Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

Walking and art, and steps!

Although we were both tired from our long day yesterday, we didn't sleep as well as we'd hoped. I think with me, it was the food (the porky sauce) and the strange room, and the noises from the street outside. We still felt fine when we woke up, and I was looking forward to breakfast, French coffee and a wander around the neighbourhood.

We were out by 9:30am and found a branch of Le Pain Quotidien on the Rue des Abbesses. Inside, it was lovely and sunny from the light streaming in through the large windows, and rustic in an appealing French way. We took our seats, had a good look at the menu, and placed our order. I chose pancakes with fruit while Sophie went for a ham and cheese croissant. Hot coffee completed our breakfast!

We sat and lingered over breakfast. I had enjoyed my fluffy pancakes with banana, raspberries and blueberries, and Sophie had loved her croissant. We decided to have another coffee at a café if we came to one, paid the bill and set off on the recommended walk around Montmartre.

Our first stop was a beautiful church, the Église St-Jean de Montmartre. We went in, paid for two candles and admired the stained glass windows. Back outside, we made for the "I Love You" wall, which we never really understood... It was situated in a little garden but was closed because of building works, so we could only see it from a distance. It was covered in, I guess, the words "I Love You" in multiple languages. Hmmm! We met the first crowd of students here, and they dogged us all day!

I was on the hunt for a new glasses case, and I wanted one with a black cat on it! We went into a couple of gift shops, and Sophie bought some bookmarks. We carried on up the street and went into an art shop, where I bought a poster of a waiter serving wine. Perfect for our wine nook in the kitchen!

We passed one café, and we were tempted to go in until I saw the price of a flat white... 6,50 euros! No thanks! We carried on along the street, stopping to look in shop windows and admiring the architecture and the village feel. Montmartre still retains the atmosphere of a village, with its cobbled streets, beautiful old houses and pretty cafés and restaurants.

Next, we came to a flight of steps, so up we went. At the top, there was a café and a quirky art shop with the word "merde" (or s**t) on everything! Sophie couldn't resist a little wall plaque for her bedroom!

We turned right, went to the end of the street and found the funicular railway, which was below us. It was very similar to the one we rode in Le Tréport, and I wanted to use it to get up to Sacré Coeur. We chatted to a large black crow here, who carried something in his mouth. He looked at us intently and then flew off!

We descended the steps, but before queuing for the funicular, we spotted a Fragonard perfume shop, and dived in. The scents were divine! I bought myself a soap in a gorgeous box, while Sophie splashed out on a bottle of eau de parfum. It was a beautiful shop, with an array of soaps, perfumes, clothes and diffusers, and we had great fun testing all the different perfumes!

I joined the queue for the funicular while Sophie went to get tickets, which proved to be a very confusing process. She bought what she thought were the right tickets, but when we eventually got to the barrier to ride the funicular, we weren't allowed through. In the end, we had to get help from a real person, who loaded the tickets (a bit like Oyster cards) with more euros. We then joined the small throng of people waiting to get on.

It was very cosy in the carriage as it ascended the short distance to the top. When we emerged, we both fancied a drink and a sit down, so we took a table at a restaurant nearby. We sat next to another flight of stone steps, and I could see everyone reaching the top and looking completely puffed out! A couple of show-offs were running up the steps, and we saw a few dogs enthusiastically make their way up, dragging their owners behind them!

We ordered two small beers and a club sandwich to share. It was delightful sitting in the sun, people-watching and chatting. It was a Monday! Normally, we'd be at work!

We sat and enjoyed our drinks and sandwich for a good while, both of us reluctant to move away from the pleasant restaurant. This was what Sophie wanted to do on this short break: not dash from tourist spot to tourist spot, but sit and watch Paris go by, drink wine and relax! So we did!

We did eventually move and paid the bill. We had a brief look at the gorgeous Sacré Coeur church, but there was a long queue to get in, so we said we'd leave it. It was tourist central here, with crowds of people, men trying to see hideous knick-knacks and padlocks to attach to the railings. We kept a close eye on our bags and waved several men away who approached us to try to sell us stuff! It was also warm now, and I was glad we'd dressed appropriately! Some people were wearing heavy coats!

We made our way further into Montmartre and discovered a vibrant area of shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. It was even busier here as people wandered along, and the eateries were packed with people enjoying the afternoon sunshine. The streets were very narrow and sometimes a little disconcerting when a van or car drove past!

We eventually found ourselves on the outskirts of this area, and it became a little quieter. We were still following our little map, and we soon came to a vineyard, a relic of Montmartre's past. Sadly, it was closed, so all thoughts of a wine-tasting in the sun vanished. The vineyard makes about five hundred litres of wine a year. I would love to try some!

A celebrity sighting?

By now, we were gently descending the hill, and soon came back to "our" street, the Rue des Abbesses. We had talked about ice cream, so we looked at the menu of one restaurant, but they only did scoops, and we both wanted a bit more than that! The next restaurant had a full dessert menu with my favourite - Chocolat Liégeois! We settled back in our seats, ordered the creamy puds and a glass each of Alsace Pinot Blanc to accompany them. Bliss! Sophie had a Café Liégeois and hoped it wouldn't keep her awake tonight!

I had a wonderful time people watching, and saw who I thought was Sir Keir Starmer sitting opposite at a café. He was identical, but Sophie disagreed. Whoever he was, he was having a whale of a time, so maybe not Sir Keir!

Sophie saw me intently watching everyone who passed by, so she came to sit next to me as she felt she was missing out! We certainly saw some characters walk past! It was heaven to sit in the sun, relax and look forward to a musical night out!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

"Dangerously overcrowded"

A few weeks ago, while driving to work, I learned that the London Marathon was to take place today, and I'd groaned as we had unwittingly planned the first day of our Paris trip to coincide with this major event. We had decided to take the Eurostar to Paris and had booked a train from Kettering to take us to St Pancras for our 11:30am departure.

There was nothing we could do about it, but we had both readied ourselves for a busy train to London. While Sophie finished getting ready, I wrapped a bottle of Champagne (a gift from Sophie's work buddies) in foil and put a generous number of sausage rolls into a ziplock bag. We also added some flapjacks and a couple of breakfast bars to keep us fortified on the journey. This all went into a cool bag, ready to be consumed when we went through the Channel Tunnel and into France!

Keith dropped us off at the station, and the weather was grey and cool. I tried not to shiver in my short-sleeved dress! I knew, however, that it was set to be sunny and warm later in the day. Once the station shop had opened, we treated ourselves to a coffee and went to wait on the platform. More and more people started arriving, some carrying placards as they were going to support people who were running. We then had an announcement that the train was very busy, as it had originated in Derby.

We had three more announcements that the train was busy, so we readied ourselves for a standing journey down to the capital. We also had two small suitcases with us, which would take up space! When the train arrived on the platform, we squeezed ourselves into the small area by the doors; the aisle running between the seats was already full of people. It was horrendous! We had no windows to look out, and we were crammed in like sardines. To be honest, it was dangerous. A woman standing next to us was very unhappy and said she felt it was unsafe, as none of us had anything to hold onto when the carriages lurched from side to side.

As we carried on down to London, more and more people tried to board. Now, men were turning up wearing Leeds United football shirts, and Sophie was convinced one man groped her as he pushed past to try and get further down the train. Everyone was complaining about the conditions, and we wondered why an additional service hadn't been put on. EMR must have known the service would be busy!

At Bedford, we had an empty train running next to us, which added insult to injury! We were informed by the train manager that we could take a Thameslink train to London, but that wasn't an option for us! How the train was able to move with everyone was beyond me!

It was utter relief to arrive at St Pancras, and we followed the signs to the Eurostar check-in area. We were just on time to go through passport control and security. Sophie wasn't expecting this at all and was a little surprised to find we had to put our luggage through the X-ray machines. She was frisked because of her bracelets, but, for once, I wasn't stopped!

The Merry Widows!

Once through, we entered a very busy area where people were waiting for the next train, bound for Amsterdam. Boarding started half an hour before the train left, and once the Amsterdam lot was boarding, we were able to find a table outside Pret A Manger and sit and have a drink. I bought two bottles of water and a small bar of chocolate each to get over the shock of the train journey!

Our train was soon available to board, and we joined the throng of people on the escalator up to the platform. We found our carriage, put our suitcases onto the luggage racks and found our seats. They were airline-style, with footrests and trays. Next to us, on the right, were four seats with a table between them. Our seats were comfortable, and we were facing in the direction of travel, which we prefer.

The carriage gradually filled up as people found their seats and placed bags in the overhead shelves. At 11.30am, we set off, and the people next to us comprised two American women (in their 80s, we later found out, and travelling with their daughters who were sitting behind us) and a couple from New Zealand. A Japanese couple were in the seats in front. As we wound our way through the outskirts of London, there was a party air in our carriage, which was lovely! By now, the grey skies had turned blue, and it was a gorgeous day.

Soon, we were out of London, and we saw the Dartford Bridge. We then picked up speed and hurtled through the Kent countryside, and the four people next to us began to chat. It was great as we could hear what they were saying, but we didn't have to contribute! We learnt that the two women were widowed and the New Zealand couple were visiting friends in Paris. The American women took out boxes with Harrods "The Georgian" on them, which were leftovers from a very posh afternoon tea! They certainly knew how to have a good time!

Very soon, we saw the Eurotunnel check-in, and before long, we were under the Channel. Sophie and I had a bet as to how long we would be under, and I won, as we emerged nineteen minutes later at 12:23, a minute later than I said. It was much shorter than the trip by Eurotunnel, which is thirty-five minutes!

We'd let the Champagne stand for a while, as I was worried the cork would come out with a lot of force, and we wrapped tissues around the neck and covered it with a bag in case the cork flew out and hit someone! This aroused the interest of the four people next to us, and I was relieved when I eased the cork out with a satisfying plop! We were asked if it was a special occasion, and we said it had been Sophie's 30th birthday a few weeks ago.

We'd brought Sophie's Wimbledon plastic glasses with us, and as the French countryside whizzed by at just under 300km an hour (186 miles), we sipped the wine and munched on Keith's delicious sausage rolls. The American women tucked into scones and cakes, and the New Zealand pair ate Eurostar risotto with small bottles of wine. In front, the Japanese couple unwrapped their sushi. There was a real festive atmosphere, and it was delightful!

I loved staring out of the window, seeing the flat Northern French countryside pass by, and glimpsing cars on the autoroute and small villages and farms. We passed Arras and then Lille, where we slowed down slightly, and had a lovely chat with the four people next to us. One of the daughters went to bring the Mums a bottle of wine each, and they were having a wonderful time, chatting happily to the New Zealanders and us. We told them about going to Vienna in May, and they couldn't quite grasp what Eurovision was all about!

Manic Paris!

All too soon, the wonderful journey was over, and we were pulling into the Gare du Nord.  We said goodbye to everyone and wished them a lovely time in Paris. Collecting our luggage, we stepped off the train and into the madness that is the Gare Du Nord and Paris itself. Outside, taxis were waiting, but we were reluctant to take one, as we'd heard stories of tourists being ripped off. Several people tried to get us to take one, but Sophie had booked an Uber, which met us a short distance away. The area was thronged with people and heavy traffic; it was a complete shock to the system after the genteel train ride! We kept our bags close to us, and our phones inside, as we didn't want someone ruining our holiday before it had even begun! We were very aware of the people around us, and didn't let our guard down for one minute!

Our hotel wasn't far away, and we both stared out of the taxi windows as we made our way there. For some reason, there were lots of wedding outfit shops, with rows of male mannequins standing outside. Bizarre! This area looked quite seedy, with shabby shops and graffiti-covered buildings, and I was glad we had chosen to stay at the Terrass Hotel in Montmartre. 

Scene from an Uber

Our driver had difficulty dropping us off as the road was closed, and he got out of the car and disappeared for a few minutes, which was slightly unnerving. However, he managed to turn around and dropped us off right outside. We were met by a lovely hotel receptionist who carried our bags in for us, and took our details, as well as a 130 euro holding fee using Sophie's card. This was for the use of the minibar (we never used it) and a tourist tax. He then gave us a map of the area and pointed out a circular walk which would take in all the sights of this beautiful part of Paris.

A rooftop drink with views!

We were in room 301, and as we emerged from the lift, the corridor was dimly lit and dark.  Our room was on its own and opposite the lift. We opened the door, and we were met by a lovely, bright hotel room with views over the busy area below. When I leaned out of the window, I could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance!

We had a double bed, a lovely bathroom with a walk-in shower and adequate storage, with a safe and minibar. We unpacked, stowed our passports and tickets in the safe and relaxed after the long journey. The bed was comfortable, and we both hoped for a good night's sleep!

Sophie had booked an early evening table at Bouillon, so we freshened up and made our way to the seventh floor, where there was a cocktail bar and views across the city. It was already busy with people, but we took our seats at a high table and ordered a glass of rosé each. It was very warm, and the sun was shining onto the beautiful terrace. What more could we want? Delicious wine, and views of Paris in the Spring!

All around us, people were eating and drinking and enjoying the ambience. A man opposite was marking some kind of manuscript, and we couldn't help people watching! We sat and sipped our wine,  but the time was getting on, so we paid the bill (about 20 euros for two glasses of wine and service) and descended to street level.

Sophie had the directions for Bouillon on her phone, and we walked towards the Rue des Abbesses, where there were numerous bars, cafés and restaurants. It was a Sunday evening, but the establishments were packed with people eating, drinking and having a great time.

We realised we had enough time for another drink, so we sat down at an empty table, only to be told that a couple were waiting for it! Oops! We walked on and made our way to Pigalle through a maze of narrow, cobbled streets, some of which were very steep indeed! Montmartre is situated on a hill, and the streets are very steep with steps in some parts. A funicular runs up to Sacre Coeur at the top.

Close neighbours!

We came to Pigalle, once the hangout of prostitutes, and now home to the Moulin Rouge as well as numerous sex shops and live sex shows, and we marvelled at how busy it was! We saw Bouillon on a corner, but it looked like a takeaway shop... Sophie became very worried, but when she consulted her map, she realised it was just a small outlet. The proper restaurant was a bit further on! There was a queue outside already, but as we had a reservation, we were able to bypass this. However, Sophie then realised she'd booked the table for 6:30pm, not 6:00pm, so we were told we were too early. The restaurant was heaving with people, and the queue stretched around the corner. It was certainly very popular, and also manic!

Luckily, there was a bar opposite, so we grabbed a table overlooking the street and ordered two more glasses of rosé. These were 4,5 euros each, half the price of the hotel bar! We sat back, and we were agog at the busy road running alongside the bar, the traffic, the bikes, the tooting of horns, the crowds of people walking past... 

On a screen above us was the Chelsea-Leeds match, so we texted Keith to let him know! The supporters we'd seen boarding the train this morning wouldn't have been very happy as Leeds were losing!

At the appointed time, we went back to Bouillon, and after a little while, we were shown to a table upstairs. I had a view over the busy road, and our fellow diners were extremely close. I nudged elbows with the woman to my left several times! 

We were given menus and waited a considerable time to have our orders taken. We both chose the egg mayonnaise to start, while Sophie went for turkey in a sauce, and I decided to have a pork shank with chips. We ordered a bottle of house rosé and were given another bottle of tap water.

The waiters were flying about, and we witnessed several breakages as they tried to carry overloaded trays. One plate of beef bourguignon and pasta went flying, and the poor waiter had terrible trouble clearing it all away! It was crowded and noisy, and our senses were overwhelmed!

Our starters arrived and were dispatched quickly. Those sausage rolls were a long time ago! We also had a basket of bread, which we used to mop up the thick mayonnaise. There was no salad or fancy presentation!

The couple next to us were finishing their meal, and I was amazed at how quickly the table was set again. The top paper sheet was whipped off, a fresh one put on, four wine glasses and cutlery plonked down, and that was it! All set for another couple!

Our main courses arrived, and Sophie was very happy with her meal, but I had made the wrong choice. I had a thick knuckle of pork in a sweet sauce with chips, and that was it. No vegetables to speak of! While we were finishing our main courses, a young couple arrived, and when Sophie started telling me a story about a Love Island participant, the woman joined our conversation. The couple were Canadian, and Sophie got on very well with the woman who was the same age. They had a wonderful chat!

We ordered dessert: a chocolate mousse for me and Floating Islands for Sophie, and then paid the bill, which was under 50 euros. This was why it was so popular! We said goodbye to the Canadian couple who were in Paris for a few days before going on to Amsterdam, and made our way out of the heaving restaurant where the queue still snaked around the corner!

Street Art

Because of our full tummies, we had a very slow walk back to the hotel. We took the quieter streets, and they were a world away from the madness we had come from. We saw various street art pictures, and the area reminded me a little of Hackescher Markt in Berlin. There were a few quirky bars and shops dotted about, and a group of people had spilled out of one bar and were enjoying their drinks in the street in the warm evening air. I itched to take a photo of a man with purple hair bottle feeding a baby!

Some of the art reminded me of Banksy's graffiti, and it was all very quirky and novel! Slowly, we walked up a steep street, noticing several quieter restaurants which looked promising for tomorrow night.

Back at the hotel, we decided to complete our day with a nightcap at the rooftop bar. It was still very busy, and we were asked to sit in an adjoining area and wait for a table. Sophie ordered a Negroni, while I chose a Drambuie, which seemed to confuse the waiters completely. In a gap through the foliage, I could see Sacre Coeur above us.

We were soon called through to the main terrace, and I sank into a two-seater sofa while Sophie took a chair facing the Eiffel Tower. On the hour, until 1:00am, it glitters and dazzles, which was wonderful to see! What a treat!

We ordered another round of drinks, chatted about the holiday so far and did more people watching. It was fascinating!

Highs and lows

Sophie was taking part in a 5k Park Run this morning with her work buddy, Becky. She set off at 8:00am, bless her, after a restless night's sleep from the heavy meal of last night. I don't think any of us had slept well, to be honest!

Keith and I had a very busy morning preparing food in the kitchen. We'd asked Keith to make us a batch of sausage rolls to take with us tomorrow to eat on the Eurostar, so he concentrated on them, while I started preparing a beef bourguignon for tonight. In between preparing food, I did multiple washes and put them out on the line as it was a beautiful day.

Keith's sausage rolls looked beautiful and golden brown when they were cooked. They will go well with our Champagne tomorrow! I had wiped the mushrooms, peeled the shallots, and Keith had cubed the beef for me, so I started the dish, coating the meat in seasoned flour and shallow-frying it until it was browned all over. I then fried the lardons, mushrooms and onions, added herbs, tomato puree and a whole bottle of red wine and let it all simmer on a low heat. It smelled lovely!

Sophie arrived home on a real high after completing 7k, and having breakfast with Becky and her other work buddy, Grace, who hadn't run with them. She had enjoyed herself immensely and wanted to do another, and also make it a regular event. Keith and I were very proud of her!

We pottered about until the early afternoon, and I hoovered downstairs and nicked one of the sausage rolls for lunch. At about 2:30pm, we went to Tesco's to buy some bits we needed and then popped to see my Mum. Her door was closed when we arrived, and I thought at first she was involved in one of the activities, but she was sorting out the photographs again, taking them out of the albums and scattering them about. Her room was a complete mess. 

We made her sit down, and tried to clear up the bits of paper strewn on the floor, and I checked the bin, to find one of my wedding photos and a pic of Sophie in there. A couple of carers came in to ask about Mum's covid jab, and I said I'd rather she didn't have it, as twice now she has been ill afterwards. They confirmed that she had been throwing away photographs, and Sophie became very upset. It was awful to see her so distressed after she'd been so happy earlier on.

She said she was going back to the car and took as many photos as she could with her. Five minutes later, she was back and had met one of the carers, who told her that Mum had thrown my wedding photos out of the window. Luckily, someone had found them, but how many others had been tossed out of the window never to be seen again?

I was very upset now, and noticed that she wasn't wearing her engagement ring. Sophie and I searched everywhere and decided to take all the albums home with us, as well as a box of bits and bobs. I was hoping it would be in there. This made me really angry as I knew my Mum had wanted Sophie to have her ring when she dies. 

I'm now worrying about other items in the room, and I took a Rob Piercy landscape print out of the wardrobe to take home with me. Sadly, my Mum wasn't making any sense as to why she had suddenly decided to rip out all the photos, but I did find it unnerving that the ones she'd actually thrown away were of my wedding day... 

We left as Sophie was so upset, and she said it was because she didn't want me to become like that when I get old. I said I was very different to my Mum and that if I did start to show similar signs, I would take myself off to Switzerland! However, I could see why she was so upset, but I reminded her that both my grandmothers had lived until their early 90s and were independent right up until they died. Sadly, both my parents suffer and (suffered) from Parkinson's Disease, which has certainly hastened their demise.

We went home to sit in the garden, and this time, both cats came out with us. It was blissfully quiet; if this carries on, I'll be tempted to buy some lovely garden furniture! It was great to sit in the garden, but I couldn't help noticing that the grass needed cutting and it was, quite frankly, a mess! I only like sitting there when everything is neat and tidy, and I've been working hard on it!

We went inside, and Sophie and I played Scrabble. We opened the bottle of Pinot Noir that we'd bought in Oxford, and after the first sip, I said it needed a little chilling. We enjoyed a great game of Scrabble, and Sophie beat me. We chilled the wine a little, and it did benefit from a short spell in the fridge!

I'd turned the casserole off earlier, but now I turned it back on and made sure the beef was tender. We'd decided to serve the dish with tagliatelle and eat a bit earlier than normal, as we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow and we didn't want a late night.

The meal was delicious, and Sophie raved about it, which was great. There was enough left for lunches and for Keith to have when we were away. Once cleared away, we watched the last episode of Katya Adler's tour through Europe, and we learned some surprising things about France!

A Greek experience!

I drove myself to work today and arrived at 7:26am, to find no spaces again. This was seriously annoying. How early do I have to leave to get a space? I'm not leaving before 7:00am! The small car park opposite our office was also full, so I had to try the car park in front of the maternity unit. I managed to squeeze into a space, but I was worried that when I returned after work, I wouldn't be able to get back into the car.

When I arrived at the office, Sara said she had taken the last space in our usual car park and had arrived just before me. This is the first time since we moved to the new office that I've had such trouble parking, and I could understand it if it were about 9:00am, but 7:30am? 

This put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day, and I was so annoyed, I resolved to look for another job when we come back from Paris next week. I have never, in all my working life, had to look for a parking space!

In the afternoon, things were very quiet in our office, as only three of us were working. Sara had taken her usual half-day, and Nicola was on holiday. I decided to tidy up the box I'd brought with me from our other office, put some papers out for shredding, and start writing the answers for the FAQs for Bob. 

We had a late phone call asking whether the swimming lessons were on at one of our pools, and we all groaned as this school is notorious for cancelling lessons at the last minute. As it's (almost) on my way home, I said I would go and check. This was a big mistake, as the traffic going there was horrendous! I began to wish I hadn't bothered! The gates were open when I drove past, so it looked like everything was running as normal. I couldn't have done anything anyway!

The three of us were looking forward to going to our local pub this evening for a Greek Night, and our table was booked for 8:00pm, giving us a chance to relax at home before the meal. When Sophie arrived home, we sat in the garden with a small glass of wine and chatted about our days at work. It was lovely and warm in the early evening sunshine, and Mooney came out to accompany us. He amused himself by chasing bees, and then got caught on the fence when he heard some birds chirping. Just as we were about to rescue him, he jumped down, looking embarrassed.

 

7:45pm saw us at the pub, and feeling a bit shell-shocked by the loud Greek music! The bar staff couldn't hear what we were saying! Our table wasn't ready, so we stood at the bar with our drinks and tried to have a conversation... impossible!

We were eventually taken upstairs, where it was a little quieter, and we could chat! My former work colleague, Amanda, was at the next table with her partner, so I said hello and that we'd catch up later. The night's menu was on the table, and we were sharing starters of bread, hummus, tzatziki, stuffed vine leaves, and spanakopita. There was a choice of main courses; Keith and I chose the mixed (chicken and lamb) souvlaki, while Sophie opted for the chicken. 

The starters were delicious, and we fell on them as by now we were very hungry, ordering some more bread to go with the delicious dips! The main courses were good, but my salad had been sprinkled with thyme, I think, a herb I'm not that keen on!

At times, with the warm night air outside and the music, it did feel like we were in Greece! It was a hectic night, though, and we felt the atmosphere was a little lacking upstairs. Before our desserts arrived, I chatted with Amanda about what was happening with work. She had been automatically TUPEd over to Everyone Active but seemed to be enjoying her job role with them.

Our desserts were very sweet - baklava and kadaifi - but delicious. I would have loved a good dollop of vanilla ice cream to detract from the sweetness. I'd asked about a Greek wine to accompany our meal, but there was none, so Sophie and I had enjoyed a bottle of South African Chenin Blanc, which went well with the meal.

We paid the bill and returned home to watch an episode of Amanda and Alan in Sicily. It was a lovely end to a very busy day!

A busy afternoon!

My shorter shift passed quickly today, and I dealt with virtually all the emails. Macy, Nicola's daughter, was a bit upset when she arrived for work, as she had a small bump in the car park and her little Polo was quite badly damaged. Nicola had to rush off to help her, but she soon recovered and was ready for work at 10:00am.

At 2pm, Keith collected me, and we drove home via Screwfix on Moulton Park, where we collected our light fittings. Back at home, when we opened the box, we knew they were the right ones, so I ordered a single one from the Screwfix outlet near Kingsthorpe. We decided to go and pick it up this afternoon after I'd visited my Mum.

It's been a glorious day today, with warm temperatures and plentiful sunshine. Keith sat in the car while I saw Mum, who seemed a bit confused today, and was surrounded by photographs and one of her albums. Anna, one of the senior carers, came in and explained that she'd been a bit erratic with her belongings and to take home anything that was of value, sentimental or otherwise. I took home the photos, a picture, and my Dad's blood donor records, delighted to see that he'd donated fifty pints in 1987, and just before he was in a bad car accident and was therefore no longer allowed to donate. He also had quite a rare blood group, O negative, which meant his blood could be given to almost anyone and was especially useful as a donation in emergencies, when the blood type of the person needing it isn't known. It made me feel very proud, and I hope to donate my fiftieth pint later this year or early next.

Once back with Keith in the car, we drove over to Screwfix in very heavy traffic. The light fitting was ready to be collected, and before going home, we called into a small Morrison's shop in Kingsthorpe, where Keith treated us to a bottle of Aperol and a tub of hummus with breadsticks. We were then caught up in traffic on the way home via Brixworth due to roadworks, which held us up even more! By now, I was heartily fed up with being in the car!

 

We arrived home just before Sophie, and there was a mad scramble to do the usual evening chores before we could relax at 6:00pm. Sophie made Aperol spritzes, and we scoffed all the breadsticks and hummus, leaving no room for our planned supper of soup and crusty bread!

We decided to have cheese on toast instead (light cheddar, which doesn't melt, and looked like skin according to Sophie!). The snack was delicious with brown sauce, though, and a side helping of Masterchef!

A lunchtime treat!

Keith and I had two appointments at the surgery this morning; me for a follow-up blood test, and Keith for his spring covid jab. Mine was first, and the receptionist denied Keith's request to get his jab earlier, so he had to wait. The nurse had difficulty getting blood out of my right arm this morning, so she had to use my left arm. I still, after a fall in 1999 while eight months pregnant, can't fully straighten my left arm, and never use it for my blood donor sessions, but she managed to get a vial of blood for the test.

As we had an hour to wait, we popped to The Workhouse in Brixworth for a coffee. I also indulged in a pain au chocolat for breakfast. It was pleasantly busy, and we took our seats while the waitress served our drinks.

After enjoying our drinks, we drove back to the surgery, and I sat in the car and read the paper while Keith was being jabbed. From the surgery, we drove home, and I had a mad hour of changing the bed and putting together a box of donations ready for a collection tomorrow morning. We have been using Anglo Collections for unwanted clothes, books, CDs and DVDs, and some of the money raised goes to charity.

At midday, we set off down to Brackmills to pick up Sophie and went for a sandwich at the Costa outlet in Next. It was lovely to sit and enjoy lunch in the busy café, and afterwards we went down to the lighting department, and I picked out two lampshades for the living room, in a neutral colour. We had a look at the sofas and furniture and then returned Sophie to her office.

Before going home, we called back to Riverside and visited the new Wickes to look for the kitchen light fittings we need. They didn't have any, so I suggested we go to Screwfix and order them. We have managed to get an electrician to come out to install them at last... It's been a bit of a chore, to be honest! Similarly with our planned oven clean that desperately needs doing!

We managed to order a box of three (we need four), but they wouldn't be ready for collection until Thursday. We paid and drove home, glad that we had made some progress!

I spent the rest of the afternoon pootling about and doing all the jobs that need doing on a Wednesday. Dinner tonight was a chicken stir-fry, and I didn't realise that Sophie wanted to add loads more vegetables to the dish. I don't think she was too happy when she came home and discovered I hadn't cut up the asparagus, courgette or long-stem broccoli! 

Dinner was delicious, and after we'd eaten, we saw another episode of Masterchef. One contestant made a chocolate fondant, and Sophie and I screamed when she said what she was going to do! We both think she cheated a little because the inside was peanut butter, which did ooze, luckily for her!

Back to normal

Things were back to normal this morning; Sophie went to the gym, and Keith took me to work so I didn't have to worry about parking!

I walked into far fewer emails than we've been receiving recently, and by 4pm, the hundred cancellation ones were done (by Jaden and me), and we were down to just a handful in the normal inbox. The phone calls have also dried up, so that's a bit worrying... I'm thankful I still have jobs to do, but I think Sara will stop looking for cover on a Monday, and it will be just Kathy and me on the phones. Nicola asked if I wanted to take the minutes at a meeting in July when Sara is off, and I jumped at the chance. We're all hoping that our new gym on Brackmills will be up and running in early June and provide more work!

Keith and I pootled home via Overstone; anything to avoid the dreaded A43, which now bears a patchwork of repairs after it was closed at night over the weekend. It was my turn to cook tonight, and Keith had prepared the vegetables and the mince for me. I made a savoury crumble topping, and then it was time to relax for half an hour before cooking dinner.

Masterchef started tonight with Anna Haugh and Grace Dent, and Sophie and I were looking forward to it. We watched it on iPlayer before our dinner, and already we have a contestant crying, two saying their food is inspired by parents and grandparents, a couple of crumbs, a tuile and a gel!