I woke up late this morning and really felt like staying in bed all day. I don't know what's wrong with me at the moment, but I ache everywhere and I can't seem to shake off a bad headache that's lasted for almost a week. I need a holiday!
Today, of course, was cleaning day at work, so I took some more painkillers with my coffee and soon felt a bit better. Cleaning the tube slides is never my favourite job but the dust was getting thicker and they had to be done. After lunch Keith and I popped down to Homebase to get a new border for the wall in the Tots area and while we were there we bought the paint for Mikey's room and a new duvet cover for him. I'm not thrilled with our choice but it will have to do for the time being. If he decides he wants a theme, like Sophie, a bit later then we can adapt the colours.
Both Sophie and I wimped out of the gym tonight. I left my gym bag at home this morning and I just couldn't face driving home to get it and then driving all the way back down to Riverside. I felt guilty but I will make up for it on Wednesday and Friday when, hopefully, this dratted headache will have gone!
Monday, 30 September 2013
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Sunday sickie!
Today I had so much planned but I hardly did any of it as I woke up feeling a bit yukky! Keith took Mikey to his second day of Army Cadet training in Northampton and I made porridge again, which was delicious.
Sophie was due in at work, but Keith said he would take her while I had a bath and tried to work up some enthusiasm for getting things done that desperately needed doing! I made the mistake of going into Sophie's room to hoover up the cobwebs that festooned her walls and managed to spend the next two hours in there! I'd noticed them on Friday evening when I sat in her room while she straightened my hair and couldn't leave them any longer. She hadn't made her bed so I stripped off the bedding and put it on to wash before pulling all her furniture out and giving the room a thorough clean. Imagine my surprise when I pulled out her chair in the corner and found a tribe of people farming potatoes!! The dust was that thick!
I worked until lunchtime when Keith made me a cup of coffee and cut me a slice of his freshly baked banana bread. He'd made another loaf as he wasn't happy with his first one, and it was definitely an improvement!
I never did go and get the paint for Mikey's room or the varnish for the front door and the garage door. As the weather was forecast to be sunny and dry I thought I would take the opportunity to get this chore out of the way before winter sets in, but I'll bet now that we won't get another sunny dry weekend this side of Christmas!
Mikey called at 3.30pm to say he wanted picking up and no sooner had I got home than it was time to go and collect Sophie from work. Another weekend gone!
Sophie was due in at work, but Keith said he would take her while I had a bath and tried to work up some enthusiasm for getting things done that desperately needed doing! I made the mistake of going into Sophie's room to hoover up the cobwebs that festooned her walls and managed to spend the next two hours in there! I'd noticed them on Friday evening when I sat in her room while she straightened my hair and couldn't leave them any longer. She hadn't made her bed so I stripped off the bedding and put it on to wash before pulling all her furniture out and giving the room a thorough clean. Imagine my surprise when I pulled out her chair in the corner and found a tribe of people farming potatoes!! The dust was that thick!
I worked until lunchtime when Keith made me a cup of coffee and cut me a slice of his freshly baked banana bread. He'd made another loaf as he wasn't happy with his first one, and it was definitely an improvement!
I never did go and get the paint for Mikey's room or the varnish for the front door and the garage door. As the weather was forecast to be sunny and dry I thought I would take the opportunity to get this chore out of the way before winter sets in, but I'll bet now that we won't get another sunny dry weekend this side of Christmas!
Mikey called at 3.30pm to say he wanted picking up and no sooner had I got home than it was time to go and collect Sophie from work. Another weekend gone!
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Open Day
It was De Montfort University's Open Day today so 10am found us driving to Sophie's friend Danni's house to pick her up before we headed over to Leicester. It was the most beautiful day for September - a gorgeous blue sky and lots of sunshine with warm temperatures. The leaves are just beginning to change colour and I read that because of the warm summer we may have a fantastic Autumn. I hope so!
We arrived at De Montfort at just after 11am and struggled to find a parking space, despite signs directing us to special Open Day car parks. Finally I squeezed into a space on the street but we could only park there for three hours, with no return within another three hours. We made our way to the main campus and Sophie registered.
There were people everywhere and it was chaos! The first thing I craved was a strong cup of coffee (and some strong painkillers as well...no, I wasn't hungover!) so we grabbed a table in the busy cafe and while the girls settled down with a drink I ran to a campus Spar and bought a packet of Nurofen! Next up was something to eat after which we all felt a bit better.
There was lots (and I mean lots!) going on and I felt we were very unprepared for the day. As Danni was thinking of doing a different course to Sophie I quickly realised that we weren't going to be able to fit everything in. They decided they wanted to go to a talk on student life first so we found the room it was being held in and settled down to listen to an ex-student talk about her experiences of the University. I thought the talk was great but afterwards Sophie just freaked out, saying she didn't like the campus and wanted to go home.
I managed to persuade her to book onto an accommodation tour at 2.30pm and then we went to have a look at one of the buildings where she would be taking lectures and tutorials. As soon as she was inside the building she wanted to go back outside, saying she hated it!
Poor Danni was a bit bemused so I suggested we go and look at the brand new business centre where Danni would be taking her courses. Sophie wants to study Criminology but I think she may have changed her mind now! In an effort to calm Sophie down I said we could go and have a drink and sit down and relax for a while, but the Costa Coffee we went into had run out of chocolate so that didn't go down well! We sat outside in the sun and met another of Sophie's friends, Charlotte, who was visiting with her parents. They told us there was a talk on Criminology starting at 1pm in another brand new building so we sped over and managed to sneak in, despite being five minutes late.
The talk was supposed to have finished at 1.30pm but we were still in there at almost 2pm and I was beginning to sweat as the ticket for the car ran out at just after 2pm! The three year degree course sounded very interesting and I felt nothing but envy for Sophie and her friends at all the opportunities they have ahead of them. I regret not going to University and wish that I could take a career break and go and study something I find really interesting. I thought the campus was lovely and I was impressed by all the facilities on offer for the students.
Sophie, however, had different ideas and just wanted to go home. In a way I knew how she felt as she said it was all a bit overwhelming, and there was so many people about she felt crowded. I was surprised by her reaction as I thought she would love it, especially as she raved about the place when she went to see Lewis Watson. We agreed in the car on the way home to go to another Open Day as I felt we hadn't done enough to appreciate all that the University has to offer. Sophie is thinking of having a Gap Year, which I think would be a good thing and would give her the opportunity to have a bit of a breather before plunging into another three years of study.
We never made the accommodation tour and returned to the car to go home. After dropping Danni off we went home and Sophie got what she wanted - to curl up on the sofa and watch her favourite television programme! Home is best!
We arrived at De Montfort at just after 11am and struggled to find a parking space, despite signs directing us to special Open Day car parks. Finally I squeezed into a space on the street but we could only park there for three hours, with no return within another three hours. We made our way to the main campus and Sophie registered.
There were people everywhere and it was chaos! The first thing I craved was a strong cup of coffee (and some strong painkillers as well...no, I wasn't hungover!) so we grabbed a table in the busy cafe and while the girls settled down with a drink I ran to a campus Spar and bought a packet of Nurofen! Next up was something to eat after which we all felt a bit better.
There was lots (and I mean lots!) going on and I felt we were very unprepared for the day. As Danni was thinking of doing a different course to Sophie I quickly realised that we weren't going to be able to fit everything in. They decided they wanted to go to a talk on student life first so we found the room it was being held in and settled down to listen to an ex-student talk about her experiences of the University. I thought the talk was great but afterwards Sophie just freaked out, saying she didn't like the campus and wanted to go home.
I managed to persuade her to book onto an accommodation tour at 2.30pm and then we went to have a look at one of the buildings where she would be taking lectures and tutorials. As soon as she was inside the building she wanted to go back outside, saying she hated it!
Poor Danni was a bit bemused so I suggested we go and look at the brand new business centre where Danni would be taking her courses. Sophie wants to study Criminology but I think she may have changed her mind now! In an effort to calm Sophie down I said we could go and have a drink and sit down and relax for a while, but the Costa Coffee we went into had run out of chocolate so that didn't go down well! We sat outside in the sun and met another of Sophie's friends, Charlotte, who was visiting with her parents. They told us there was a talk on Criminology starting at 1pm in another brand new building so we sped over and managed to sneak in, despite being five minutes late.
The talk was supposed to have finished at 1.30pm but we were still in there at almost 2pm and I was beginning to sweat as the ticket for the car ran out at just after 2pm! The three year degree course sounded very interesting and I felt nothing but envy for Sophie and her friends at all the opportunities they have ahead of them. I regret not going to University and wish that I could take a career break and go and study something I find really interesting. I thought the campus was lovely and I was impressed by all the facilities on offer for the students.
Sophie, however, had different ideas and just wanted to go home. In a way I knew how she felt as she said it was all a bit overwhelming, and there was so many people about she felt crowded. I was surprised by her reaction as I thought she would love it, especially as she raved about the place when she went to see Lewis Watson. We agreed in the car on the way home to go to another Open Day as I felt we hadn't done enough to appreciate all that the University has to offer. Sophie is thinking of having a Gap Year, which I think would be a good thing and would give her the opportunity to have a bit of a breather before plunging into another three years of study.
We never made the accommodation tour and returned to the car to go home. After dropping Danni off we went home and Sophie got what she wanted - to curl up on the sofa and watch her favourite television programme! Home is best!
Friday, 27 September 2013
Catching up!
I haven't written much about Wednesday and Thursday as there hasn't been a lot to write about! In a nutshell - work, gym, home for dinner, work, home to play cards and eat dinner and then back to work on Friday! Dull, but there you are!
Work has been very quiet at the moment and we don't know whether it's the lovely weather we're having at the moment or whether it's because of the new play centre not far away from us. Whatever, the reason, it's a bit worrying and we're hoping for a busy half term at the end of October - still a long way away.
On Friday evening Keith and I went out for a drink with Sue and Paul to the Olde England. I'd already booked a table (thank goodness) as the place was heaving when we arrived. There didn't seem to be a free table with a reserved sign on the top floor so we trooped back down to the cellar bar which was packed. We'd never seen it like this before so it was a bit of a shock!
Luckily, a table became free upstairs so we were soon seated and three of us were sipping beer. I had picked a dark beer called Beijing Black which was lovely, if a little flat. Keith and Paul went for a lighter coloured beer, the name of which eludes me! The noise in the pub was unbelievable as a large group of people were playing a game which involved frequent loud crashes...Jenga?
Anyway, I know I sound like a moany cow, but I just wasn't feeling it tonight. The noise was so loud we could hardly hear ourselves talk and the food, which had always looked very good, was disappointing. We ordered nachos to start followed by burgers for Paul and Sue, a pie for Keith and sausages for me. My food was tasteless and the portion of mashed potato was so small it was gone in one mouthful! One consolation was that it certainly wasn't expensive at just over £30 for the four of us!
It was a relief when we finally left and made our way back to the car (Sue was an angel and had volunteered to drive tonight). When we arrived home I found a very disappointed daughter as her friend who was supposed to be coming over had let her down. To cheer ourselves up, we all had a slice of Keith's delicious banana bread and the adults among us washed ours down with a glass of Bushmills and a glass of Penderyn Welsh whisky. Cheers!
Work has been very quiet at the moment and we don't know whether it's the lovely weather we're having at the moment or whether it's because of the new play centre not far away from us. Whatever, the reason, it's a bit worrying and we're hoping for a busy half term at the end of October - still a long way away.
On Friday evening Keith and I went out for a drink with Sue and Paul to the Olde England. I'd already booked a table (thank goodness) as the place was heaving when we arrived. There didn't seem to be a free table with a reserved sign on the top floor so we trooped back down to the cellar bar which was packed. We'd never seen it like this before so it was a bit of a shock!
Luckily, a table became free upstairs so we were soon seated and three of us were sipping beer. I had picked a dark beer called Beijing Black which was lovely, if a little flat. Keith and Paul went for a lighter coloured beer, the name of which eludes me! The noise in the pub was unbelievable as a large group of people were playing a game which involved frequent loud crashes...Jenga?
Anyway, I know I sound like a moany cow, but I just wasn't feeling it tonight. The noise was so loud we could hardly hear ourselves talk and the food, which had always looked very good, was disappointing. We ordered nachos to start followed by burgers for Paul and Sue, a pie for Keith and sausages for me. My food was tasteless and the portion of mashed potato was so small it was gone in one mouthful! One consolation was that it certainly wasn't expensive at just over £30 for the four of us!
It was a relief when we finally left and made our way back to the car (Sue was an angel and had volunteered to drive tonight). When we arrived home I found a very disappointed daughter as her friend who was supposed to be coming over had let her down. To cheer ourselves up, we all had a slice of Keith's delicious banana bread and the adults among us washed ours down with a glass of Bushmills and a glass of Penderyn Welsh whisky. Cheers!
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Balloon chasing!
Today I was off work to celebrate Keith's birthday. Before the children went to school he opened his presents and cards and I ran Sophie in this morning to give him a break from all the traffic!
I can't say we had a very exciting day as we spent the morning doing house and garden chores - namely pruning our Virginia Creeper which has crept right up to the roof eaves and curled itself around our satellite dish. Keith also went up the ladders and gave our front windows a good clean...we know how to celebrate!
Today started off very misty but the sun broke through and the afternoon was glorious - the perfect early Autumn day. After school, when Sophie and I were watching a film we'd recorded, we saw something very strange in the sky, quite a way away. From our house it looked like a huge Alien Starship as the sky was still a bit misty so with the children I jumped into my car to go and investigate!
We drove almost to the village of Hannington and parked the car on a farm track, From here it was a bit nearer but it still looked very weird indeed! We realised it was a hot air balloon (what a shame it wasn't an Alien invasion...) but it wasn't until I uploaded the photos to the computer that I realised it was an Aston Martin balloon!
Well, I love Aston Martin (I'll probably - no definitely! - never own one), and it was very impressive indeed. While we were taking photos and watching it we saw the balloon recovery vehicle go past and we hoped it would go down near us. It was such a strange shape and although we've seen weirdly-shaped balloons at the festival that's held in Northampton every year, it was a surprise to see this on a Tuesday evening!
I took some more photos of the countryside as we watched...
In the evening we all went to the pub for dinner and had a lovely meal to celebrate Keith's special day. It was a great ending to a very enjoyable Tuesday!
I can't say we had a very exciting day as we spent the morning doing house and garden chores - namely pruning our Virginia Creeper which has crept right up to the roof eaves and curled itself around our satellite dish. Keith also went up the ladders and gave our front windows a good clean...we know how to celebrate!
Today started off very misty but the sun broke through and the afternoon was glorious - the perfect early Autumn day. After school, when Sophie and I were watching a film we'd recorded, we saw something very strange in the sky, quite a way away. From our house it looked like a huge Alien Starship as the sky was still a bit misty so with the children I jumped into my car to go and investigate!
We drove almost to the village of Hannington and parked the car on a farm track, From here it was a bit nearer but it still looked very weird indeed! We realised it was a hot air balloon (what a shame it wasn't an Alien invasion...) but it wasn't until I uploaded the photos to the computer that I realised it was an Aston Martin balloon!
Well, I love Aston Martin (I'll probably - no definitely! - never own one), and it was very impressive indeed. While we were taking photos and watching it we saw the balloon recovery vehicle go past and we hoped it would go down near us. It was such a strange shape and although we've seen weirdly-shaped balloons at the festival that's held in Northampton every year, it was a surprise to see this on a Tuesday evening!
I took some more photos of the countryside as we watched...
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| The spire of Walgrave church |
Monday, 23 September 2013
Up a ladder!
Today we cleaned the two big tube slides at work which were covered in two months worth of dust! I'm never comfortable up a ladder and today was no exception as it felt very wobbly indeed! However, after we finished (and the dust had all transferred to me!) they were looking beautifully shiny again.
Despite being up and down a ladder, I still managed to work hard at the gym tonight and certainly earned my relaxing session in the spa afterwards!
Despite being up and down a ladder, I still managed to work hard at the gym tonight and certainly earned my relaxing session in the spa afterwards!
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Start of Autumn
This morning for breakfast I made Gordon Ramsey's porridge! I bought all the ingredients yesterday and followed the recipe exactly. It turned out to be delicious - full of plump raisins, whole hazelnuts and almonds with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. It took some time to prepare and cook, so ideal for a lazy Sunday morning and I'll definitely be making it again.
My breakfast gave me the energy to tackle the household chores and tidy up the front garden before washing the car. The weather has been beautiful for the Autumnal Equinox, perfect for sweeping up the millions of leaves that gather under the bushes in our front garden!
In the evening Mum came around for dinner as Dad was off in Eastbourne flying his model aeroplanes. We had a delicious beef casserole with dumplings followed by apple pie (which I didn't make!) - a perfect Autumnal dish!
My breakfast gave me the energy to tackle the household chores and tidy up the front garden before washing the car. The weather has been beautiful for the Autumnal Equinox, perfect for sweeping up the millions of leaves that gather under the bushes in our front garden!
In the evening Mum came around for dinner as Dad was off in Eastbourne flying his model aeroplanes. We had a delicious beef casserole with dumplings followed by apple pie (which I didn't make!) - a perfect Autumnal dish!
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Money, money, money!
This morning, after a late start (I felt a little fragile after the mixture of drinks last night!) Sophie and I went off to Tesco to buy Keith his Birthday presents and to get a new phone as my daughter's current Blackberry had had it.
We enjoyed a coffee in Costa Coffee first and then went and bought Keith some goodies for his Birthday on Tuesday. He'd mentioned to me that he wanted some slippers (yawn!) and a bottle of Irish whiskey, so that is exactly what he will get!
We then went over to see about a phone as Sophie had her heart set on an iPhone. She wasn't really interested in the latest iPhone 5 and was quite happy to have the iPhone 4s. The salesman was very helpful and for only a couple of pounds more than I'm paying now for her monthly contract she got her wish. She has said she will pay towards the phone every month and I've capped the contract price so she won't be able to go over like she has done with Vodafone!
Back at home she started to play around with it and downloaded the latest version which took a couple of hours. While this was happening I suggested we go and look at cars for her (no, I haven't won the lottery) as I wanted to get some idea of what she liked, how much we will eventually have to pay and how much the insurance will be. Last night Andrea, who has a daughter the same age as Sophie, was telling me that the insurance for her daughter's car was more than the actual car itself! She recommended getting a black box as if Sophie drives well, her insurance premium will fall after the first year.
When we told Keith what we planned to do, he said he didn't want us to go as he was afraid I'd come back with a car for Sophie...this was ridiculous as I'd definitely learnt my lesson with buying cars after I bought a Rover on impulse about 12 years ago, just because I liked the colour! I must admit buying and selling cars is not an attractive prospect so we bowed to his wishes and went to Market Harborough instead.
The grey weather had given way to sunshine and blue skies so we strolled about the town and Sophie treated me to an ice-cream for buying her some books in Waterstones. It was a very pleasant way to spend an hour and on the way home we took the back road through Draughton to admire the views. Tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox and the countryside was looking its beautiful best under the late summer skies!
We enjoyed a coffee in Costa Coffee first and then went and bought Keith some goodies for his Birthday on Tuesday. He'd mentioned to me that he wanted some slippers (yawn!) and a bottle of Irish whiskey, so that is exactly what he will get!
We then went over to see about a phone as Sophie had her heart set on an iPhone. She wasn't really interested in the latest iPhone 5 and was quite happy to have the iPhone 4s. The salesman was very helpful and for only a couple of pounds more than I'm paying now for her monthly contract she got her wish. She has said she will pay towards the phone every month and I've capped the contract price so she won't be able to go over like she has done with Vodafone!
Back at home she started to play around with it and downloaded the latest version which took a couple of hours. While this was happening I suggested we go and look at cars for her (no, I haven't won the lottery) as I wanted to get some idea of what she liked, how much we will eventually have to pay and how much the insurance will be. Last night Andrea, who has a daughter the same age as Sophie, was telling me that the insurance for her daughter's car was more than the actual car itself! She recommended getting a black box as if Sophie drives well, her insurance premium will fall after the first year.
When we told Keith what we planned to do, he said he didn't want us to go as he was afraid I'd come back with a car for Sophie...this was ridiculous as I'd definitely learnt my lesson with buying cars after I bought a Rover on impulse about 12 years ago, just because I liked the colour! I must admit buying and selling cars is not an attractive prospect so we bowed to his wishes and went to Market Harborough instead.
The grey weather had given way to sunshine and blue skies so we strolled about the town and Sophie treated me to an ice-cream for buying her some books in Waterstones. It was a very pleasant way to spend an hour and on the way home we took the back road through Draughton to admire the views. Tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox and the countryside was looking its beautiful best under the late summer skies!
Friday, 20 September 2013
Come Dine With Me!
After a very pleasant Friday - I finished work early and went home to do two hours of gardening - Keith drove me over to my friend Lynda's house as she was hosting a "Come Dine With Me" evening. My old work colleagues, Andrea and Fiona, were also coming along and we'd been given strict instructions to wear red and bring lots of pennies with us!
Lynda presented us with a cocktail to start which was delicious, followed by sparkling wine as we took our seats at the dining table. We started with a beautiful pork dish served on a bed of salad with a spicy sauce and some very good bread and butter. For the main course she'd prepared a Thai Green curry which was gorgeous. The dessert turned out to be an exotic cocktail of fruits and ice-cream which really refreshed the palate and was served with a sweet wine.
In between dessert and cheese and biscuits we had a riotous time playing roulette. Lynda didn't have a clue how to work out the odds so we made up a set of rules of our own and Andrea won all the pennies, although she did give them back to Lynda for her New York fund!
By the time we'd finished the cheese and biscuits (and Port) we were all quite merry and stuffed full of great food. I called Keith to come and pick me up and when he arrived we invited him in so he could see Lynda's new "pet" - a stuffed kitten curled up in a basket which, when you inserted batteries, breathed and purred...bizarre!
Lynda presented us with a cocktail to start which was delicious, followed by sparkling wine as we took our seats at the dining table. We started with a beautiful pork dish served on a bed of salad with a spicy sauce and some very good bread and butter. For the main course she'd prepared a Thai Green curry which was gorgeous. The dessert turned out to be an exotic cocktail of fruits and ice-cream which really refreshed the palate and was served with a sweet wine.
In between dessert and cheese and biscuits we had a riotous time playing roulette. Lynda didn't have a clue how to work out the odds so we made up a set of rules of our own and Andrea won all the pennies, although she did give them back to Lynda for her New York fund!
By the time we'd finished the cheese and biscuits (and Port) we were all quite merry and stuffed full of great food. I called Keith to come and pick me up and when he arrived we invited him in so he could see Lynda's new "pet" - a stuffed kitten curled up in a basket which, when you inserted batteries, breathed and purred...bizarre!
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Bloggers block!
My blog entries this week have been a bit boring, if I'm honest so I think I'm going to have to come up with some new ideas to liven them up! This weekend is set to be warm and sunny and if Sophie isn't called into work on Saturday we might try and do something different for a change, but I've no idea what!
Writing a blog every day is a great way of keeping track of what I do with my life, but when nothing much happens I need to become a bit creative! I still have some photos to upload from our session last Saturday evening so I'll try and do that over the weekend. Of course, planning another trip away would be great if I could get the time off work! Keith and I have been talking about another trip to Berlin before Christmas and I was looking at driving again, via Denmark this time, by taking the ferry from Harwich to Ebsjerg. It would cut down the driving time and give us a night at sea which would be fun!
Today has been a quiet day at work and we spent a very enjoyable evening playing cards and eating a delicious roast chicken!
Writing a blog every day is a great way of keeping track of what I do with my life, but when nothing much happens I need to become a bit creative! I still have some photos to upload from our session last Saturday evening so I'll try and do that over the weekend. Of course, planning another trip away would be great if I could get the time off work! Keith and I have been talking about another trip to Berlin before Christmas and I was looking at driving again, via Denmark this time, by taking the ferry from Harwich to Ebsjerg. It would cut down the driving time and give us a night at sea which would be fun!
Today has been a quiet day at work and we spent a very enjoyable evening playing cards and eating a delicious roast chicken!
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Fish finger sandwiches!
Our cook at work, Maureen, is a real treasure. She makes lots of delicious cakes and will cook me anything I ask for, which is a real treat! Today, for lunch, I wanted fish finger sandwiches (they used to do them at the gym, so it's not just me!) but I ate too late.
When we got to the gym I did all my weights and then climbed onto the crosstrainer to see my heart rate shoot up to 140bpm within two minutes! Normally it never gets that high after twenty minutes! Blaming it on eating far too late I went onto the treadmill instead and stayed on there for 25 minutes, before finishing off on the bike.
I annoyed Sophie as she'd given up before me and had been waiting for ages in the cafe until I'd finished my session in the spa and then showered before joining her. The time at the gym is wonderful "me" time and I'm determined to enjoy it as much as I can!
When we got to the gym I did all my weights and then climbed onto the crosstrainer to see my heart rate shoot up to 140bpm within two minutes! Normally it never gets that high after twenty minutes! Blaming it on eating far too late I went onto the treadmill instead and stayed on there for 25 minutes, before finishing off on the bike.
I annoyed Sophie as she'd given up before me and had been waiting for ages in the cafe until I'd finished my session in the spa and then showered before joining her. The time at the gym is wonderful "me" time and I'm determined to enjoy it as much as I can!
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Plans thwarted!
Mikey told us today that he had to go to the Barracks in town for his Army Cadet meeting so Keith and I hatched a plan of going to a nearby pub that specialised in real ale, rather then drive all the way back home. I was really looking forward to going out somewhere different and maybe having a bar snack so when I got home and Mikey said that the meeting was at the usual place I felt very flat!
There was no reason why we couldn't have stuck with our original plans but we decided to leave the pub until another evening and spent the night at home instead! Oh well!
There was no reason why we couldn't have stuck with our original plans but we decided to leave the pub until another evening and spent the night at home instead! Oh well!
Monday, 16 September 2013
The dreaded school run...
Although Mikey still gets the bus to school, we have to take Sophie every morning and pick her up in the afternoon. Their school is in a sprawling village which is still growing as there are new houses being built on the outskirts. I dread the school run every morning, and even if I'm not taking Sophie I still have to drive through the village to get to work (unless I want to sit for ages on the busy A43).
Since school has started back the traffic seems even worse than ever and we frequently become involved in gridlocks along a particular road as there are parked cars along one side so the two way traffic becomes trapped in a deadly embrace where nothing moves, and then a lot of shouting happens.
I'm beginning to think up ways of avoiding the village, even if it means taking a longer route! Sophie has started making noises about learning to drive so we have all that to contend with over the next few months!
Anyway, today has been busy and we managed to get some cleaning done before a short workout at the gym. I relished relaxation time in the spa afterwards!
Since school has started back the traffic seems even worse than ever and we frequently become involved in gridlocks along a particular road as there are parked cars along one side so the two way traffic becomes trapped in a deadly embrace where nothing moves, and then a lot of shouting happens.
I'm beginning to think up ways of avoiding the village, even if it means taking a longer route! Sophie has started making noises about learning to drive so we have all that to contend with over the next few months!
Anyway, today has been busy and we managed to get some cleaning done before a short workout at the gym. I relished relaxation time in the spa afterwards!
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Soggy Sunday!
I hate wet Sundays and today the weather has been terrible - wet and windy with grey skies all day. After dropping Sophie off at work (she has started her new hours now) we drove to one of the retail parks in Northampton to look at a new bed for Mikey. I wanted one with storage as I thought it would be useful for a lot of his stuff to be hidden away. We found a double bed in a new shop called Paul Simon and within an hour we had ordered the bed and a new headboard. Now I'll need to go and buy a new duvet and bedding but hopefully this should last him for quite a while!
Back at home we watched the rain fall and I tried to summon up the enthusiasm for housework- I failed! As it was so chilly, Keith put the fire on in the living room which made it lovely and cosy...I suppose Sundays like this are meant for reading the newspapers and curling up on the sofa. I tried not to feel guilty!
Back at home we watched the rain fall and I tried to summon up the enthusiasm for housework- I failed! As it was so chilly, Keith put the fire on in the living room which made it lovely and cosy...I suppose Sundays like this are meant for reading the newspapers and curling up on the sofa. I tried not to feel guilty!
Saturday, 14 September 2013
We get the chop!
This morning Sophie and I had a long overdue appointment with the hairdresser and we came out quite shorn. I do think that as I'm in my mid-forties my hair should start being a bit shorter so I wasn't too worried, but Sophie kept fretting about the length of her hair even though I could barely see a difference!
Just after we arrived home, and as I was immersing myself in the Saturday supplements, the phone rang and it was work asking if Sophie could go in and help out as someone had phoned in sick. To say that she was angry was the understatement of the year! It also meant that my plans had to be put on hold as well as we had talked of going to the gym for a swim and doing some shopping.
I drove her into work and went back home to catch up with some housework - it was far too wet to do any gardening. I spent the rest of the afternoon researching my family tree which is proving very frustrating at the moment! Sometimes I feel like screaming and throwing my laptop out of the window!
After work I suggested to Sophie that we go and take some sunset photos so we drove off to the Draughton road and tried to capture the glorious sky and landscape. We drove to Maidwell and then backtracked to Brixworth and Pitsford while the sky slowly turned a vivid pink. I will post the pics on here when I upload them, but my camera certainly didn't do justice to Nature!
Just after we arrived home, and as I was immersing myself in the Saturday supplements, the phone rang and it was work asking if Sophie could go in and help out as someone had phoned in sick. To say that she was angry was the understatement of the year! It also meant that my plans had to be put on hold as well as we had talked of going to the gym for a swim and doing some shopping.
I drove her into work and went back home to catch up with some housework - it was far too wet to do any gardening. I spent the rest of the afternoon researching my family tree which is proving very frustrating at the moment! Sometimes I feel like screaming and throwing my laptop out of the window!
After work I suggested to Sophie that we go and take some sunset photos so we drove off to the Draughton road and tried to capture the glorious sky and landscape. We drove to Maidwell and then backtracked to Brixworth and Pitsford while the sky slowly turned a vivid pink. I will post the pics on here when I upload them, but my camera certainly didn't do justice to Nature!
Friday, 13 September 2013
Thank goodness...yet another Friday!
Well, yesterday was great but it was back to normal today at work with a few stresses to round off the week. The threatened wet weather arrived and by the evening it was pouring with rain...at least the gardens need it!
After work Sophie and I went off to the gym along with Sophie's friend, Abi. The girls didn't really do a lot but I managed 30 minutes of exercise before I relaxed in the spa downstairs. Sophie wanted to spend the evening at Abi's house so I dropped them off and drove home to prepare dinner before going to pick Keith up from his usual evening at the pub (again!).
It was nice to sit and chat to Mikey over dinner as he certainly talks to us more when his loud sister isn't around! This weekend we have promised to go and see if we can find him a new bed as his is in a really sorry state (his fault - he jumped off his wardrobe onto it!). He's hinting at a double bed so we might have to dig deep into our pockets!
After work Sophie and I went off to the gym along with Sophie's friend, Abi. The girls didn't really do a lot but I managed 30 minutes of exercise before I relaxed in the spa downstairs. Sophie wanted to spend the evening at Abi's house so I dropped them off and drove home to prepare dinner before going to pick Keith up from his usual evening at the pub (again!).
It was nice to sit and chat to Mikey over dinner as he certainly talks to us more when his loud sister isn't around! This weekend we have promised to go and see if we can find him a new bed as his is in a really sorry state (his fault - he jumped off his wardrobe onto it!). He's hinting at a double bed so we might have to dig deep into our pockets!
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Happy Thursday!
Today has been as easy as yesterday was difficult, which has been a relief! Not sure I could cope with two manky days!
I stayed at work with Sophie until 6pm and then it was home and a quick change before Keith and I went to the pub for an hour as we'd ordered a Chinese take-away from the van...very naughty on a school night! As always there was a great atmosphere in there and it was lovely to go out and relax for a while. Work is getting me down a bit at the moment so any diversion away from it is welcome!
I stayed at work with Sophie until 6pm and then it was home and a quick change before Keith and I went to the pub for an hour as we'd ordered a Chinese take-away from the van...very naughty on a school night! As always there was a great atmosphere in there and it was lovely to go out and relax for a while. Work is getting me down a bit at the moment so any diversion away from it is welcome!
Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Mrs Grumpy!
Today I have been very grumpy indeed! It's been one of those days when everything has been an effort and I really should have stayed at home under the duvet!
Even the weather has been horrible today with grey skies and rain. And the heat of last week has certainly disappeared! It's amazing to think that this time last week we thought it was too hot to go to the gym!
Keith came into work with me and stayed until 2pm and despite my grumpiness I did manage to get a few things done. After work Sophie and I went to the gym but I didn't do very well, I'm afraid. My legs felt like lead so I did all my weights and around ten minutes of cardio and then went down for a swim and a soak in the jacuzzi.
We toiled home in heavy traffic and I made straight for the conservatory with Keith and a much-needed glass of beautiful red wine!
Even the weather has been horrible today with grey skies and rain. And the heat of last week has certainly disappeared! It's amazing to think that this time last week we thought it was too hot to go to the gym!
Keith came into work with me and stayed until 2pm and despite my grumpiness I did manage to get a few things done. After work Sophie and I went to the gym but I didn't do very well, I'm afraid. My legs felt like lead so I did all my weights and around ten minutes of cardio and then went down for a swim and a soak in the jacuzzi.
We toiled home in heavy traffic and I made straight for the conservatory with Keith and a much-needed glass of beautiful red wine!
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Surprises!
After work Mum and Dad came around to distribute presents from their holiday and as always, we did very well! Keith and I received smellies and chocolates while the children were treated to new clothes, which they loved. We didn't have a lot of time with my parents as we had to try and have dinner before Mikey went to Army cadets and Sophie and I went off to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 7pm, but they told us all about their holiday and how much they'd enjoyed it.
So, Sophie and I drove off to Northampton to the church full of hope about finding lots of information. On the way Sophie was talking about a car that belonged to her friend's father and she said how gorgeous it was, and how she wanted one when she was older. As it's a beautiful Jaguar I said I hoped she'd get one!
Imagine our surprise when we drove into the Church car-park to find it there! Then we saw her friend's mum who looked shocked to see us and asked what we were doing there. Sophie explained we were visiting the Family History Centre to look up some old records and she very kindly showed us the way and got us settled at one of the computers. Both of us had no idea whatsoever that the family were Mormons, which did come as a bit of a shock!
We couldn't really talk as there were two other people in the room and it was very quiet indeed! I found the records I needed but not the baptism of my 3x Great Grandfather who was supposed to have been born and baptised in the Kent village of Brenchley. Sophie, bless her, looked at me as if I were mad when I brought all the records up and explained that one of the things I have to do is trawl through them all in the hope of finding what I needed. It wasn't her idea of a fun night out and I did appreciate her coming with me and being a second pair of eyes!
I then had a quick look on Find My Past which I don't have a subscription to, but I could access it via the LDS church, which was a huge bonus. I then found a baptism in Yalding (near Brenchley) of an illiegitimate boy with the name of my ancestor, born to a woman with the right name...I did some more research and I'm 99% certain that this is my family member, the first illegitimate child I've found so far! It looks like the parents married a few months after the birth but it would explain the double surnames used throughout the censuses!
We stayed until 9pm and I found another relative, born in 1816, and from the baptism record I was able to discover her parents' names so that was another tiny piece of the puzzle solved. It was certainly worth visiting the centre and the amazing thing was that it was all free for people to use. The man in charge kept coming over to see if we were OK and tried to help, so I will definitely be going back if I need to access more records, rather than going down to Kent!
Back in the car we had a good gossip about Sophie's friend (I advised her not to say anything until her friend mentioned it first) and then went to pick up Mikey from Army Cadets. We were a bit early so we called into a shop for some ice-cream...I think Sophie definitely deserved it!
So, Sophie and I drove off to Northampton to the church full of hope about finding lots of information. On the way Sophie was talking about a car that belonged to her friend's father and she said how gorgeous it was, and how she wanted one when she was older. As it's a beautiful Jaguar I said I hoped she'd get one!
Imagine our surprise when we drove into the Church car-park to find it there! Then we saw her friend's mum who looked shocked to see us and asked what we were doing there. Sophie explained we were visiting the Family History Centre to look up some old records and she very kindly showed us the way and got us settled at one of the computers. Both of us had no idea whatsoever that the family were Mormons, which did come as a bit of a shock!
We couldn't really talk as there were two other people in the room and it was very quiet indeed! I found the records I needed but not the baptism of my 3x Great Grandfather who was supposed to have been born and baptised in the Kent village of Brenchley. Sophie, bless her, looked at me as if I were mad when I brought all the records up and explained that one of the things I have to do is trawl through them all in the hope of finding what I needed. It wasn't her idea of a fun night out and I did appreciate her coming with me and being a second pair of eyes!
I then had a quick look on Find My Past which I don't have a subscription to, but I could access it via the LDS church, which was a huge bonus. I then found a baptism in Yalding (near Brenchley) of an illiegitimate boy with the name of my ancestor, born to a woman with the right name...I did some more research and I'm 99% certain that this is my family member, the first illegitimate child I've found so far! It looks like the parents married a few months after the birth but it would explain the double surnames used throughout the censuses!
We stayed until 9pm and I found another relative, born in 1816, and from the baptism record I was able to discover her parents' names so that was another tiny piece of the puzzle solved. It was certainly worth visiting the centre and the amazing thing was that it was all free for people to use. The man in charge kept coming over to see if we were OK and tried to help, so I will definitely be going back if I need to access more records, rather than going down to Kent!
Back in the car we had a good gossip about Sophie's friend (I advised her not to say anything until her friend mentioned it first) and then went to pick up Mikey from Army Cadets. We were a bit early so we called into a shop for some ice-cream...I think Sophie definitely deserved it!
Monday, 9 September 2013
Monday rolls around again!
My parents returned to work briefly today as they've just got back from a week's holiday in Greece. They had a fantastic time and came back very tanned and refreshed...just wait until a couple of days have gone by! The holiday will seem like a distant memory!
I did all the usual Monday chores and Keith and Ian came in to fix up a new light by our entrance door. Now we have the new Nursery in upstairs we can no longer use the door we've entered the building by for the last 19 years. The new door has taken some getting used to and we urgently needed a light as the main switches for the lights are situated on the landing, quite a distance away!
Sophie and I went to the gym after work and did a good workout. I felt full of energy which was great and it was nice to go down to the spa afterwards and relax. We even ventured into the depths of the steam room (very steamy) and the sauna (very hot) as well and I could feel the lovely warmth seeping into my muscles. This week has been a great deal cooler so it was heaven to feel the heat again, despite me moaning about it last week!
I did all the usual Monday chores and Keith and Ian came in to fix up a new light by our entrance door. Now we have the new Nursery in upstairs we can no longer use the door we've entered the building by for the last 19 years. The new door has taken some getting used to and we urgently needed a light as the main switches for the lights are situated on the landing, quite a distance away!
Sophie and I went to the gym after work and did a good workout. I felt full of energy which was great and it was nice to go down to the spa afterwards and relax. We even ventured into the depths of the steam room (very steamy) and the sauna (very hot) as well and I could feel the lovely warmth seeping into my muscles. This week has been a great deal cooler so it was heaven to feel the heat again, despite me moaning about it last week!
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Indulgences!
This morning found me at Tesco taking advantage of a very good wine offer! I love Californian wine and Jacktone Ranch Petite Sirah had been reduced from £11.98 down to £5.99! As I'd bought six bottles the price reduced even further! As winter approaches I love a good glass of red wine so my little stash (along with the other reds in my rack) should see me through a couple of months!
As soon as I returned home Sophie and I were back out again to the gym for a swim and lunch in the cafe which was a very pleasant way of spending a couple of hours. I'd intended to mow the lawn in the afternoon, but the minute I ventured out into the garden it started to rain which put an end to my plans. I planted up some pansies and then went back inside to do some more research on the family tree while the bad weather continued.
It did clear up later in the day so I was able to go back outside, plant more pansies (why did I buy so many?!) and clear up a load of leaves in the gravel garden. Keith barbecued for dinner and I really do think this will be the last one of the year!
As soon as I returned home Sophie and I were back out again to the gym for a swim and lunch in the cafe which was a very pleasant way of spending a couple of hours. I'd intended to mow the lawn in the afternoon, but the minute I ventured out into the garden it started to rain which put an end to my plans. I planted up some pansies and then went back inside to do some more research on the family tree while the bad weather continued.
It did clear up later in the day so I was able to go back outside, plant more pansies (why did I buy so many?!) and clear up a load of leaves in the gravel garden. Keith barbecued for dinner and I really do think this will be the last one of the year!
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Research!
Today it was back to the sunshine which was a surprise as I'd thought it was going to rain all day! Keith had an early start this morning as Mikey was off to do Sports Day for the Army so had to be dropped off in town at 8.30am. Mikey woke me up before he left and apparently I said "Goodnight" to him...well, I had just woken up!
Keith did our weekly shop and then we both took Sophie to work. I had a chat with Paula, our weekend Manager, as she'd visited the new place yesterday and had a menu and party details to show me. She'd also taken a video on her phone so I was able to see what the place looked like! She'd pretended she was interested in having a party there and she's certainly braver than I would be!
On the way home, Keith and I went to find the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as they have a Family History Centre from which I'm hoping to access some Kent Parish records. I've booked a computer there for Tuesday night and I'm really excited about finding information there that will save me a journey down to Kent. The website is already invaluable for finding information but some records can only be accessed through a Family History Centre.
We found the Church and then called into the garden centre for some compost as I have tons of pansies to plant this weekend!
I spent the afternoon preparing for my visit to the Church on Tuesday by writing down the records I need to find and having a look at some of the problems I have in my Family tree. A number of my ancestors still remain very elusive and I'm convinced a fair amount of them were travellers!
Keith went off to pick up both children in the late afternoon and I thought at one point that we were going to have a thunderstorm as we had two loud claps of thunder and a few spots of rain. Later in the evening the heavens opened and I felt for the people in the village who were out enjoying the "Groove on the Green". I hope they didn't get too wet!
Keith did our weekly shop and then we both took Sophie to work. I had a chat with Paula, our weekend Manager, as she'd visited the new place yesterday and had a menu and party details to show me. She'd also taken a video on her phone so I was able to see what the place looked like! She'd pretended she was interested in having a party there and she's certainly braver than I would be!
On the way home, Keith and I went to find the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as they have a Family History Centre from which I'm hoping to access some Kent Parish records. I've booked a computer there for Tuesday night and I'm really excited about finding information there that will save me a journey down to Kent. The website is already invaluable for finding information but some records can only be accessed through a Family History Centre.
We found the Church and then called into the garden centre for some compost as I have tons of pansies to plant this weekend!
I spent the afternoon preparing for my visit to the Church on Tuesday by writing down the records I need to find and having a look at some of the problems I have in my Family tree. A number of my ancestors still remain very elusive and I'm convinced a fair amount of them were travellers!
Keith went off to pick up both children in the late afternoon and I thought at one point that we were going to have a thunderstorm as we had two loud claps of thunder and a few spots of rain. Later in the evening the heavens opened and I felt for the people in the village who were out enjoying the "Groove on the Green". I hope they didn't get too wet!
Friday, 6 September 2013
All change!
Today the weather changed and we had drizzly rain and grey skies. I hoped we would be busy at work, and we were although it certainly wasn't manic.
A new member of staff started today - Emma, who will be looking after our parties at the weekend. She is very bubbly and enthusiastic so I hope she will do well and get on with the parents who pay a lot of money to celebrate their children's birthdays with us. When I collected Sophie from school and brought her back to work the two of them certainly got on well, which is good as tomorrow they will be working together!
After work Sophie and I went to the gym (in a bit of a half-hearted way on my part) but we did all our weights and exercised on the cross-trainer and the treadmill. We didn't go down for a swim, preferring to go home and slouch about on the sofa instead!
A new member of staff started today - Emma, who will be looking after our parties at the weekend. She is very bubbly and enthusiastic so I hope she will do well and get on with the parents who pay a lot of money to celebrate their children's birthdays with us. When I collected Sophie from school and brought her back to work the two of them certainly got on well, which is good as tomorrow they will be working together!
After work Sophie and I went to the gym (in a bit of a half-hearted way on my part) but we did all our weights and exercised on the cross-trainer and the treadmill. We didn't go down for a swim, preferring to go home and slouch about on the sofa instead!
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Back to school!
Today started off with the most beautiful of mornings. It was misty and as I drove to work there were shafts of sunlight between the trees. In the distance the church spires could just be seen through the mist and I really wished I could have taken the day off and photographed the countryside.
As the weather was so gorgeous we were very quiet at work, and today was the first day back at school for our two. It felt strange to have so much traffic on the road and the quiet streets are definitely a thing of the past!
After work Keith and I popped to Tesco to get something for dinner and then we called into the pub on the way home. I took the very narrow single lane road to get to the village and met a huge lorry which took up the entire road. This was followed by no less than three cars who were stuck behind him, then came a coach, another car and a woman walking two dogs who seemed determined to block my way as well. I was a gibbering wreck by the time we reached the pub and I had half a pint of San Miguel to calm my nerves! As it was such a warm and sunny evening I let myself dream I really was in Spain!
As the weather was so gorgeous we were very quiet at work, and today was the first day back at school for our two. It felt strange to have so much traffic on the road and the quiet streets are definitely a thing of the past!
After work Keith and I popped to Tesco to get something for dinner and then we called into the pub on the way home. I took the very narrow single lane road to get to the village and met a huge lorry which took up the entire road. This was followed by no less than three cars who were stuck behind him, then came a coach, another car and a woman walking two dogs who seemed determined to block my way as well. I was a gibbering wreck by the time we reached the pub and I had half a pint of San Miguel to calm my nerves! As it was such a warm and sunny evening I let myself dream I really was in Spain!
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Last few days of summer...
Today, as predicted, has been very warm, up to 29c this afternoon. Sophie and I decided it was far too hot to go to the gym so after work we called into Beckworth Emporium to buy some pansies for the garden and to get a pud for tea.
We spent a very pleasant hour wandering around looking at the food and buying an assortment of pansies to get the garden through the winter. I bought some tonic water to try with my vodka. I'm a huge fan of the Fevertree brand but I thought it would be fun to taste a different tonic for a change. We bought a delicious apple and raspberry pie for dessert and then headed home to make the most of the weather and sit in the garden.
Keith barbecued tonight and we sat out from 5pm enjoying the warmth of the evening. I liked the new tonic - Fentiman's I think it's called - but I still prefer Fevertree!
While we were having dinner we watched the bats wheeling about outside, flying in figures of eight. We don't think they're fruit bats...perhaps they're out catching little insects as they only appear for about 10-15 minutes.
As evenings go, it was a pretty good one!
We spent a very pleasant hour wandering around looking at the food and buying an assortment of pansies to get the garden through the winter. I bought some tonic water to try with my vodka. I'm a huge fan of the Fevertree brand but I thought it would be fun to taste a different tonic for a change. We bought a delicious apple and raspberry pie for dessert and then headed home to make the most of the weather and sit in the garden.
Keith barbecued tonight and we sat out from 5pm enjoying the warmth of the evening. I liked the new tonic - Fentiman's I think it's called - but I still prefer Fevertree!
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| More weird vapour trails! |
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| Playing with fire |
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| Close-up of fuchsias |
While we were having dinner we watched the bats wheeling about outside, flying in figures of eight. We don't think they're fruit bats...perhaps they're out catching little insects as they only appear for about 10-15 minutes.
As evenings go, it was a pretty good one!
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Blooming marvellous!
The sunflower has flowered!
It must be over ten foot tall now and is at the highest point of the conservatory! If it had grown any bigger I would have had to have put it outside!
I can now cross this off my list!
It must be over ten foot tall now and is at the highest point of the conservatory! If it had grown any bigger I would have had to have put it outside!
I can now cross this off my list!
Visit Saltaire near Bradford - a Victorian model village built by Sir Titus Salt for his mill workers.Drive to Berlin (maybe a bit dodgy this one but I'm going to persevere).- Visit a UK Christmas Market.
- Walk through Dovedale in the Peak District.
- Make a Christmas cake.
- Write a short story - it's about time I got back into my writing.
Visit Coton Manor Gardens.- Climb at least one of the highest mountains in the UK - either Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis or Snowdon (hmmm...got to get that treadmill at the gym on a higher incline...)
Visit Portmeirion in Wales.- Ride one of the scarier roller coasters when we visit Florida, but NOT the Hulk!
Visit the National Gallery.Read Wuthering Heights.Grow a Sunflower from seed.
Monday, 2 September 2013
Beautiful sunset
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| Not sure what the pilot was doing here! Very weird vapour trails! |
Today has been another gorgeous day and I'm beginning to wonder if this summer will ever end!
After a fairly quiet day at work Sophie and I went off to the gym for a workout. My arm was very painful as I'd been bitten yesterday by what I think was a horsefly and I had a huge red mark around where I was stung. By the time I got home it was hot and very itchy! Horrible!
I forgot to mention that in all the excitement of going to Stratford on Saturday we think we saw our new neighbours-to-be. Keith was out on the drive washing the Passat and saw a couple arrive and go next door. He said the woman smiled but the man just didn't make eye contact at all, which doesn't bode well. We really hope they turn out to be friendly!
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Just pottering...
Today has been a day for pottering about, making the most of the sunny weather and getting some jobs done in the garden that were long overdue.
It was lovely not to have to go anywhere and I managed to do most of the things that needed doing. Our front garden resembles a dust bowl as it's been so long since we've had a decent downpour of rain so it was just a case of strimming the verge and trying to get rid of some of the weeds that have grown whether it's damp or not!
We ended the day with a roast rather than the barbecue we should have had!
It was lovely not to have to go anywhere and I managed to do most of the things that needed doing. Our front garden resembles a dust bowl as it's been so long since we've had a decent downpour of rain so it was just a case of strimming the verge and trying to get rid of some of the weeds that have grown whether it's damp or not!
We ended the day with a roast rather than the barbecue we should have had!
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