Bending the rules slightly...

Day 27

I had told the members of my recycling group that I would be going to Milton Keynes today with the pet food pouches and coffee pods, as they were threatening to overwhelm my garage. I knew that the others had bags of stuff for me to take as well, so they were delighted. 

They all dropped their hoard off to me and I spent an hour and a half this morning sorting it all out. The recycling filled my boot and the two back seats of my car, and I estimated it must be three months since I've been.

To be honest, my car needed a good run and it was great to have somewhere to go. OK, not strictly essential, but the bags were stacking up and causing problems for us all. Sophie and I called into McDonald's first for a sneaky drive-thru lunch, and we weren't impressed as our fries were cold!

The journey to Milton Keynes was smooth and trouble-free, and before long we were offloading all the bags and boxes at George's house. His crate was already full so we stacked all of our stuff behind. I believe he has now raised in excess of £40,000!

We made our way home via the scenic route, through Newport Pagnell and Weston Underwood, which is a gorgeous village near Olney. We were astonished at the amount of flooding on the farmland that adjoins the River Great Ouse. It looked more like lakes than fields!

Our favourite little cafe in Olney was shuttered up, all the shops closed and the pubs dark. What a terrible shame. We decided to try Castle Ashby, though, and see if we could get a takeaway from The Buttery but when we arrived it was closed. There were several cars parked, though, and the Deli was doing a roaring trade in coffees, teas and hot chocolate. I also bought some biscuits and we sat in the car with a hot chocolate and enjoyed a Viennese Whirl with our drink. Well, it's better than nothing!

Leaving Castle Ashby we drove down towards Earls Barton, but when we came to a narrow one-lane bridge crossing, it was badly flooded. Cars were coming the other way but I didn't want to risk it so we turned around. All the fields were flooded and like Olney, they looked more like lakes! This time our own River Nene was to blame for the floodwater! And to think they have forecast more rain next week!

Before going home we called to see Mum from the window and had a chat on the phone. Another resident, on the ground floor, saw us and kept waving at us to come in. I only wish we could...

Back home it was time to relax for a short while before I started preparations for dinner. We were cooking a meatloaf from one of The Hairy Bikers' recipes, and I chopped veggies and mixed together pork and beef mince along with sausage meat, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. I did as much as I could before relaxing with a G&T!

Sophie had been chatting to her friends Laura and Daisy and helped me put the finishing touches to the dish. It smelt delicious while it was cooking, and we had a lovely meal, with the meatloaf accompanied by mashed potatoes and bubble and squeak. Definitely one to try again!

A socially distanced meet!

Day 26

We had a weather warning out for snow today, and although we had a few light showers first thing, it never really amounted to much. I was glad because Sophie had arranged to meet her boyfriend at Brixworth Country Park to exchange their Christmas presents. He was travelling down from Birmingham, where he was collecting a car for his uncle, so it was the ideal time to meet up. They were planning on going for a walk - not ideal considering the weather conditions, which became worse as the day wore on!

I spent a good part of the morning preparing our dinner of Coq au Vin, and Sophie helped with the vegetables. As we were busy, we recorded Saturday Morning Kitchen to savour at a later date. 

At midday, Sophie set off laden with presents, and outside it was bitterly cold and raining. A truly horrible day! Keith and I stayed in the warm inside and it was the best place to be! We pottered about and didn't do a lot, and when Sophie returned she was a bit sad that she hadn't been able to meet Zain properly. No contact and a socially distanced walk on a winter's day is not her idea of fun! However, she said it was good to meet up after so long and exchange their pressies. One of them was a jigsaw he'd had made from a photo we took in Mallorca, and it looked great!

She also received lots of other gifts, including trainers, new headphones and bedding, so she was extremely pleased. When it was a decent time, we enjoyed a Martini and put the jigsaw together, and it was strange seeing our faces appear! We then played Scrabble and cards while the dinner cooked, and it smelt delicious. Tonight, unusually for us, we substituted dumplings for potatoes, and the suet really added to the flavour of the dish. We'll certainly do that again, and it was perfect for such a cold and miserable day.

After we'd eaten we watched the second Jason Bourne film, and poor Keith had to explain the plot to us girls! Once we realised what was going on, it all became clear!

A quiet end to the week!

Day 25

I woke up very late this morning - 9am! I must have needed the sleep!

Keith and I went to get the newspaper first thing and it was a beautiful morning - sunny, dry and mild. When we returned home the postman called, and Keith had a letter from the NHS to say he could book his vaccination, which was brilliant news! We managed to book a slot on Tuesday and then another 12 weeks later, so we were all very pleased!

Our walk to get the newspaper was our only outing of the day; we have stayed in the house and pottered about, so again, very little to report! 

The weather stayed sunny and dry until the afternoon when it clouded over. To be honest, it was lovely to potter about, and I caught up with my work colleagues on WhatsApp, so that was good. Some of our leisure centres are going to be used as Covid testing sites and there was talk of the staff being on hand to help, so we'll see. I think we are all fully resigned to being off work for the whole of February and maybe into March. I still find it hard to believe...

As 6pm approached, Sophie and I cracked open a beautiful bottle of Australian red wine that Mike had bought me for my birthday. We watched a couple of episodes of A New Life in the Sun and sympathised with the Brits who had started new businesses at the beginning of the pandemic.

Dinner tonight was a delicious savoury beef crumble. It made a change from cottage pie, and went down very well with the wine!

It's no joke!

Day 24

Keith went shopping very early this morning and was back by 9.30am. It has been a mostly uneventful day with little to report, other than a walk around the estate at lunchtime to drop off some recycling to a neighbour and to collect our daily newspaper. I busied myself with housework throughout the morning and took down all the glasses we keep on top of the kitchen cupboards to give them a good wash. One thing is for certain, they won't be going back up again when we have the kitchen refurbished!

The weather has been grey and dull with very heavy rain in the evening, so we have more flood warnings in place, and weather warnings for snow over the next few days. 

Keith wanted to watch the football this evening so Sophie and I (with Monty-cat) went upstairs to watch a film. We were both in the mood for a rom-com but ended up watching Joker instead, which was a bit disturbing! Joaquin Phoenix looked painfully thin in the film - apparently, he lost 52 pounds!

An early awakening!

Day 23

For some reason, I was wide awake at 3am this morning so I decided to get up and watch Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild. The cat was very bemused as to why I was up, and even more bemused when I refused to give him his breakfast! It was way too early! He went outside in a huff!

By 4am I was flagging so I called the cat back in, put him on his bed in the kitchen, and went back to my own bed until 9am which was shocking! Of course, I then felt like I'd wasted a good part of the day!

I had to go over to the bank in the Weston Favell centre today to try and sort out some money matters for my parents. There was a queue (as usual) and when I spoke to one of the staff, she was very helpful, but it was really a wasted journey. Keith and I returned home and pootled about until lunchtime. Sophie and I managed a good walk into the village before having leftovers from our Indian last night. The previously grey day had turned sunny, and it was lovely to see the sun for a while. 

The rest of today has been uneventful. Boris gave a press conference at 5pm and said that it was unlikely that restrictions would be lifted until early March. I feel sorry for parents at the moment trying to home-school their children, hold down their own jobs, and cope with family life. I am so glad mine are adults and working!

21st Birthday celebrations!

Day 22

I had a very busy morning making a chocolate sponge cake for Mike's 21st, and also making a carrot and coriander soup for lunch. Outside it was grey and dreary, the blue skies of yesterday well and truly gone. We still had snow about, though, but with the forecast rain later in the day, it was bound to disappear!

I made the cake and I was quite pleased with it:

The soup was lovely as well, and I was able to use my new stick blender to smooth it. Sophie and I skipped a walk today as the weather was so horrible, and at 2pm we drove over to the care home so I could drop some shopping off for Mum. We were also able to get her on the phone so she could wish Mike a Happy Birthday. I never ever thought we would be celebrating in lockdown. A while ago I was planning a trip to Boston and Chicago to commemorate his special day! Good job we didn't book anything!

Back home we cracked open a bottle of Champagne and each had a slice of cake, which I was pleased with. I'm always worried it will be dense and dry!

I had a lovely soak in the bath in the evening, and we ordered an Indian takeaway for Mike's birthday meal. It arrived at about 7.30pm, and for once I chose a vegetarian curry with mushroom rice. The food was delicious and I hoped that Mike enjoyed his birthday despite not being able to go out and see his friends.

I watched a very disturbing documentary on BBC2 this evening about the start of the pandemic. Today, the UK death figures went over 100,000 people, a devastating number of lives lost. I still can't believe we are in this situation - at times it feels so unreal.

The good thing is that the vaccinations are ramping up, and we can't wait for Keith to be called for his!

A blue and white day

Day 21

Keith, Mike and I left at 8am this morning - a journey I was not looking forward to! The temperatures had dropped during the night and it was -3c on the way to Kettering. It looked like the gritters hadn't been out at all, as the roads were covered in snow.

Both Mike and I urged Keith to take it easy - my car is not the best to drive in these conditions, despite it being German! We went out of the village towards Mawsley and then picked up the A43, which was nose to tail with vehicles all going slowly. Keith took it very easy going down the hill towards the A14, as the new traffic lights by the industrial estate can change to red very quickly! 

Once we were on the large housing estate leading to the golf club, the going was slow and slippery again, and as we turned into the very narrow road which goes over a river and the A14, we had problems. The car couldn't get a grip on the snowy road, which had been hardly used, so we reversed down to the estate road and Mike got out there. It was only a short walk the rest of the way but we didn't want to get stuck!

In fact, as Keith tried to turn the car around we did nearly get stuck, and then he hit the kerb as he slowed down at a roundabout, so I was a nervous wreck! We had to go to Tesco, so we attempted to drive through the town but realised that a lorry was stuck going up one of the hills! We turned around at a roundabout and headed back towards the A14, which was a slightly better route. The road was busy with lots of lorries and I was astonished to see that the outside lane was still covered in snow! This weather had been forecast since Thursday so why weren't we better prepared?

I was very relieved when we arrived in the Tesco car park as we'd had to negotiate another hill to get there! We parked the car as best as we could (all the lines were covered in snow) and went to do our shopping in an almost deserted supermarket! We met Sue again and she said she'd walked to work this morning, leaving her house at 4.15am! She deserves a medal!

The journey home was a bit better but we followed a lorry on the A43 who had snow billowing from the roof of the truck. It was like a blizzard! 

View from the car

It was a gorgeous morning, though, with clear blue skies and sunshine. All the trees and bushes were laden with snow and it looked so beautiful. We arrived home, put the shopping away and had a belated breakfast in the conservatory. One of the first things I did was feed our poor feathered friends who appreciated the seed, mealworms, fat snax and suet pellets.

Once breakfast was out of the way I gave the downstairs of the house a clean, hoovered upstairs and did two loads of washing. I also cleaned out the understairs cupboard in the kitchen which was full of shoes and definitely needed sorting out!

At lunchtime, Sophie and I went for a walk in the snow. It was fabulous!

This is the first significant snowfall we've had for about two years, so it was wonderful to walk along and hear the crunch under our feet, and see it sparkling in the sunlight! We walked to the village and met lots of other people out having some exercise in the crisp, cold air.  Yesterday we didn't venture out at all, so we needed this half-hour walk!

Keith went to get Mike from work, earlier than planned, and Sophie and I had lunch. The afternoon was spent sorting out some finances and mooching about. The snow has lasted all day but over the course of the week it's set to become milder, windy and rainy, so it was great to make the most of it while we could!

Before dinner, Mike came bounding downstairs and said he'd been furloughed from work until next Tuesday. Why this hasn't happened before, I'll never know. The golf club is closed at the moment so what on earth can they all do in this weather?!

Snow!

Day 20

So, we were forecast heavy snow today, and when we first woke up we had a gorgeous sunrise. The whole sky was pink, it was so beautiful. I do think the old saying, "Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning" is accurate as at about 10am is started snowing, and didn't stop all day!

The weather gave us the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and do very little! Keith did venture out to Tesco when they first opened, but that was the only time any of us went anywhere, and it was lovely to stay in the house and watch the falling snow from the windows.

Very soon we had a decent covering and people started to go out sledging. It was great to hear the excited shouts of the children as they were pulled along on toboggans by their parents! We also saw photos of snowmen start to appear on Facebook, and I think the wintry weather was enjoyed by nearly everybody!

At around lunchtime, Sophie and I applied our weekly facemask, which this week was chocolate. It smelt delicious but we weren't tempted to lick it! As we now have the Sky Q minibox upstairs we were able to watch an episode of A Place in the Sun, and also record another to watch later. I think it's brilliant that we can record upstairs, and it appears downstairs as well!

I had a lovely soak in the bath later in the afternoon, and then I lay on the bed with Sophie while she was watching a film. The snow had stopped a bit in the middle of the day but by 5pm it was coming down heavily again and looked set to continue all evening.

I put our outside tree lights on and they looked gorgeous against the backdrop of snowy foliage:

Keith cooked a delicious roast chicken dinner this evening, and while we were eating we kept hearing loud thumps as chunks of snow fell off the conservatory roof. Mike is due back at work tomorrow for the first time in three weeks due to his broken rib, and I think he was hoping that he would be given the day off because of the snow. However, he texted his boss who wanted him in, but at the slightly later time of 8.30am. A lot better than 6am!

Calamity!

Day 19

I cooked a big breakfast this morning - Spanish omelette, bacon, sausages, baked beans and toast. I can't remember the last time we did this! It is Mike's birthday weekend after all!

The weather today has been cold and sunny, but there has been the odd sleet shower. Sophie and I went over to Beckworth at lunchtime to get a few treats for her friend Laura, who is taking an exam next week and is a bit stressed about it! Beckworth was very quiet, which I was glad about but I dread to think how much money they are losing every day with the restaurant closed. We did check to see if they were doing a takeaway service, but it was completely shut up.

After buying some treats, we headed to Laura's house and I was surprised to see how busy the roads were. This lockdown is definitely not like the first! Sophie had a chat with her friend outside (socially distanced!) and then we popped to Riverside for a takeaway coffee and a slice of cake. Neither of us fancied anything bigger as by now it was almost 3pm and I wanted to keep my appetite for our beef stroganoff dinner this evening!

At home we relaxed for an hour and then it was cocktail time! Sophie made us a Martini and we sat in the conservatory and played Scrabble. Sophie beat me! We did find some very good words this evening! After the game, we indulged in another cocktail - Spiced Rum and ginger ale  - and played cards with Keith.

Dinner was delicious and after we'd eaten we decided to watch The Bourne Identity. We now have so much choice available to us! As we were watching a particularly tense car chase through the streets of Paris, Mike came running into the room brandishing his hand which was covered in blood! He had cut his finger quite badly trying to extract a razor blade out of its packaging, so we took him into the kitchen where Keith washed away the blood and sorted his finger out with bandages from our First Aid box. Sophie felt a bit queasy so she stayed away! Mike disappeared back upstairs and managed to shave using just the tiny blade. He's mad!

More bills!

Day 18

We were all out early this morning to take Sophie's car and my Dad's car to the garage in Broughton for their MOTs. I followed Sophie in Dad's car, and the roads were very icy. It was a gorgeous morning, but cold!

Back home it was time for breakfast and a lazy morning spent mooching about. Towards lunchtime, Keith and I walked around the estate to get the newspaper and chatted to a couple of neighbours, which was lovely. If we can walk and get the papers, all the better! 

The weather stayed beautiful all day but Sophie and I skipped our midday walk. She was taking part in a quiz at 4pm, and so wanted to make herself look presentable, so after soup and toast for lunch, she disappeared to put some make-up on. It was a rare treat for her!

The cars were ready at about 4.30pm, and as Sophie was still at work, Keith and I went to collect them. The sky was a beautiful mix of pinks, blues, greys and peaches and while we were waiting for the cars to be ready I stood and gazed at the beautiful spectacle. We have heavy snow forecast for Sunday... let's see if the forecast is right!

My Dad's car needed new wiper blades, and Sophie's car failed initially because of the engine management light, and both cost about £100 so that's a fair amount the garage has got out of us this week!

Back home, Sophie was finished work for the week, and we relaxed with a drink and the film Notting Hill. Dinner this evening was pizza, potato wedges and salad so an easy meal to prepare! The weekend is upon us again... what are we going to do?!!

New Sky!

Day 17

The Sky engineer was due today to replace our ancient Sky box in the bedroom, which had stopped working a few weeks ago. He would then install a new Sky Q box downstairs, and a mini one upstairs, so we were looking forward to that very much! I've missed being able to watch live TV in the bedroom!

He'd been booked to come between 8am and 1pm, and he called at a few minutes after eight o'clock to say he was on his way. We had received an email to say that, with the restrictions in place, he was no longer able to come into the house, and would have to talk us through the installation from outside...

Luckily, today was sunny, dry and calm! I dread to think how he would have fared yesterday! He turned up at just before 8.30am and stressed again that he was not able to come inside. He then asked me to disconnect the Sky+ box from the dish, but I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Keith had gone to do the shopping but luckily, Sophie was downstairs, so together we managed to sort it out. He gave us the new box through the front window and warned Sophie not to bend the delicate wire going into the back of the box otherwise it wouldn't work. I dread to think what Keith would have done if we'd mucked it up and he wasn't able to watch the football or cricket! He would have killed us!

While Sophie was sorting things out downstairs, I went up and disconnected the old defunct box in the bedroom. I then connected the new box, which didn't need attaching to the long cable going into the phone line, so all that is now redundant! Once the engineer had been out and replaced our dish he connected the Sky Q box downstairs and told me what to do with the mini one in the bedroom. Keith came home just as he was finishing, and was amazed that it had been completed so quickly and easily!

Once the engineer had gone I helped Keith put the shopping away and tidied up. We were delighted with the new box as it has so many more features than the old one, and we can watch Netflix and Amazon Prime downstairs, which is a huge bonus!

The post arrived, and I had a bit of a shock when I opened an American Express statement for my parents. There was a charge on there that I hadn't expected, and also a late payment fee! I hadn't had a statement for a few months, so I called customer services immediately to see if they could help. Although I'm not the cardholder, they were able to put me through to a specialist department who were extremely helpful, and who emailed me a Third Party Mandate form for my Dad to sign. 

Sophie and I went for a walk at lunchtime, but it was cold and windy so not the most pleasant of outings! Back home I filled out the form and then drove to the care home to get it signed by my Dad. I sat outside in the freezing cold wind and waited, but at least I was able to get it sorted and sent off to American Express.

In the evening Sophie and I settled down with a drink and watched Grand Designs from yesterday. Now our old box has gone, a huge amount of recordings have gone with it, but with the Sky Q box we can record up to six programmes at the same time, which should solve a few problems! We also found a host of Apps, including a Taste channel which shows cooking videos! It was a bit like being in the US on holiday and seeing strange TV programmes! Also, anything that is recorded is stored on both boxes so we can watch them upstairs as well, useful if Keith's engrossed in the football downstairs! I only wish we'd switched sooner!

Storm Christoph

Day 16 

Today has been a much quieter day, but the weather has been rainy and windy. Not as bad as we had been led to expect, but certainly not pleasant!

Keith and I took my car over to Kettering at 8.30am, and I was very pleased I remembered the way to the garage in the maze of back streets. We dropped the car off and luckily Rob said it would only take the day to do it. Another bill!

The morning was spent mooching about, sitting with Sophie in the conservatory and keeping warm. It was too wet and windy for a walk, and at 2pm I logged onto the computer to watch my Aunt Pat's funeral taking place in Norfolk.

It was desperately sad as only my two cousins and their partners were there, so just four people. I felt very emotional watching it and felt that she deserved better than that. This awful pandemic is affecting so many lives and, although Kim mentioned in his eulogy a get-together in the future to remember her life, I'm sure it's not the send-off her family would have wanted. It was good to be able to watch it live, though, and I will send the link to the care home so my parents can also see it. At the moment they are confined to their rooms because of a number of staff and residents have tested positive.

At 4pm Keith and I went and picked up my car. The bill was about £160 so it could have been worse! I gave my car a stern talking to and said that was enough now!

Sophie made a delicious sausage pasta dish for dinner, and outside the weather became worse, with torrential rain and strong winds. I think we were feeling the full force of Christoph's wrath now!

Money matters!

 Day 15

I woke very early this morning, and eventually decided to get up for an hour. Outside it was calmer than I had expected despite weather warnings out for Storm Christoph.

I did go back to bed for an hour, and didn't surface until 8.30am! After showering and dressing, Keith wanted to take Sophie's car and my Dad's car out for a drive as they had both been standing for about three weeks. We collected the newspaper from a neighbour (how lovely to have it delivered to the estate now!) and decided to go and get some petrol for Sophie's car as it was low on fuel.

The morning was then taken up with money matters and as I still hadn't had any luck with receiving a debit card from NatWest for my parents' account, we drove over to the Weston Favell Centre to go into the branch. Luckily, the shopping mall was quiet and there was no queue for the bank, which was a huge bonus! I saw one of the bank tellers that we used to deal with when we had the business, and she was able to change the address on the account and order me a  new card. Success!

On the drive back home I realised that there was something wrong with my car. It was making a grinding noise and there was a horrible smell. As soon as we were home Keith called Rob Price and we've booked it in for tomorrow. He suspects that one of the brakes has seized up.

Sophie and I went for a walk around the estate and then it was lunchtime. I was more than ready for something to eat after the busy morning we'd had!

In the afternoon We popped over to the Co-op at Brixworth and I paid the £50 that Keith had given me for Christmas 2019 into my bank account. I was saving it for a beauty treatment but that looks very unlikely in the near future!

We also sorted Keith out with a debit card for one of his bank accounts, so today has been taken up with financial problems, that have all been solved. Hooray!

Mrs Grumpy!

Day 14

Keith and I were awake early this morning to go shopping, but we are getting a bit later at going. Aldi won't let you put anything through the checkout until 8am, and we had to go in there to get cat food - Vitacat is the only brand Monty will eat!

Keith went in on his own (the rule of one person only has been re-introduced) while I waited in the car. He was in there far longer than I had anticipated, so it was nearly 8.30am by the time I ventured into Tesco by myself.

I will readily admit to hating shopping by myself. For some reason, I get very confused, can't find anything, and constantly backtrack, thereby getting in people's way who are following the normal route in the supermarket! Twice I nearly barged into two elderly gentlemen who looked at me as if I'd just dropped out of a dog's bottom...

Luckily, my friend Sue was working in Tesco so she directed me to the suet which we needed for dumplings! I must have walked straight past it! Therefore, after deciding to use the self-service checkouts, and constantly being told off by the automated voice, I was in a foul mood when I emerged from the store. It was then that I realised I had forgotten the sausages...

I took out my annoyance on poor Keith, and he drove us to the nearby Co-op where I bought two packs of sausages. Oh well! My bad mood was probably caused by missing my normal early morning coffee, so as soon as we were home and everything had been unpacked and put away, I settled down with my mug and read the newspaper in the conservatory with Sophie.

Sophie and I went for a walk at lunchtime, into the village, and up to the "triangle". After a delicious lunch of oxtail soup and crusty bread, I put the hoover around and re-potted our little family of cacti, as they were looking a bit thin. It's amazing how they bulk up when I water them! I made a complete mess in the kitchen, but I was pleased I'd re-potted them as the roots were poking through the bottom of the plant pot. Laura bought the cacti as a present for Sophie about eight years ago, and I'm glad we've kept them going!

Dinner tonight was a simple quiche, new potatoes and salad, and then it was time to settle down and watch University Challenge! Now I know it's Monday!

A sodden walk

Day 13

The forecast for today was set to be sunny and dry, so I had planned on venturing out into the garden for a while. I donned my walking boots as the grass was wet and muddy, and looked in despair at the state of our garden! Underneath one of the bird feeders, the fallen bits of fat snax had gathered in a greasy clump so I raked the grass over, picking up a horrible sludge on the end of the rake, which went into the gardening bin. Horrible!

Some of the summer bedding plants hadn't made it through the winter, so they went into the bin as well, but a lot were looking OK if a little bedraggled! The grass was too wet to spend time walking on, and after tidying up the Hydrangea, I called it a day and went back inside. I know that as the weather improves and spring arrives it will look a lot better, but it was very disheartening to see the garden looking so messy!

Sophie and I had our weekly facemask before joining Keith for lunch in the conservatory. We ate the leftover Indian from Friday night, so that was good. I would have hated to see it go to waste!

In the afternoon we popped over to see my parents from outside the home, but Mum didn't answer the phone, so it was a bit of a wasted trip. We did call and get the Sunday newspapers though, as I had missed reading them last week. Hopefully, from next week they'll be delivered to a box on our estate!

Sophie and I went for a walk when we got home. I had originally planned on parking at the top of the track that leads down to the nature reserve, but I had forgotten my boots so we walked from home. Sophie suggested walking through the fields, but we were unprepared for how wet and muddy the paths were. We met Dannii the dog walker - with her own dogs for once - and stood and chatted to her for a while. There were lots of other people out and about as well, so we had to use a fair amount of avoidance tactics!

The track leading to the sheep field was underwater, so we back-tracked up to the road, and then carried on down the stony path to the nature reserve. We were a bit early for sunset, and after standing at the gate for a while, and admiring the views, we returned home.

Sophie made us Spiced Rum cocktails, and we played Scrabble as night fell outside. I beat Sophie at Scrabble so we played cards... and she beat me!

Dinner tonight was a delicious beef pie with shortcrust pastry, as a change. Another weekend is over!

An afternoon treat!

Day 12

I was awake at about 4am this morning for some reason, and at 5am I decided to get up for an hour. Outside, as forecast, snow was falling, but by the time I went back to bed at 6am, it was turning to rain. I slept until 8.30am and the light covering of snow that I'd seen earlier, had almost completely gone. So much for the weather warning of heavy snow today!

Sophie made a lovely coffee and walnut cake this morning, and at midday, we went over to the care home with some Ibuprofen for my Mum who has sciatica and was in a lot of pain. Sophie and I then drove over to Farndon Fields to pick up three afternoon teas that we had ordered to celebrate my birthday! The roads were threatening to flood again, and I took it slowly through the puddles!

Back home Sophie laid the table and arranged our afternoon tea on the dining room table. It looked fantastic!

The tea filled us up, and we enjoyed it with a bottle of Prosecco that Mum and Dad had given me for my birthday. We had to leave a good hour before having a slice of Sophie's delicious cake and a cup of tea! We sat in the conservatory and I had a nap as it was so lovely and cosy in there.

Today, I think we were all a bit fed up with being stuck inside. I know some people are having it a lot worse, especially those on their own, but the weekends seem to be the hardest. Next week I'm determined to start doing things in the house so at least I feel I can earn some relaxation at the end of the day!

We spent the evening watching television and obviously didn't have any dinner. We were all too full up!

A lockdown birthday!

Day 11

I never for one moment thought that I would be joining the Lockdown Birthday Club, but here I am! I have a strong feeling that Mike will join me as well!

I received beautiful cards, and lots of messages on Facebook to wish me a Happy Birthday, so that was lovely. Sophie had made me up a little bag of treats containing new gloves, a foot moisture mask, lavender oil to aid sleeping, and a scented candle. Keith had bought me a bottle of Blood Orange Gin and Champagne, and I received a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, some chocolates and Prosecco from my parents, so I did extremely well!

 I spent the morning doing very little, and at lunchtime, Sophie and I went for a half hour's walk in the winter sunshine. On the way back we decided to do a loop of the estate and met Ruth, who is a fellow member of our recycling group. She was a bit saddened that somebody had put a bag of dog poo in one of the recycling bins... there is a notice on the lid clearly stating that it's for recycling only, so it looks like we have a bit of a problem around here with people being incredibly thoughtless. We have any number of people wandering around our estate, sometimes with dogs, and we are having a bit of a "Poogate" at the moment!

So, today has been lovely, but I did miss not being able to go out for the day, as in previous years. At 6pm Sophie and I cracked open the bottle of Champagne and ordered a takeaway Indian from Mawsley. Last time we had a bad experience with them. but this evening the food had arrived by 7pm, so that was a bonus. Last time we had to wait for ages!

A bit of excitement!

Day 10

Keith and I got up early again and left to go to Aldi and Tesco. It made me think how bizarre this situation is when we're worried about something as normal as grocery shopping! And when you think of everything else going on, the police questioning where people are going, not being able to visit the next county, let along travel further afield, being confined to our homes and not able to see friends and family, it's genuinely nightmarish.

We didn't do so well with the shopping today. I split up from Keith in Tesco as I needed to get some things for my Mum, and we forgot to buy dinner for my birthday tomorrow! Never mind, we'll probably order a takeaway instead to celebrate!

The weather today has been absolutely awful. It's been foggy, grey and rainy, and the roads have started to flood again, where they were bad last month. There hasn't even been a glimpse of sun or blue sky today, so very miserable indeed.

When we returned home I used up some eggs, bacon and mushrooms and cooked breakfast. After we'd eaten we sloshed our way over to the care home and delivered Mum's shopping. I stopped outside their window and called her so at least we had a chat and she could see us, albeit very briefly! I didn't get out of the car today, it was so horrible!

Back home I mooched about and felt a bit bored and miserable, but really I shouldn't complain. I have a lot to be thankful for. However, things did liven up in the afternoon when we had three police cars drive around the estate! They then drove over the fields at the back of the estate and we think it was a police chase going on, which is so rare for us to see out here in the sticks! There was a buzz of excitement on our residents' Facebook page, and people who could see over the fields were posting photos!

It then became even more exciting as it started to snow! Sadly, it didn't last very long but it was lovely to see while it lasted! This evening, as it was my Birthday Eve, Sophie and I had a proper drink and watched Grand Designs while Keith cooked dinner. Perfect!

A quick jab!

Day 9

The weather today has been truly horrible. We've had a nasty drizzle that soaks everything, and it has been grey, foggy and chilly. The very worst of the winter weather,

Keith and I drove over to the doctors' surgery for Mike's sick note and then delivered it to the golf club. Luckily, Mike's boss was in the car park, so we were able to give it to him straight away. The place was empty again, and I had no idea what the greenskeepers were doing in the foul weather!

Back home, Keith had ants in his pants and wandered around the house looking restless and bored. He decided to clean Mike's room, and we managed to shift a whole bag full of plastic bottles and empty crisp bags. We then had four washes to do!

While the washes were on Keith went to Aldi, and Sophie and I went for a very wet walk. It was dry at first, which fooled us into a false sense of security, but halfway to the village the dreaded drizzle started again, and we ended up soaked!

It was bliss to get home and have some lunch in the warm conservatory. Keith arrived home at the same time as us, and we helped him unpack some of the essentials we buy in the supermarket. It will save us time tomorrow.

The weather didn't improve all day. We have the heating on permanently at the moment, so heaven knows how much our fuel bills are going to be after this is all over. At least during the first lockdown, it was Spring and Summer!

The news tonight was terrible again - another record number of deaths, but infections do seem to be falling. However, over 2 million people have now been vaccinated, including my parents, who received the Oxford-Astra Zeneca jab today. Great news at last!

The early bird...

Day 8

Keith and I were up at 6.30am this morning (a bit of a shock), and left for Tesco at just after 7am. At first, we were the only public in the supermarket, everyone else was picking for online orders, so it was very quiet, which was reassuring. After the news last night, I had really worried about going, but as we can't get an online slot (and Keith hates the thought of someone else picking out our food), there's not a lot we can do about it. Going early seems to be the safest option.

We were home by 8.15am and I sat with Sophie and read the paper, which was great as we hadn't been out to get one since last Thursday. We are arranging to have the papers delivered later in the week - a man on the other side of our estate has a box where they're delivered to every morning.

Sophie and I went for a walk around the estate, and then ventured a short way to the village at lunchtime tried to get Monty to come with us, but he gave up at the middle green and returned home. The weather, previously grey and cloudy, turned sunny at midday, and we were treated to blue skies all afternoon.

I managed to spend a lot of time in the kitchen today - preparing vegetables for dinner this evening and making a Banana Upside Down cake with some brown bananas. It was delicious with a cup of tea later in the afternoon. I made two, so plenty more for tomorrow!

Dinner tonight was more successful! Sophie and I cooked Beef Tacos, and there was so much leftover that we can have the mince with our baked potatoes tomorrow. After we'd eaten, we watched the last two episodes of The Serpent, which I think was a brilliant series!

Worrying news...

Day 7

So another week of lockdown begins, and who knows how long it will last? The infection rate is rising and deaths are higher than they were in the first wave. It truly is frightening. I found out today that a work colleague, Kathy, has contracted Covid, along with her husband and daughter. When she wrote on our WhatsApp group chat last week about having a headache and feeling exhausted, alarm bells started ringing. She has asthma, so I just hope that she feels better soon. I can now say I actually know someone, in my close circle of friends, neighbours and colleagues, who has it. I wasn't able to say that back in the first wave of the pandemic.

I spent the morning pottering about and touched up the white paint on our bannisters, something I've been meaning to do for ages. At lunchtime, Sophie and I went for a walk, just into the village and back, but it was great to get out and have some exercise and fresh air.

Sophie and I made Chicken Pillau in the evening and, unfortunately, it wasn't a huge success. We were supposed to have had it last night and although the chicken was in date, it smelt funny, like farts! Keith said it was the preservative on the chicken, but it did put us off slightly. I'd made a curry paste in the afternoon, but I think if we make this again, I'll buy a jar of curry paste and then keep any leftover in the fridge. So, not the most successful of meals - Sophie also said the garlic tasted too strong! Ho hum!

Big Brother's watching you...

Day 6

I was shocked this morning when I read a post on our residents' Facebook page, that a woman who lives alone, but who had formed a support bubble with her ex-husband, had been reported to the police. They duly turned up at her house with two police cars (can you believe it?) and interrogated her about her visitor. The woman in question is a pillar of our community, does so much to help others, is a Parish Councillor, and volunteers for no end of local organisations, including acting as co-ordinator for people who need help during the pandemic.

Naturally, there was a huge outpouring of sympathy and anger about what had happened, and I wouldn't like to be in the person's shoes who reported her to the police! I privately think the person isn't on our Facebook page, and that it's someone who has a grudge, but it was unpleasant nonetheless. To think we have a snitch in our midst!

Unfortunately, Great Britain looks to be heading the way of the Stasi who used to operate in East Germany from the 1950s. We seem to be encouraged to snoop on our neighbours and report anything suspicious. How wonderful. How low have we sunk when people do this to one another?

Only last week, two women who had driven 5 miles from their homes to meet at a reservoir, were fined £200 by the police. They were carrying takeaway coffees at the time, which were deemed to be "picnics" so they were berated for that as well. As we have been told we can drive to take exercise, this has resulted in confusion as to what we can and cannot do! Keith and I drive longer distances to go to Tesco and Aldi! It's becoming ridiculous - sometimes I honestly cannot believe I am writing these words and I keep thinking I'll wake up and this has all been a horrible nightmare.

Anyway, we stayed at home all morning, but at 2pm Sophie and I drove over to wave to my Mum and Dad through the window of their bedroom. We cannot go in and see them at the moment, as there have been three positive tests at the care home, and it's likely we won't be able to go in until after the 20 January, but I wanted to see my Mum and Dad and have a chat on the phone. It's the least we can do at the moment.

After we'd seen them and had a chat, we drove to Mill Lane, and parked the car halfway along the single track road. Sadly, the weather today has been grey and cold, with no sign of the sun at all, so no beautiful sunset this afternoon. We walked back the way we had driven and saw several joggers, walkers and cyclists. We hadn't brought the litter picker with us, which was a shame as there were lots of drinks cans and rubbish in the hedgerows.

It was great to get back in the car and head home to our warm house! I had a nap on the sofa, and when I woke up, Sophie came downstairs and made us Martinis. Delicious! Dinner tonight was the Chicken Kievs we should have had yesterday, and we roasted cubed potatoes to go with them, as well as baked asparagus wrapped in Parma ham. Yum!

The fog!

 Day 5

This morning, the sunshine through the fog, was truly beautiful. The fields were all misty with the distant trees looking blurry through the haze, and there was a gorgeous ethereal atmosphere that I wish I could have captured on my camera. 

The fog didn't lift all day. The sun shone throughout the morning, but by the afternoon it was very grey. We watched Saturday Kitchen at 10am, while eating veggie sausages for breakfast, and then mooched about the house. Sophie made a cake out of some leftover almonds and pistachios and the delicious aroma filled the house. We then managed to apply a "glow" facemask and while it was working its magic I watched another episode of Winter Walks on BBC iPlayer. 

The very cold and foggy weather didn't stop us going out for a walk, though, just to get out of the house for a while! Keith came with us, and we took the litter picker and our rubbish bag. The frost had gone today, so we were able to pick up quite a bit of litter, and by the time we'd reached the village hall, and an area nearby where we think some of the youngsters gather, we had filled the bag completely. Rather than carry on walking with it, we put it into the village hall wheelie bin. We were dismayed by the amount of rubbish we'd picked up which consisted of drinks cans and bottles, sweet wrappers and a McDonald's food bag. Disgustingly, we also spotted a used condom that we certainly didn't put in our bag! Ugh!

We walked along the single track road and I think everyone had the same idea today! There were lots of people out and about, the weather not deterring them getting some fresh air, albeit it freezing cold air!

Keith bundled up against the freezing fog!

It was heaven to get home in the warmth and enjoy a slice of Sophie's cake and a cup of tea. Not quite Teapots in Olney, but we can dream!

We had planned on having a Tesco Finest chicken Kiev for dinner, but Sophie was yearning for a Chinese, so we called the local takeaway in Brixworth who were able to deliver to us. While we waited Sophie and I played Scrabble with a drink, and very enjoyable it was, too! 

Dinner came earlier than expected, and after we'd eaten we watched another episode of The Serpent. We then enjoyed a road trip film called "She's in Portland" which was perfect escapism, especially as it was filmed on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Oh, how I wish we were back there!

Lockdown chores!

Day 4

The weather today has been grey and frosty, and still very cold. I helped Keith with replacing the sealant in our shower cubicle this morning - such fun we are having at the moment! It's a horrible job to do, and I helped him remove some of the old sealant before hoovering it all up. When he'd finished it did look a lot better, though!

We only ventured out once today - to take Mike's SSP form to the golf club. It was strange seeing the car park empty again, and I'm sure Mike hasn't missed much this week with the weather being so cold and frosty. We have had snow forecast for today but we haven't seen any, as I predicted. Oh well!

After returning home Keith and I watched the second episode of Cheetah Family and Me, and I really struggled to stay awake! I have been awake very early in the mornings and I think it's catching up with me!

After a lovely soak in the bath again, Sophie and I settled down with a Vodka Martini (our first alcoholic drink since Monday) and watched Grand Designs, which was brilliant. I knew when the build started in 2016 that it was going to be a long process, and I was right. It featured a man converting an old lodge in a cemetery into a fabulous home, and it looked gorgeous when he finished! The last filming took place in November 2020, probably just before we went into lockdown again!

An icy walk!

Day 3

Keith and I left to go to Tesco and Aldi at 7.15am this morning. It was freezing outside, but Keith had put some old cushion covers on the windscreen of the car which meant we didn't have to scrape that! We drove gingerly up to the A43, and both of us were amazed at how many cars were on the road! There was a constant stream going towards Northampton! Lockdown? What lockdown!

We arrived just as Aldi opened and there were only one or two other shoppers in with us, so that was a relief. We whizzed around and bought the majority of our shopping in there, before scooting off to Tesco over the road. I went in on my own and again, the supermarket was very quiet, so we'll probably come at this time every week from now on.

Before heading home we called into the new Costa on the A43, and I ordered two Flat Whites to take home as a treat for Sophie and me. The sun had come up and it was a beautiful day, but there was fog about which, for me, made it even more gorgeous, with the misty fields and the weak winter sun struggling to get through.

I gave the upstairs of the house a good clean, and at lunchtime, Sophie and I walked down to Walgrave. We took the litter picker, and a bag again, and took care with walking as the paths were covered in icy leaves.

We passed several other people, and they commented on our litter picker, saying we were doing a good job. If everyone, out on a walk, picked up just one piece of litter, it would make such a difference!

On the way back we switched to the other side of the road and collected loads of drinks cans, cigarette packets, and coffee cups. Who just drives along and throws things out of their car windows?

As we walked back, the fog was rolling in again, and the previously blue sky was turning an ominous grey. We have snow forecast for tomorrow, but again I'm not getting my hopes up, as almost always it amounts to nothing.

The afternoon was spent pottering about, having a bath, and preparing dinner of liver and bacon. We watched the news at 6pm, and couldn't believe our eyes when we saw what had happened in Washington. The world surely is going mad!

Shocking figures...

Day 2

Even though we're at home, the time is speeding by very quickly! Keith reminded me this morning that we needed to do the list for shopping - it seems to come around rather too rapidly for my liking!

We made a start on the list, decided on the meals, and then Keith and I spent a good hour cleaning out the fridge, throwing away jars that were well past their best, and also sorting out the cupboards, so we knew exactly what to buy tomorrow.

Sophie and I went for a walk at lunchtime as usual. We only go for half an hour, but we both need to get out for some fresh air, and a slight change of scene! I had ordered a litter picker from Amazon as I figured we may as well make use of the walk and pick up rubbish at the same time! I was quite pleased that we didn't find that much, just half a shopping bag's worth!

On the way home, we chatted to our neighbours who were also out for a walk - apart from essential shopping or getting medication, it's really the only thing we can do at the moment!

Today has been a little cloudier of late, and the threat of snow hasn't gone away, although we may get some at the end of the week. I jumped into the bath in the early evening and afterwards, I watched the news. I wish I hadn't, because the figures for deaths yesterday were just shy of the April peak with 1041 people losing their lives. I'm still not sure if the figures are exactly Covid deaths, as they occurred within 28 days of a positive test, but it was alarming, nonetheless.

We all suspected the second wave would be worse than the first, and that's being proved correct. I tried fruitlessly to get an online slot for a Tesco delivery, and the next available was the 17th of January. I couldn't even get a click and collect slot this week or early next week. I am extremely reluctant to go anywhere at the moment, but Keith and I decided to go to Aldi and Tesco very early tomorrow when hopefully it will be quiet.

I escaped from the harsh reality of life at the moment by watching Winter Walks again. This time the walk was a coastal one towards Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire, and the man on the walk called into a lovely pub at the end and enjoyed a pint. How I would love to go to the pub at the moment, have a drink and be normal!

Un-decking the halls...

Day 1

I managed a lie-in this morning, which was a bit ironic, as I should have been going back to work after the Christmas break today. Sophie said that Monty was yowling madly at about 7am as both Keith and I were still in bed! He's used to having his breakfast at about 5am! We have been keeping him in at night recently as it's been so cold.

After a quick cup of coffee, I made a start on taking the decorations down. I felt so sad doing it, and I did wonder how we would be as a family next Christmas. I have a feeling Mike will move out this year to be with Abbie, so we'll just have to see.

I boxed everything up, and cleaned downstairs, but I am still going to have the lights in the tree outside, and the little fairy lights in the front window are now on the cabinet in the study, where they look very pretty. I think that, at the moment. we need all the lights we can get to cheer us up.

Sophie and I dressed up warmly and went out for a walk at lunchtime. On the way home, it was trying its hardest to give us a sleety shower, but half of the sky was still blue. It was bitingly cold!

I carried on with cleaning the house and pottering about in the afternoon and then went and had a lovely soak in the bath. Keith cooked a delicious dinner this evening - a chicken casserole with a honey and mustard sauce with dumplings. Perfect cold-weather food!

I also found a lovely programme on BBC4 called Winter Walks, which was highly enjoyable. This evening's episode was based in Cumbria, and it was great to see as we can't go anywhere at the moment!

Another lockdown looms...

Today has certainly been eventful! I was woken by Keith at 7am to say he was going back to get Mike from work as our son thought he had broken a rib. Apparently, he fell up some stairs yesterday and bashed his chest on the brick steps. Why he never said anything when he returned from Abbie's house, I'll never know. When they arrived back home I asked him what had happened, and then he returned to his bedroom to rest. He didn't have any bruising but said the area was swollen and tender.

Keith and I popped to Tesco to get some shopping for the next few days, and tried to get it done as quickly as possible by using the scanner. Keith wasn't that impressed, especially when one of the staff came to do a check! However, I think it's a great idea, and I would definitely use it again.

We headed home to find Mike looking in the fridge for food so he obviously didn't feel that bad. He said his chest still hurt so we called the GP surgery for him to try and arrange a phone appointment. He was more concerned about getting a sick note for work! I waited on the phone for ages, then Keith took over while I went out for a walk with Sophie. We walked down to the village, and it was bitterly cold with a north wind cutting right through us!

Back at home, the surgery had said that Mike needed to call 111, which he did, telling us that they had advised him to go to A&E, to be on the safe side. I was not very happy as A&E is the last place I wanted him to go at the moment. However, we felt it was the right thing to do so I drove him down to the hospital and dropped him off. I doubted very much I would have been allowed in with him, and he said that Abbie would collect him when she finished work. He really didn't want to go and said that he felt he didn't need to be seen, but I said they would probably give him an x-ray to make sure.

As soon as I got home, though, he had texted me to say he was advised the wait time was 3-4 hours before even being seen by a doctor, so he'd left and gone to Abbie's house!

Keith and I had called the garage this morning to try and get the plastic panel re-fitted onto my car, and they'd asked us to go over at 4pm. I had noticed that the car was shuddering a bit when I braked going downhill and I felt that something wasn't right. One of the mechanics tore off in my car, while Keith and I stood outside in the freezing wind. It was so cold! 

When he came back he said he couldn't detect anything was wrong so I had to accept his verdict. If things don't get better, though, I'm taking it back! Before we left we booked Sophie's car and my Dad's car in for their MOTs on the 22 January. However, the mechanic said there was going to be an announcement from Boris this evening at 8pm with the news of a total lockdown, the same as we went through in March. He reckoned that people would be cancelling their MOTs as they wouldn't be driving anywhere!

We returned home and Keith and I sat and watched A Perfect Planet. The filming was truly stunning, and we learned that there are over 1500 active volcanoes on the planet! I thought there were only about three or four!

Amazingly, tonight was the episode of Pointless we had seen last January, on the 8th, so nearly a year ago! Although we think we saw the back of Keith's head a couple of times, it wasn't really clear, and I certainly didn't see me! I did remember the contestants and some of the questions, though and it was great to see it again!

At 8pm we gathered around the television and learnt that the whole of England will be back into a strict lockdown. All schools, colleges and universities will be closed and there's talk of a review in the middle of February. Here we go again!

Searching for turkey

Well, despite the warnings out for snow, we didn't get any at all. What a disappointment! Although, sometimes I do feel the anticipation of a snowfall is better than the real thing!

Mike went to Abbie's house today, and after dropping him off, Keith and I went to Beckworth in search of a turkey as I had fancied one for dinner this evening! If we thought that we would get another the same as we enjoyed at Christmas, we were much mistaken! They only had a large frozen one in the freezer so we settled for a chicken instead!

We headed home and had a late breakfast with a lovely loaf of bread we'd bought at Beckworth. The rest of the morning was spent mooching about, but just before 2pm Sophie and I headed to the care home to see Mum and Dad.

I could tell my Mum was a bit sad today - she is very concerned about my Dad who is getting worse. I think she's finding it very hard to accept he will never be the man he used to be, and also the fact that they both need to be in a care home and looked after properly. Sophie and I did manage to cheer them up a bit, though, and we're all hoping that the vaccine will be given to them soon so they can start to go out again.

The weather today has been worse than yesterday, and plans to go out for an afternoon walk were put on hold. It was raining and very cold - not pleasant at all!

Back home we indulged in a Martini and Sophie and I played Scrabble. We're getting better but it's a laugh at times when we come up with funny words! Keith cooked a delicious roast and tried his best to re-create a Christmas meal - he even cooked Brussels sprouts with bacon! While he was cooking I watched Countryfile to get the weather for the week ahead. Although it will stay cold, we're in for some sunny spells and showers, but snow was only hinted at!

The promise of snow...

Mike was working this weekend so Keith took him in at 6am, and I went and picked him up at about 8.30am. There really wasn't a lot he could do, poor thing, and when I collected him he looked half-frozen! It is still very cold and set to stay this way for at least a week. There is even talk of snow!

Sophie and I enjoyed Saturday Morning Kitchen while we ate breakfast. One of Sophie's heroines was on today, Grace Dent, the restaurant critic. What a job! Although at the moment, she is probably not doing a lot of reviews!

In the late morning, Keith and Mike managed to fix one of the plastic panels underneath my car so now we can take it out again, but I want to get it fixed permanently. With all the dirty weather about and the water and mud on the roads, it needs doing properly.

Keith and I popped over to Brixworth afterwards as I needed toothpaste, and also bird food. If it's going to get much colder our poor birds need food! Unfortunately, the small hardware shop that sells everything was closed for Christmas so I went home without any. We have all been urged to shop locally at the moment but that's all very well if the small shops are open! I went home and ordered a load of food online for our feathered friends as I really didn't want to trek down to Wilco's on Riverside! 

Sophie and I applied a facemask in the early afternoon and lolled about on the bed watching Saturday Morning Best Bites. It looks so strange when all the guests are seated near to each other at the table! How things used to be!

 At 3pm Sophie and I decided to go out for a walk, and we headed to Brixworth country park first as I fancied a stroll there and a hot chocolate afterwards. We were hoping that at 3pm it would be quieter, but although there were some spaces in the car park, the place was still crowded! There was a sign when we went in saying the car park was full so it must have been another busy day! As we weren't sure whether they took Apple Pay we headed back to Old and parked on the outskirts of the village so we could walk down Mill Lane, a lovely single track road that's very quiet.

The sun was going down, and the sky was beautiful again. Before we'd ventured out I'd checked the weather forecast, and was astonished to see heavy snow forecast at about 6pm! The sky was looking a bit ominous and I really hoped it would snow at some point in the next few days! It was lovely to lean on one of the field gates and just gaze at the sky, one of my favourite things to do, especially at this time of the day as the sun was setting. I always think there's a little bit of magic in the air!

We walked quite a way along the road and just saw the odd car go past, as well as one of our neighbours who was out jogging with his daughter. It was blissfully quiet until a nearby bird scarer started up, and then made gunshot sounds every couple of minutes, which was a bit unnerving! At one point we heard what sounded like thunder and the sky was growing ever more cloudy so we decided to call it a day and headed back to the car. Plus, it was freezing cold!

Back home we enjoyed a glass of mulled wine and Sophie and I played Scrabble in the conservatory. Sadly, there was no snow today but next week is still set to be cold with sleet and snow showers in the forecast!

Keith cooked a delicious beef pie for dinner, which was perfect food for such a very cold day!

A different kind of New year's Day!

Although I'd gone to bed late last night, I was still awake at 7am this morning. It was nice, though, to ease slowly into the first day of 2021 and enjoy a cup of coffee and a film. I chose Downhill, starring Will Ferrell, and I remembered putting this film onto our cinema at work. However, I was very glad I hadn't paid money to go and see it, as it was a bit of a disappointment!

I also managed to break one of Sophie's cocktail glasses when I took out our new calendar from the cabinet in the study. I was horrified as I know how much she loves them, but I went straight onto eBay and was extremely lucky to find the exact same ones for sale. There were seven available, so I was able to order some more. Not a brilliant start to the New Year, but I may have escaped with it!

The weather outside was dull and cold, and it took a bit of persuasion to rouse my family. We had decided to go to Towcester for a walk and take-away fish and chips. There really wasn't much else to do today! We set off in my Dad's car, and took some salt and vinegar with us for lunch! I was just hoping the take-away would be open!

We drove past first to check and then parked in the middle of the market town. I had never really been to Towcester before, despite living in Northamptonshire for over 40 years, and I'm sure in normal circumstances it would be bustling and lively as there are several pubs and numerous shops and cafes on the main street.

We walked down to The Marlin Fish bar and ordered three lots of cod and chips. We had to wait a while as we were the only customers, and the food was freshly cooked for us. As soon as it had been wrapped in paper we hot-footed it back to the car and tucked in. The meal was delicious!

We wrapped up the food we couldn't eat to take home to feed our hungry birds (they gave us large portions!), and headed home via the A5. The thought of walking in the rain with a full tummy didn't bear thinking about! I wanted to show Keith the new road by Junction 16 so we went that way, and Sophie suggested driving through Duston to see the old mental hospital, St Crispin's. I had thought it had been converted into apartments, but some of the old building was still standing, albeit it empty and deserted. We were amazed at how many houses had been built in the area, there were hundreds!

Back home Sophie and I watched a film upstairs on Netflix called Wild Target starring Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt. It was very funny and perfect for an afternoon lolling on the bed in the warm!

As we'd eaten at lunchtime, we enjoyed Sophie's Indian rice pudding in the evening. We settled down to watch a new series, The Serpent, and all of us had a tot of whisky as a nightcap. Perfect!

New Year's Eve!

So, we find ourselves in Tier 4 as from midnight last night, which means no bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs are open (as in Tier 3), but with the additional closure of non-essential shops, leisure centres, hairdressers, beauty salons and indoor entertainment centres (like Berzerk). Golf courses can stay open so Mike will still be working (well, he did last time anyway, when they closed).

Sophie regretted not going to the gym yesterday, but to be honest, it was freezing cold and nasty on the roads, and I'm glad she stayed at home! We mooched about all morning again and then headed off to Waitrose at Wootton in the early afternoon. We needed Champagne for tonight, and a couple of ingredients for the rice pudding Sophie was making.

As expected there was a queue, and we stood in the freezing cold trying to keep warm! A man joined the line behind us and Sophie said she recognised him, but couldn't remember where... it was only when we got home later that she realised - he was Sean Dyche who manages Burnley football club!

We bought lots of goodies in Waitrose - Keith had given us £20 to spend on Champagne, and I also bought a bottle of Vermouth for cocktails, some Heston Blumenthal mince pies and the ingredients we needed, as well as bread and cold meats for lunch.

Back home we enjoyed a lateish lunch sitting in the conservatory, and then Keith and I took Mike into town as he was spending New Year's Eve with Abbie. Sophie made the rice pudding and had spent ages preparing the Chicken Tikka Marsala for our Indian feast tonight.

We played cards in the conservatory with a cocktail (a dirty Martini), and at about 7pm enjoyed different Indian (and Asian) starters (onion bhajis, pakoras, samosas). We didn't start cooking the curry until about 8.30pm, and I threaded the marinated chicken onto skewers while Sophie prepared the curry sauce.

We sat down to eat at about 9pm, and the food was delicious. This is one of our favourite recipes and it didn't disappoint this evening. Sophie went upstairs to talk to Zain while Keith and I watched a couple of programmes on the television, and at 10.30pm we tuned into Graham Norton who had some great guests on his show - Jamie Dornan, Tom Hanks, Emily Blunt and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Midnight was quite subdued compared to previous years, but there was a light show, and also some fireworks going on in London. I was expecting to feel very emotional at midnight as it had been such a challenging year, but I didn't cry, which was a relief. I did think I'd burst into tears!

We drank some Champagne, Keith did first-foot, and by 12.30pm we were all ready for bed! Here's to 2021!