Wednesday 5 June 2019

A shopping spree!

Keith got up and took Mike to work this morning so I was able to have a lie-in, which was lovely. We decided to go to Milton Keynes today and take the recycling I'd been collecting, and then go in search of bathroom tiles at a couple of stores I'd found on Google.

Dropping off the recycling was easy and straightforward and we found the first place, Tile Giant, quite easily. It was very near to Ikea so I suggested we go there for lunch and a mooch about after we'd looked at the tiles.

We walked into the empty showroom and were boggled with the amount of choice there was! A member of staff came over and was very helpful, but we didn't really see anything that we liked the look of.

Akropolis Tiles was just around the corner and the shop was chaotic and messy. We could hear someone moving around in the back of the shop but nobody came out to see if we wanted any help so we wandered around and made our way to the rear where a man was busy doing something. He said hello but didn't ask if we needed anything or what we were looking for. Disappointed with the lack of interest we left and drove the short distance to Ikea where we looked around the showroom before going to have some lunch.

Keith chose fish and chips (well, there's a surprise!) while I had the meatballs, chips and peas (there was no mashed potato today). I'm not sure if it was me, but the meal lacked taste today...perhaps it was the chips and not being able to soak up the gravy with the potatoes!

In the market hall I bought two glass dishes, a wooden spoon, a candle and a mattress protector for our bed. I had assumed it would be about £20-£30 but when we went through the checkout it was £7.50! A real bargain!

I also bought some food - veggie meatballs for Sophie and elk sausage for Mike. I resisted buying the box of delicious chocolate biscuits that I normally get!

From Milton Keynes we drove to the garden centre at Wootton, now called Dobbies. It used to be Wyevale! Keith wanted some shoes and I knew they sold Pavers there so I suggested we go and look as Keith wanted wider fitting footwear. He found two lovely pairs - some sandals and deck shoes, so he was very happy. After treating me to a cup of tea we went to pick Mike up from work and dropped him off before going to see Mum and Dad who wanted help with some paperwork.

We were there until around 5.30pm and rather than go straight home I suggested a drink at The Hare in Loddington. The previously grey weather had given way to a sunnier evening and we enjoyed a couple of drinks in the bar. I only have one gripe about this place and that's the lack of comfortable seating if you just want a drink. Most of the tables were set up for dining so we made do with high bar stools by the wall.

Back home Keith tucked into a Tesco Lancashire hot pot while I heated up the new potatoes we'd had leftover from Monday and enjoyed them with cold meats and a glass of wine. It had certainly been a full, but very enjoyable day!

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