Happy New Year!

It's getting close! Whatever you're doing this New Year's Eve, I hope you're enjoying yourselves!

Here's to a Happy, Healthy and Successful 2013!

Cheers!

Celebrations.

Today has been another busy day starting with a hairdresser appointment with Amy for her to colour Sophie's hair and to do my roots, which badly needed doing!

When she left at lunchtime, Sophie and I popped down to Boots at Riverside to get some girly gifts for one of Sophie's friends and then it was back to go and see Sue for her Birthday drinks. It was a very small gathering but it was lovely to sit and relax with a glass of wine and have a chat with Sue and Paul and their friends and family.

Although today has been better, weather-wise, we just didn't find the time to go out for a walk which I would have liked. Roll on Wednesday when things return to normal and we can get back to the gym!

Shopping in Milton Keynes on a Saturday?

Sophie wanted to go to Milton Keynes today to do some shopping with her friends so I was chief taxi driver. It wouldn't normally be my choice to go on a Saturday but it was the only day she could go before her Winter Ball takes place next week and there was an urgent need for new shoes, a new bag and yet more make-up!

I was dreading it, to be honest, as I had a feeling it would be really busy with people going to the sales but it wasn't too bad and we managed to get parked pretty easily. I bought myself a newspaper and sat in Caffe Italia as I'd arranged to meet my parents there for lunch.

Unfortunately we were having some problems with staff at work but Mum and Dad dealt with it and met me just a few minutes later than planned. Despite it being busy, we had an enjoyable afternoon browsing in the shops and I tried on a couple of coats, the best being in M&S. However, it wouldn't have been very practical so I resisted the temptation...and the hefty price tag!

By 3.30pm I'd had enough but I'd arranged to meet Sophie and the girls at 4. Mum and I went to Tea Monkey, which was a first, and I ordered a pot of tea for the two of us. It arrived in a cafetiere and when I poured it out, there were loads of tea grounds in the bottom of the cup! Yuk! I took it back and one of the assistants kindly gave me a tea strainer as I said I couldn't drink it with bits of tea floating in it. The thought makes me shudder! What's wrong with a good old fashioned pot of tea??

I resumed taxi duties again and dropped all the girls off at their respective homes and then it was back to my own home and a relaxing session on the sofa with a glass of wine!

An unexpected journey...

My Nan had to go into hospital yesterday as she has an infection in her legs so Mum and I drove down to Kent to see her today. I was really not looking forward to going as the weather was grim and miserable again and hospitals are not my favourite places!

We had a great journey down until we were about six miles from the bridge and everything slowed down, with no apparent reason why, so we didn't arrive at the hospital until about 1.30pm. After a quick sandwich we went into see Nan an hour earlier than normal visiting hours and sat with her until about 4.30pm. She was in her own room and was very moany so we quickly told her to stop with that as there wasn't anything seriously wrong with her.

Both Mum and I were under the impression that she was really not very well, so we were preparing for the worst but I can honestly see her getting her telegram from the Queen!

The journey home was fast and uneventful and I popped into the pub to say a quick hello to Keith and Dave and to pick up my car. Keith suggested I come back to pick him up a bit earlier and have a drink with them both, which I did! A very relaxing way to end a tedious day!

Mmmm...leftovers!

Last night we couldn't have leftovers from Christmas Day as we would normally do because I don't think my parents would have appreciated eating them! So tonight we had cold turkey and bubble and squeak, with me trying to do something different with the cold vegetables...maybe not a good idea after a couple of whisky and lemonades!

I decided to make breadcrumbs from some leftover bread we had but I think I added too much egg to the finely chopped brussels, broccoli, cabbage and mashed potato as it went a bit gloopy. I made balls out of the mixture, coated them in flour and then rolled them in the breadcrumbs and fried them. They acutally turned out quite good and the breadcrumbs added a lovely crunchy texture!

With the rest of the veggies I just made them into a fat pancake and fried it...

It was delicious!

Every day feels like Sunday!

Well, Christmas has been great - very relaxed and quiet which is just how I like it! Keith and I went to the pub yesterday at around 12pm and although it was quiet at first, within half an hour the place was packed with people having a drink before their Christmas lunch.

We didn't eat until about 6pm and our meal was delicious. It was a bit heated when I dished up as we'd cooked so many different vegetables, but we all had a great time and even played a game of charades after eating which amused the children!

Today dawned bright and sunny, but we didn't get time to go out for a walk as I hoovered downstairs, gave the conservatory a good clean and set the table for dinner while Keith popped to Tesco to get some more vegetables for tonight. Unfortunately, I have managed to catch Keith's cold so I went and had a long bath in the afternoon, followed by a nap, in an effort to feel better for our meal in the evening.

Mum and Dad came around for dinner and told us all about their Christmas down in Kent. They said they'd enjoyed it but said the meal they had definitely wasn't worth the price they paid. It never ceases to amaze me what restaurants charge for a normal roast on Christmas Day, especially as their meal was a carvery!

We cooked a beef casserole and that went down very well, especially with the beautiful Pasquiers Grenache Noir wine I served with it. I'm going to go and get some more of that from Beckworth! We had Christmas pudding for dessert and we all had a glass of the Honey Bourbon with it - delicious!

Mum and Dad had brought around a Roulette game with them and we had great fun playing it after the meal with Mikey accumulating a considerable amount of winnings...he put it all on black at the end of the game and lost the lot!

So it's back to reality tomorrow when I return to work after six days off. It's been great to have a break but I am ready to get back into the normal routine. It feels like it's been a continuous run of Sundays since Christmas Eve!

Happy Christmas!

Well, it's been perfect so far! Last night, after watching Lady and the Tramp and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, I had a sudden urge to get out and have some fresh air so we walked the cats around the estate three times. It never fails to amaze me that they follow us, even on the third lap when I'm sure they would rather have been snuggled up on their beds!

This morning dawned grey and rainy instead of white and frosty, but never mind. At least we turned our heating off! The children had a great time opening up their presents and I was over the moon with mine - a beautiful bottle of Chanel Sensuelle and some Malt Whisky, Auchentosan, from Keith, Redwood Creek Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the wee ones and a bottle of Port from my friend Lynda...is there a theme here?!!!

Mum and Dad popped in on their way to Kent and Keith and I were thrilled to get a voucher for a night in a hotel from them! Wonderful! They were both very pleased with their presents and the children were delighted with theirs.

After all the excitement, it's time to do the veg for dinner and then we're off to the pub for a lunchtime drink to say Happy Christmas to Ian.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

I'm not liking this grey Christmas...

I woke up at 5.45am this morning and although the thought of a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit was tempting, I buried my head under the covers and went back to sleep. When I did get up I watched a recorded programme of Joanna Lumley in search of Noah's Ark. Looking at the disgusting weather outside I think that it may be time for us all to build another Ark!

I had an appointment to give blood at 10.30am so I drove off to Sophie's school through flooded roads, gazing in shock at the lakes forming in the fields. It was still pouring down and I feel so sorry for anyone who has had their house or business flooded this Christmas.

Luckily, I was seen and up on the bed quickly to give my 29th (this time around anyway) pint of blood. The nurse said that my arm had a bit of scarring where they insert the needle so it was more painful to get it into the vein this time. I only wish I could use my left arm as well, but I can't straighten it after falling over (when I was 8 months pregnant with Mikey)!!

I relaxed afterwards with a coffee and a Club biscuit and made an appointment for May as the next time they meet at the school will be when we're in Florida! Time is whizzing by!

At lunchtime we all went off to the pub for lunch which was lovely. There was a great atmosphere as usual and it was nice to sit and relax and not worry about doing the washing up afterwards! Once lunch was over Sophie and I drove over to Market Harborough to have a wander around the shops and then we called in to see Duncan and Nick and wish them a Merry Christmas (not difficult when they're surrounded by wine and spirits!). Sophie asked Duncan if he had any Honey Rum, but he had Honey Bourbon instead so we had a sip (delicious!) and I ended up buying a bottle as a treat, with a couple of bottles of strong beer for Keith as a tree present and to cheer him up as his cold is really rough.

Back home it was time to get cosy and curl up on the sofa to watch Lady and the Tramp!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Christmas Eve Eve

Today has been as busy as yesterday was slothful. Keith and I were out early to get the papers and called in to see Mum and Dad on the way home to take my Nan's present (they are going down to Kent on Christmas Day) and have a cup of coffee.

When we got back home we had a half hour slot to make breakfast before we had to go to work to pick up our turkey. However, minutes after getting home we had a phone call to say that Tesco had been so we rushed off earlier than planned!

Everything had been delivered so that was a relief! I have this dread that Christmas Day arrives and we have no turkey! From work we drove to a local Farm Shop to get the vegetables and the place was heaving! There was an air of hysteria as everyone rushed about making sure they had enough sprouts and it was quite funny really as there was plenty of food on display! We bought broccoli, parsnips, cabbage and a beautiful pork pie as a treat...not to eat with the turkey, I hasten to add, but for supper on Christmas Eve. I eat pork pie so rarely that it's a real treat to have one at Christmas!

Laden with our purchases we headed home and then Sophie and I went off to the gym for a swim and some lunch. It was lovely and quiet there (we were alone in the pool at one point) and we had a delicious lunch, wishing the cafe staff a Happy Christmas as we won't be back until after all the festive madness has finished.

As today has been lovely, weather-wise, we went off for a quick walk and to try and capture some sunset photos. However, we met Jenny on the way as we were saying hello to some horses and we had such a long conversation that it was almost dark! We also saw several other neighbours so it was a very social walk, but not many photos were taken!

Back home I curled up on the sofa with Mikey and we watched The Holiday, always a Christmas favourite. It was bliss to sip a glass of wine and realise that Christmas really is here!

A very lazy day!

Today I have done very little, and I don't feel guilty about it at all! To be fair, the weather has been atrocious with winds and heavy rain all day so there was nothing I could have done outside. When I took Sophie to work the roads were awash with water running off the fields and I dread to think what will happen if this rain continues.

It was lovely to just potter about, watch a few Christmas cookery programmes on BBC iPlayer (Keith was watching wall-to-wall sport) and keep an eye on the rain falling out of a dark grey sky. We certainly need all the twinkling lights we can get at the moment to chase this gloom away!

Last minute gifts!

Well, the world didn't end today, but then I never, for one moment, thought it would! It would have put a bit of a dampener on Christmas, though, if it had!

My Christmas holidays started today as I took the day off work and it's been very pleasant indeed. I took Sophie into school for her last day (of not doing much at all!) and then sped home to print off the photos I took last night. I was very pleased with the results but I needed to get two more frames with mounts as the photo didn't quite stretch to the very outer edges of the paper! Hmmm!

Keith came home from shopping (he's a brave man), we had breakfast and then we set off for Jones's for last minute gifts. Michael has a little (girl)friend who delivered a present to him earlier in the week (out of the blue...grrr!) which meant I needed to get one for her.

The traffic was starting to build as we headed into town and I can only imagine what it's going to be like tomorrow. As today was also the Winter Solstice, it was lovely to see some sun for a change, even if it was only for a few hours this morning. More rain and winds are forecast for the weekend which is certainly not good news!

We got the very last (I sincerely hope) of our shopping and then returned home where Keith wrapped himself up and settled himself on the sofa. He has a bad cold which is really bad luck coming up to Christmas and I just hope I don't get it as well!

I finsihed wrapping all my presents, was very pleased with the framed photos for Nan and Mum and then it was time to pick Sophie up from work where she'd gone for lunch with a bunch of her friends.

They were heading into town to get their nails done, going back to Abi's house and then going out for dinner. When I got to work they were finishing lunch and two boys had joined them! It was really good to see Sophie surrounded by her friends (both male and female) and it looked like they were having a great time!

I drove them into town and dropped them off in one of the large car-parks which I can only describe as "low-life central"...what a horrible place! It took me ages to get out of the car park and onto the main road as the traffic was horrendous!

It was bliss to get home, light all our candles to celebrate the Solstice, curl up on the sofa and watch a good film! I felt a bit guilty that I hadn't gone to the gym but I'm sure, after Christmas, we will both make up for our sloth!

Panto time!

It's always been a tradition for Mum and Dad to take the children to the Pantomime at Christmas and although we've missed a couple of years, we went along this evening to see Cinderella.

Dad drove so I was able to enjoy a whisky and lemonade before the performance and we all had a great time. The Panto starred Bobby Davro and Denise Welch and the cast, costumes and jokes were all brilliant. There was something for everyone - lots of adult humour, plenty of laughs for the children and it was very entertaining indeed. We even had two Shetland ponies on the stage when Cinderella's coach turned up to take her to the Ball!

Before we went I took some photos of the children as I'm going to print one off each for my Mum and Nan as Christmas presents...

Fairly typical behaviour!

Evening Tipple: Whisky and lemonade

Bucket List

2013 is looming and today I thought up 13 things I wanted to do next year as a way of having something to look forward to every month. I know that, technically, a Bucket List is a list of things to do before you die, but I thought it would be great to have one for next year, and Keith and Sophie have been thinking up some of their own ideas!

Here are mine:

1. Visit Saltaire near Bradford - a Victorian model village built by Sir Titus Salt for his mill workers. 
2. Drive to Berlin (maybe a bit dodgy this one but I'm going to persevere).
3. Visit a UK Christmas Market.
4. Walk through Dovedale in the Peak District.
5. Make a Christmas cake.
6. Write a short story - it's about time I got back into my writing.
7. Visit Coton Manor Gardens.
8. Climb at least one of the highest mountains in the UK - either Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis or Snowdon (hmmm...got to get that treadmill at the gym on a higher incline...)
9. Visit Portmeirion in Wales.
10. Ride one of the scarier roller coasters when we visit Florida, but NOT the Hulk!
11. Visit the National Gallery.
12. Read Wuthering Heights.
13. Grow a Sunflower from seed.

I wonder how many I will achieve before the end of 2013?!

Evening Tipple: McEwans Champion

Festive niggles!

Most of my working day today has been involved with sorting out staff for the Christmas holidays and placing an advert for a new cook as our current cook will be leaving in the New Year. I really wish, a lot of the time, that I could run a business that didn't involve employing a lot of staff!

We also went to Booker and bought all the staff gifts, which I always enjoy doing! It really feels like Christmas is very near now but I don't think the weather is going to be very festive, after all. The forecast is for rain and heavy winds over the next few days so it looks like we'll be having a grey Christmas rather than a white one!

Evening Tipple: Sparkling water

Moody Monday

Today hasn't really been the most enjoyable of days, but then compared to the poor people who have lost loved ones in Newtown, it's probably been paradise.

Keith was in at work with me today, but Ian had some personal family problems so he was out for most of the day. They'd both intended to do some repair work on one of our Fire Exit doors but that's had to be postponed until after Christmas so Keith, very bravely, accompanied me to the bank. I say bravely, because we were queuing for about thirty minutes with only two cashiers available, and one of those was occupied for the whole time we were there with a man who had about £1 million in 1p and 2p pieces! The queue stretched out of the door at one point with everyone grumbling about the wait! The whole bank is undergoing a complete refurbishment, which I think is completely unnecessary! If it ain't broke, don't fix it...just give us more staff so we don't have to spend half our lives in queues!

Back at work I made a festive lunch as this is the last Monday we are closed before the school holidays start. My turkey and cranberry sandwiches followed by mince pies went down very well, I think!

After work it was off to the gym for Sophie and me and unfortunately, a lot of things were broken, which was a bit annoying! The television screens on the cross-trainers and treadmills were going haywire and the piece of equipment I was on kept telling me that my heart rate was over 200...er, I don't think so! Having it keep flashing up with a warning was a mite disconcerting so I switched to another one and was reassured that I was within the normal range of bpm!

As swimming lessons have now finished we went off down for a swim and then a quick dip in the jacuzzi which was full of loud-mouthed men...time to head off home, we thought, and maybe a glass of delicious wine!

Evening Tipple: First Cape South African Shiraz

To the rescue!

Mum and Dad called this morning to ask if we could go and help them put the cover on their caravan, as they felt it was something they needed help with! We didn't hesitate, so after a quick breakfast and a shower we met them at their house and then followed them out to a village about ten miles away where they store their caravan.

It was a beautiful sunny morning with only the slightest hint of frost and the route took in lots of gorgeous countryside. There's a very good pub near to the farm where they keep the caravan and it's somewhere we always intend to go back to...but not today!

Putting the cover on the caravan was surprisingly easy and it was much better with the four of us doing it. Mum dispensed hot coffee and with the sunshine it was a very pleasant way to spend an hour in the fresh air. Mum and Dad were delighted that their pride and joy was all tucked up for the winter!

As soon as we returned home it was back out again to the gym for a quick swim followed by lunch in the cafe. We'd arranged to meet Mum at 3pm to go to Beckworth Emporium which was heaving with people, most of whom were either eating and drinking in the busy restaurant or taking part in the ice-skating.

I gave in to tempation and bought a couple of Christmas tree decorations, some little presents for the childrens' stockings and some mixed nuts for Keith. It's very easy to spend an awful lot of money at Beckworth but I was very good and didn't give into too much temptation!

Mum invited Soph and I in for a drink and then it was home for roast beef (delicious) and a spell of lolling about on the sofa!

Evening Tipple: South African Shiraz

Quiet contemplation.

Today has been busy but enjoyable. Our new hairdresser, Amy, arrived at 10am to cut mine and Sophie's hair and she managed to fit Keith in as well, which pleased him. Mikey stayed in his room as he now wants to grow his hair long again!

Once Amy had gone I hoovered up all the hair on the kitchen floor (lots of it!) and then it was time to take Sophie to work, before heading back home for lunch and a walk at 3pm. As the fields are so muddy (the rain last night was torrential) we walked into the village and down a rough track to the Nature reserve. It was a beautiful late afternoon and I'd forgotten how lovely this walk is as it's quite high up so the views across to the different villages and the fields and woods are wonderful. At the bottom of the track I just wanted to stand and savour the peace and the views but it was getting dark so we headed home in the dusk.

Sophie called while we were walking and wanted me to pick her up an hour earlier than agreed. Keith came into work with me and we had a good look at all the different Christmas decorations that have been put up outside people's houses...some very tasteful and some very naff! Whatever you think, it's still lovely to see the lights twinkling and I do miss them when they have to go down in early January. I sometimes think that that's when they're needed most, in the dark miserable months at the start of the year!

Once Sophie was delivered home, Keith and I went to the pub for an hour, to make up for being so lazy last night. Again, it was quiet and cosy and we had a very pleasant time chatting to Ian and soaking up the atmosphere!

Evening Tipple: Chablis

Drenched!

Well, the cold and frosty weather has disappeared to be replaced with dismal fog and then torrential rain! Keith helped out at work today and we went to Booker, which was a bit of a raw deal as we had to load and unload the car in a cold, driving rain. We got soaked!

The plan was to go out for a drink in the evening but after having a lovely, deep soapy bath I just felt like staying in as the weather outside was atrocious! Keith agreed so we lit candles in the conservatory and played a few games of cards over a bottle of wine and a couple of bottles of beer. With a three course meal to follow, courtesy of Tesco Finest, we had a very relaxed and enjoyable evening!

Evening Tipple: Chablis

Celebrating 93 years!

It was my Nan's 93rd Birthday today but it was also Sophie's 6th form Parents' Evening as well so I had to do a bit of juggling to make sure I could attend both!

I drove down to Kent on my own which I have to say was an enjoyable experience! I listened to Ken Bruce on Radio 2 and sang along to the songs and made very good time! Mum and Dad left 20 minutes before me but I caught them up on the slip road from the M25 at Dartford, which I thought was pretty amazing!

Nan was surrounded by cards and presents when we arrived and was having a lovely time. We had arranged for someone to come and test her hearing with a view to getting a hearing aid, which she wasn't too happy about, but it's a real pain to have to shout at her all the time and it must be horrible for her not to be able to hear what anyone is saying.

Rather than go out for lunch my Dad and my uncle went off to get a KFC take-away (awful) and then we had a cake, sang Happy Birthday and sat and chatted. By 3.30pm it was time for me to say goodbye and drive home so that I could pick Sophie up from work and then go to the school with her. Her three teachers were all very happy with her progress and said that she should do well in her forthcoming exams in January. I didn't know that the exams next month were the real deal and Sophie explained that they learn a certain amount and then have an exam! When I did A-levels we did two years of study and then sat an exam! How easy they seem to have it these days! No wonder so many people go to University!

When we finally got home after a fairly long day I sat with Keith in the conservatory and had a chat over a very good glass of South African wine. I said that I'm not going to the gym tomorrow because we've had something on every single night this week. Time to get home from work and just relax, I think!

Evening tipple : South African Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz

Four stuffed pears...and a mix-up with coats!

Today the landscape has looked beautiful. It's been one of those rare days when the trees and bushes were coated in white frost making the fields and hedgerows look magical. I just wish I'd had the time to take photographs.

After a busy day and a visit to the gym I went out with three friends to the Four Pears pub/restaurant in Little Houghton. Keith very kindly drove Lynda and me but once in the village it was clear that there was a lot going on as masses of cars lined the narrow streets. People were pouring out of the church so there must have been some sort of carol service going on and apparently it took Keith 15 minutes to get out of the village and onto the main road.

Andrea and Fiona were already well into their Gin and tonics in the lounge so after ordering more drinks at the bar we settled into the comfortable chairs to peruse the menus. The pub was not as busy as the last time we visited but there was still a nice atmosphere and the waiting staff were very attentive. I chose a spicy prawn broth to start, followed by pork belly with stuffing, creamed cabbage and mashed spuds as a main course. I was rather glad I went to the gym beforehand!

The food was delicious (the pork was sublime) but we managed to find room for cheese and biscuits, which on reflection, could have been shared between us as the portions were so big! There were four different cheeses, walnuts, grapes, celery and two different chutneys and by the end of the meal I felt well and truly stuffed, especially as I was wearing the jeans that are two sizes smaller than I normally wear!

We waddled back out into the lounge bar in search of our coats, only I couldn't find mine...I asked the waiter if he'd taken any coats somewhere else but he said no. There was one coat on the rack very similar in colour and style to my own coat so I had a good look at it to discover it was a Jaeger coat, three sizes smaller than mine! As there were still some women in the restaurant area I went back in to ask if the coat belonged to them, but no, it was unclaimed.

The waiter very kindly phoned a party that had been in and who he'd noticed trying on different coats but when he spoke to them they said they'd sorted out the problem and the woman had her own coat with her. I had no choice but to put the coat on as it was freezing outside and give my name and number to the waiter in the hope that the mistake could be put right!

I must admit, the coat is lovely and is about four times the price of my own that I bought in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill back on New Year's Day! However, I loved it, it was comfortable and my black gloves were in the pocket along with assorted tissues! The woman must realise that it's not her very expensive designer coat, surely!!

Evening tipple: A glass of Chenin Blanc followed by Chilean Pinot Noir!

Hectic evenings!

I can't remember the last time I just went home from work and stayed there, without having to go back out somewhere in the evening! Tonight was no exception as Sophie was working for us and rather than go all the way home, then drive back to work, then go all the way back home again, I stayed at work until 6pm. The weather today has been very foggy and frosty indeed and by 4pm it was really quite nasty, a real wintry December day.

I had barely got home before it was time to go out again, to take Mikey to his Army Cadets meeting, which he's really enjoying. There's only one night in the week now that we don't have anything on in the evening and I'm going to make sure that after Christmas, this one precious day will remain free for going home and just relaxing!

Evening Tipple : Nothing!

Two weeks today...

It will be Christmas Eve!

I'm the sort of person who tends to leave things until the last minute so although I've bought a few presents, there's still more that needs to be done before Christmas. It's also my Nan's birthday on Thursday this week - she'll be 93 - so I need to get her presents from all of us.

The forecast is for cold temperatures and snow this week which is not a good thing as I'm due to go down to Kent for Nan's birthday. On my own, I hasten to add, as I need to get back for Sophie's Parents' Evening at 6pm. Mum and Dad will travel down separately so I'm quite looking forward to the journey, in blissful solitude listening to Radio 2!

So, this week, no snow please!

Evening Tipple : Cotes du Rhone Villages 

Swimwear Malfunction...again!

It's been a pretty relaxed day today, which is just how Sundays should be!

Sophie had loads of homework to do so we postponed our gym visit until the late afternoon and just went for a swim. When I took my swimsuit out of my bag I noticed that the foam pads in the bust had somehow doubled over which made me look as if I had very weird shaped boobs! I tried to get them to go the right way but gave up and just shoved them to the side in an attempt to hide them under my arms but I felt quite self-conscious as I made my way down to the pool!

We swam for half an hour and then had a dip in the jacuzzi followed by a snack in the cafe. I have to say it wasn't one of the most enjoyable sessions I've ever had as there was a strange atmosphere in the spa for some reason...with some funny people wandering around! One man had an extremely hairy chest on which nestled a huge gold medallion! Not something you see every day, thank goodness!

Evening Tipple : Cotes du Rhone Villages

A wet and muddy walk!

 Today has been very enjoyable although the walk Keith and I embarked on this afternoon was extremely muddy and hard-going!

We were woken this morning just before 8am when my Dad called to say that there was a problem with one of the slides at work. I was in the middle of a vivid dream about trying to get to the hairdresser's by way of flooded fields on a bike...premonition of later, perhaps? At first I thought it was Sophie waking us by saying it had snowed (she thought it was Monday morning and we were all late for work and school) but then she said that it had been my Dad, so I called him to find out the problem. He'd left for work so Keith and I went in as well to find it wasn't a slide but one of our climbing ramps that had come away from its fixings. Dad was netting it off so the children couldn't climb it and said we would sort it out on Monday.

Keith and I returned home (I treated myself to a Costa Coffee Latte at the petrol station as a treat) and then I spent the morning doing household chores before taking Sophie to work at 12pm. Her friend, Abi, was starting work for us today so I did a quick induction with her, then headed home to wash my car and finish hoovering the house.

Keith and I were being nosey neighbours as a couple came to view Tim and Gill's house...she was blonde and driving a white BMW while he was dark and shortish and although I'm not certain, I don't think they'll be buying as they were barely there ten minutes. It's a shame we don't have net curtains as we could then be twitching them, but it's certainly fun looking out for potential buyers and seeing what they're like...after all these people will be living extremely close to us in the future!

At about 3.30pm Keith and I set off for our walk and once over the fields discovered that they were very wet indeed! We took a different route and ended up down at the stream that runs through the middle of the fields and it was very full and fast flowing. I let out a few shrieks as I tried to jump over the water, trying my hardest not to fall in and then have to walk home soaking wet!

By the time we reached home it was fully dark and groping our way across the fields and trying not to fall down a rabbit hole was not pleasant. I think we'll leave this walk for a while, unless it snows hard, as it's not my idea of fun to be slipping and sliding about in the mud and getting filthy! I think we'll have to invest in some welly boots or stick to the paths!

Back home it was into the bath for a well-earned soak and then I went to pick Sophie up from work. Keith and I had planned to go to the pub for a drink and order a Chinese take-away from the van in the village and we had a great time chatting to some old friends and soaking up the lovely atmosphere. We realised we've been going to our local for almost 24 years and I never tire of being in there and having a drink!


Evening Tipple : The rest of the bottle of Firemark Viognier from Argentina.

 

Road rage!

Incredibly, it's Friday again! I was expecting snow this morning but we awoke to heavy rain and grey skies, so a really miserable morning. However, within a few hours the grey gloom had gone to be replaced with blue skies and sunshine which was a good thing as we had to go to Booker and do the mammoth weekly shop for work. When we finished shopping Mum realised she'd left the cheque book on her desk so I volunteered to drive back and get it.

On the way I saw a lorry and a shiny black Audi TT wedged together on a roundabout...nobody was hurt but there were a lot of angry words being exchanged and I can only imagine what was being said, with each driver blaming the other! Keith, who has worked in distribution most of his life, has always told me never to overtake a lorry on a roundabout as it's so easy for the lorry to cut across a car and literally squash it! The amazing thing was that, only a few hours later, I saw it almost happen again, this time with a woman driving a Range Rover just in front of me! She at least had the sense to slam her brakes on and let the lorry go on its way!

Sophie and I went to the gym after work, even though I felt like just going home and lolling about on the sofa! I've had a headache and an achey throat and neck, but I think it may have been me sleeping in an awkward position, because once at the gym I felt a lot better and had loads more energy! We finished our session with a very relaxing dip in the jacuzzi, and I was so glad I went!

Evening Tipple : Firemark Viognier (Argentina)

We brace ourselves for Christmas shopping...

Although I do try and do a lot of my shopping online, I like to go and do some shopping the old fashioned way! Mum, Sophie and I went off to Milton Keynes after work to see if we could make some headway into our lists and I think I did pretty well!

We headed to Debenhams first and while Sophie and Mum looked at the Mac make-up I wandered around trying to get inspiration for what to buy Keith for Christmas. He said he wanted some aftershave so I visited the Chanel counter as I love Allure for Men and also their Bleu aftershave. I liberally sprayed myself with all the different scents so no doubt Keith will twig what I've been doing!

Mum and Sophie were still picking out different items so I went off to Marks and Spencers and bought my mum a new nightdress, which was very pretty indeed. The only thing was she came into the store just as I was standing in the queue so I hope she didn't see it!

Next up was the Menswear section and I managed to pick out a couple of very nice garments for hubby from me and the children. I just hope he likes them! I also saw a pretty bra and knickers set for Sophie but they didn't have her size so it's back to the computer for that, to maybe order it online.

The shopping centre wasn't very busy at all and it was quite comfortable to go from shop to shop without the huge crowds that appear at the weekend. We didn't go as far as John Lewis as the time was getting on but the centre looked very festive with gorgeous decorations. We left at 7pm and by 8pm we were all at home and I was stowing away my purchases in my hiding places, which I'm sure that the whole family know about!

Evening tipple: Cotes Catalanes Grenache

First snow!

We awoke to a very light dusting of snow this morning which thankfully didn't disrupt the day too much! Keith came into work with me and I had another very busy day, trying to get as much done as I could, including writing Christmas cards, wrapping presents for a party we have at work tomorrow and ordering the turkey! This week is flying by again!

The weather has been beautiful - cold and dry after the early snow, with blue skies and sunshine. The cold spell is set to continue, apparently, and if if stays like this I won't complain!

Sophie and I were at work until 6pm and then it was home for a quick snack before going off to the gym for a swim. We must be mad! It was freezing outside but it was great to get in the pool and get warm while we swam. Back in the changing rooms I was bemused to see a woman sitting half naked in front of the mirrors, rubbing body lotion into her boobs...surely there's a time and place?!!!

Evening tipple: Sparkling water

Catching up!

As yesterday was so busy I spent most of my working day catching up with office stuff and trying to get my head around the fact that we've reached another month end. Mum and I did manage to escape in the afternoon to one of the wholesalers we use and I bought crackers for Christmas Day, a tablecloth and some napkins...I'm getting the hang of Christmas! In fact, three weeks today and it will be the big day itself!

For once we didn't have anywhere to go to in the evening (apart from Mikey's Army Cadets) so it was bliss to get home and catch up with things there. I found more decorations stuffed in the top of our wardrobe and installed Jacqui Lawson's beautiful Advent Calendar on the home computer.

Keith and I ate alone for once which was a treat as the children had decided to eat earlier in the evening so we had a very civilised chat over a delicious steak and stout pie!

Evening tipple:  Sparkling water

Murky mist

Well, after the freezing temperatures of last night it was a bit of a shock to wake up to see heavy fog, rather than the frost I'd expected. It was about 7 degrees centigrade driving into work and although warmer I would far rather have a cold day with clear skies and sunshine. It was so dark and murky!

We had an extremely busy day at work as not only did I manage to clean out one of our ballponds but we also had to put up all of the decorations at work as well. I did the display under the slides which involved a lot of crawling around on my hands and knees with my head shoved into the scratchy depths of one of our Christmas trees. Ian and Keith had to rig up some power for me so I could put together our polar bear and sleigh which light up and are very pretty. Mum and Dad decorated two other trees so by the late afternoon we were all a bit weary and fed up with festive cheer.

The last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym as I'd been bending and stretching all day, but we went nevertheless and had a good workout, although I only did five minutes on the exercise bike rather than ten...after twenty minutes on the crosstrainer and almost a quarter of an hour walking fast, I'd had enough!

We also managed a swim and then I really did feel as if I'd done my bit for one day. I ached everywhere so it was lovely to sink into the warm water of the spa and then have an invigorating shower before heading home. Thank goodness today is over!

Not enough hours in the day!

There was so much I wanted (and needed) to do today but definitely not enough time to do it all! Sunday morning dawned beautiful and sunny but I had a late lie-in so I felt like I'd wasted half the day! After a quick breakfast, Keith and I put up our new icicle lights outside which look great. I just hope we don't get any strong winds before Christmas though, otherwise the whole lot will come falling down!

We chatted to Tim and Gill who live next door and received a bit of a shock when they said that they'd put their house on the market. Not a time I would choose to do it with Christmas so close, I must admit, but I'll be very sad to see them go as they've been great neighbours. It's certainly a drastic step to avoid hosting the next Wine Evening!

After we spoke to Tim and Gill we had another chat with Paul and Sue and then it was down to the business of finishing off the lights and then putting up our two trees indoors. I enlisted Sophie's help with the conservatory tree while Mikey and I decorated the green tree in our front window. I had to separate the children because of the arguments, unfortunately...not the ideal background to the tradition of dressing the trees!

I cleaned the house downstairs and within a few hours we were looking very festive indeed! It's certainly early for us to be decorated so soon in December!

I would have loved to have gone for a walk today but we went off to the gym instead for a swim - it would have been great to have done both but we just ran out of time. Liam got into the pool just after us and apologised for not making it to the last Wine Evening. Naturally, I forgave him for abandoning us and we chatted about the prospect of new neighbours, deciding to vet them when they view the house and if they're not up to scratch, sabotage the sale by being very anti-social...maybe Keith and I could have screaming argument and throw things at each other...! I definitely don't think this idea will go down well with poor Gill and Tim!

Sophie and I swam for about 45 minutes, then it was into the spa and a spell in the steam room before getting dressed and heading home in the rapidly chilling night. It was at freezing point when we arrived home and I mentioned to Keith to be careful in the morning because of all the water still on the roads around us.

I had a blissful couple of hours watching "It's A Wonderful Life" and crying my eyes out, as usual. I've lost count of how many times I've seen this film but it never fails to make the tears run down my face. This is the line that has me weeping:

"You see George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?"

Just wonderful!

December already!

I can hardly believe it's December...where did November go?

The idea was to clean the house in readiness for putting up the Christmas decorations tomorrow, but somehow we just ran out of time. Keith and I dropped Sophie off at work at 12pm then went off to Booker to get some more cups and saucers before popping into Homebase to look for some little hooks for the lights I'd bought for outside. I wanted icicles to hang around the front window but Keith was not pleased at all as he said they'd be far too long! We managed to eventually find what we needed and then we called into Tesco to pick up the swimsuit I'd ordered. The shopping centre was absolutely heaving and the thought of going in there and doing a weekly shop filled me with horror!

We took the cups and saucers into work before thankfully heading home to have a late brunch in the peace and quiet! I did manage to get all the decorations out of the wardrobe and test all the lights before putting them to one side and deciding to deal with them all tomorrow!

Before picking Sophie up from work at 6pm, I put my car through the car wash then headed to the gym for a half hour session on the crosstrainer and the bike. My time there was rounded off by a heavenly ten minutes in the jacuzzi (my new swimsuit fits perfectly!) and the steam room and then it was home to finally read the papers with a glass of wine before dinner. Bliss!

Another week over!

Another Friday, another week! Time is flying by so fast, before we know it, it'll be 2013!

Sophie and I went to the gym after work, via home first as Sophie's friend had somehow managed to take her iPod home and Soph just couldn't go to the gym without it! However, we waited for about twenty minutes for her friend to bring it around but went without it in the end, otherwise it wouldn't have been worth going!

Sophie really wasn't in the mood so we cut it short and had a dip in the jacuzzi before heading home in the frosty evening. The weekend is set to be cold with even a hint that we might get some snow!

Granny visiting

It's been a beautifully cold day today with a frost this morning and lovely blue skies. Just how I like winter to be!

I put some food down for the crows who were a bit confused this morning as I was in a different car and wearing different clothes. However, when I called out to them they were soon pecking away at the food I'd left! This is a photo of one of the crows and the squirrel from the other day:

 

Not a brilliant picture as I couldn't get very close!

Mum and I went off down to Kent today to see Nan and had a great journey, both ways. While we were there we popped into Dartford to do some shopping for her and I called into the library to see if they had any old maps of the town as I needed to do some research for my family tree. I was delighted to find they had a whole section of old maps and lots of books on local history so in the New Year I'll come down with mum and we'll spend a few hours having a look at the books and seeing if we can glean any more information from them!

My son...the scruffbag!

We told Mikey this morning that he was to meet us after school rather than go on the bus as the need for new school shoes for him had now reached the desperate stage.

Because of this we only took one car to work as Sophie had asked whether we could go to the gym later in the evening as she said she "had mounds of homework to do". It was actually good to give my poor little car the day off as the amount of miles I've been doing is far more than I anticipated. I've had the Audi for a year now and I've driven almost 14,000 miles in it so about 2,000 more than the average and 4,000 more than the allowed amount if I'd leased it!

At 3.15pm we went off to the school to pick up the kids but only one turned up. When they were younger and at Primary School together, one would always come out early while the other would be the last to emerge, a bit like waiting for luggage to arrive after a flight! We waited another five minutes for Mikey but he was nowhere to be seen so we had no choice but to drive up to the school and do battle with the buses and the other parents picking up their children.

Sophie went off to find him and they eventually emerged with Mike protesting that "I have a lot on my mind" which was basically just an excuse for forgetting we were picking him up...

We dropped Sophie off at work, as I just couldn't handle two of them in Brantano's, both clamouring for the latest fashions. When we got out of the car and went into the shop I was ashamed to see the real state of my son's shoes...the left one was flapping about as the upper had come away from the sole, while the right shoe was all torn. His school trousers were covered in mud and he looked like a complete scruffbag!

We quickly found him a pair of new shoes and I didn't even bother putting them in the box as there was no way I was going to let him wear his old ones again. Keith swears that the shoes weren't in that state when he left for school so I can only imagine what Mike had been up to during the day to get them like that.

As we were looking at the other shoes, Mikey spotted a pair of trainer -type shoes (high-tops?) that he desperately wanted so I bought them for him on the understanding that he paid me back from his savings! (They weren't cheap!)

Back at work Keith, Mikey and I mended a rivet in one of our slides that had come loose. It sounds an easy job but it involved Mikey crawling into the slide and putting the screw through the hole so Keith could then screw it into place from the other side. Keith had already attempted it in the morning and had decided that coming down the slide was a good idea...only it wasn't as he got stuck and couldn't get out!  Our slides aren't designed for burly men! With Mikey helping we managed to do it so that's one less thing to worry about!

When we got home I disappeared upstairs for a soak in the bath and when I came back downstairs half an hour later I found Sophie watching TV. "What about your homework?" I asked, to be told it was all done!

I was pretty mad as it meant we could really have gone to the gym at about 4.30pm, which is the time we usually go. I'd had a bath, was all warm and sleepy and the thought of going out into the cold and doing a workout at 8pm no longer appealed. We ended up having a short, sharp argument with me refusing to go out again and the rest of the evening was spent curled up on the sofa watching "I'm A Celebrity"...bliss!

It's all go!

Today has been another busy day, doing lots of driving about (no wonder my fuel bill is so high!). I dropped Sophie off at school this morning at 7.15am as she was off to Birmingham for a conference. It was all to do with prisons and ex-prisoners as part of her Psychology A Level and she was really looking forward to it.

I left her outside the school (in the dark, horrible!) with several of her fellow pupils, went off to get some diesel and managed to resist buying a pastry and a Costa Coffee Latte in the shop, which was quite a feat!

Keith and I had to go back and pick her up at 5.30pm and what an ordeal that was...there must have been 20 coaches picking up students from the nearby college and the traffic in the village was horrendous. Keith and I had a furious row about driving so I flounced out of the car and threw the keys at him so he could battle through the traffic on the way home!

We managed to have dinner and clear away by 7pm and then it was time to take Mikey to the Army Cadets for his first meeting. He'd been wanting to go for a while so I'd called them and found out the nearest centre which wasn't too far away. It was a huge surprise when we got there to find that a close neighbour of ours was in charge! We had no idea!

So, it was off home for a couple of hours and then back at 9.30pm to pick Mikey up. He'd had a great time and we really hope that he gets accepted into the Army Cadets as I think it will do him a lot of good. There's so much to do and get involved with and I think it will be great for him to have an interest and get out and do different things!

Watching wildlife!

Keith and I were amused today at work when we watched one of our crows and a squirrel eye each other up over some food I'd put down. I try and feed our family of crows every day as they now appear when I drive into the car park and one of them makes a right row by calling to the other birds to "Come and get it!". I know that crows are very intelligent indeed, and I'm sure they recognise my voice when I call to them!

The squirrel was sniffing around at the food and it was obvious that the crow wasn't too happy about it, but even though he kept getting ready to fly away, he stood his ground! We also have a very persistent robin, several magpies and a family of rabbits who also live on the rough ground that borders our car park. I love that this area is left as a wilderness for birds and animals to make their home in and just hope this never changes. We have a very large roundabout near us and the land adjoining it, full of beautiful trees and bushes, is up for sale, for commerical development. I just wish I had the money to buy it and leave it as it is.

Apart from standing and watching the birds and squirrels, we've had a busy day today, cleaning all of our tube slides as they were rather dusty! After work it was back to the gym for a good workout and a short swim. I think I may sleep well tonight!

The hunt for a swimsuit...Part 2!

I slept rather badly last night as the wind raged and the rain lashed down outside, probably due to the amount of alcohol and food I'd consumed! It's definitely back on the diet and back to the gym on Monday!

Today, though, I felt a bit tired and a bit hungover and I really just wanted to curl up on the sofa all day but Sophie, after all her friends had gone home, wanted to go shopping in Milton Keynes...Ugh! I needed to go as well because my swimsuit had now malfunctioned as well - the underwire in the bust had come loose and had lodged itself under the drum of our washing machine, so although I'm getting away with it for now, I really need another costume!

We left at lunchtime and the driving was made difficult by the bright sunshine, such a contrast to yesterday! We found a parking space relatively easily and were soon on the hunt for new clothes but there were no swimsuits to be had at all! The shops are just full to the rafters with Christmas booty and winter clothes and even though I did find a rack of swimsuits in John Lewis, they were £55 each!
Sophie spent all her money within about 30 minutes and deciding that it really was a bit too busy we headed for home, although I did buy some Christmas cards so I'm slowly getting in the mood!

Back home I fell asleep on the sofa and then watched Miracle on 34th Street (the original) with a couple of glasses of Cloudy Bay that Sue and Paul foisted on me. After a night's breathing it was still fairly intense, but I drank it nonetheless!

Was it worth it?

Today has been busy! It was the Wine Evening at Sue and Paul's house tonight and Sophie had asked if she could have some friends over to stay so we made sure that the house was all clean - especially the conservatory where they were going to sleep - and Keith and I had to go and get more drinks for them which meant a long trek over to Kettering, as the small Tesco store near work (Sophie still had to go in today) had no choice whatsoever.

The weather has been foul with grey mist and damp in the morning and heavy rain and winds in the afternoon which stretched into the evening. I ran over to Sue and Paul's house with the wine glasses and two decanters, plus all the tasting sheets and got soaked!

The Wine Evening was a much smaller affair than normal tonight. Three of the members were otherwise engaged and the fourth didn't turn up at all so there were just six of us which was a bit disappointing as I was really looking forward to putting the wines to the test and seeing whether it's worth paying quite a bit extra for a more expensive wine.

I think the resounding agreement was no, it's not! My wine, a New Zealand Cloudy Bay at a smidgen under £20 from Waitrose was way too intense for my taste with a pronounced cat's pee smell and a tart acidity. As it was a 2012 vintage, maybe it was a bit too young. The exact equivalent from Aldi at £5.49 was much more subtle which made me think this was the more expensive wine! My Dad brought a £20 bottle of Rioja, also from Waitrose, but his cheaper bottle of Tempranillo was just as good and none of us thought we could justify the extra expense. Sue and Paul's Merlots were both delicious, but the £2.99 version was very good indeed!

It was a great night, though, with lots of beautifully presented, delicious food, but I couldn't help feeling guilty that I hadn't decided to postpone the evening as Sue and Paul had put on an impressive spread and there's only so much that six of us can eat! Keith broke his no alcohol rule and enjoyed several beers and rather a lot of wine so he might have a headache tomorrow!

New ideas!

Guy from Justinflatables came in to see us today to discuss ideas for some new equipment that is long overdue. He's always welcome (being rather handsome!) and it was great to see him and his design for a new slide, padded soft play area and a small bouncer for the tots. We loved his design so we've decided to go ahead and hopefully, the new equipment should be delivered in the New Year. Our Tots area is long overdue an overhaul but it means that Keith and Ian will need to completely dismantle the existing framework to make room for the new bits! I'm really looking forward to seeing it installed.

Sophie and I went off to the gym after work and worked hard, ending our session in the spa as usual. I'm just glad it's now officially the weekend!

Technology!

I spent all evening playing with my new phone that arrived on Tuesday, and transferring some music onto it so I can play it at the gym. I had all our gadgets lined up in a row as they all had Bluetooth and I was hoping to be able to send music from my old phone (and Sophie's old iPod that she gave to me) seamlessly to the new phone...but no! They all seemed to be aware of each other but they refused to share the music, so I had to connect the phone to my laptop and do it that way instead!

Outside the wind raged and the rain fell down in torrents so there'll be more flooding no doubt!

Wild and woolly!

Today has been rather wet! It's rained constantly all day and when I went to pick up Sophie from school, I had to drive through some pretty huge puddles! The area around her school had standing water and it was gushing onto the roads from the fields.

Before we left the gym to come home (after being there for almost 3 hours!) Keith called to tell us not to go our usual way as there was a flood right across the road. We carried on along the main road and came to a tree that had almost been blown over! It was right across one lane so we all had to gingerly avoid it and then we had to edge our way around two lorries that had either broken down or had incurred some damage, so it was a bit of an obstacle course! I should have gone home my normal way!

In for the long haul...

Today we gave poor Polly the day off as she has certainly put in some hours just lately at work, so it meant that Mum, Dad, Sophie and me were there until we closed at 6.30pm. We had a party in the evening which Sophie looked after and it was great to finally get home at 7pm and jump into the bath to relax before dinner.

Dad was rather desperate to get home (I don't blame him!) and turned all the lights off while the party parents were still packing the presents away! However, it's not often we have to stay late so it wasn't a problem and just makes us appreciate Polly all the more!

Mistaken identity!

I am known in my family for making an idiot of myself on a regular basis and today I did it again! I went to the gym alone this evening as Sophie wimped out on me for a second time. Actually, she has a really bad cold and wasn't feeling like working out so I sent her home with Mum and Dad while I went off on my own.

To be honest, I didn't feel like going, either, but that's a dangerous thought as it's so easy to make excuses and before you know it, you can get out of the habit! I did pretty well, though so I was feeling very satisfied with myself when I made my way down to the spa and saw a man who I was convinced was the son of my Dad's old boss, from about 30 years back. I'd spotted him every time I'd been just lately and I was 99% sure that it was him. If it was, we'd worked together very briefly when we were teenagers in the factory, doing a wonderful job of putting bacon on racks before it went into the ovens. My Dad used to work for one of the biggest food factories in Northampton so I was able to get a job for a couple of weeks before I went off trekking in Nepal when I was 19.

Anyway, this man looked so much like his father I plucked up the courage to ask if his Dad had worked for Telfer's and he said no! I hurriedly said sorry and fled into the darkness of the spa, feeling a bit of an idiot. I just hope he didn't think it was an innovative chat-up line!

Resisting the urge!

Today has been busy, but enjoyable! Keith and I went out for a walk in the morning as the weather was truly beautiful - gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine with a frost lightly covering the ground. We just did our normal walk over the fields and it was so good to get out into the fresh air and feel the sun on our faces!

After our walk, Sophie and I went off to the gym and had a swim and a session in the spa - supremely relaxing - followed by lunch and a look at the cafe's new menu. They have listed the calories next to every choice...not sure if that's a good idea, but it does stop us ordering very naughty meals!

From the gym we drove to Beckworth Emporium as we needed some more incense sticks and we can only seem to get them there. The place was bustling as the ice-rink had been installed for the run-up to Christmas (and beyond) and the whole place was looking very festive indeed. We browsed the racks of decorations and really, you could go mad if you wanted to, as there were hundreds to choose from, with hefty price tags attached. I particularly liked the Scandanavian themed decorations and the white wooden stars that would look great on the doors, but then I thought, is it really necessary? Would our Christmas be so much better if I had wooden stars on all the doors?! I told Sophie she could pick one decoration to add to our collection but she decided on some chocolate instead!

I treated myself to a bottle of Southern French Grenache Noir red wine and with some nougat for Keith, we headed home before I could go on a made (and regrettable) spending spree!

As it was still a beautiful late afternoon I washed my car and then settled down on the sofa with Keith to read the papers. The wine I bought turned out to be delicious and I might even take a bottle to the Wine Evening with me to see what the others think!

Leaves!

I woke up rather late this morning as I just couldn't get to sleep last night (I ended up coming to bed at 2am) so it was a bit of a groggy start to the day. I hate waking up so late at the weekend because then I feel as if I've missed out on valuable time!

Sophie was back at work today so after I dropped her off I came home, did a few household chores and then swept up all the leaves that had gathered under the bushes in the front garden. As we only have one very small tree that sheds its leaves, I did wonder where the huge mass of leaves had come from! There was enough to half-fill our wheelie bin! It was good, though, to get out in the fresh air and it wasn't too cold. I wonder if we're going to get the severe winter that's been forecast?

Before I knew it, it was time to pick up Sophie from work and head to the gym for a swim. To my delight Sophie found a book in her locker that had been left behind by someone who has joined Book Crossing, where you register a book on the site, read it and then leave it for someone else to read. You can track the book's travels on the site. Sounds a great idea to me and I'm definitely up for a free read!

Friday...again!

Yet again, we've reached another Friday and luckily it's been a quiet, uneventful end to the week. I picked Sophie up from school and she asked if we could give the gym a miss tonight as she was tired. Hmmm! I said that she could go home with my mum but that I was going as I was looking forward to a workout followed by a dip in the jacuzzi.

Nothing I said could persuade her so we parted amicably and she left with my mum while I went off to the gym to work hard! In a way I was glad she went home as it meant I didn't have to rush and I did indeed have a lovely relaxing time in the spa!

Wine talk!

Sophie was working for us again this evening and as I really didn't fancy staying behind at work I decided to go out and buy my wine for the forthcoming Wine Evening. I needed to buy a cheaper wine and a more expensive one so I first went to Aldi and managed, by sheer luck, to get a wine very comparable to my more expensive wine, which I bought in Waitrose.

Whilst I was in the shop I recognised a voice and saw my friend Ann who has been working as the Wine Specialist for 30 years! We did our wine exams together years ago so it was great to see her again, as although I visit this branch on a regular basis, I hadn't seen her for ages! We had a really good chat about all things wine related and she sold me a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau which arrived on the shelves today. I'd forgotten all about it, to be honest, but I'll certainly look forward to drinking it over the weekend!

A very indulgent evening!

After work I headed off to the gym leaving a very grumpy Sophie behind! She was not too pleased that I was going for a workout while she had to look after two parties! Before I headed upstairs to the changing rooms I popped into the Beauty Salon to see if I could book myself in for an eyebrow shape but they were able to fit me in there and then, which was a bonus!

The therapist who did the treatment was excellent and I was there for about half an hour while she waxed, then tweezered my unruly eyebrows! Afterwards they looked a bit red but I did my workout and then went down to the pool for a quick swim. I got back to work five minutes late, much to the disapproval of Sophie!

Back home I hurriedly changed and put on some make-up as I was off out for a meal with Sue, Laura and Lynda. We'd booked a table at The Stuffed Olive in Northampton and Keith had very kindly offered to drive us there so we could all have a glass or two of wine.

We had a lovely meal, with beautifully cooked food, and for a change I went all fishy, starting with a seafood basket (prawns, mussels, calamari) and then I tried Monkfish for the first time which was delicious. We had two bottles of a very fruity red wine from Southern France, desserts of Key Lime Pie, Baklava and cheese and biscuits, so all in all, a great evening with lots of gossip!

While we were waiting for Keith to arrive we popped into a Polish supermarket and had a great time amusing ourselves by comparing huge Polish sausages...hmmm!

A rant about Christmas...

Well, it's happening already, isn't it? On Sunday night we watched the first episode of I'm A Celebrity on ITV and we were just bombarded with adverts about Christmas! To me, it almost verged on hysteria as all the big shops lined up to hit us with their idealised versions of the festive season, showing "happy" families preparing for the big day and stuffing as much food and drink into their mouths as possible. And as for the new John Lewis Christmas advert...call me a cynic but it's Bah Humbug from me...!

I wish with all my heart that we were escaping this country again in December - Christmas was heaven last year and so low-key in Lanzarote! I am dreading all the build-up to what is, essentially, one single day, when lots of families just can't afford to provide loads of presents for their children and tables groaning with food. The stress to have the perfect Christmas is ridiculous!

I think there should be a law introduced that bans all mention of Christmas until early December. My two have already written out their lists of what they want with Michael asking for some truly strange presents, including a Ken (as in Ken and Barbie) doll...huh? Is he having me on? And some Meme (???) bed covers? What's all that about?

To be honest, I don't want anything, other than all of this hysteria to die down and for us to have a magical and peaceful Christmas where the emphasis is placed on celebrating with family and friends and just being thankful for what we have already. I would like snow, long walks in the country, a cosy pub with a log fire and an endless loop of It's A Wonderful Life playing in the background...with no adverts to ruin the dream!

Snuffling my way through the day!

We were closed to the public today so it was great to get a lot of things done and have a bit of breathing space before we open again tomorrow. I spent most of the morning with our Health and Safety consultant who was very pleased with the progress we'd made with a couple of things since his last visit. He said he was definitely not worried about our business which was reassuring to hear!

The weather in the afternoon was horrible and I picked Sophie up from school in the pouring rain. It wasn't until we got back to work that we realised her gym bag was still in Keith's car...who was at home! It would have been so easy to leave going to the gym tonight, but we decided to drive home, pick up her bag and then go and it only made us about half an hour later than normal.

I'm glad we did go, though, as we had a lovely time and I did all my exercises despite my yukky cold! We even managed a blissful swim afterwards and on the way back up to the changing rooms I met my fellow Wine Club member Liam and we chatted about the forthcoming evening. I'm really looking forward to it as we're comparing a standard wine and a more expensive wine so I'm hoping it will be very interesting indeed!

We hurriedly showered and dressed and sped home, getting back to start the dinner just before Keith returned from the pub! Ooops!

Sunny Sunday...at last!

Today dawned sunny and cold - perfect for getting outside for some fresh air! I washed my filthy car in the morning which gave me the opportunity to have another long chat, this time with Sue who lives over the road. I haven't seen her for a while so we had a catch up and finalised plans for our meal out next week.

At lunchtime Soph and I headed off to the gym for a swim and it was very quiet indeed. Not only because there weren't many people about, but also because the music system was not working so the whole place had a hushed atmosphere which was certainly different to normal! We swam up and down for about 20 minutes but the cold that was brewing yesterday has taken hold and my energy levels were a bit on the low side! I sat in the steam room again, soaking up the lovely warmth and then it was time for a shower and lunch in the cafe.

Mum and I went off to an Antiques Fair in a nearby village in the afternoon and she bought a beautiful "Masons" bowl as she collects this type of pottery. There weren't that many stalls and my cold worsened while we were there so we called it a day earlier than normal and I went home to sneeze all over my poor family and sit on the sofa feeling sorry for myself!

Backwards and forwards...

Sophie took today as a holiday from work as she is off to see Russell Kane at Derngate tonight and wanted plenty of time to get ready for her evening out and to have a meal at Pizza Hut with her friend Susie before the show started.

We went off to the gym in the morning and had a workout, and we were just about to go down for a swim when my mobile rang. It was my Mum saying we had problems with staff at work and could we go in for a couple of hours to help out? Another five minutes and she wouldn't have been able to get hold of us for another hour! We didn't have time to have a shower so we just flung our clothes on and dashed off!

Neither of us was very pleased about the situation, but we went in to find that one of the party girls had gone home sick and another member of staff was on holiday as well, but had forgotten to put her name down in the diary as having the day off! Within half an hour of us being there, things had calmed down as Dad was already in and Mum came in to help as well, so we actually had double the amount of staff we needed!

Sophie and I stayed until 3pm and then we headed home so she could get herself ready. I was planning to go back to the gym as it's next to Pizza Hut and have a swim while Sophie and Susie had their meal, and then take them into Northampton.

While Sophie was titivating herself I swept up all the leaves on the driveway and had a lovely long chat with Gill next door which was great as usually we only say a quick hello as we're putting rubbish out or going to the garage. Her husband had been hard at work for most of the day jet washing the driveway and had put ours to shame!

I had a very relaxing time in the pool while Sophie and Susie were having their pizza and swam for half an hour before sitting in the steam room in an effort to ward off a cold that I can feel coming. When I emerged into the chilly night air to take the girls into Northampton I felt great and full of energy but I have a feeling this cold will get to me tomorrow!

Pure indulgence!

As it was Mum's birthday today, I went into work early to decorate her desk with balloons and banners, which she was delighted with! She opened her present from me, a gift voucher for a local Beauty Salon, so she can go and have a pamper and treat herself without feeling guilty!

All three of us went to Booker this morning to do the weekly shop as we have another sleepover at work tonight - this is the second one in a week and I just feel for Polly who has to bed down on the floor of the office! We had to get so much stuff we couldn't fit it all in Dad's car so my little A1 was roped in to help!

It hasn't all been hard work, though, as we went off to lunch at The Windhover to celebrate Mum's Birthday and we had a very good meal of beer battered cod which was cooked to perfection. It's been ages since we went out to lunch from work as generally we now have to help out, so it was a lovely treat to escape for a couple of hours.

I picked up both children from school and took them back to work so they could wish Mum a Happy Birthday, we had some gooey chocolate cake and then Keith dropped Sophie off at a friend's house while I went to the gym on my own as I really didn't want to miss another session.

Well, I had a really lovely time - I did all my weights, did 20 minutes on the crosstrainer and the treadmill and a 5 minute cool down on the bike and watched Come Dine With Me which certainly helped pass the time! The pool was a bit busy with no Slow Lane open so I had a very indulgent 10 minutes in the jacuzzi followed by a lovely shower! Bliss!

I am NOT going to get old!

Today Mum and I drove down to Kent to see Nan as she's now home from hospital and she was due to go and have her eyes checked at the Optician's.

However, when we arrived she said she didn't want to go as it was too much bother to get ready! Hmmm! She now has carers coming in morning and night to help her get dressed and it just made me all the more determined not to get old and dependent! If it comes to it, I will make my exit in a dramatic way - such as driving off a short pier in a very fast car, preferably with some good Scotch inside me!

We stayed until the usual time and made it through the tunnel quicker than I expected despite the huge jams that now seem to be a feature of the journey home. By 7pm I was sipping a glass of very good red Bordeaux and looking forward to beef casserole!

Not a good day!

Today hasn't been one of the most enjoyable days so the least said about it, really, the better!

I managed to track down a swimsuit for Sophie in Next but the assistant had to go into the back of beyond to get it as all their swimwear stock had been put away for the winter! It was a pink polka dot costume with a padded bust and ruched sides and was very pretty, Well, I thought so anyway!

As it's Mum's birthday on Friday I spent the afternoon rushing around buying her cards and presents as tomorrow we're both down in Kent and I won't have any time. It's typical of me to leave everything until the last minute!

When I picked Sophie up from school I told her I had a swimsuit, but I didn't quite get the reaction I hoped for when she saw it and was then adamant that she didn't like it. That just worsened the already bad mood I was in, so instead of staying at work with her (she was doing a party for us) I flounced off home and had a long soak in the bath.

Our plan had been to go to the gym later in the evening but even this was cancelled as Sophie had so much homework to do but didn't tell me this until I'd picked her up from work at 6pm. Grrrrr!!!

Hunting high and low!

I made it my mission to get Sophie a new swimsuit today...and failed!

As the schools have now gone back and we were a little quieter Mum and I managed to get out of work and do some shopping (mostly for myself!). We went to three shops to look for the elusive swimsuit and in each one the sales assistants looked at us as if we were mad...swimming, in winter? Er, yes, people do go swimming and they even - gasp! - go on holiday to warmer climes!

After work I dashed home as I had an appointment for my hair to be coloured with Amy, our new mobile hairdresser. She took a lot of time getting it right and now I have shiny auburn locks with no more grey!

Swimsuit malfunction!

We had a busy day at work today as we had 100 children in from a school based in Leicestershire and it was my job to make sure they were playing safely and not doing anything silly! I actually enjoyed it very much as they were all very well-behaved and had a lovely time enjoying themselves and letting off some steam. It was great to see their smiley faces as they sped down our big slide!

Once they'd gone we did all the cleaning and then Sophie and I went off to the gym. I have to admit I felt a wee bit weary, but amazingly, I did far more this evening than I do normally and burned off about 400 calories on the cross-trainer and the treadmill.

We were all set to go downstairs for a swim and I'd just got into my bathing suit (not an easy task when I'm all sweaty!) when Sophie said she had two holes in her swimsuit! She showed me where they were (right on the bum) so we had to cancel our dip in the pool and settle for a shower instead!

Even more cold November rain!

Today the weather has been atrocious! Keith and I went out to get the papers and the roads were covered in large puddles of water and millions of fallen leaves. It was the sort of day to stay at home and be cosy, so that's what we did!

I couldn't face the gym this morning so we had the day off, vowing to work hard tomorrow. Sophie transferred all the photos she took yesterday to my kaptop, edited them and then sent them to a USB memory stick and did some homework while Keith and I prepared dinner and then relaxed. Well, I say relax, but I decided to try and do some research into my family tree but I found it extremely frustrating! Why do certain members of my family remain so elusive?!! I felt like throwing my laptop out of the window by the end of the afternoon!

I found staying off the alcohol very difficult this evening as I love a glass of red wine with the Sunday roast, so I had a couple of glasses, content in the knowledge that I'd been good all week!

Cold November Rain...

I'm pretty sure the forecast for today was for a sunny, dry day but on the way to get the newspapers this morning the sky became cloudy and we had heavy rain. At one point I did think we were going to have a few flakes of snow as it was certainly cold enough! Sophie wasn't working today (she worked every day of the half-term holidays) so we went off to Lyveden New Bield so she could take some photographs for her homework.

Lyveden New Bield is an intriguing house started in 1595 by Sir Thomas Tresham but it was never finished and stands on its own, surrounded by farmland, unchanged since work stopped in 1605, when Sir Thomas Tresham died. His son, Francis Tresham, was involved with the Gunpowder Plot, which I thought was nicely topical!

We wandered around the house and grounds taking lots of photos and as there were very few visitors we almost had the place to ourselves. There were some remanants of Halloween lying around, perfect for children!

Someone obviously has a sense of humour!

In the summer the grounds are beautiful, but we were still able to take some good photographs as the sun came out and the rain cleared.

There was no cafe but we enjoyed a hot chocolate and a flapjack from the little office and shop which certainly warmed us up as we were freezing cold! The house is quite exposed and the wind was vicious so after a lovely chat with the two women who look after the place we drove home.

On the way we saw a huge bird hovering over some road kill. It may have been a buzzard but whatever it was, it was big! We spent a couple of leisurely hours at home before heading off to the gym to meet mum and dad. I was dismayed to find that the pool was closed yet again as this time somebody had been sick in it! It was a good job we hadn't decided to just go for a swim as we normally do on a Saturday afternoon as it would have been a complete waste of a journey.

We did half a workout and then joined mum and dad in the spa before heading home to get ready for the firework display in the village. I must admit to having second thoughts about going but it is a tradition for us so we all walked up just in time to see the bonfire being lit. As Keith and I are still not touching alcohol we couldn't even warm ourselves up with a glass of mulled wine and standing waiting for the fireworks to be lit was freezing! The it started to rain so we watched the display for a little while and then headed home to chilli and rice, perfect for warming us up. It was good that we left when we did as minutes after we arrived home, the heavens opened and the rain became torrential!

Hooray! It's Friday!

Having said that, this week has sped by at the speed of light so I can't complain! It's been a good week despite it being half term and the noise only really started getting to me this afternoon, so that's not bad!

It's been a beautiful day today so I was surprised we were as busy as we were, but we managed to get away at 4pm and go to the gym for a workout and a swim. My hair has been like straw recently, with all the swimming and the chlorine in the pool, so I went straight home and applied a deep conditioning treatment and left it on for two hours. Tomorrow Sophie and I are having our hair cut at home so I'm going to have a couple of inches lopped off to neaten the rather straggly ends!

I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since last Sunday evening so I'm feeling rather smug...whether I can be good over the weekend is another matter, though!

Skyfall

After work this evening we all went to the cinema to see the new James Bond film, Skyfall. I'm a big fan of the James Bond films so I was really looking forward to seeing the new one, after all the hype and adverts about it.

I enjoyed the film very much, but I still think Casino Royale is the best. For me, Skyfall didn't seem like a Bond film with not much glamour, hardly any Bond women and not that much action, although I thought the ending was very good. I wasn't keen on Javier Bardem's blond hair either! Rather than him being a menacing baddie, I thought he came over as a bit ridiculous!

There were also very few glamourous locations with a lot of the action taking place on our own British soil. I did think, though, that the opening credits were some of the best I've ever seen and Adele's voice was beautiful. I also liked the fact that the Aston Martin from Goldfinger made an appearance but I wasn't that happy with what happened to it at the end! I just hope it was a model!

After the film we all went off to Pizza Hut for a meal and the restaurant was very quiet indeed, despite it only being 8.30pm. We shared two large pizzas and indulged in the ice-cream factory...it's back to the gym tomorrow!

Liquid bliss!

After work Sophie and I met Mum and Dad at the gym all ready to do a good workout...only there was one problem - Sophie forgot her trainers!

Leaving Mum and Dad to get on with their sessions, Sophie and I went straight to the pool and had almost an hour of swimming which was great, especially as the pool wasn't crowded at all. I made Sophie swim up and down almost continuously, to make up for not doing our exercises upstairs, so I think we burned off lots of calories!

Mum and Dad joined us for a short while and then it was into the spa to relax which was heavenly!

The journey home was not very blissful, though as it was pouring with rain and blowing a gale. I didn't think, with the terrible weather, we would get many trick or treaters, but I was very wrong! We had a steady procession of ghosts, ghouls, draculas and witches throughout the evening but thankfully we had more than enough treats to keep them happy!

A moonlight walk

It's been another lovely day so I made sure I was home on time this evening to go for a walk with Keith before it got dark at around 5pm. Now the clocks have gone back we've lost about an hour of daylight in the evening so very soon our walks will have to stop.

We had a great walk and think we saw a little Muntjac deer on the path over the fields. It was a bit gloomy so it was difficult to make out what it was but it certainly looked like one! It took off before we were very close but we know that there are deer about as we've seen them before. We also saw lots of pheasants and rabbits so walking at dusk is obviously a good time to see wildlife. A huge moon hung in the sky, partly obscured by clouds and I just wished I was able to capture the colours of the sky on my camera.

By the time we arrived home at 5.30pm it was properly dark and it was great to jump in the bath and get warm!

Half-term looms...!

It's half-term this week, traditionally one of the busier holidays for us as the weather can be chilly and wet. Today, however, was beautiful with lots of sunshine but despite this we were still quite busy, albeit a "nice" busy!

After work, Sophie and I found time to go to the gym and do a workout followed by a leisurely swim as swimming lessons aren't on this week. It makes a difference to be able to swim after we've worked out and we finished up in the spa as usual, soaking in the frothy bubbles!

Keith has decided to give up beer until Christmas (despite a Wine Evening booked for November!) and I'm going to try as well - not until Christmas, but at least for a couple of weeks. I'm hoping it will add to the weight loss!

A tramp over the fields

We had talked about going to London today but the weather was damp and dismal so we decided to put it off until the weather improves a bit.

Keith and I went for a walk, though, leaving the children at home. We extended our normal route and we were out for almost two hours which was great. The rain held off and although it was chilly, it was very invigorating to be out in the fresh air.

After lunch Sophie and I went for a swim (I should be stick-thin!) and then had a very pleasant half hour in the steam room and the sauna, punctuated by dips in the jacuzzi. Outside it was getting dark early so it was lovely to get home and curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine. I think I deserved it!

Computer problems

I have spent most of today grappling with our home computer as we have lost the internet connection. There was obviously a problem on Thursday night as our Anti-virus programme kicked in and said that it had pounced on a threat.

Keith and I dropped Sophie off at work and then went to PC World to buy a new wireless adapter to try that first, but that didn't really solve it. I then restored the computer back to Tuesday of last week before the virus threat and it worked! Keith was very impressed so I just hope the solution is permanent!

The weather has certainly turned colder over the last couple of days and we had some sleety rain this afternoon, right after I washed my car. Typical! The clocks go back tonight so it really feels like summer is over and winter is on its way.

Sophie and I went for a swim after she finished work and at one point we had the entire pool to ourselves. Bliss!