Celebrating Sophie's 30th Birthday at "The Whispering Pines" 3rd to the 5th of April

Shuttle mayhem...

We were all up, showered and dressed by 3:00am this morning and took the A14, M11, M25 and M20 to Folkestone. Sophie was glad she'd been able to have a cuddle with Mooney before we left, and only wished she could have taken both cats with her!

We have been a little worried about the fuel situation at the moment, so Keith suggested we pull off the M20 and fill up with petrol at Maidstone Services. I had an ominous feeling about it, as once past the junction for the services, the lane was closed...

We filled up, bought a paper and used the loo, but when we tried to return to the M20, the road was indeed closed. We had no choice but to take the A20 towards Lenham and try to get back onto the M20 at Ashford. The road was dark, and I had no idea where we were going!

Sophie's map on her phone kept saying we wouldn't be at Folkestone until 6:30am, which was ludicrous as we'd stopped about 12 miles from the terminal with an hour to spare! Boarding closed at 6:24am, so we became increasingly worried about why we had been given such a late arrival time!

Luckily, we were able to get back onto the M20 at Ashford and sped towards the terminal, making much better time and arriving shortly after 6:00am. Sophie said that the approach to the terminal was showing red on the map, and we soon found out why... the queues to get through the check-in gates were horrendous!

It became obvious that our experience today was going to be vastly different to when we were here in January! It was also clear that there was some kind of car event going on in France, as there were lots of BMWs, Porsches and other high-performance cars arriving and revving up their engines. It was like being at Silverstone!

We eventually got through the check-in gates and drove extremely slowly to the car park, a journey that normally takes about 30 seconds, but took us about half an hour. We had learnt that our scheduled train at 7:24am was delayed by 30 minutes, so we had time to use the loos again, and buy two bottles of Vodka in Duty Free.

In fact, the terminal itself was quiet; everyone was queuing to get through passport control, with the time estimated at an hour. We drank our coffee, ate some delicious sausage rolls that Keith had made specially for the journey and kept looking at the information board, which twice changed our time of departure.

When the boards said we would be called in 15 minutes, we joined the long, snaking queue, making sure other drivers were displaying our letter and number! A couple of drivers up ahead were made to park and wait as they'd obviously tried to sneak in!

It took us about an hour to get through both passport controls and onto the train. We left at about 9:00am, so 90 minutes later than we should have. It was a frustrating start to the weekend!

Back in love with a Welsh

To be honest, maybe it was a good thing we had been delayed, as the weather was atrocious in France! I had a nap on the train and felt much more refreshed when we arrived in Calais. We turned off the A16 and drove towards Sangatte, before taking the coastal road to Wimereux. All plans to visit the beaches were cancelled as it was cold and misty with a nasty wind blowing in from the Channel.

We couldn't see the sea at all, and the rolling hills and Caps were covered in thick mist. We stopped in Audinghen at our usual café/restaurant and ordered a coffee, a hot chocolate, and a beer. It was cosy inside, with a lovely ambience, made even better when the local postman arrived for an espresso and resembled a younger John Mayer!

We paid the bill, said goodbye to the locals sitting drinking coffee and made our way back outside into the wind and rain. A poor woman was packing up a market stall where she'd been trying to sell vegetables!

It cleared up a little as we neared Wimereux, and we found a parking space on the street. It was a short walk to the front, and we turned right to see the lights of Les Oyats twinkling in the distance. All thoughts of sitting outside to eat were banished, and even in the covered outside area, it looked chilly, so we sat inside where it was warm and cosy.

Sophie was overjoyed to get a table (the restaurant wasn't busy at all) and she didn't even bother looking at the menu... she wanted a Welsh complet! I chose turkey in a creamy sauce with French fries, and Keith opted for the fish and chips. Sophie and I shared a pichet of Rosé while Keith enjoyed two beers.

We had a delightful lunch, and Sophie's faith in a Welsh was restored after her disastrous meal at Wimereux in January! A family arrived just after us with three very young children, but they were well-behaved. We couldn't tell if they were Belgian or Dutch, but the little ones were blonde and rosy-cheeked and didn't play up, scream or cry!

Sophie and I indulged in desserts - mousse au chocolat and a Chocolat Liegois. Both desserts were delicious!

Outside, the tide was coming in, and the sea was rough with huge waves crashing onto the sea wall. We paid the bill and ventured outside. Not many people were out walking along the promenade today!

We were amazed to see the young family that had sat next to us getting very close to the sea, with one of the children standing on the sea wall. With the spray coming off the waves, he could easily have been swept over.

A mercy dash!

It was as we were walking back to the car that I looked in my bag and couldn't find my purse... I panicked, and Sophie ran back to the car to see if it had fallen out. I went back to our table in the restaurant, but there was nothing there. Back outside, I checked again and found the blooming thing lurking right at the bottom of my bag! I tried to get in touch with Sophie, and we side-stepped a man who asked us if we spoke English. Er, no, go away!

Sophie had run all the way back to the car with a full, cheesy stomach, so she shouted at me when we caught up with her. She had evaded the mystery man as well, and I hoped he wasn't in dire need of help!

"Les Pins qui Chuchotent"

On the way to the Airbnb, we called in at the Carrefour at Wimille and bought some items to tide us over for the next few days, including salad, milk, water, beer and wine. The supermarket was empty; can you imagine what Tesco would be like on Good Friday?

It was a very short journey to Offrethun, and we turned onto a tiny track that wound up between fields. At first, we arrived at the wrong house, and I managed to annoy a local who had followed me when I pulled in! We carried on, and the road became more overgrown and narrow. I dreaded meeting a huge tractor!

As we neared the village, we saw signs for the house and turned in. There was a large private house first, and then two more houses further on, with parking. Ours was "L'Elegant" and stood opposite a row of tall pine trees, the "Whispering Pines" that the houses take their name from.

We accessed the key via a lockbox and explored before bringing our luggage in from the car. The house had a large open-plan kitchen/dining area/living room and three bedrooms (two upstairs with an en-suite). It was beautiful and modern and had everything we needed. There was a professional brochure from the owner with lots of information about the local area.

We unpacked and put everything away, and then collapsed on the comfortable sofa! We were all shattered from the journey and the early start, so we all managed a nap and woke feeling refreshed! 

Sophie and I played Scrabble, and we opened a bottle of Champagne to sip while we played. I beat Sophie, and we then played cards. Towards 8:00pm, we enjoyed salad and watched bad French television - the television doesn't have Netflix, our only little niggle!

Salut!

Packing up

Before leaving for work this morning, I stripped the bed and put on a fresh sheet and pillowcases. The rest I would do this afternoon after work and seeing Mum. It felt strange to be just Sara and me in the office until Nicola came in! In fact, there was nobody else in at all; the Easter holidays must have started early!

I did the last set of box office returns and the cinema reports, and then worked on the emails steadily all morning. We still have over five hundred cancellation emails to work on, and Sara and I have a little bet that when we return next Tuesday, there will be even more!

At 2pm, I wished everyone a Happy Easter and drove straight over to Kettering to see my Mum. I'd bought her an Easter egg and card and aimed to have a quick chat before going home and packing for the weekend.

When I arrived, I couldn't call the lift, so I went to use the other one, situated near the ground-floor dining room. I saw a lot of the residents in there, my Mum among them. The doors were closed, and I could tell they were watching a musical show. I didn't feel comfortable going in and disturbing them, so I went up to Mum's room and left her chocolate and card.

Before going, I spoke to one of the carers, who didn't seem at all happy that I was leaving without seeing Mum. She said she would be very upset, cry, and pace up and down the corridor, putting herself at risk of a fall. Not really what I wanted to hear! This was in complete contrast to what one of the carers told me the other week, that Mum was fine when I wasn't there! Who am I to believe then? 

I left feeling upset and guilty, even though I had nothing to feel guilty about! I had seen Mum last Sunday, and we were only going to France for a few days! It made me feel a bit subdued for the rest of the day, but I perked up when Sophie arrived home, and we sat and chatted in the kitchen.

Keith and I had packed, I'd hoovered, and Sophie put everything in the car before we had beefburgers and salad for dinner. She'd had a wonderful day at work and had been thoroughly spoiled by her colleagues with flowers, Champagne, Gin and lots of little gifts.

After dinner, Keith and I watched Beyond Paradise, and then it was time for bed at 8:30pm! We have to be up at 2:00am tomorrow... yuck!

April Fools pranks!

Keith disappeared to Mawsley this morning for a haircut, and when he returned, we went over to Tesco at Kettering. I treated him to a coffee and a toasted sandwich in Costa, and then we did a little shopping. I managed to get Sophie today with an April Fool's joke... I texted her to say the shelves were empty of loo rolls and pasta, and she told the whole office before I could say it was just a prank! 

Not so funny were the out-of-order pumps in the filling station, though. There was no diesel at all, and only half the forecourt was open. We topped up, checked the air in the tyres and returned home. The rest of the day was spent pootling about, writing the blog and preparing tonight's dinner of chicken stroganoff.

I was a victim of an April Fool's joke as well, when I read an article on the internet that said Jessie Buckley was going to be the new female James Bond! I was horrified until I twigged!

Dinner was lovely tonight, and we simmered the stroganoff slowly before cooking rice and garlic bread. After we'd eaten, Keith and I watched the first couple of episodes of The Capture. We are well and truly hooked!

Saying goodbye

We had another manic day at work, and our office was incredibly noisy, for some reason. Nicola behaved as if someone had wound her up and let her go, and she was shrieky, screamy and loud all day, until she thankfully left late in the afternoon.

It was our last day of running our three centres, so there was a certain poignancy about taking calls from people interested in visiting them. From tomorrow, our business will be greatly reduced, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the Easter holidays pan out. My worry is that once this madness subsides, will there be enough work for us all?

Just as we were leaving, our MD arrived and was going to visit the three centres this evening to say goodbye to the staff who will be transferred to Everyone Active. We will miss them all very much, especially colleagues with whom we've had close working relationships.

We all said goodbye to Sheila at 4:00pm and had a hug. She will still be classed as a casual worker for us, and we have signed her up for a Sunday shift in a couple of weeks!

It was a beautiful, mild and sunny late afternoon, and it was great to drive home and look forward to a day off tomorrow. I still have a present to buy for Sophie, and her birthday is rushing up on us like a speeding train!

More cake!

I walked into our kitchen at work this morning to find more cake in the chiller cabinet! This was a cream-filled Victoria sponge cake, brought in by Sheila, whose last day is tomorrow. Where on earth has this month gone? 

It was the first day of the Easter school holidays, and I expected the phones to be busy, which they were. I stepped in and helped, but we're all wondering what Wednesday will be like when we no longer have any leisure pools. We're still getting cancellation emails; how many more are we going to get before this is all over?

Our office was a lure for the cake lovers in the afternoon as people started to enjoy Sheila's cakes (she'd brought in a lemon drizzle cake as well) and biscuits. She has definitely been a "feeder" along with Sue, who has also left. They'll be mean pickings after Wednesday, let me tell you!

Talking of things lacking, there are rumours of fuel shortages at petrol stations, which is worrying. Keith regularly tops up the VW's tank, but we will need a full one for Friday when we travel to France for the weekend.

And talking of news, we learnt today that Scott Mills has been sacked from the BBC. I'd been listening to his breakfast show this morning and noticed that Gary Davies was presenting, but I thought that Scott Mills was on holiday. Well, he's been sacked because of "personal conduct." I hope it's not a repeat of the Huw Edwards debacle...

Keith cooked a spicy chilli con carne for dinner, and we watched another episode of The Capture. We have stopped watching Silent Witness as I found it too gory. The last two episodes featured horrible dead bodies, and it's not my cup of tea just before bed!

Making plans

The clocks went forward last night, so we lost an hour of our weekend today. However, I tried to forget about it, and not get annoyed like I have in past years! Why we still do this, I'll never know!

Sophie and I spent the morning doing housework, and I prepared tonight's dinner of stuffed chicken breasts. I cut a slit in each breast, stuffed it with sausage meat, a basil leaf and a couple of slices of sundried tomatoes, wrapped each breast in Parma ham, and then a layer of foil to chill until tonight.

Around lunchtime, Sophie and I enjoyed fish finger sandwiches, and we booked a trip to Paris at the end of April. Sophie has bought tickets to see a band called Not For Radio, with the lead singer being one of The Marias. We thought it was a niche band and certainly not well-known, but it seems they have quite a following as they've had to put on an extra night in London and Paris!

We had difficulty getting normal train tickets for the 26th of April, and our experiences last week have made us a little wary! We booked Eurostar tickets from St Pancras and managed, at last, to get compatible train tickets from Kettering. We also booked a hotel through the Eurostar website, so we're all set to have two nights in Paris, in Spring! April and May are set to be two very busy months!

Sophie and I went to see my Mum in the afternoon, and she was a bit morose again, despite us turning up with chocolate for her. We stayed for a while and decided, when we left, to go to our local pub for a quick drink. However, from the cars parked nearby, it was obvious that it was busy, so we changed our minds and went to Beckworth instead. 

The place was full of Easter goodies, but we managed to get through the Food Hall without being tempted and made straight for the restaurant, where we ordered a cream tea each. The scones were beautiful and served with clotted cream and jam. My only gripe was the weird-tasting decaffeinated tea!

After paying the bill, we wandered about, marvelling at the sheer amount of merchandise available! We were very good, though, and didn't buy anything! Back home, we relaxed, and Sophie and I played cards with a vodka cocktail. 

I cooked tonight, and popped the chicken breasts in the oven along with new potatoes to roast and asparagus. I was very pleased with how the meal turned out, so this is something else we'll cook again!

Home alone

Today has been very relaxed, and I was looking forward to a couple of hours of "me time" this afternoon, when both Sophie and Keith were elsewhere enjoying themselves!

It's been lovely and sunny today, but the wind was cold and reminded us that it's still only March! Sophie took herself off to Market Harborough at 11am to meet her work buddy, Becky, where they were going to shop until they dropped, have lunch and then a drink at The Wine Shed. I pootled about and did some jobs, but it was a very relaxed start to the weekend!

Keith went to see Sileby play at 2.30pm and I carried on transcribing my Nepal diary, which is progressing very slowly! I'd like to add it to a travel Facebook group I belong to, but it will have to be finished first!

Sophie came home at about 5:00pm, and we went out again almost immediately to her friend Daisy's house, where there was a small gathering to celebrate Daisy's 30th birthday. I clearly remember 12 years ago when Sophie and all of her friends were turning 18 and venturing into Northampton's hotspots for the first time! I'm glad that's all over now!

Before going to the house, we called into Aldi, where Sophie bought a bottle of Champagne and flowers. When we arrived, Daisy came out to meet us, very glammed up in heels and a long skirt, as most of the guests were going to a Karaoke bar later. Sophie asked me to collect her at about 7:00pm as she was definitely not keen on that activity!

I trundled home, relaxed for a couple of hours, and then went back to pick her up. She'd had a couple of cocktails so was a bit merry, but said that Daisy had definitely been the star of the show, with drinks named after her, photos of her over the years and a long speech from her mum... Sophie won't be getting anything like that for her 30th next week!

Back home, the three of us sat around the kitchen table and dissected the events of the day over a bottle of red wine, cheese and biscuits. After we'd eaten, we started watching the first series of The Capture on BBC iPlayer. It certainly kept us hooked!