After another great night's sleep (our bed is so comfortable!) Keith and I walked to the Publix supermarket to see how long it would take us. This neighbourhood is very quiet and beautifully maintained and on the way there we had a good look at all the different houses, some of which are gorgeous.
As it's Easter Sunday the supermarket was closed, but we had a good look in all the shop windows before returning to the villa. Sophie couldn't believe we'd walked all the way, and I must admit we thought it would take longer, so maybe one night we can walk to the nearby Applebees and I can have a glass of wine with dinner!
It felt a good bit hotter than yesterday so we spent the afternoon snoozing by the pool and enjoying the sunshine. The golfers were out in full force and Keith finds it very funny when one of the balls lands in the trees outside the villa!
In the evening we called into Bahama Breeze on the 192 for a drink. This restaurant was being built the last time we were here but all of us said we preferred the one on International Drive. We sat at the bar and watched the staff make up drinks for the customers and were they busy! The man who served us looked Hawaiian or maybe he was a South Sea Islander and his biceps were huge! Luckily he was very friendly!
Our dinner venue for tonight was just across the road - Miller's Ale House. Of course, we had a 35 minute wait but we sat outside in the balmy evening air and watched the cars stream up and down the busy 192 so it wasn't too bad. Our meal tonight was a bit disappointing, I have to say. We started with chicken sliders on a bed of fries smothered in cheese, then Keith and I chose steak again. He went for a Porterhouse with fries while I opted for a Flat Iron with Panko prawns. I asked for a baked potato with mine (last time I was here I didn't get it!) and they were both served with broccoli which was good. Sophie had a Philly cheese steak while Mikey went for a burger again!
Our steaks were nowhere near as good as Chili's, being a bit tough and bloody but Sophie enjoyed her meal and crossed this particular dish off her list of foods to try. We had no room at all for dessert so it was back to the villa and a glass of wine by the pool. There were some pretty strange noises about tonight, though! For the first time we heard a cacophony of crickets but it also sounded like a flock of geese had arrived on the lake behind the house as we could hear lots of honking! I just hope they settle down!
Sunday, 31 March 2013
Photos
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| Our "front" living room |
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| Our beautiful Chevrolet Malibu |
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| The pool overlooking the golf course |
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| Our wine! |
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Ahhhh! Relaxation!
After a fabulous night's sleep (we awoke at 5am again but went back to sleep until 8am) we had a quick breakfast and then Keith and I went for a walk around Highlands Reserve. We found the communal swimming pool and the tennis courts and then had a mooch around the golf course and sat and watched a foursome teeing off. Most people use the zippy little golf buggies which I think is very lazy! I thought that golf was supposed to be a good walk spoilt?
It was a beautiful day, warm and breezy and it was wonderful sitting on a bench and just soaking up the sunshine. There were numerous squirrels running about who seemed very tame and we've seen a couple of lizards on the netting over the pool. Behind our house is a small lake but I sincerely hope there are no alligators in there!
After our walk we popped to Publix just down the road and bought some more goodies. I picked out two Birthday cards for Sophie (some of the "daughter" cards brought a tear to my eye!) and looked at the gorgeous ice-cream Birthday cakes that I know she will love (she was back at the villa). I found a magnum bottle of Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon so that went into the trolley as well!
The afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool and I am now the only one who has not swum in its chilly depths. It really is icy cold so I have the greatest admiration for my family who have fully immersed themselves!
The sun was lovely and hot in the afternoon and our tans are coming along nicely. Both Keith and I fell asleep on the sun loungers which was bliss!
In the evening we had a drink at an "Irish bar" on the same complex as the Publix supermarket. We chose the bar because it had an outdoor terrace and we love being able to sit and have a drink outside while on holiday. The bar was about as Irish as me though, with American music playing, American staff and mostly American beer, although they did serve Guinness!
Our restaurant choice was Chili's which was just a short distance along Route 27 and was Mikey's favourite. Although there were loads of free tables we had a 15 minute wait and I did wonder whether we would ever walk into a restaurant on this holiday and be seated immediately. Keith ordered a beer at the bar and was given two which surprised him! It would have been good if I'd been having a drink because we could have shared but I stuck to strawberry lemonade!
We had a great meal, but things weren't as smooth as they had been in the past. Our nachos with chicken arrived very swiftly and were demolished within minutes but we had a long wait for our main courses and my parmesan crusted sirloin turned out to be just a regular steak. However, it was very, very good - succulent and tasty and Keith said that his Ribeye was delicious too. Sophie wasn't able to eat her buffalo chicken wings so she asked for a doggy bag but Mikey demolished his pizza!
Again, we had no room for dessert (plus we had some lovely ice-cream back at the villa) so we drove home and sat out on the terrace with a glass of the Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon. It was very quiet, apart from the scuttling of a little cockroach!
It was a beautiful day, warm and breezy and it was wonderful sitting on a bench and just soaking up the sunshine. There were numerous squirrels running about who seemed very tame and we've seen a couple of lizards on the netting over the pool. Behind our house is a small lake but I sincerely hope there are no alligators in there!
After our walk we popped to Publix just down the road and bought some more goodies. I picked out two Birthday cards for Sophie (some of the "daughter" cards brought a tear to my eye!) and looked at the gorgeous ice-cream Birthday cakes that I know she will love (she was back at the villa). I found a magnum bottle of Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon so that went into the trolley as well!
The afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool and I am now the only one who has not swum in its chilly depths. It really is icy cold so I have the greatest admiration for my family who have fully immersed themselves!
The sun was lovely and hot in the afternoon and our tans are coming along nicely. Both Keith and I fell asleep on the sun loungers which was bliss!
In the evening we had a drink at an "Irish bar" on the same complex as the Publix supermarket. We chose the bar because it had an outdoor terrace and we love being able to sit and have a drink outside while on holiday. The bar was about as Irish as me though, with American music playing, American staff and mostly American beer, although they did serve Guinness!
Our restaurant choice was Chili's which was just a short distance along Route 27 and was Mikey's favourite. Although there were loads of free tables we had a 15 minute wait and I did wonder whether we would ever walk into a restaurant on this holiday and be seated immediately. Keith ordered a beer at the bar and was given two which surprised him! It would have been good if I'd been having a drink because we could have shared but I stuck to strawberry lemonade!
We had a great meal, but things weren't as smooth as they had been in the past. Our nachos with chicken arrived very swiftly and were demolished within minutes but we had a long wait for our main courses and my parmesan crusted sirloin turned out to be just a regular steak. However, it was very, very good - succulent and tasty and Keith said that his Ribeye was delicious too. Sophie wasn't able to eat her buffalo chicken wings so she asked for a doggy bag but Mikey demolished his pizza!
Again, we had no room for dessert (plus we had some lovely ice-cream back at the villa) so we drove home and sat out on the terrace with a glass of the Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon. It was very quiet, apart from the scuttling of a little cockroach!
Friday, 29 March 2013
Queues!
Well, we were awake ay 4am (3.48am to be precise) and as there were no chance of getting back to sleep, Keith and I got up and had a cup of coffee. It was still very dark outside (obviously) so we crept around exploring the villa and I managed to get the wifi working. Unfortunately, Mikey had done something with the television the night before and that was refusing to work so we emailed the owner to ask for help. He had pressed the "power"button which we later found out was the last thing we should have done...huh?
It takes us about two weeks to fully understand how a new house works and discover where all the light switches are (and which lights they turn on and off) and then of course it's time to go home. Sometimes we find out a piece of vital information on the last day that would have made our stay a lot easier...
Anyway, we managed to unpack, shower and dress and then the children woke up, a little befuddled by their strange surroundings! We had a quick breakfast and decided to go and register at Hotel Beds (Florida law, apparently) and do a shop before spending some time by the pool.
It was a beautiful day but a little on the chilly side! We are here quite a bit earlier than in previous visits so we hope it warms up a bit! We found the office of Hotel Beds very easily and saw the Thomson rep who explained about damages and where to go for help if we needed it (we just hope we never see him again!). We also explained about a few issues with the villa such as the television, a broken handle on one of the patio doors and the blinds on the living room French doors which were also misbehaving.
That chore completed, we headed for a Super Target on the 192 and filled our trolley with all the essentials we would need for the next few days. On our previous holiday we had enjoyed a wine called Rex Goliath and we found a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel as well as a Chardonnay. Sophie whizzed about buying make-up and weird and wonderful American foods (poptarts) and we managed to spend about $140!
Back at the villa, the temperature had risen quite a bit so it was time to do some sun-bathing and relax after all the travelling yesterday. Mikey went into the pool which was freezing and Keith and I sat and watched all the golfers strolling or driving past. We even have two crows that make a lot of noise as they go about their business...how weird is that?!
Our villa is lovely, by the way. We have four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open plan kitchen/dining room/living room which leads out onto a terrace by the pool. We also have another sitting room at the front of the villa with a dining table and chairs that we will probably never use.
The villa overlooks a strip of firs that give out onto a golf course, so the views are lovely. We have neighbours either side but so far everyone is lovely and quiet and we had a peaceful day nodding off at intervals and relishing the warmth of the sun.
Our Thomson rep had done his stuff and we were visited by two great women from the Management company who showed us how to use the TV (the problem wasn't serious!) and noted the damage so we wouldn't be charged for it. They promised someone would be out to fix the door so we were all happy with that.
By 4.30pm we were all ready to go to Universal to activate our Flex tickets. The traffic on the I-4 was very, very busy and at one point we were queuing because of roadworks. It was a pattern that set the evening! At Universal we parked and we were soon queuing up at the entrance. At the moment in the US it's Spring Break and Easter, of course, so there were thousands of people streaming out of the park. We hoped it wouldn't be too busy!
It took us a while to activate the tickets as there were a few people ahead of us all wanting complicated things. We received our little credit card sized tickets and went to the turnstiles were we had to have an imprint of our index finger so the tickets couldn't be sold on to anyone else.
We headed for Shrek first (we are such creatures of habit!) which only had a ten minute wait. Second on our list was ET which Keith had never been on before. You have to give your name to an attendant and then you're given a little credit card which is taken off you just as you board the ride. The good thing about these rides is that there's a lot to see before you actually reach the ride itself so the waiting time passes very quickly.
We all loved ET as it's a nice, gentle ride with lots of beautiful colours and a fair bit of swooping about as we were all on bicycles with ET in the front basket. As the ride ends, ET appears and thanks us all by name which is a nice touch!
We decided to go on The Simpsons ride and then have something to eat in City Walk before heading back for the cinematic show at 10pm. I love the Simpsons ride and there wasn't a long wait at all so we were soon taking our seats, amazed at the audacity of one little girl who was determined to sit at the front of the car!
The ride didn't disappoint (it never does!) and afterwards we made our way back to City Walk, deciding to eat at Bubba Gump, However, there was a wait of 50-55 minutes and in hindsight we should have gone somewhere else but we sat it out (luckily we had a seat outside)and watched the thousands of people streaming past.
By the time we were seated it was 9.30pm so we had to give up on the cinematic show. As the park is open all next week until 10pm we hope it'll be on again. Our food was lovely, though, which more than made up for the wait. We started with some of the most delicious garlic bread we've ever had, and then the children chose beefburgers, Keith had fish and chips while I opted for shrimp skewers with a bourbon sauce. We had no room for dessert and by now we were all very tired so it was a chilly walk back to the car (I really should have brought a jacket with me!) and a busy trip back along the freeway to the villa.
It was heaven to pour a glass of wine and relax in the lounge but I did something with the TV and we lost the picture again...oops!
It takes us about two weeks to fully understand how a new house works and discover where all the light switches are (and which lights they turn on and off) and then of course it's time to go home. Sometimes we find out a piece of vital information on the last day that would have made our stay a lot easier...
Anyway, we managed to unpack, shower and dress and then the children woke up, a little befuddled by their strange surroundings! We had a quick breakfast and decided to go and register at Hotel Beds (Florida law, apparently) and do a shop before spending some time by the pool.
It was a beautiful day but a little on the chilly side! We are here quite a bit earlier than in previous visits so we hope it warms up a bit! We found the office of Hotel Beds very easily and saw the Thomson rep who explained about damages and where to go for help if we needed it (we just hope we never see him again!). We also explained about a few issues with the villa such as the television, a broken handle on one of the patio doors and the blinds on the living room French doors which were also misbehaving.
That chore completed, we headed for a Super Target on the 192 and filled our trolley with all the essentials we would need for the next few days. On our previous holiday we had enjoyed a wine called Rex Goliath and we found a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel as well as a Chardonnay. Sophie whizzed about buying make-up and weird and wonderful American foods (poptarts) and we managed to spend about $140!
Back at the villa, the temperature had risen quite a bit so it was time to do some sun-bathing and relax after all the travelling yesterday. Mikey went into the pool which was freezing and Keith and I sat and watched all the golfers strolling or driving past. We even have two crows that make a lot of noise as they go about their business...how weird is that?!
Our villa is lovely, by the way. We have four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open plan kitchen/dining room/living room which leads out onto a terrace by the pool. We also have another sitting room at the front of the villa with a dining table and chairs that we will probably never use.
The villa overlooks a strip of firs that give out onto a golf course, so the views are lovely. We have neighbours either side but so far everyone is lovely and quiet and we had a peaceful day nodding off at intervals and relishing the warmth of the sun.
Our Thomson rep had done his stuff and we were visited by two great women from the Management company who showed us how to use the TV (the problem wasn't serious!) and noted the damage so we wouldn't be charged for it. They promised someone would be out to fix the door so we were all happy with that.
By 4.30pm we were all ready to go to Universal to activate our Flex tickets. The traffic on the I-4 was very, very busy and at one point we were queuing because of roadworks. It was a pattern that set the evening! At Universal we parked and we were soon queuing up at the entrance. At the moment in the US it's Spring Break and Easter, of course, so there were thousands of people streaming out of the park. We hoped it wouldn't be too busy!
It took us a while to activate the tickets as there were a few people ahead of us all wanting complicated things. We received our little credit card sized tickets and went to the turnstiles were we had to have an imprint of our index finger so the tickets couldn't be sold on to anyone else.
We headed for Shrek first (we are such creatures of habit!) which only had a ten minute wait. Second on our list was ET which Keith had never been on before. You have to give your name to an attendant and then you're given a little credit card which is taken off you just as you board the ride. The good thing about these rides is that there's a lot to see before you actually reach the ride itself so the waiting time passes very quickly.
We all loved ET as it's a nice, gentle ride with lots of beautiful colours and a fair bit of swooping about as we were all on bicycles with ET in the front basket. As the ride ends, ET appears and thanks us all by name which is a nice touch!
We decided to go on The Simpsons ride and then have something to eat in City Walk before heading back for the cinematic show at 10pm. I love the Simpsons ride and there wasn't a long wait at all so we were soon taking our seats, amazed at the audacity of one little girl who was determined to sit at the front of the car!
The ride didn't disappoint (it never does!) and afterwards we made our way back to City Walk, deciding to eat at Bubba Gump, However, there was a wait of 50-55 minutes and in hindsight we should have gone somewhere else but we sat it out (luckily we had a seat outside)and watched the thousands of people streaming past.
By the time we were seated it was 9.30pm so we had to give up on the cinematic show. As the park is open all next week until 10pm we hope it'll be on again. Our food was lovely, though, which more than made up for the wait. We started with some of the most delicious garlic bread we've ever had, and then the children chose beefburgers, Keith had fish and chips while I opted for shrimp skewers with a bourbon sauce. We had no room for dessert and by now we were all very tired so it was a chilly walk back to the car (I really should have brought a jacket with me!) and a busy trip back along the freeway to the villa.
It was heaven to pour a glass of wine and relax in the lounge but I did something with the TV and we lost the picture again...oops!
Thursday, 28 March 2013
Leaving winter behind!
We were all up early this morning, and showered and dressed by 6am. It was a good thing as we walked over to the Thomson check-in desks and were told that they would be open by 6.30am. Within minutes the security man was with us and checking our passports and after another few minutes we had our boarding cards and we were making our way through to Security. It was a lot less hassle than I had imagined so we had a bit of a wait until we could go to the Aspire lounge, but it gave the children a chance to do some shopping.
It also meant we could sort Mikey's iPod cable out as it had broken and he needed a new one to charge it up. When this was all sorted he was a much happier child!
At 8am we were inside the Aspire lounge and I'm so glad we booked it. It was a haven of peace and calm with free food (bacon rolls, cereals, pastries, biscuits) and free drink, including alcohol. We also had free wifi and complimentary newspapers and magazines and the staff were very friendly and helpful. It made for such a relaxing start to the holiday as the rest of the airport was very busy indeed.
At 9.30am we reluctantly left and made our way to the gate to board the plane that was to be our home for the next nine hours. It was a First Choice plane, a bit scruffy around the edges, but it did the job and the flight wasn't bad at all. The only gripe was the middle aged prat in front of me who bounced around in his seat like a demented two year old and then, when he was able, reclined back until I was almost touching his head. Luckily, Mikey wanted to swap seats with me so I readily agreed!
The food was very good, I have to say, with a choice of barbecued chicken or beef stew for lunch, with a starter, dessert and cheese and then afternoon tea just before we landed.
So, the moment of dread arrived - would I be questioned like last time? As we queued, the sniffer dog was in action, picking out two hand luggage cases that obviously contained food. He was so clever! When it was our turn we had a very jolly, friendly official who made fun of our passport photos and asked me very politely if I was OK. I got the feeling he knew I'd been stopped before, but this time we had no trouble at all and were out and picking up our villa directions within minutes.
The only hassle we had was with Alamo who wanted us to upgrade to a bigger car and sell us more insurance, but we had the last laugh as the man who picked out our car for us gave us a huge white Chevrolet Malibu and all our luggage fitted very snugly in the boot! He got a nice tip for his trouble!
We had a couple of dramas on the way to the villa! We got lost twice (we ended up in Celebration, a town designed by Disney which was absolutely perfect) and then had an issue with a toll, where I chucked in four quarters and they didn't go down the shoot. We waited but the light was still on red, so I decided to reverse and go into the change lane, only for it to turn green. Naturally, we thought that the money had registered but when we drove back through all the alarms went off, so we may have ended up with a $100 fine!
Finding the villa was easy and we were very pleased with the house which is beautiful. Mikey decided to switch on the TV and pressed the wrong button so we need to get that sorted out...it always happens...we spend two weeks getting to know how things work and then it's time to go home!
I just couldn't face unpacking this evening as it was past 8pm (midnight UK time) so we dumped the bags, bought some breakfast foods, milk and coffee at Publix and ate in a terrifically busy Applebees. There were a lot of very tired looking Brits in the restaurant and we were all shattered ourselves, but we had a lovely meal (chicken, burgers, ribs) served by one of the friendliest waitresses we've ever had. And it was good value too, at just $60!
Back at the villa we collapsed into bed, hoping upon hope that we wouldn't all be up at 4am!
It also meant we could sort Mikey's iPod cable out as it had broken and he needed a new one to charge it up. When this was all sorted he was a much happier child!
At 8am we were inside the Aspire lounge and I'm so glad we booked it. It was a haven of peace and calm with free food (bacon rolls, cereals, pastries, biscuits) and free drink, including alcohol. We also had free wifi and complimentary newspapers and magazines and the staff were very friendly and helpful. It made for such a relaxing start to the holiday as the rest of the airport was very busy indeed.
At 9.30am we reluctantly left and made our way to the gate to board the plane that was to be our home for the next nine hours. It was a First Choice plane, a bit scruffy around the edges, but it did the job and the flight wasn't bad at all. The only gripe was the middle aged prat in front of me who bounced around in his seat like a demented two year old and then, when he was able, reclined back until I was almost touching his head. Luckily, Mikey wanted to swap seats with me so I readily agreed!
The food was very good, I have to say, with a choice of barbecued chicken or beef stew for lunch, with a starter, dessert and cheese and then afternoon tea just before we landed.
So, the moment of dread arrived - would I be questioned like last time? As we queued, the sniffer dog was in action, picking out two hand luggage cases that obviously contained food. He was so clever! When it was our turn we had a very jolly, friendly official who made fun of our passport photos and asked me very politely if I was OK. I got the feeling he knew I'd been stopped before, but this time we had no trouble at all and were out and picking up our villa directions within minutes.
The only hassle we had was with Alamo who wanted us to upgrade to a bigger car and sell us more insurance, but we had the last laugh as the man who picked out our car for us gave us a huge white Chevrolet Malibu and all our luggage fitted very snugly in the boot! He got a nice tip for his trouble!
We had a couple of dramas on the way to the villa! We got lost twice (we ended up in Celebration, a town designed by Disney which was absolutely perfect) and then had an issue with a toll, where I chucked in four quarters and they didn't go down the shoot. We waited but the light was still on red, so I decided to reverse and go into the change lane, only for it to turn green. Naturally, we thought that the money had registered but when we drove back through all the alarms went off, so we may have ended up with a $100 fine!
Finding the villa was easy and we were very pleased with the house which is beautiful. Mikey decided to switch on the TV and pressed the wrong button so we need to get that sorted out...it always happens...we spend two weeks getting to know how things work and then it's time to go home!
I just couldn't face unpacking this evening as it was past 8pm (midnight UK time) so we dumped the bags, bought some breakfast foods, milk and coffee at Publix and ate in a terrifically busy Applebees. There were a lot of very tired looking Brits in the restaurant and we were all shattered ourselves, but we had a lovely meal (chicken, burgers, ribs) served by one of the friendliest waitresses we've ever had. And it was good value too, at just $60!
Back at the villa we collapsed into bed, hoping upon hope that we wouldn't all be up at 4am!
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
What a faf!
We had an excellent journey down to Gatwick and arrived a lot earlier than we imagined we would. Sophie was beginning to grumble about being hungry so I used the new App on my phone and found a pub about 15 minutes drive from the airport. We tried to follow the directions but got lost in Reigate so I tried again and to my amazement discovered I have some sort of SatNav on my phone! Instead of Gladys, though, we've called the new man Jeeves as he's very posh!
Jeeves took us straight to the Seven Stars near the village of Leigh and what a lovely pub it was! Very old, with low beams, stoneflagged floors and delicious smells of woodsmoke. Sophie, Keith and I had sandwiches (posh ones!) while Mikey had a chicken, ham and leek pie...! We spent a very pleasant hour having lunch despite Sophie saying she was already homesick and was missing all her friends!
When we'd finished we drove back to Gatwick easily and found the Summer Special parking without any mishaps. Within minutes we were on the bus for the North Terminal, making only one mistake by following signs for the Premier Inn which led us to more bus bays. Luckily we realised we could easily walk to the hotel so we retraced our steps and were soon checking in. This was all done with a machine, although there was a member of staff there to help, which I thought sort of defeated the idea of having less staff!
Our family room was very clean and comfortable and after dumping our luggage, Keith, Mikey and me walked back over to the airport to see where the Thomson check-in desk was. The terminal is very modern and big and we took a few wrong turns on the way to the departures hall, making me feel like I'd never travelled before!
Back at the hotel Keith had a good shave, then packed his razor into the hold luggage before we went back over to check-in properly. There was no other travellers there at all, and we found the check-in girl a bit confusing, to say the least! She asked for the zip code of our villa which we didn't have, even though I had Googled it for our Advanced Passenger Information. There was no mention of it on the Thomson details and she said that if we didn't have it, we couldn't check in...! I was just about to start an argument with her when she suddenly seemed to have found our details and issued our luggage tags. We had to then take our cases to the oversize desk but we couldn't have our boarding cards until the next morning, which was very annoying! It just means it'll delay us a little bit more, and we found the whole process very worrying...if our luggage arrives in Sanford tomorrow at the same time as us I will be amazed!
We returned to the hotel, lolled about a bit in the room for a couple of hours then went down to the bar for a drink and a meal. It was pleasantly busy and we had a lovely, relaxing dinner before going back to our room for an early night. I now just want to be sitting on that plane as it taxies down the runway tomorrow morning!
Jeeves took us straight to the Seven Stars near the village of Leigh and what a lovely pub it was! Very old, with low beams, stoneflagged floors and delicious smells of woodsmoke. Sophie, Keith and I had sandwiches (posh ones!) while Mikey had a chicken, ham and leek pie...! We spent a very pleasant hour having lunch despite Sophie saying she was already homesick and was missing all her friends!
When we'd finished we drove back to Gatwick easily and found the Summer Special parking without any mishaps. Within minutes we were on the bus for the North Terminal, making only one mistake by following signs for the Premier Inn which led us to more bus bays. Luckily we realised we could easily walk to the hotel so we retraced our steps and were soon checking in. This was all done with a machine, although there was a member of staff there to help, which I thought sort of defeated the idea of having less staff!
Our family room was very clean and comfortable and after dumping our luggage, Keith, Mikey and me walked back over to the airport to see where the Thomson check-in desk was. The terminal is very modern and big and we took a few wrong turns on the way to the departures hall, making me feel like I'd never travelled before!
Back at the hotel Keith had a good shave, then packed his razor into the hold luggage before we went back over to check-in properly. There was no other travellers there at all, and we found the check-in girl a bit confusing, to say the least! She asked for the zip code of our villa which we didn't have, even though I had Googled it for our Advanced Passenger Information. There was no mention of it on the Thomson details and she said that if we didn't have it, we couldn't check in...! I was just about to start an argument with her when she suddenly seemed to have found our details and issued our luggage tags. We had to then take our cases to the oversize desk but we couldn't have our boarding cards until the next morning, which was very annoying! It just means it'll delay us a little bit more, and we found the whole process very worrying...if our luggage arrives in Sanford tomorrow at the same time as us I will be amazed!
We returned to the hotel, lolled about a bit in the room for a couple of hours then went down to the bar for a drink and a meal. It was pleasantly busy and we had a lovely, relaxing dinner before going back to our room for an early night. I now just want to be sitting on that plane as it taxies down the runway tomorrow morning!
And we're off!
So, everything is packed, the house is clean, we're all showered and just about ready to go!
I'm taking my laptop with me and I'm almost certain that the villa has wifi, so hopefully services will not be interrupted while I'm away!
I'm taking my laptop with me and I'm almost certain that the villa has wifi, so hopefully services will not be interrupted while I'm away!
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Last day!
I always imagine leaving work before a holiday and feeling wonderful, but the reality is somewhat different! I did as much as I could to leave things ready for Mum and took off an hour in the afternoon to get my little car washed as I didn't want to leave it covered in salt for two weeks. I went to a hand car wash on the other side of town and was very impressed with the job they did. My salt-encrusted "grey" Audi emerged all black and shiny and it only cost a fiver! I did tip the man washing it though, as I was so pleased with the results!
By 4pm I was ready to speed home, pick up Sophie and go off to get our hair cut. I bid a slightly emotional farewell to my parents (heaven help us if we ever decided to emigrate or move to another part of the country!) and drove off, not feeling elated as I imagined I would, but a bit worried about mundane things like the Payroll and hoping that Easter wouldn't be totally manic for the people I've left behind!
We had our hair chopped by a few inches and then it was home to finish off the packing and check all our documents, and a good thing it was too, as we'd forgotten to print off our e-ticket...Ah, those were the days when the travel companies would send you proper tickets two weeks before you went. Now, you have to print off everything yourself!
Keith and I both took Mikey to Army Cadets as he'd been muttering about a Camp Weekend and we were under the impression it was the weekend when we arrived back home. Luckily, it wasn't as if it had been, there was no way he would have been able to go, seeing as the Cadets are leaving on the Friday evening! I have a feeling we may all suffer from jetlag again!
By 4pm I was ready to speed home, pick up Sophie and go off to get our hair cut. I bid a slightly emotional farewell to my parents (heaven help us if we ever decided to emigrate or move to another part of the country!) and drove off, not feeling elated as I imagined I would, but a bit worried about mundane things like the Payroll and hoping that Easter wouldn't be totally manic for the people I've left behind!
We had our hair chopped by a few inches and then it was home to finish off the packing and check all our documents, and a good thing it was too, as we'd forgotten to print off our e-ticket...Ah, those were the days when the travel companies would send you proper tickets two weeks before you went. Now, you have to print off everything yourself!
Keith and I both took Mikey to Army Cadets as he'd been muttering about a Camp Weekend and we were under the impression it was the weekend when we arrived back home. Luckily, it wasn't as if it had been, there was no way he would have been able to go, seeing as the Cadets are leaving on the Friday evening! I have a feeling we may all suffer from jetlag again!
Monday, 25 March 2013
Parting is such sweet sorrow...
Well it was our last visit to the gym tonight, and after scrubbing the floors all day I really didn't feel like going! Luckily Sophie just wanted to go down to the spa so we lolled about in the warm water and all my aching muscles felt much better when we got out to go home (we did swim a few lengths!).
It was Sophie's last day at school so she said goodbye to all her friends and then immediately said she missed them already! Two of her friends will be in the US at the same time as us, but thankfully not in the same place (!) and I'm sure she'll be able to keep up with what they're doing on Facebook! I'm getting so excited about the holiday now, but there's always (for me anyway) a certain amount of wistfulness when I realise that it's the last time I'll see someone or do something for a little while! It doesn't last long as the excitement of going away always replaces that slight feeling of missing our routine or seeing friends and family. Yes, I know I'm strange!
It was Sophie's last day at school so she said goodbye to all her friends and then immediately said she missed them already! Two of her friends will be in the US at the same time as us, but thankfully not in the same place (!) and I'm sure she'll be able to keep up with what they're doing on Facebook! I'm getting so excited about the holiday now, but there's always (for me anyway) a certain amount of wistfulness when I realise that it's the last time I'll see someone or do something for a little while! It doesn't last long as the excitement of going away always replaces that slight feeling of missing our routine or seeing friends and family. Yes, I know I'm strange!
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Drifting along...
It's been a busy day, but a good one!
We awoke to a deeper layer of snow this morning and there were still thin little flakes falling out of the sky. We'd arranged to go to Milton Keynes to get one of Sophie's Birthday presents and despite the snow falling we went anyway...it takes a lot to deter me!
There was a long queue to get in the covered multi-storey (I wonder why!) so we gave up and drove to the other end of the shopping centre and parked outside John Lewis. This was my first proper time in the department store since it had all been changed and I'm still not a fan. We made our way up to the second floor to The Place to Eat and I found it quite dark and oppressive in there, with the low ceilings not really helping much! However, we enjoyed delicious bowls of Moroccan chicken soup and were amazed at how much choice was on offer.
Mum bought Sophie some new hair straighteners back on the ground floor and then we walked the entire length of the centre to New Look so Sophie could spend the gift card she had with her, an Easter gift from my mum.
And me? I didn't buy anything although I did have a peek at the iPads in John Lewis on the way back to the car but I resisted...I was tempted to get myself one for the holiday rather than take my laptop but I think it's an unnecessary luxury. I may well get one when my laptop dies!
We called into Mum and Dad's for a cup of tea and a cake, and then in an effort to undo some of the damage caused by eating too much chocolate this weekend I called Keith to ask if he wanted to go for a walk when I got home. He agreed, which was a bonus!
When I got home Mikey was all set to come with us which was another bonus! I think the snow may have helped! We couldn't believe how deep the drifts were over the fields - Keith stood in one and it came up to his knees! I've never seen the snow so deep in all the years we've lived here. We had a lovely, if very cold walk and I felt very good walking up the big hill...all the sessions in the gym are certainly working!
We awoke to a deeper layer of snow this morning and there were still thin little flakes falling out of the sky. We'd arranged to go to Milton Keynes to get one of Sophie's Birthday presents and despite the snow falling we went anyway...it takes a lot to deter me!
There was a long queue to get in the covered multi-storey (I wonder why!) so we gave up and drove to the other end of the shopping centre and parked outside John Lewis. This was my first proper time in the department store since it had all been changed and I'm still not a fan. We made our way up to the second floor to The Place to Eat and I found it quite dark and oppressive in there, with the low ceilings not really helping much! However, we enjoyed delicious bowls of Moroccan chicken soup and were amazed at how much choice was on offer.
Mum bought Sophie some new hair straighteners back on the ground floor and then we walked the entire length of the centre to New Look so Sophie could spend the gift card she had with her, an Easter gift from my mum.
And me? I didn't buy anything although I did have a peek at the iPads in John Lewis on the way back to the car but I resisted...I was tempted to get myself one for the holiday rather than take my laptop but I think it's an unnecessary luxury. I may well get one when my laptop dies!
We called into Mum and Dad's for a cup of tea and a cake, and then in an effort to undo some of the damage caused by eating too much chocolate this weekend I called Keith to ask if he wanted to go for a walk when I got home. He agreed, which was a bonus!
When I got home Mikey was all set to come with us which was another bonus! I think the snow may have helped! We couldn't believe how deep the drifts were over the fields - Keith stood in one and it came up to his knees! I've never seen the snow so deep in all the years we've lived here. We had a lovely, if very cold walk and I felt very good walking up the big hill...all the sessions in the gym are certainly working!
Saturday, 23 March 2013
Is it Easter next week...or Christmas?
I was up very early this morning (I have no idea why) and was astounded to see a decent covering of snow. Last night it looked like it wasn't going to settle but this morning we had a winter wonderland! To be honest, I think the whole of the country is utterly fed up with this winter dragging on and on. I was looking forward so much to a few days of warm sunshine leading up to our holiday and I had no idea that it would be like this!
After we dropped Sophie off at work we drove to a nearby Farm Shop (where we bought our Christmas veggies, funnily enough!) and bought vegetables for tomorrow and Monday and some freshly baked rolls for lunch. There was a lot of choice and I had to stop myself from buying lots of delicious goodies!
The rest of the day was spent giving the house a good clean and washing endless mounds of clothes, all of which I would liked to have dried on the line in the garden with sunshine and a warm breeze to make them smell heavenly! No chance of that today as the snow has fallen ever since I got up this morning and it's forecast to continue overnight!
Sophie and I weren't in the mood for the gym tonight (I'm not in a mood for anything to be honest, although a beautiful sunset and a mooch about the garden would be welcome) so we went home, curled up on the sofa and watched the snow fall out of a grey and miserable sky!
After we dropped Sophie off at work we drove to a nearby Farm Shop (where we bought our Christmas veggies, funnily enough!) and bought vegetables for tomorrow and Monday and some freshly baked rolls for lunch. There was a lot of choice and I had to stop myself from buying lots of delicious goodies!
The rest of the day was spent giving the house a good clean and washing endless mounds of clothes, all of which I would liked to have dried on the line in the garden with sunshine and a warm breeze to make them smell heavenly! No chance of that today as the snow has fallen ever since I got up this morning and it's forecast to continue overnight!
Sophie and I weren't in the mood for the gym tonight (I'm not in a mood for anything to be honest, although a beautiful sunset and a mooch about the garden would be welcome) so we went home, curled up on the sofa and watched the snow fall out of a grey and miserable sky!
Friday, 22 March 2013
Getting into holiday mode!
We awoke to a light dusting of snow this morning which is incredible seeing as this time last year it was so warm and sunny. Mum and I went in early to do the cleaning as Jeanette had taken the day off so that was another chore we could have done without! When I woke this morning I really just wanted today to be over as then I felt we would be on the downward slope to the holiday
Luckily we had an extra member of staff in today as we had two lunchtime parties and we certainly weren't as busy as last week. I tried to get up to date with as much as I could and then before I knew it, it was time to pick Sophie up from work and head home.
No gym tonight, as Keith and I went out (in the falling snow) to The Griffin's Head at Mears Ashby, which is about fifteen minutes drive away. Again, it's been ages since we've been there and we weren't sure what to expect as the Landlord that used to run The Royal Oak in Walgrave had just recently left. Well, the car park was full which is always a good sign and Keith managed to squeeze the Audi into a tiny space, something I wouldn't even have attempted!
The lounge bar was packed with locals but we grabbed a seat at the bar and had a very pleasant hour and a half relaxing. Both Keith and I are slipping slowly into holiday mode now, despite the falling snow outside!
Luckily we had an extra member of staff in today as we had two lunchtime parties and we certainly weren't as busy as last week. I tried to get up to date with as much as I could and then before I knew it, it was time to pick Sophie up from work and head home.
No gym tonight, as Keith and I went out (in the falling snow) to The Griffin's Head at Mears Ashby, which is about fifteen minutes drive away. Again, it's been ages since we've been there and we weren't sure what to expect as the Landlord that used to run The Royal Oak in Walgrave had just recently left. Well, the car park was full which is always a good sign and Keith managed to squeeze the Audi into a tiny space, something I wouldn't even have attempted!
The lounge bar was packed with locals but we grabbed a seat at the bar and had a very pleasant hour and a half relaxing. Both Keith and I are slipping slowly into holiday mode now, despite the falling snow outside!
Thursday, 21 March 2013
A night out with the girls.
This evening I went to The Seafood Cafe again with my friends Lynda, Andrea and Fiona. It was a bitterly cold evening but the restaurant was lovely and warm and we had a great night. The food, as ever, was utterly delicious and we all made piggies of ourselves!
We started with olives and gorgeous bread dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. With this we had a bottle of Pinot Grigio Blush which disappeared rather quickly! For starters, I had "Panko" prawns which were lightly breadcrumbed, served with their heads still on and accompanied by a chilli sauce. Andrea and Fiona shared a large fishcake and calamari while Lynda had mussels.
With the starters we enjoyed a bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel which also disappeared rather quickly! A good job it was only 9% alcohol! For our mains Lynda and I chose the most delicious fish pie I have ever had, absolutely brim full of scallops, cod and prawns and topped with a herby cheesy crust. This was served with peas. We had yet another bottle of rose wine, this was the best of all three and still only 10%. Thank goodness I'd asked Keith to drive us!
We all made room for puds (cheesecake and chocolate brownies) and then we waddled out into the snowy night!
We started with olives and gorgeous bread dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. With this we had a bottle of Pinot Grigio Blush which disappeared rather quickly! For starters, I had "Panko" prawns which were lightly breadcrumbed, served with their heads still on and accompanied by a chilli sauce. Andrea and Fiona shared a large fishcake and calamari while Lynda had mussels.
With the starters we enjoyed a bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel which also disappeared rather quickly! A good job it was only 9% alcohol! For our mains Lynda and I chose the most delicious fish pie I have ever had, absolutely brim full of scallops, cod and prawns and topped with a herby cheesy crust. This was served with peas. We had yet another bottle of rose wine, this was the best of all three and still only 10%. Thank goodness I'd asked Keith to drive us!
We all made room for puds (cheesecake and chocolate brownies) and then we waddled out into the snowy night!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Panic!
Today got off to a very bad start when I arrived at work to find that the big bunch of keys that unlock all our padlocks had gone missing. Martha and Maureen had locked up for the first time last night on their own (Mum and Dad had stayed until past 6pm) and we had no idea where they'd put the keys (certainly not in the place where they should have been put!).
I called Martha but there was no answer and when I spoke to Maureen she said she didn't know where Martha had put them! Hmmm! Some changes need to take place I think! With Jeanette, who cleans for us, we searched everywhere we could think of, but with no success. As it was now nearly 9am and we open at half past, I asked Keith to do the tills for me while I decided to go to Martha's house. It was a miserable, grey, horrible morning with a sleety snow falling and although I'd looked up her address I couldn't find it. I was really starting to panic now, but luckily Jeanette called and said that they'd found the keys, which had fallen into a space behind the letterbox!
I sped back to work to find a customer waiting to pay for a deposit on a party - typical! - and then we managed to get opened up before the first flood of customers came in. We also had deliveries waiting for us so a fairly stressful time followed until I was finally able to sit down with a cup of coffee and heave a huge sigh of relief!
The day didn't really get any better as we had one child mess in the play area, while another one was sick. Poor Polly had to clear that up though!
I picked up both children after school as Mikey wanted a pre-holiday hair cut and I parked well away from Mr Angry!
I called Martha but there was no answer and when I spoke to Maureen she said she didn't know where Martha had put them! Hmmm! Some changes need to take place I think! With Jeanette, who cleans for us, we searched everywhere we could think of, but with no success. As it was now nearly 9am and we open at half past, I asked Keith to do the tills for me while I decided to go to Martha's house. It was a miserable, grey, horrible morning with a sleety snow falling and although I'd looked up her address I couldn't find it. I was really starting to panic now, but luckily Jeanette called and said that they'd found the keys, which had fallen into a space behind the letterbox!
I sped back to work to find a customer waiting to pay for a deposit on a party - typical! - and then we managed to get opened up before the first flood of customers came in. We also had deliveries waiting for us so a fairly stressful time followed until I was finally able to sit down with a cup of coffee and heave a huge sigh of relief!
The day didn't really get any better as we had one child mess in the play area, while another one was sick. Poor Polly had to clear that up though!
I picked up both children after school as Mikey wanted a pre-holiday hair cut and I parked well away from Mr Angry!
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Preparing for the off!
This time next week, Tuesday will be my last day at work so I spent a lot of time with Mum going through all the things I do so she'll have no problem taking over while I'm on holiday. Unfortunately two big things need to be done while I'm away...the VAT has to be submitted and paid (grrr!) and the new payroll system kicks in in the second week of my holiday, the Real Time Information, which should be fun!
I upgraded our Payroll system with the disc that Sage sent me and agreed to spend another £565 with them to take out their cover for another two years with the added RTI system. I personally think that it's daylight robbery as we had no choice but to upgrade with all the new things coming in this year. We've never really had to use the helpline but it's vital we have a security blanket should anything go wrong!
I also, as a treat, booked us all into an airport lounge at Gatwick before we fly. I'm not a fan of Gatwick as it's a busy airport and I thought it would be lovely to be able to relax and take advantage of the free food, drink, wifi and newspapers! Sophie was very pleased when I told her there were iPod docking stations in there!
The idea was to go for a walk when I got home but we had some rowdy customers in at work so we were late leaving and then when I did get home I had a long chat with Jenny who lives down the road. By the time we said goodbye it was too late to go so I had no choice but to relax on the sofa with my recorded episode of Neighbours!
I upgraded our Payroll system with the disc that Sage sent me and agreed to spend another £565 with them to take out their cover for another two years with the added RTI system. I personally think that it's daylight robbery as we had no choice but to upgrade with all the new things coming in this year. We've never really had to use the helpline but it's vital we have a security blanket should anything go wrong!
I also, as a treat, booked us all into an airport lounge at Gatwick before we fly. I'm not a fan of Gatwick as it's a busy airport and I thought it would be lovely to be able to relax and take advantage of the free food, drink, wifi and newspapers! Sophie was very pleased when I told her there were iPod docking stations in there!
The idea was to go for a walk when I got home but we had some rowdy customers in at work so we were late leaving and then when I did get home I had a long chat with Jenny who lives down the road. By the time we said goodbye it was too late to go so I had no choice but to relax on the sofa with my recorded episode of Neighbours!
Monday, 18 March 2013
Why is everyone so angry?
It's been a busy day today and when I got home tonight I was shattered! I decided, in a moment of madness, to empty and clean out our biggest ballpond at work and what a job it was! I put all the balls into bags (there must have been twenty bags) and then thoroughly hoovered and sanitised the vinyl flooring. That wasn't so bad...it was putting them all back and wiping over the ones that looked a bit grubby that was hard work!
Keith and Ian took pity on me and I asked if they could go and get me some more balls we had in storage in the unit outside. They were right at the back of the unit so getting to them was a bit difficult, like a lateral rock climb over everything else that was stored in there! They managed it, though, and before long we had a mass of brightly coloured new balls heaped up in the ballpond. We kept four bags of the old ones and chucked out the others as they'd lasted 13 years and really had had it!
When I went to pick Sophie up from school I had a run-in with a very nasty man indeed who was clearly very angry about parents parking near the school to pick up their children. He banged on my window and shouted at me about the sign that said to keep the road clear from 8am until 4pm. As most parents wait for no more than about ten minutes and really have no choice but to pick up their children I thought he was being a bit unfair. He proceeded to shout at the woman parked in front of me as well and held up all the traffic while he carried on his ranting.
I agree that the situation near the school at drop off and pick up times is horrendous but a lot of parents have no choice. I sometimes wish now that we'd paid the £600 fee for Sophie to take the bus as it would have cut out a lot of hassle. It just brings home to me how everyone is so angry these days and how quick some people are to shout and rant over the smallest of things (like my lady in the supermarket the other week!). It's something I find quite worrying, to be honest, all this pent up stress and anger people have boiling away inside them and it only takes a tiny mistake or a small thoughtless action to trigger it off.
We went to the gym after work and I felt all the worries and stress melt away in the warmth of the spa. Bliss at last!
Keith and Ian took pity on me and I asked if they could go and get me some more balls we had in storage in the unit outside. They were right at the back of the unit so getting to them was a bit difficult, like a lateral rock climb over everything else that was stored in there! They managed it, though, and before long we had a mass of brightly coloured new balls heaped up in the ballpond. We kept four bags of the old ones and chucked out the others as they'd lasted 13 years and really had had it!
When I went to pick Sophie up from school I had a run-in with a very nasty man indeed who was clearly very angry about parents parking near the school to pick up their children. He banged on my window and shouted at me about the sign that said to keep the road clear from 8am until 4pm. As most parents wait for no more than about ten minutes and really have no choice but to pick up their children I thought he was being a bit unfair. He proceeded to shout at the woman parked in front of me as well and held up all the traffic while he carried on his ranting.
I agree that the situation near the school at drop off and pick up times is horrendous but a lot of parents have no choice. I sometimes wish now that we'd paid the £600 fee for Sophie to take the bus as it would have cut out a lot of hassle. It just brings home to me how everyone is so angry these days and how quick some people are to shout and rant over the smallest of things (like my lady in the supermarket the other week!). It's something I find quite worrying, to be honest, all this pent up stress and anger people have boiling away inside them and it only takes a tiny mistake or a small thoughtless action to trigger it off.
We went to the gym after work and I felt all the worries and stress melt away in the warmth of the spa. Bliss at last!
Sunday, 17 March 2013
It's snowing!
We woke up late this morning (9am!) to snow falling steadily out of a grey sky. This was unexpected as I just thought we were going to be in for a rainy Sunday!
Keith and I went to get the newspaper and called in to see Mum and Dad on the way home and while we were there the snow fell thick and fast. On the way home I imagined we would be holed up in the house for the rest of the day but by 1pm it had all gone...crazy weather!
Sophie and I ventured to the gym again and this time the main pool was open and very quiet indeed. We swam happily for 45 minutes and then I sat under the water jets in the jacuzzi and let them ease the muscles in my neck. Bliss! We popped into the cafe for a quick drink afterwards and watched three young children run riot while their parents just sat and watched. How there wasn't an accident with hot drinks, I do not know...perhaps it's time to find an adult only gym!
Back home I prepared the veggies for dinner...I have volunteered to cook the Sunday roast today to give Keith a break as Newcastle are playing as I write. It's been a while since I cooked a roast but I'm looking forward to doing it for a change...at least I can get out of the washing up!
Keith and I went to get the newspaper and called in to see Mum and Dad on the way home and while we were there the snow fell thick and fast. On the way home I imagined we would be holed up in the house for the rest of the day but by 1pm it had all gone...crazy weather!
Sophie and I ventured to the gym again and this time the main pool was open and very quiet indeed. We swam happily for 45 minutes and then I sat under the water jets in the jacuzzi and let them ease the muscles in my neck. Bliss! We popped into the cafe for a quick drink afterwards and watched three young children run riot while their parents just sat and watched. How there wasn't an accident with hot drinks, I do not know...perhaps it's time to find an adult only gym!
Back home I prepared the veggies for dinner...I have volunteered to cook the Sunday roast today to give Keith a break as Newcastle are playing as I write. It's been a while since I cooked a roast but I'm looking forward to doing it for a change...at least I can get out of the washing up!
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Grumpy!
It's been yet another wet and horrible Saturday and I know I really should have gone to the gym while Sophie was at work, but I ended up moping around the house instead, feeling guilty that I wasn't doing anything, but not wanting to do anything either!
The sun did make an appearance in the afternoon but it was short-lived! I went to pick Sophie up from work and we headed off for a swim but I was very annoyed when we got there and found the pool closed again! This time I had a word with one of the Reception staff who said that somebody (I presume a child) had been sick in it. This is getting very annoying as obviously parents are taking their children into the main pool when they're not well, or worse, not toilet-trained. When I was a member ten years ago, children were rarely seen in the main pool and were only allowed in if the children's pool was closed. I think it's about time that children under a certain age are not allowed in if this keeps happening.
Disappointed, we returned home and I tried to persuade Keith to go for a walk with me, but England were playing Wales in the Rugby so he just looked at me and laughed...grrrrr!
The sun did make an appearance in the afternoon but it was short-lived! I went to pick Sophie up from work and we headed off for a swim but I was very annoyed when we got there and found the pool closed again! This time I had a word with one of the Reception staff who said that somebody (I presume a child) had been sick in it. This is getting very annoying as obviously parents are taking their children into the main pool when they're not well, or worse, not toilet-trained. When I was a member ten years ago, children were rarely seen in the main pool and were only allowed in if the children's pool was closed. I think it's about time that children under a certain age are not allowed in if this keeps happening.
Disappointed, we returned home and I tried to persuade Keith to go for a walk with me, but England were playing Wales in the Rugby so he just looked at me and laughed...grrrrr!
Friday, 15 March 2013
Hectic!
It's been another hectic day and not only have I been busy at work, I've also been ferrying Sophie around all afternoon as she had an appointment to have her nails done this afternoon, followed by a shopping spree in town.
The weather has turned horrible again and as it's Red Nose day today, for Comic Relief, we had mums in at work selling cakes to raise money. This led to bits of cake being squashed into the floor and carpets...hmmm!
I had plans to go to the gym once I'd dropped Sophie and her friend Abi into town, but I was tired, my head ached and the traffic held me up for longer than I'd anticipated, so I went home and sat in front of the TV instead, with my little (OK, not so little!) boy for company! It's been a manic week and time is flying by far too quickly for my liking!
The weather has turned horrible again and as it's Red Nose day today, for Comic Relief, we had mums in at work selling cakes to raise money. This led to bits of cake being squashed into the floor and carpets...hmmm!
I had plans to go to the gym once I'd dropped Sophie and her friend Abi into town, but I was tired, my head ached and the traffic held me up for longer than I'd anticipated, so I went home and sat in front of the TV instead, with my little (OK, not so little!) boy for company! It's been a manic week and time is flying by far too quickly for my liking!
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Plotting!
This evening, Mum, Dad and I went to visit Ginny and Phillip who run another play centre in Northampton to discuss the opening of a rival establishment that is certainly ruffling our feathers! We had a bit of difficulty finding their house in a village on the edge of Northampton, but when we arrived we were impressed with how large and beautiful it was! They're obviously doing well!
Over a glass of wine we had a good chat about what we could do and we discovered that they're going to have to find another 10 spaces to satisfy the Planners and that they're also going to have to contribute £20,000 to the "infrastructure", i.e. building a cycle path from the local houses. We all think, however, that it will get approval so the next few months will be very interesting indeed!
Over a glass of wine we had a good chat about what we could do and we discovered that they're going to have to find another 10 spaces to satisfy the Planners and that they're also going to have to contribute £20,000 to the "infrastructure", i.e. building a cycle path from the local houses. We all think, however, that it will get approval so the next few months will be very interesting indeed!
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
A good day!
Work has been busy for me today, as I've managed to catch up with lots of jobs. It's been pleasantly busy but for once I didn't have to go and help wash up or clear tables! The weather has been lovely as well - lots of sunshine and blue skies, despite the cold. It certainly doesn't feel like Spring, though!
Sophie and I went off to the gym after work and I had bags and bags of energy! I worked up a nice glow on the cross-trainer, had a brief walk on the treadmill and then cycled for 15 minutes. I met Sophie down in the spa and as one of the swimming lanes was quiet we swam for about half an hour. All of the familiar faces were about this evening: we don't speak to most of them, just smile, but it's a nice feeling to know we're part of a club and I like the familiarity of seeing the same people when we go. Liam was in the pool having a swim as well, so we chatted about how time flies and how we really need to all get together again for a glass of wine!
Sophie and I went off to the gym after work and I had bags and bags of energy! I worked up a nice glow on the cross-trainer, had a brief walk on the treadmill and then cycled for 15 minutes. I met Sophie down in the spa and as one of the swimming lanes was quiet we swam for about half an hour. All of the familiar faces were about this evening: we don't speak to most of them, just smile, but it's a nice feeling to know we're part of a club and I like the familiarity of seeing the same people when we go. Liam was in the pool having a swim as well, so we chatted about how time flies and how we really need to all get together again for a glass of wine!
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Snow!
We awoke to snow again this morning which threw our plans to go to a trade show in Warwickshire into disarray. When I arrived at work, mum was very reluctant to go but by 10am the snow had stopped, the sun had come out and so off we went!
INPAS is a much smaller show than the one we go to in Birmingham, but within minutes of arriving we'd bought four new baby didicars which are specially designed for children aged 12 months to 3 years. Hopefully they will be delivered next week. We had a good look around and I saw a lovely climbing wall decorated with a seaside theme that would look great in our Tots area!
We met Guy as we walked around which was a bonus and we had a good chat about the aforementioned Tots area which has proved a big hit with our children! We also had a brief meeting with Mike Boyle who runs Activity World in Peterborough about the new place opening and he said much the same as us...they will need lots of luck and lots and lots of customers!
As the coffee at the show was a bit manky we drove back to the Watford Gap services on the M1 and had lunch at the Costa Coffee there. Expensive, yes, but much better coffee!
Back at work Polly had almost finished netting the new barrier that Keith and Ian had built yesterday and I caught up with some jobs before Sophie and I headed home. She had said she'd go for a walk with me after work today, but she wimped out so Keith came with me instead. It was still bitterly cold and a thin, sleety snow had begun to fall, but we braved the elements and walked into the village and back, feeling very smug that we'd been out and exercised while slothful Sophie had been lazing on the sofa!
INPAS is a much smaller show than the one we go to in Birmingham, but within minutes of arriving we'd bought four new baby didicars which are specially designed for children aged 12 months to 3 years. Hopefully they will be delivered next week. We had a good look around and I saw a lovely climbing wall decorated with a seaside theme that would look great in our Tots area!
We met Guy as we walked around which was a bonus and we had a good chat about the aforementioned Tots area which has proved a big hit with our children! We also had a brief meeting with Mike Boyle who runs Activity World in Peterborough about the new place opening and he said much the same as us...they will need lots of luck and lots and lots of customers!
As the coffee at the show was a bit manky we drove back to the Watford Gap services on the M1 and had lunch at the Costa Coffee there. Expensive, yes, but much better coffee!
Back at work Polly had almost finished netting the new barrier that Keith and Ian had built yesterday and I caught up with some jobs before Sophie and I headed home. She had said she'd go for a walk with me after work today, but she wimped out so Keith came with me instead. It was still bitterly cold and a thin, sleety snow had begun to fall, but we braved the elements and walked into the village and back, feeling very smug that we'd been out and exercised while slothful Sophie had been lazing on the sofa!
Monday, 11 March 2013
It's SO cold!!
Today has been bitterly cold with a wind coming straight from Siberia, apparently! As I write it's snowing outside and the wind is howling. Spring???
After a busy-ish day, Sophie and I went off to the gym as usual but we were alarmed to find an ambulance and a paramedic car parked outside. On the gym floor we saw a team of paramedics working on someone by the treadmill so we were a bit reluctant to go and do our workout. The pool was also closed, probably because some little darling had done something in it that they shouldn't...
We decided to go straight to the spa where we wallowed for about half an hour, hoping that whoever needed emergency help was OK. It was blissful to be warm and I stood under the water jets and felt them ease the knots in my neck and shoulder muscles. I've told Sophie that, whatever the weather, we're going for a walk tomorrow, whether she likes it or not!
After a busy-ish day, Sophie and I went off to the gym as usual but we were alarmed to find an ambulance and a paramedic car parked outside. On the gym floor we saw a team of paramedics working on someone by the treadmill so we were a bit reluctant to go and do our workout. The pool was also closed, probably because some little darling had done something in it that they shouldn't...
We decided to go straight to the spa where we wallowed for about half an hour, hoping that whoever needed emergency help was OK. It was blissful to be warm and I stood under the water jets and felt them ease the knots in my neck and shoulder muscles. I've told Sophie that, whatever the weather, we're going for a walk tomorrow, whether she likes it or not!
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Return of winter
This morning we awoke to snow. Not much of it, but snow nonetheless! Spring is definitely on hold at the moment!
As it's Mother's Day today, I was treated to flowers, chocolates and wine...what more could I ask for? Keith took Mikey to Army camp again while I stayed at home in the warm. Despite the sleety snow, it was a miserable, horrible day so to cheer myself up I started packing!
At lunchtime Sophie and I headed off to the gym for a swim and a session in the beautifully warm spa before having a bite to eat and then going to get Mikey. He'd had a brilliant time and had earned himself the badge for his beret. Back home it was time for some relaxation, a read of the papers and a phonecall from mum to say they were stuck in traffic on the M25. They had been down to Kent to take Nan out for Mother's Day lunch and were calling in to see us on the way home for a drink. It was a shame that we couldn't all go down but with Mikey being at camp it was impossible.
They eventually arrived just before 7pm and Mum opened her card from me and was delighted with the Virgin Beauty vouchers...perhaps we can go together and have a lovely treatment!
As it's Mother's Day today, I was treated to flowers, chocolates and wine...what more could I ask for? Keith took Mikey to Army camp again while I stayed at home in the warm. Despite the sleety snow, it was a miserable, horrible day so to cheer myself up I started packing!
At lunchtime Sophie and I headed off to the gym for a swim and a session in the beautifully warm spa before having a bite to eat and then going to get Mikey. He'd had a brilliant time and had earned himself the badge for his beret. Back home it was time for some relaxation, a read of the papers and a phonecall from mum to say they were stuck in traffic on the M25. They had been down to Kent to take Nan out for Mother's Day lunch and were calling in to see us on the way home for a drink. It was a shame that we couldn't all go down but with Mikey being at camp it was impossible.
They eventually arrived just before 7pm and Mum opened her card from me and was delighted with the Virgin Beauty vouchers...perhaps we can go together and have a lovely treatment!
Saturday, 9 March 2013
I get some time to myself!
Today has been very busy, but enjoyable nonetheless (at last!). Mikey has an Army Cadet camp this weekend and he had to be at the barracks in town at 8.30am. We managed to get him down there early and then we drove off to Booker as a couple of things had been forgotten yesterday...
Mum and Dad were also in at work, poor things, as one of the weekend cleaners was out and Dad had to change the oil in the fryers...what a lovely job! We unpacked the stuff from the car and had a welcome cup of coffee before heading home for breakfast.
At lunchtime it was back to work to drop Sophie off and then I went to the gym to make up for not going yesterday. I had a lovely time on my own, exercising on the cross-trainer, the treadmill and the bike and then going down for a 20 minute swim which was bliss as the pool was very quiet. I finished my session in the steam room and the jacuzzi and felt wonderful! It was bliss to have some time to myself!
From the gym I went to Jones's to get some more stuff for work (we just haven't been able to get out during the week) and to get some toiletries for Sophie and me. I bought some sun tan lotion...I am so looking forward to sunshine and blue skies as today has been another grey, cold day with snow forecast for tomorrow and Monday, would you believe! I'm sure this time last year we were having warm weather! I met Angie (our former cook) in the store and we had a chat about her new job and how busy we've been at work since she left!
Back home I just had time to make myself a quick sandwich before it was time to go and pick Sophie up and then head to the gym again! I have to admit I had been banking on Sophie working until 6pm today but she wanted picking up at 4.15 so off we went and we didn't do much as the pool was very busy. So glad I'd had a good swim earlier!
In the evening I really fancied watching something about Florida. A Place in Sun - Home or Away would have been perfect but we settled for Bizarre Foods America which was all about the Sunshine State and some of the weird things people eat away from all the theme parks and big cities...squirrel brains, anyone??!
Mum and Dad were also in at work, poor things, as one of the weekend cleaners was out and Dad had to change the oil in the fryers...what a lovely job! We unpacked the stuff from the car and had a welcome cup of coffee before heading home for breakfast.
At lunchtime it was back to work to drop Sophie off and then I went to the gym to make up for not going yesterday. I had a lovely time on my own, exercising on the cross-trainer, the treadmill and the bike and then going down for a 20 minute swim which was bliss as the pool was very quiet. I finished my session in the steam room and the jacuzzi and felt wonderful! It was bliss to have some time to myself!
From the gym I went to Jones's to get some more stuff for work (we just haven't been able to get out during the week) and to get some toiletries for Sophie and me. I bought some sun tan lotion...I am so looking forward to sunshine and blue skies as today has been another grey, cold day with snow forecast for tomorrow and Monday, would you believe! I'm sure this time last year we were having warm weather! I met Angie (our former cook) in the store and we had a chat about her new job and how busy we've been at work since she left!
Back home I just had time to make myself a quick sandwich before it was time to go and pick Sophie up and then head to the gym again! I have to admit I had been banking on Sophie working until 6pm today but she wanted picking up at 4.15 so off we went and we didn't do much as the pool was very busy. So glad I'd had a good swim earlier!
In the evening I really fancied watching something about Florida. A Place in Sun - Home or Away would have been perfect but we settled for Bizarre Foods America which was all about the Sunshine State and some of the weird things people eat away from all the theme parks and big cities...squirrel brains, anyone??!
Friday, 8 March 2013
Another argument!
Today was one of the busiest we've ever had at work and caught us completely by surprise. Luckily we were able to get Martha in to help over lunchtime, but although it's great we're busy, it wasn't the most pleasant of days! We had a group of women in who use slings to carry their babies around with them and I couldn't help watching them gently stoke their offspring's head and think that in about 15 years that little bundle of joy will turn into a moody and truculent teenager! I really don't think that babies and toddlers are hard work...it's the teenage years that are definitely the hardest!
This was demonstrated later in the day when Sophie was in at work with us and Mum asked her what gig she was going to next week. Along with her friends, she was going to see Lewis Watson in Cambridge and I'd been dreading it because her friend's sister was driving and I am always superstitious about going on long journeys before a holiday...the girl who was driving wasn't very old and I was worried about accidents...silly, I know, but there you are.
Sophie called up Lewis Watson's website on the computer and then was horrified to find that he'd had to postpone the gig until May. Unfortunately I made my very happy feelings only too clear and almost danced around the office in delight, which didn't go down very well with my daughter who was understandably disappointed. She went into a major mood and another argument ensued!
We were supposed to have been going to the gym but I called Keith to ask him to cancel his Friday drink with Dave and could we go out instead? I needed time away from my children!
When I got home Keith was in the bath so I chatted to him about the argument with Sophie and we decided to go to The Queen's Arms in Orlingbury, a pub we hadn't been to for years. The fog which had been around all day (so miserable!) was even thicker and the journey over to the village was horrible, especially as there were no markings on the road!
However, the trip was worth it as the pub was lovely - very cosy and with a great atmosphere and the bar staff were chatty and friendly. After a couple of glasses of wine and a good chat I felt a lot better and I was very glad it was Friday evening and this horrible week was over at last!
This was demonstrated later in the day when Sophie was in at work with us and Mum asked her what gig she was going to next week. Along with her friends, she was going to see Lewis Watson in Cambridge and I'd been dreading it because her friend's sister was driving and I am always superstitious about going on long journeys before a holiday...the girl who was driving wasn't very old and I was worried about accidents...silly, I know, but there you are.
Sophie called up Lewis Watson's website on the computer and then was horrified to find that he'd had to postpone the gig until May. Unfortunately I made my very happy feelings only too clear and almost danced around the office in delight, which didn't go down very well with my daughter who was understandably disappointed. She went into a major mood and another argument ensued!
We were supposed to have been going to the gym but I called Keith to ask him to cancel his Friday drink with Dave and could we go out instead? I needed time away from my children!
When I got home Keith was in the bath so I chatted to him about the argument with Sophie and we decided to go to The Queen's Arms in Orlingbury, a pub we hadn't been to for years. The fog which had been around all day (so miserable!) was even thicker and the journey over to the village was horrible, especially as there were no markings on the road!
However, the trip was worth it as the pub was lovely - very cosy and with a great atmosphere and the bar staff were chatty and friendly. After a couple of glasses of wine and a good chat I felt a lot better and I was very glad it was Friday evening and this horrible week was over at last!
Thursday, 7 March 2013
Teenagers!
I arrived home after a busy (and to be honest, quite a stressful day) to a huge argument between Mikey and Keith. It was all about a blind in Mikey's room that he'd broken for a second time. Earlier, Keith had tripped over the hoover and had hit his head on the wall so he wasn't in the best of moods! Unfortunately Mikey was rather rude to his dad and the outcome was Keith throwing the blind at his son down the stairs, and some fruity language!
I went downstairs to talk to Mike but he was putting his shoes on and was very upset indeed. He flounced out of the house and I just assumed he would go and sit in the garage like he's done in the past. I went back upstairs to find Keith muttering angrily as he tried to mend the broken blind so I helped him with that and tried to get him to calm down, not the easiest of tasks!
Back downstairs I went outside to get Mikey to come in but he was nowhere to be seen. I shouted his name and went out into the garden, but he'd gone. It was pouring with rain so I got into the car and drive around the estate but he wasn't about. I then drove half way to the village but he couldn't have gone far in the time so I turned around and headed back to our mother village but I couldn't see him there either. Feeling a bit worried now, and very stressed, I returned home and called my Mum to discover he was there, very upset and soaked through.
So it was back in the car and up to Mum's to have a chat with him and to try and reassure my parents that this happens occasionally with my headstrong family. As they only had one dutiful daughter they're not really used to teenage boys!
Back home I could finally relax for a little while before we went out to Sophie's award ceremony at the school in the evening. She had gained an award for "Hard Work and Commitment Consistently Shown in Studies" so we were very proud of her. The ceremony lasted for about an hour with musical interludes from talented students so it was a very pleasant evening after a bit of a stressy day!
I went downstairs to talk to Mike but he was putting his shoes on and was very upset indeed. He flounced out of the house and I just assumed he would go and sit in the garage like he's done in the past. I went back upstairs to find Keith muttering angrily as he tried to mend the broken blind so I helped him with that and tried to get him to calm down, not the easiest of tasks!
Back downstairs I went outside to get Mikey to come in but he was nowhere to be seen. I shouted his name and went out into the garden, but he'd gone. It was pouring with rain so I got into the car and drive around the estate but he wasn't about. I then drove half way to the village but he couldn't have gone far in the time so I turned around and headed back to our mother village but I couldn't see him there either. Feeling a bit worried now, and very stressed, I returned home and called my Mum to discover he was there, very upset and soaked through.
So it was back in the car and up to Mum's to have a chat with him and to try and reassure my parents that this happens occasionally with my headstrong family. As they only had one dutiful daughter they're not really used to teenage boys!
Back home I could finally relax for a little while before we went out to Sophie's award ceremony at the school in the evening. She had gained an award for "Hard Work and Commitment Consistently Shown in Studies" so we were very proud of her. The ceremony lasted for about an hour with musical interludes from talented students so it was a very pleasant evening after a bit of a stressy day!
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
We celebrate 25 years!
I can hardly believe it, but today Keith and I have been together for 25 years!
We were going to go out, but decided in the end to get a Tesco Finest meal, which involved a bit of drama... The store was packed and all the open checkouts were full so we queued at the "10 items or less" till and put our purchases into baskets. As I had to get some stuff for work, we paid separately.
A stupid old bat challenged what we were doing and I ended up having a furious row with her, over such a petty situation of how many items we had in our baskets! It was a shame we had to get back to work for the lunchtime rush as I was very tempted to go and see one of the store managers to complain about the lack of checkouts open. Grrrr!
The argument sort of set the tone for a miserable day...amongst other things, Keith arrived home to find that one of the cats had messed on a mat in the kitchen and Sophie and I had a hard time at the gym getting ourselves motivated (after such a good session on Monday!).
We decided to go home, curl up on the sofa, eat chocolate and drink wine! Well, it was a special day after all!
We were going to go out, but decided in the end to get a Tesco Finest meal, which involved a bit of drama... The store was packed and all the open checkouts were full so we queued at the "10 items or less" till and put our purchases into baskets. As I had to get some stuff for work, we paid separately.
A stupid old bat challenged what we were doing and I ended up having a furious row with her, over such a petty situation of how many items we had in our baskets! It was a shame we had to get back to work for the lunchtime rush as I was very tempted to go and see one of the store managers to complain about the lack of checkouts open. Grrrr!
The argument sort of set the tone for a miserable day...amongst other things, Keith arrived home to find that one of the cats had messed on a mat in the kitchen and Sophie and I had a hard time at the gym getting ourselves motivated (after such a good session on Monday!).
We decided to go home, curl up on the sofa, eat chocolate and drink wine! Well, it was a special day after all!
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Spring has sprung!
Today has been beautiful - mild and sunny, and guess where I was stuck? In the office all day! I did manage to get a lot done, though, but I had to stay at work until 6pm to lock up so I lost the opportunity to go home and have a walk with Keith.
I'm sure there will be more opportunities in the future, though!
I'm sure there will be more opportunities in the future, though!
Monday, 4 March 2013
Gym bunnies!
After a day of painting at work, it was sheer bliss to go to the gym and get some exercise on the cross trainer and in the pool. I really enjoyed the two hours we spent relaxing and making the most of the facilities.
I think, at the moment, with the amount of times we go, it's probably costing Virgin to have me as a member!
I think, at the moment, with the amount of times we go, it's probably costing Virgin to have me as a member!
Sunday, 3 March 2013
A bit of a shopping spree...
Mum, Sophie and I popped to Home Sense this afternoon as it's been ages since we were there and with Spring now in the air, it was time to go and see if they had any new stuff in. We had a cup of tea in BHS first (Sophie had an enormous cup of hot chocolate loaded with cream, marshmallows and a flake...good job we'd been to the gym this morning!) and a look around before heading to one of my favourite shops.
I thought I wasn't in the mood to buy anything until I spotted a box to hold all my Family Tree stuff, a picture of a wine label which I want hung over my - sadly depleted - wine rack and a lovely throw for my bed. None of it was strictly necessary but it was lovely to browse all the same! I also picked out a vintage looking tea caddy to replace the ugly plastic one we have and some new earphones so I can listen to my music properly at the gym.
We stuffed all our purchases in the back of my car and then called into Mum's for a quick drink before heading home to see if my new things looked good in their new home!
I thought I wasn't in the mood to buy anything until I spotted a box to hold all my Family Tree stuff, a picture of a wine label which I want hung over my - sadly depleted - wine rack and a lovely throw for my bed. None of it was strictly necessary but it was lovely to browse all the same! I also picked out a vintage looking tea caddy to replace the ugly plastic one we have and some new earphones so I can listen to my music properly at the gym.
We stuffed all our purchases in the back of my car and then called into Mum's for a quick drink before heading home to see if my new things looked good in their new home!
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Spring-like Saturday!
As the weather was so lovely today Keith and I managed to get out for a walk this afternoon. At first it felt very chilly but as we walked it seemed to get a lot more mild so hats, gloves and scarves gradually came off! We did our normal walk and then as soon as we got back it was time to pick Sophie up from work and head to the gym for a swim!
It was really lovely to have a dip in the jacuzzi afterwards and then a lovely hot shower. My foot was hurting again (I think I've torn a tendon on my sole) so I hobbled around for the rest of the evening!
It was really lovely to have a dip in the jacuzzi afterwards and then a lovely hot shower. My foot was hurting again (I think I've torn a tendon on my sole) so I hobbled around for the rest of the evening!
Friday, 1 March 2013
Another Friday, another new month!
We had a fairly uneventful end to the week at work so Sophie and I were able to escape at just after 4pm to head off to the gym. We managed to do a full workout followed by a leisurely swim and a delicious dip in the jacuzzi.
It's hard to believe that it's March already! We really should be seeing signs of Spring now but today has been very chilly and grey. I am positively yearning for our holiday at the end of this month and the sunshine (hopefully!) that we will get to wallow in!
As we arrived home, Liam drew up in his car and we had a very nice chat about holidays, and driving as opposed to flying and I told him that I'm really hoping to take my Audi to Berlin this year. Well you have to hope, don't you?!
It's hard to believe that it's March already! We really should be seeing signs of Spring now but today has been very chilly and grey. I am positively yearning for our holiday at the end of this month and the sunshine (hopefully!) that we will get to wallow in!
As we arrived home, Liam drew up in his car and we had a very nice chat about holidays, and driving as opposed to flying and I told him that I'm really hoping to take my Audi to Berlin this year. Well you have to hope, don't you?!
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