoy the food as we drove along the Big Sur coastline.
We left the 17 Mile Drive behind but before we went any further we needed to get some petrol. Just outside Carmel we came upon a filling station so we put $20 in, an amount that almost filled the tank!
The scenery along this route (Highway 1) was stunning and each new bend revealed another gorgeous vista. We stopped in a layby and enjoyed our picnic lunch. Above, two huge birds wheeled around and around. It was perfect!
Carpets of beautiful wild flowers were everywhere and with the deep blues of the ocean and the sky it'll be a memory I'll remember forever.
We carried on towards Bixby Bridge but the small car parks were full of cars and we were unable to stop. Driving over was a bit hairy but it was great to do as the bridge features in Big Little Lies which was set in Monterey (the bridge is quite a way from the town so I think a bit of poetic licence was used!).
The road was quite steep with drops on the right hand side to the ocean. I think Sophie was a bit nervous and my hands were definitely clammy so after continuing on for a while and seeing yet more beautiful views, we decided to head back to Carmel as Sophie wanted to get herself a ring.
We managed to find a car park and walked the short distance to the main shopping area. It was even busier than yesterday and there were cars all along the busy streets. We found a quirky little shop selling gifts and we bought a Zippo lighter for Mike. It had a 40s pin-up girl on it and Sophie said he would love it. We also stumbled upon a Turkish shop and Sophie found a lovely ring - she had so many to choose from! I also bought a Turkish "Eye" key ring which has replaced the one I left on our rental car in Florida in 2017! Sophie also bought a purse and a bracelet so she was very happy!
We returned to Monterey and had another stab at trying to find Fisherman's Wharf. I somehow missed the turning again so we gave up and decided to have a look at the menus for the different restaurants online and then order an Uber to take us there.
Back at the hotel we started the mammoth task of packing all of our bits up and I emptied my suitcase and started again. I needed to get the two bottles of wine in as well as a scented candle I'd bought and the presents. When I weighed the case it was over 23kg!
Our restaurant for the night was Cafe Fina which had views over the bay. Sadly, the lovely blue skies of the afternoon had disappeared to be replaced with thick cloud again so it wasn't the kind of evening we'd anticipated! The Uber driver took us to Fisherman's Wharf which was a bit tacky, if I'm honest. We had dressed up a bit so we felt like we stood out amongst all the people who had spent time there in the early evening. There were gift shops everywhere and fast food cafes selling fish and the smells were very much of the ocean!
We had booked online and had asked for an outside table and at first I was alarmed that we were going to be seated on the main drag past the restaurant, but we were taken to a small table at the back with views over the boats bobbing in the marina. Our waiter was very friendly and we ordered mussels to share as a starter followed by the Chicken Parmesan with penne pasta. As it was our last night we ordered a bottle of Prosecco.
The food was fine but not great, and certainly not as good as Allegria in Napa. The noise level in the dining area was also very loud but we had a pleasant evening chatting about the holiday and the things we'd done over the last ten days. As the restaurant didn't have wifi we had to ask the waiter to call us a taxi which he was only too pleased to do for us. It was waiting in the entrance to Fisherman's Wharf and it whizzed us back in time for us to see the last hour of Mrs Doubtfire!
However, we ended up back at Cannery Row again, so we parked the car (using some of the huge amount of coins we had) and walked towards the centre along the seafront. It was a stunning day and there were loads of people preparing to go into the water to do scuba diving. Cars were arriving and there were tanks and wet suits everywhere. It must be a popular thing to do on a Saturday morning!
We carried on into the town and spotted a cafe called Tidal which looked perfect. It was near a wide expanse of promenade with tables outside. We queued up inside and ordered a coffee apiece and a breakfast muffin. They had a whole egg in the middle and were delicious! It was absolute bliss sitting in the sun and enjoying the wonderful coastal views. A lot better than the hotel, I can tell you!
We strolled back the way we'd come after our breakfast but it looked like we couldn't walk to Fisherman's Wharf even though I knew it wasn't far away. We decided to get back into the car and head for the 17 Mile Drive instead, and perhaps try and get there again later in the afternoon.
After a slight detour to a lovely area called Pacific Grove, we arrived at the start of the 17 Mile Drive and paid $10.50 for the privilege of driving the route! I have to say though, that it was well worth it and was another highlight of our trip.
Minutes after entering we spotted a deer by the side of the road. I slowed right down and he trotted next to us for a while! We were given a leaflet when we paid and it listed various points of interest on the route. It was really lovely driving slowly and stopping every now and again to gaze at the views.
It wasn't as busy as I was expecting and I found it very relaxing to drive for a short distance and then stop at one of the many lay-bys. The houses were spectacular and I can only guess at how much they cost!
Some of the roads were private and there were lots of big gates and fences, but it's a gorgeous drive and there's a lot to see on the road. The most famous is probably the Lone Cypress which certainly attracted a crowd of people.
The tree is about 250 years old and is stabilised by cables to help it weather the Pacific storms. As well as the Lone Cypress, we also came across a grove of "ghost" trees.
We made our way to Pebble Beach golf club and what a beautiful (and wealthy) place it is! The US Open is due to be held here next month and we signed the flag that will be flying over the proceedings! There was lots of golf memorabilia on show and several gorgeous trophies.
We decided to have an ice-cream and sat outside on the terrace to enjoy them. In the distance we could see the beach at Carmel.
We strolled along a walkway containing some very exclusive shops and watched golfers hitting balls on a practice green. You could smell the riches in the air!
As it was nearing lunchtime we thought that a picnic would be a great idea so we bought a sandwich, a salad, some crisps, water and grapes and decided to enjoy the food as we drove along the Big Sur coastline.
We left the 17 Mile Drive behind but before we went any further we needed to get some petrol. Just outside Carmel we came upon a filling station so we put $20 in, an amount that almost filled the tank!
The scenery along this route (Highway 1) was stunning and each new bend revealed another gorgeous vista. We stopped in a layby and enjoyed our picnic lunch. Above, two huge birds wheeled around and around. It was perfect!
Carpets of beautiful wild flowers were everywhere and with the deep blues of the ocean and the sky it'll be a memory I'll remember forever.
We carried on towards Bixby Bridge but the small car parks were full of cars and we were unable to stop. Driving over was a bit hairy but it was great to do as the bridge features in Big Little Lies which was set in Monterey (the bridge is quite a way from the town so I think a bit of poetic licence was used!).
The road was quite steep with drops on the right hand side to the ocean. I think Sophie was a bit nervous and my hands were definitely clammy so after continuing on for a while and seeing yet more beautiful views, we decided to head back to Carmel as Sophie wanted to get herself a ring.
We managed to find a car park and walked the short distance to the main shopping area. It was even busier than yesterday and there were cars all along the busy streets. We found a quirky little shop selling gifts and we bought a Zippo lighter for Mike. It had a 40s pin-up girl on it and Sophie said he would love it. We also stumbled upon a Turkish shop and Sophie found a lovely ring - she had so many to choose from! I also bought a Turkish "Eye" key ring which has replaced the one I left on our rental car in Florida in 2017! Sophie also bought a purse and a bracelet so she was very happy!
We returned to Monterey and had another stab at trying to find Fisherman's Wharf. I somehow missed the turning again so we gave up and decided to have a look at the menus for the different restaurants online and then order an Uber to take us there.
Back at the hotel we started the mammoth task of packing all of our bits up and I emptied my suitcase and started again. I needed to get the two bottles of wine in as well as a scented candle I'd bought and the presents. When I weighed the case it was over 23kg!
Our restaurant for the night was Cafe Fina which had views over the bay. Sadly, the lovely blue skies of the afternoon had disappeared to be replaced with thick cloud again so it wasn't the kind of evening we'd anticipated! The Uber driver took us to Fisherman's Wharf which was a bit tacky, if I'm honest. We had dressed up a bit so we felt like we stood out amongst all the people who had spent time there in the early evening. There were gift shops everywhere and fast food cafes selling fish and the smells were very much of the ocean!
We had booked online and had asked for an outside table and at first I was alarmed that we were going to be seated on the main drag past the restaurant, but we were taken to a small table at the back with views over the boats bobbing in the marina. Our waiter was very friendly and we ordered mussels to share as a starter followed by the Chicken Parmesan with penne pasta. As it was our last night we ordered a bottle of Prosecco.
The food was fine but not great, and certainly not as good as Allegria in Napa. The noise level in the dining area was also very loud but we had a pleasant evening chatting about the holiday and the things we'd done over the last ten days. As the restaurant didn't have wifi we had to ask the waiter to call us a taxi which he was only too pleased to do for us. It was waiting in the entrance to Fisherman's Wharf and it whizzed us back in time for us to see the last hour of Mrs Doubtfire!
Friday 10 May 2019
California Road Trip - Day 10, Fishy antics
Thankfully, the weather improved greatly today and our itinerary said we were off to the Monterey Aquarium this morning.
First up was breakfast and we both found it very depressing. There was just one tiny room decorated in shades of brown and it was presided over by a woman who was doing Les Dawson impersonations with her mouth... I'm not sure if she was chewing gum or what, but I was fascinated! Her role was to watch us all like hawks and shout at anyone who managed to use the waffle maker in the wrong way...
There was an outside seating area, but we sat inside and munched dismally on oatmeal, waffles (she wasn't watching when I had to scrape the stuff off the heating irons) and bagels. It was all sweet stuff!
We fled as soon as we'd finished and after a short discussion about catching the bus (I wasn't really serious) we drove into Monterey and parked in a multi-storey for $10. It was a short walk to Cannery Row and the Aquarium and we called into a Starbucks first so Sophie could get a fix of coffee. I was still full of waffles so I sat with her while she went into raptures about her coffee and then we walked up the road and had a good look at the surroundings.
Obviously, there are a lot of references to John Steinbeck here and his novel, Cannery Row. There is a sculpture of him and his contemporaries and lots of information signs about his life and work in the area.
Entrance to the Aquarium was quick and easy as we'd booked in advance. The main hall was full of exhibits of whales and a huge skeleton that had been washed up on the shore. There were lots of groups of school children in a very excitable mood and we looked forward to spending a good couple of hours seeing as much as we could.
First up was the Deep Ocean and some very weird creatures, but I'm not talking about just the sea life here...we came across a tank with a huge slimy squid and a woman? came up and started talking to it in a stupid voice calling it a pretty baby... that is NOT how I would describe a large grey, slimy squid!
We saw her/him later on the tour chatting up some sea birds and we noticed he/her had a full beard. Hmmm! Time to make a swift exit!
The highlight of our tour was being able to touch the bat sting rays who were gorgeous. They felt so velvety and soft and really seemed enjoy the human interaction.
Another enjoyment was seeing the jellyfish, creatures I've always hated before but some of them are truly beautiful.
We thoroughly enjoyed looking at everything and going outside to stand on the balconies and enjoy the gorgeous views over Monterey Bay. The blue skies and sunshine made so much difference!
We saw hundreds of varieties of fish, a hammerhead shark and enjoyed two talks - one on sea otters (the area is famous for them) and one on Great White Sharks. What really intrigued me was the fish seemed as interested in us as we were in them! They would come up to the glass and really look at us before swimming off!
We were at the Aquarium for three hours and decided to have lunch at Bubba Gump's which was a short walk away. We were sat at a table by the window so we had lovely views of the bay. We both decided on the same meal - a Caesar salad to start followed by Mahi Mahi served in a lobster butter sauce with mashed potato and baked shrimp. The food was delicious.
After lunch we drove into Carmel-by-the-Sea and managed to bag a space right by the beach. It was a gorgeous afternoon and the beach was full of people having fun. Sophie wanted to dip her toes into the Pacific so she went running down and rolled up her jeans.
We sat on the beach for about half an hour, just gazing out at the ocean and relaxing. It was heavenly! A lot of people were walking their dogs along the shoreline and I can only assume they were residents of the town. How lucky to live in such a beautiful area!
As the tide was coming in and we were in danger of getting wet, we returned to the car and drove into the town where we found a 30 minute parking place. I'd been asked by my parents to try and find a gallery where they'd bought an Eyvind Earle print many years ago but we couldn't see it listed on the town map. I said we'd go back to the hotel and Google it as there were so many shops, restaurants and cafes all crammed into the town centre.
Carmel is very difficult to photograph as huge trees line the streets and there are also cars parked along the road as well. We found a bakery selling ice-creams so we bought two and wandered along enjoying them. Some of the shops looked very expensive and every now and again we came across a wine tasting room. I dread to think about the prices!
As our allotted time was nearly up we returned to the car and managed to find our way back onto Highway 1 from the maze of streets. Before going back to the hotel we drove to the shopping centre and visited the Whole Foods Market to buy a bottle of wine for the evening. Because we'd eaten at lunchtime we decided to stay in and eat our leftovers from our meal yesterday. It was at this point we wished the hotel had a nice bar where we could sit for an hour!
The supermarket was busy with people buying their groceries and we found a bottle of Californian Pinot Grigio for about $15. We drove back to the hotel and decided to go and sit by the pool as it was such a beautiful day.
If it had been a bit warmer it would have been great to have had a dip but I didn't really fancy exposing my white skin to the California sun! Sophie's lovely tan had faded a bit, but she still had a healthy glow!
Another family came down while we were there but they went into the jacuzzi to play. It was utter bliss sitting with our feet in the pool and soaking up the gorgeous sun!
The rest of the evening we spent in the hotel room relaxing. At 8pm we watched the film, Meet the Family and heated up our leftovers from last night. The wine was OK but not worth the $15 price tag! However, it was lovely to relax and watch the film after our busy day!
First up was breakfast and we both found it very depressing. There was just one tiny room decorated in shades of brown and it was presided over by a woman who was doing Les Dawson impersonations with her mouth... I'm not sure if she was chewing gum or what, but I was fascinated! Her role was to watch us all like hawks and shout at anyone who managed to use the waffle maker in the wrong way...
There was an outside seating area, but we sat inside and munched dismally on oatmeal, waffles (she wasn't watching when I had to scrape the stuff off the heating irons) and bagels. It was all sweet stuff!
We fled as soon as we'd finished and after a short discussion about catching the bus (I wasn't really serious) we drove into Monterey and parked in a multi-storey for $10. It was a short walk to Cannery Row and the Aquarium and we called into a Starbucks first so Sophie could get a fix of coffee. I was still full of waffles so I sat with her while she went into raptures about her coffee and then we walked up the road and had a good look at the surroundings.
Obviously, there are a lot of references to John Steinbeck here and his novel, Cannery Row. There is a sculpture of him and his contemporaries and lots of information signs about his life and work in the area.
Entrance to the Aquarium was quick and easy as we'd booked in advance. The main hall was full of exhibits of whales and a huge skeleton that had been washed up on the shore. There were lots of groups of school children in a very excitable mood and we looked forward to spending a good couple of hours seeing as much as we could.
First up was the Deep Ocean and some very weird creatures, but I'm not talking about just the sea life here...we came across a tank with a huge slimy squid and a woman? came up and started talking to it in a stupid voice calling it a pretty baby... that is NOT how I would describe a large grey, slimy squid!
We saw her/him later on the tour chatting up some sea birds and we noticed he/her had a full beard. Hmmm! Time to make a swift exit!
 |
| I loved the long, slightly upturned bills on these birds! |
The highlight of our tour was being able to touch the bat sting rays who were gorgeous. They felt so velvety and soft and really seemed enjoy the human interaction.
Another enjoyment was seeing the jellyfish, creatures I've always hated before but some of them are truly beautiful.
We thoroughly enjoyed looking at everything and going outside to stand on the balconies and enjoy the gorgeous views over Monterey Bay. The blue skies and sunshine made so much difference!
We saw hundreds of varieties of fish, a hammerhead shark and enjoyed two talks - one on sea otters (the area is famous for them) and one on Great White Sharks. What really intrigued me was the fish seemed as interested in us as we were in them! They would come up to the glass and really look at us before swimming off!
We were at the Aquarium for three hours and decided to have lunch at Bubba Gump's which was a short walk away. We were sat at a table by the window so we had lovely views of the bay. We both decided on the same meal - a Caesar salad to start followed by Mahi Mahi served in a lobster butter sauce with mashed potato and baked shrimp. The food was delicious.
After lunch we drove into Carmel-by-the-Sea and managed to bag a space right by the beach. It was a gorgeous afternoon and the beach was full of people having fun. Sophie wanted to dip her toes into the Pacific so she went running down and rolled up her jeans.
We sat on the beach for about half an hour, just gazing out at the ocean and relaxing. It was heavenly! A lot of people were walking their dogs along the shoreline and I can only assume they were residents of the town. How lucky to live in such a beautiful area!
As the tide was coming in and we were in danger of getting wet, we returned to the car and drove into the town where we found a 30 minute parking place. I'd been asked by my parents to try and find a gallery where they'd bought an Eyvind Earle print many years ago but we couldn't see it listed on the town map. I said we'd go back to the hotel and Google it as there were so many shops, restaurants and cafes all crammed into the town centre.
Carmel is very difficult to photograph as huge trees line the streets and there are also cars parked along the road as well. We found a bakery selling ice-creams so we bought two and wandered along enjoying them. Some of the shops looked very expensive and every now and again we came across a wine tasting room. I dread to think about the prices!
As our allotted time was nearly up we returned to the car and managed to find our way back onto Highway 1 from the maze of streets. Before going back to the hotel we drove to the shopping centre and visited the Whole Foods Market to buy a bottle of wine for the evening. Because we'd eaten at lunchtime we decided to stay in and eat our leftovers from our meal yesterday. It was at this point we wished the hotel had a nice bar where we could sit for an hour!
The supermarket was busy with people buying their groceries and we found a bottle of Californian Pinot Grigio for about $15. We drove back to the hotel and decided to go and sit by the pool as it was such a beautiful day.
If it had been a bit warmer it would have been great to have had a dip but I didn't really fancy exposing my white skin to the California sun! Sophie's lovely tan had faded a bit, but she still had a healthy glow!
Another family came down while we were there but they went into the jacuzzi to play. It was utter bliss sitting with our feet in the pool and soaking up the gorgeous sun!
The rest of the evening we spent in the hotel room relaxing. At 8pm we watched the film, Meet the Family and heated up our leftovers from last night. The wine was OK but not worth the $15 price tag! However, it was lovely to relax and watch the film after our busy day!
Thursday 9 May 2019
California Road Trip - Day 9, A spooky mansion...
We awoke to cloud again and this set the tone for the day, I'm afraid. We packed up and went down to breakfast where we met Barry, April and Sally again.They'd had a lovely dinner the previous evening and had gone to Celadon in Napa town. They were off to tour some vineyards on their own and we wished them a great day and said goodbye. We'd really enjoyed meeting them!
I must confess to dreading the journey to San Jose and Monterey today and wished that I could be driven like I was yesterday! However, we set the SatNav and off we went, driving around San Francisco on its east flank and avoiding all the bridges. I had imagined we'd be going over the Golden Gate bridge again, but the road took us through towns such as Dublin, Antioch and Walnut Creek, places we'd seen on the BART stops. The roads were very busy and most of the journey was on the freeway, unfortunately. After a while I got used to the hectic pace and settled into the driving again.
We had a reservation at the Winchester Mystery House at midday and made it with ten minutes to spare. I was dismayed, though, to drive into the car park and see warning signs about thefts from cars...just what we wanted to see when we had all of our luggage in the car, some of which was on the back seat and clearly visible!
This, of course, made me really anxious about going in for the tour as it was about an hour long.We put our coats on top of the case and hoped for the best, but I was on tenterhooks the whole time and didn't really enjoy the tour at all.
I didn't really know what to expect but the whole house felt like a theme park and there was hardly any of the original furnishings left. Sarah Winchester was the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune and had lost both her husband and daughter when she was still quite young. She went to see a medium who told her to move out to the west and to never stop building her house otherwise she would die.Work continued on the house throughout her life until she died at the age of 83.
The house was originally set in over 100 acres of land but it has been gradually sold off until the mansion now sits in an area inhabited by shopping malls and offices. The gardens are beautiful but after the tour had ended we decided to skip the extra "behind the scenes" one and leave as I was terrified our car would be broken into and damaged. (I later checked on Trip Advisor and there were several reviews from people who had had their cars broken into, despite a security guard being present).
I felt very disappointed as I had expected something a lot better for the $40 we paid. The house is a series of tiny rooms with odd staircases and the number 13 and daisies repeated everywhere. There were a huge amount of windows and part of the house had been damaged by the earthquake of 1906 but the rooms hadn't been restored, just left as they were. It didn't feel authentic to me at all and reminded me of something from one the theme parks in Florida!
We set off for Monterey and the road wound up and up over a mountain pass. It was foggy, damp and dismal, not at all how I expected California to be! Over the other side we drove onto Highway 1 that goes all the way to Los Angeles.
I had hoped that the weather would improve here as there are beautiful views of the coastline, but it remained stubbornly overcast, much to our dismay. Our SatNav had some difficulty finding our hotel for the next three nights - the Mariposa Inn and Suites. However, we found it and at about 2.30pm we were checking in. The man on reception joked about football and was quite funny!
The rooms were all outside and it did resemble a motel more than a hotel, but the facilities were great and the location was brilliant, as we were opposite a shopping mall with several restaurants. Our room was large with one huge bed, a fridge, microwave and safe, a lovely clean bathroom and tea and coffee making facilities. The only real drawback was the window which looked out onto the intersection and had some sheeting covering it as there was a lot of painting work going on.
We dumped our bags and walked over to the Del Monte shopping mall. I remembered coming here with my parents and Sophie 21 years ago and there was a Macy's we shopped in. We decided to have a late lunch at a pizza restaurant and enjoyed a half sandwich each and a salad. Sophie managed to have a chat with Mike but it was 11pm at home and he had work the next day!
After eating we explored the shopping mall and went into Macy's where I spotted some shirts that would fit the bill for Keith's friend who had given me $80. They were $55 each so I had a word with one of the staff and asked if we could get a discount as we were British citizens and could perhaps get them tax free? He said 10% would be the best offer so we went off in search of more presents and Sophie went and had a look at the women's Levi's upstairs. There was a customer service desk so I went over to see if there was anything about tax free shopping and a woman came over to see if we needed help. We explained we were British and she said she could do us a deal on the clothes...the shirts came out at $22 not $55, and another garment we'd bought was also greatly reduced! As the deal was so good I dashed downstairs and bought another shirt!
We wandered around some more and I stocked up on car fragrances from Bath and Bodyworks. I have a little owl from the shop who sits on my visor and the scent is lovely, so I bought another three.
I normally buy them in Florida so I was delighted I could get them here!
We decided to eat in the area this evening and went back to the room to check on P.F. Changs, an Asian restaurant.. The menu looked good so after showering and changing we walked the short distance across the road and were shown to a table.
The restaurant was quiet and we had a very amiable waiter who looked after us very well. We shared a starter of tempura cauliflower and the portion was huge! How they think one person could eat it is beyond me!
For our mains Sophie chose Garlic Ginger Chicken with brown rice while I enjoyed Sesame Chicken with white rice. Again, both portions were huge so we asked for them to be boxed up so we could take them back to the room for tomorrow night.
Sophie's meal came with the world's supply of broccoli on her plate:
The meal was delicious and Sophie enjoyed a glass of wine with hers. I was craving some spirits so I asked for a cocktail which contained Vodka and Prosecco. However, it was like drinking sugared fizzy water! After the meal we shared a New York cheesecake and I ordered a measure of Woodford Reserve, an American Bourbon. The waiter brought back a huge measure so we tipped him generously!
The bill came to $100 without a tip...eating out is not cheap!
I must confess to dreading the journey to San Jose and Monterey today and wished that I could be driven like I was yesterday! However, we set the SatNav and off we went, driving around San Francisco on its east flank and avoiding all the bridges. I had imagined we'd be going over the Golden Gate bridge again, but the road took us through towns such as Dublin, Antioch and Walnut Creek, places we'd seen on the BART stops. The roads were very busy and most of the journey was on the freeway, unfortunately. After a while I got used to the hectic pace and settled into the driving again.
We had a reservation at the Winchester Mystery House at midday and made it with ten minutes to spare. I was dismayed, though, to drive into the car park and see warning signs about thefts from cars...just what we wanted to see when we had all of our luggage in the car, some of which was on the back seat and clearly visible!
This, of course, made me really anxious about going in for the tour as it was about an hour long.We put our coats on top of the case and hoped for the best, but I was on tenterhooks the whole time and didn't really enjoy the tour at all.
I didn't really know what to expect but the whole house felt like a theme park and there was hardly any of the original furnishings left. Sarah Winchester was the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune and had lost both her husband and daughter when she was still quite young. She went to see a medium who told her to move out to the west and to never stop building her house otherwise she would die.Work continued on the house throughout her life until she died at the age of 83.
The house was originally set in over 100 acres of land but it has been gradually sold off until the mansion now sits in an area inhabited by shopping malls and offices. The gardens are beautiful but after the tour had ended we decided to skip the extra "behind the scenes" one and leave as I was terrified our car would be broken into and damaged. (I later checked on Trip Advisor and there were several reviews from people who had had their cars broken into, despite a security guard being present).
I felt very disappointed as I had expected something a lot better for the $40 we paid. The house is a series of tiny rooms with odd staircases and the number 13 and daisies repeated everywhere. There were a huge amount of windows and part of the house had been damaged by the earthquake of 1906 but the rooms hadn't been restored, just left as they were. It didn't feel authentic to me at all and reminded me of something from one the theme parks in Florida!
We set off for Monterey and the road wound up and up over a mountain pass. It was foggy, damp and dismal, not at all how I expected California to be! Over the other side we drove onto Highway 1 that goes all the way to Los Angeles.
I had hoped that the weather would improve here as there are beautiful views of the coastline, but it remained stubbornly overcast, much to our dismay. Our SatNav had some difficulty finding our hotel for the next three nights - the Mariposa Inn and Suites. However, we found it and at about 2.30pm we were checking in. The man on reception joked about football and was quite funny!
 |
| The hotel |
 |
| The path leading to the pool and jacuzzi |
 |
| Our lovely little Hyundai |
 |
| Our room |
We dumped our bags and walked over to the Del Monte shopping mall. I remembered coming here with my parents and Sophie 21 years ago and there was a Macy's we shopped in. We decided to have a late lunch at a pizza restaurant and enjoyed a half sandwich each and a salad. Sophie managed to have a chat with Mike but it was 11pm at home and he had work the next day!
After eating we explored the shopping mall and went into Macy's where I spotted some shirts that would fit the bill for Keith's friend who had given me $80. They were $55 each so I had a word with one of the staff and asked if we could get a discount as we were British citizens and could perhaps get them tax free? He said 10% would be the best offer so we went off in search of more presents and Sophie went and had a look at the women's Levi's upstairs. There was a customer service desk so I went over to see if there was anything about tax free shopping and a woman came over to see if we needed help. We explained we were British and she said she could do us a deal on the clothes...the shirts came out at $22 not $55, and another garment we'd bought was also greatly reduced! As the deal was so good I dashed downstairs and bought another shirt!
We wandered around some more and I stocked up on car fragrances from Bath and Bodyworks. I have a little owl from the shop who sits on my visor and the scent is lovely, so I bought another three.
I normally buy them in Florida so I was delighted I could get them here!
We decided to eat in the area this evening and went back to the room to check on P.F. Changs, an Asian restaurant.. The menu looked good so after showering and changing we walked the short distance across the road and were shown to a table.
The restaurant was quiet and we had a very amiable waiter who looked after us very well. We shared a starter of tempura cauliflower and the portion was huge! How they think one person could eat it is beyond me!
For our mains Sophie chose Garlic Ginger Chicken with brown rice while I enjoyed Sesame Chicken with white rice. Again, both portions were huge so we asked for them to be boxed up so we could take them back to the room for tomorrow night.
Sophie's meal came with the world's supply of broccoli on her plate:
The meal was delicious and Sophie enjoyed a glass of wine with hers. I was craving some spirits so I asked for a cocktail which contained Vodka and Prosecco. However, it was like drinking sugared fizzy water! After the meal we shared a New York cheesecake and I ordered a measure of Woodford Reserve, an American Bourbon. The waiter brought back a huge measure so we tipped him generously!
The bill came to $100 without a tip...eating out is not cheap!
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