Sunday potterings...

I had a lovely lie-in this morning and didn't wake up until 9am! I didn't have time to sit about doing nothing, though, as we'd arranged to go and have coffee with Mum and Dad and get them their Sunday newspaper.

After we returned from seeing my parents and telling them about Berlin and our boiler finally dying on us, I took Sophie to work and then took my filthy, dirty car through the car wash. Back home I quickly ate a sausage sandwich and then it was back out to finish cleaning the car (the wheels never get cleaned enough!) and to tidy up the gardens which were in a real state.

The weather has been lovely again today and it was great to stand for a moment and feel the sun on my face! I must try and keep my Vitamin D levels topped up over the winter!

Homeward bound...

I was worried about getting to the airport this morning as we were relying on public transport and I was anxious about getting there in good time. I didn't want to miss our flight!

I needn't have worried as we were up at 6am, in the hotel dining room for breakfast at 6.45am and on the train to Potsdamer Platz by 7.15am. When we arrived at Potsdamer Platz we had a brief panic as we couldn't find the entrance to the underground but then we spotted a lift straight to the U2 line so within ten minutes we were on our way to Alexanderplatz. We knew we had to get to the station by 8.15am to catch the Airport Express as the next one wasn't until almost 9am and I wanted to be at the airport by then.

As it was a Saturday morning the trains were very quiet and we had a great journey to the airport. Walking the short distance from the station to the airport was freezing and it felt like the wind was coming straight from Siberia! The maximum temperature was 0c today and it certainly felt like it!

At Schonefeld we charged through security with no problems and entered the departure "lounge" via the Duty Free shop...very cunning! Miraculously, I managed to find a seat while Sophie went off and bought herself some perfume. I had a look around but couldn't justify spending money on things I didn't need so I saved my euros instead. I did buy Mikey a Toblerone and Keith a woolly hat so I did spend a few cents!

By the time I'd finished looking around Duty Free it was time to go to the gate and I was astonished to discover we had Speedy Boarding. There was one couple ahead of us so it was great to get onto the plane without any mad dashing!

The flight was one of the best I've ever had with easyJet as we had lots of empty seats in front of us and as before, we hardly seemed to be up in the air before it was time to descend.

Keith was waiting for us in Arrivals and very soon we were out of the car park and heading home. There were still roadworks going on so we had to divert through Luton town and joined the M1 a bit further up the motorway. I was happy to see that it was a gorgeous day with blue skies and sunshine so that was a bonus!

I spent the afternoon unpacking and doing some washing and Gerry, our boiler man, arrived to look at our central heating system that had malfunctioned badly while I was away. It looks like we'll need a new boiler, something we definitely didn't need this close to Christmas!

In the evening I had a lovely warm bath and got ready for Fiona's Come Dine With Me evening. I really should have had a nap in the afternoon but never found the time so I was one tired bunny! I wore Keith's grey, furry onesie with my rabbit ears and huge fluffy slippers. Sophie did my make-up and drew whiskers on my face and a black nose!

The clear blue skies had turned foggy so it was cautious trip into town to Fiona's house. Andrea had chosen to go as Snow White, Lynda was Fiona from Shrek (and therefore not technically a Disney character!) while our hostess, Fiona, was one of the Frozen sisters. Everyone looked great!

We had a lovely meal, but I have to confess to being so shattered by my journey and the last couple of days in Berlin, that I really didn't enjoy it as much as I should have done. By 11pm I was almost asleep so I called Keith and he came to collect me. We drove home in the foggy gloom and it was such a relief to finally sink into my lovely bed!

Ben Howard in Berlin...Day 2

It was lovely this morning not to have to get up so early and it was 9.30am by the time we were showered and dressed and ready for some breakfast in the hotel dining area.

Breakfast was great and typically German with lots of different types of bread, cooked meats, cheeses, yoghurt and fruit. There was also, bizarrely, a dish of cucumber if you felt so inclined...I couldn't imagine anything worse at breakfast!

I downed three cups of coffee, a boiled egg and some lovely dark bread while Sophie opted for cereal, white rolls and a slice of cake. Our plan was to do some shopping this morning and head back to the wonderful Christmas market to sample some goodies.

We headed to Potsdamer Platz first and had a look around the shops there. Outside the beautifully decorated shopping mall was another small Christmas market and a huge snow slope for children to whizz down (Mikey went on it a few years back!).

We headed to H&M where Sophie tried on a couple of tops but she wasn't happy with either of them and decided to save her money for the Mac concession later! The shopping mall was very quiet and we decided to leave and visit the Galeria shop in Alexanderplatz. We took the U2 line and I suggested we first walk to Hackescher Markt where I wanted to wander around the inter-connecting courtyards, the Hackesche Hof, where I knew there was a Mac shop...

We found the area eventually (it had been a while since I visited last!) and we both fancied a hot chocolate as it was bitterly cold. The weather wasn't as sunny as yesterday with grey skies and an icy wind and the hot chocolate, topped with thick cream, certainly did the trick and warmed us up!

We found the courtyards and had a look in the Mac shop but Sophie said she felt a bit intimidated by the staff (I have no idea why!) so we decided to try and catch a tram back to Alexanderplatz. Now, in all the years we've been visiting Berlin - and amazingly this was my tenth time! - we've never used the excellent tram system. My feet were hurting a bit as the boots I was wearing weren't the most comfortable. My fault, I know, but I just didn't have room to bring my walking boots as well.

Ornate windows in the Hackesche Hof

 
We persevered and managed to work out which tram we needed to get back to Alexanderplatz station. We had to wait about ten minutes and in that time I could feel the cold seep into my bones. I'm really silly at times, as I had a fur scarf, hat and gloves back at the hotel, but I'd chosen not to put them on as I get so hot on the underground and in the shops. I just had a thin top on under my coat and sitting in the cold wind started to feel very uncomfortable indeed.

It was sheer bliss to use the tram, which was brilliant, and then get into the warmth of the Galeria shop, a huge department store selling everything from food and wine to clothes, make-up and toys.

Sophie treated herself to a Mac make-up bag containing lipsticks and brushes and I bought some chocolate for Mikey. I deliberately avoided going to the sumptuous food hall as I couldn't have taken any beer or wine home and we just didn't have room for lots of gifts in our bags.

Outside the Galeria was yet another Christmas market but we decided to head for the lovely one near the Nikolaiviertal instead and on the way I bought some furry insoles for my boots to try and alleviate the pressure on my feet...damned cobbles!!

Sophie had a craving for sausage and potato soup again and amazingly, we discovered a little outpost of Reinhard's restaurant at the entrance to the market. We went in the little tent to find a miniature version with wooden tables, dark furniture and pictures on the walls. Big patio heaters warmed up the tent and a German woman singing plaintive songs in the background created a lovely atmosphere.

We enjoyed a bowl of soup each, and a beer, and this set us up for walking around the market.

Back out in the bitter cold we wandered around the market and I treated Sophie to a waffle covered in Nutella. I had a crepe with the same chocolate sauce and then it was finally time for a Gluhwein. The drink cost 3 euros but you paid another 3 for the ornate glass which you got back when you returned the glass, which I had no intention of doing!

The Gluhwein was utterly delicious and warmed me up considerably! By now it was getting darker and colder, so we decided to head back to the hotel where we had a nap and relaxed until it was time for dinner.

I didn't fancy walking far and on the way back to the hotel, we'd checked out an Italian restaurant opposite so we decided to go there for dinner. Before eating we had a glass of wine in the hotel bar where we were amused to see a group of German women order beer topped up with Fanta orange...that's a new one on me!

We had a lovely meal with a very friendly waiter who asked if we were sisters...hmmm! Maybe he was looking to get a generous tip at the end of the evening! Sophie chose a pork schnitzel served with spaghetti bolognese while I opted for a breaded version and both of them were delicious. We waited a little while before dessert of tiramisu and panna cotta and I treated myself to a glass of Cointreau. It was a great evening and made a lovely end to our Berlin break!

Ben Howard in Berlin...Day 1

It was not very pleasant at all waking up this morning and getting ready for our flight. I wasn't looking forward to the whole experience at all, I have to admit, as I now really dislike flying and all the associated hassle that goes with it.

We hurriedly showered, dressed and packed our cabin bags before checking out and walking the short distance to the airport. It was a dreary, damp and foggy morning and it was great to finally arrive at Departures and make our way straight through Security.

It was here I fell foul of the system, which left me gritting my teeth with annoyance... Sophie had given me a clear plastic bag for all our toiletries (all of them under the required 100ml) but when I took the bag out to put it through the scanner separately, the security officer said it was far too big and I had too much stuff. He made me buy two small clear bags for £1 (good job I had a coin on me!) and then said I couldn't take two bags through as you were only allowed one per person! Sophie had already gone through so I had to jettison our conditioner, toothpaste and deodorant and stuff our other toiletries into one small bag. Does it really matter? In future I will just buy the things I need in the departure lounge or take a hold bag. What a bloomin faff!

By now I was desperate for a coffee so we went to Starbucks where the staff were having their own frustrating start to the day. A couple in front of me spoke no English and were very rude, making the staff behind the counter roll their eyes in annoyance! We had a good-natured chat and the woman told me that she has to go through security every day and that morning she was searched! I didn't realise that! It's bad enough doing it every once in a while, let alone every single day!

We sat and had a light breakfast and then made our way to Boots where I replaced our purloined toiletries. I had no intention of bringing any of them back with me!

All too soon, it was time to go to the Departure gate and wait for boarding. We'd booked our seats and there was no frantic scrambling to get onto the plane like there normally is with easyJet. It was all very civilised and calm!

The flight to Berlin was short and efficient. No sooner were we up than it was time to descend but we both managed to have a cup of coffee and hot chocolate and I treated myself to a muffin as all I'd had at the aiport was a dry oat biscuit. We landed at Berlin Schonefeld in bright sunshine but it was far colder than Luton!

Sophie had never caught the train from the aiport before and had been astounded when I said we wouldn't need a taxi as the public transport was so efficient and the station was merely a ten minute walk away. We made our way to a ticket kiosk and bought two standard day fares for just under 15 euros...a lot cheaper than a 40 euro taxi ride!

Luckily, as we went up onto the platform a train was standing waiting for us and it wasn't long before we arrived at Alexanderplatz station and caught the U2 line to Potsdamer Platz. From here we had a fifteen minute walk to our hotel, a Holiday Inn Express, just minutes away from the Tempodrom where Ben Howard was appearing that night.

It was brilliant to be able to check in straight away and get unpacked. Our room was on the fourth floor and had views over the city. It was on the small side but was perfect for what we needed with twin beds, a lovely bathroom (with a big shower) and a small area for hanging up our clothes.

We unpacked, freshened up and made our way to an S-Bahn station we'd noticed on the walk to the hotel called Anhalter Bahnhof. This connected to the station at Potsdamer Platz where we retraced our steps to take the U2 line to the station nearest the hotel we usually stay at. We wanted to see what progress had been made on the building works going on last year in the summer when we were woken every morning by the sound of cranes and banging!

The building, an apartment block, was finished and looking lovely and new...

November 2014

July 2013

We said a quick hello to the Grosser Kurfurst Hotel and then made our way over to the Nikolaiviertal, my favourite area of Berlin. We wanted to catch up with what was going on with the extension of one of the underground lines because the last time we were here, the whole area was a complete mess!

On the way I took photos of my favourite view -

I always feel like I've come home when I see this view...

And some views of the streets in the Nikolaiviertal...

There were Christmas decorations everywhere and we came around the corner to see a small open-air cinema where a couple were watching an old black and white film. Around them were chairs and tables with blankets and the gorgeous smell of Gluhwein.

We decided to have lunch at Reinhard's as Sophie was craving their delicious sausage and potato soup. Luckily it was on the lunch menu and we were soon seated and perusing the dishes on offer. We each chose a beer - Sophie went for the Berliner Pilsner, while I went for my favourite, the dark Kostritzer. I'm sure the waiter recognised us from the Bar Otello next door where Keith and I spent an enjoyable couple of evenings back in 2012. He was very friendly and polite and took our order of soup followed by Currywurst for Sophie and a Berlin-style meatball for me.

There were lots of groups of people eating and a lovely, very festive atmosphere. Next to our table were rows of glorious Poinsettias and the restaurant was cosy and warm. I could easily have stayed all day!

The food was wonderful and Sophie was certainly not disappointed with her soup which was thick and hearty. I promised her I would try and make it at home. Our main courses were equally good and we enjoyed another beer each before paying the bill and making our way over to the Berliner Dom.

On the way we admired some fantastic old photos displayed on the wall surrounding the new Humboldt forum, which has taken the place of the old East German government building. Work has really started in earnest on the new venue so it'll be great to see it when it's finally finished. The first time Keith and I visited back in 2006, they were dismantling the old East German building and it really made an impression on me then.

We wandered over to look at the Berliner Dom, another favourite building, and had a hot chocolate and some macaroons in a cafe overlooking the river. Last year when we came here they were busy selling ice-creams but today it was chocolates and hot drinks!

The Marienkirche church in the shadow of the TV Tower.

We were delighted to find a huge Christmas market in the wide open space leading up to Alexanderplatz. The U-Bahn building works were hidden behind fences and the whole area was given over to little wooden chalets selling Christmas decorations, winter clothing and stall upon stall offering food of every variety. Around the large ornate fountain was an ice-rink where children were skating, watched by their parents drinking gluhwein and warming themselves by the open fire. It was wonderful!

We wanted to wander around, but Sophie was desperate for the loo (the beer!) so we said we'd come back tomorrow. However, we passed some toilets where a very stern looking man was guarding the Ladies! Before we could use them we had to pay 50 cents!

Thus relieved we carried on around the market and Sophie treated herself to a beautiful ring made out of shell. As we were still full from lunch we managed to avoid eating any food but promised ourselves we would return tomorrow and sample some of the treats on offer.

One of the many chalets selling the hot mulled wine...so delicious!

By now we were a wee bit tired so we made our way back to the hotel and had a well-earned nap before getting ready to see Ben Howard at 8pm. Sophie was convinced that the venue wasn't going to be busy so we both had a bit of a shock when we went around the corner and saw hundreds of people queuing to get into the Tempodrom! We joined one the queues and it dawned on me that we hadn't a clue what to do! Were we even in the right queue?

As we neared the entrance one of the staff was asking whether people had sitting or standing tickets. All we had was a confirmation email but we had reserved seats so we were directed to another window where I produced some ID and was given two new tickets with our seat numbers on them.

We wanted a drink and asked for two bottles of water. The caps were removed and then we were given two plastic red disks that we later found out were deposits for the bottles. It was a very quick learning curve for us!

We found our seats in Block 6 and discovered we had a great view of the stage. At 8pm exactly, the lights went down and Ben Howard's support act, Jack Garratt, came on and performed some great music for about half an hour. Sophie told me there would be "at least" three support acts, but as the time went on, and nobody appeared I began to doubt her. If she was right then Ben wouldn't appear until about 11pm!

Luckily, there was just the one support act and Ben Howard came on shortly after 9pm. He performed all his songs from the new album "I Forget Where We Were" plus three others, one of which he dedicated to his mum who was on tour with him. What a lovely touch! He kept on coming back for encores and had a lot of banter with the audience which was great!

We both enjoyed the show tremendously and we never heard any other English voices, which I did find surprising. I was convinced there would be other Brits there (and there probably were!) but we didn't see any!

After the show, Sophie bought a tee-shirt and a poster and we made the short journey back to the hotel where we collapsed thankfully into bed!

Leaving home...

After a day of getting things done at work it was time to go home, finish the packing and head off to Luton airport after dinner.

We left at about 7.45pm and drove down to the Ibis Hotel in thick fog - not at all pleasant! There were roadworks all around Luton so we had to be diverted through the town. I'm just so glad we decided to stay in a hotel overnight rather than brave the traffic in the morning. I would have been panicking like mad as the diversion added about another twenty minutes to our journey.

Keith dropped us off at the door of the hotel and then left to go home which was a bit sad. I felt guilty that we weren't going as a family, but the opportunity to see Ben Howard in Berlin was too good to miss and I don't think Keith and Mikey would have appreciated seeing him as much as Sophie and I!

The Ibis is a great little hotel, but achingly hip and trendy. It reminded me of Ikea with lots of modern furniture, dark paint styles (on the ground floor) and waitresses wearing Converse baseball boots! If you really wanted, you could download some sort of App, and in the morning a drawing would appear on your iPhone, inspired by your sleep...hmmm!

We checked in and went up to our room which was small but very clean and functional. We'd noticed a bar on the way in so we hurriedly had a quick freshen up and then went downstairs for a glass of wine. There were lots of businessmen dotted about and almost everyone was glued to their phones... We sat by the window which looked out over the airport car parks and did a good bit of people watching! I just hoped that the fog would clear by tomorrow as I really didn't want to be delayed on the flight out to Berlin.

After just the one drink we went back to our room, mindful of our early start the next day. The alarm was set for 4.30am...Arrggh!

Taking a little time out...

Today hasn't been the nicest of days with some worries over the impending sale and horrible, grey gloomy weather.

In the afternoon Sophie and I managed to escape the stress for a little while as I had to go out and buy some furry slippers and bunny ears for the forthcoming Come Dine With Me evening on Saturday. We went to the local shopping centre where I changed some money into euros and then had a look in Tesco for some big furry slippers.

As there were none to be had we went to Riverside where we tried Brantano (nothing) and then Next who came up trumps with a lovely pair that will be very cosy to wear around the house after next Saturday evening. It would have been rude not to leave the store without going to Costa so I treated Sophie to a Creamy Cooler and a cake while I had a cup of tea.

From Riverside we drove to the costume hire shop where I bought a headband with ears. Now my outfit is complete and I'll just need Sophie to draw some whiskers on my face when I get ready!

We went back to work for half an hour and then drove home where I packed my clothes into a small cabin bag and made sure everything was ready for our departure tomorrow. Mikey and Keith were out for the evening (cadets and football) so Sophie and I had a very relaxing evening watching Desperate Housewives. A nice end to a somewhat stressful day!

Mad dashes!

Today has been a wee bit frantic as I had my car booked in for a service early this morning but I had to take Mikey to school first. A road has been closed between the A43 and the village of Holcot and this created absolute mayhem this morning. As if we haven't got enough roadworks going on at the moment!

I dropped Mikey off near the school and made my way back to the A43 to get to the garage but the traffic was terrible. This is becoming a real daily bugbear now and I dread every journey into work or school in the morning.  I arrived at the garage to find Keith waiting for me and then we had another slow journey into work. I really needed my coffee when I arrived!

We didn't do much cleaning today, although I did pick up a lot of litter in our car park, most of it McDonald's wrappers, which is always a pain. The crows came out to watch what I was doing and I put some bird food down for them to keep them happy. The crow babies seem to have stayed around this year as at one point there were five of them strutting around.

Keith was at the dentist's surgery in Leicester this afternoon but he called to say that he would pick me up from work. Mum and Dad left so I had the place to myself - how quiet and peaceful it was! I wrapped up a coat I was selling on ebay (yes! I've finally succumbed to the lure of the site) and hoped fervently that Keith would be back in time for me to drop the parcel off at the Post Office on the way to picking my car up.

Well, of course, with all the traffic, he was later than planned so it was a mad dash into Moulton to post the coat and then a struggle with the traffic all the way to Broughton to pick up my car. Because of the road closure a number of cars were waiting to turn right onto the very busy A43, something I would never attempt at rush hour! Brave indeed!

We made the garage with five minutes to spare and had a good chat with Rob who owns the mechanics. He frequents the same pubs as us so we had an amiable chat about beer which gave us both a bit of a breathing space before hurtling back into the traffic to go home.

Keith walked down to the pub tonight and left me to make a fish pie. I have to admit to never making one before but it turned out very well and the children both had second helpings. That's always good to see!

Sunday spring cleaning...

Today has been spent mostly cleaning, I'm afraid. The weather has been wet and gloomy so therefore we didn't fancy going out for a walk.

The house did need a clean though, especially Mikey's bedroom which was in a real state! I changed his bedding and gave the room a good hoovering. As he was in Brixworth with his mates, it was the ideal opportunity!

It did feel great afterwards to see the house all clean and tidy. It's just a shame it doesn't last that long! Before I went to pick Sophie up from work I managed to put a colour on my hair, whilst watching It's A Wonderful Life. Truly, this has to be the perfect Christmas film and it never fails to move me. At the moment, with the problems we're having at work, it seemed especially relevant.

Unfortunately Sophie called as I was in the shower so it was a mad dash to work with Keith to pick her up, and I had wringing wet hair! There was a beautiful sunset after the gloomy weather of today with the sky turning the most gorgeous shade of deep pink. It just goes to show that amidst all the grey and gloom of winter, Nature has a way of putting on a treat!

Busy, busy everywhere!

We had nothing planend today and I spent an enjoyable couple of hours watching a Christmas film called "Let It Snow". A bit cheesy but great nonetheless! At midday Sophie and I ventured over to Market Harborough in the afternoon to do some shopping. It was certainly busier than usual as the Christmas panic has already started!

We called into Caffe Nero for lunch and then it was off to mooch about the usual haunts before calling in to see Duncan. He had three French wines on tasting, a white and a red from south-west France and a St Emilion Grand Cru which was lovely but out of my price range! I bought the two southern French reds as they were lovely and Sophie bought herself a bottle of white rum to make herself a Mojito or two!

From Market Harborough we drove to the gym where we swam for half an hour and then had a leisurely spell in the spa. It was even busy in there!

When we got home Keith was back from watching the local football team play so we decided to have a drink at The Royal Oak. There weren't many customers in, only a loud group sitting in what used to be our spot by the window. Despite the noise we had an enjoyable hour sitting chatting with the children before going home and having a delicious beef casserole for dinner!

Uneventful days...

Thursday and Friday have been quiet, uneventful days, and therefore a little difficult to write about! Sophie worked for us on Thursday night but I went home for a couple of hours as, quite frankly, the noise was getting to me in a major way!

On Friday the weather turned grey and horrible and Sophie came in again in the evening to look after two parties so going to the gym was out of the question. I attempted to go home at 4.30pm but gave up after doing the post. It was impossible to get off our industrial estate because of the traffic so I went back to work and sat it out until Sophie finished. Mum had brought in some old photos of my relatives so I amused myself by scanning them into the computer and then adding them to the family tree pages on Ancestry.

We eventually left work at 6pm and the situation with the traffic hadn't improved much at all! We now have some major roadworks going on around us and every journey seems hard work. With the dark nights and the gloomy weather, this isn't a pleasant time of year at all!

We had arranged with Keith to go for a drink at 7pm but on the way home we called into the pub and said it would be difficult to go out at 7pm as we had dinner to prepare. He had told Dave some tale about picking Mikey up so was a bit surprised to see us walk into the pub half an hour earlier than planned! Of course, Sophie hadn't picked up on the little white lie and kept asking him what was going on, making the situation worse! We sat and had a drink (I treated myself to a Whisky Mac, while Sophie had a glass of wine and a packet of crisps and the bill came to an astonishing £10!) and then with Keith popped up to The White Horse for a another quick drink before going home to make the dinner.

It was pouring with rain by now (what a horrible night it was!) but we sat in the window and enjoyed a drink and it made for a relaxing end to a busy week!

Muddy boots!

Today I solved a real niggling little problem that had been annoying me for a few weeks - our website domain name. Apparently, we didn't own the name and the new buyers want it, but after asking for help from the company that hosts our website, the problem was swiftly solved! It's amazing what asking for a little help can do!

As the weather had turned sunny and dry this afternoon, Keith and I decided to go for a walk. Sophie and I were supposed to have been going to the gym but I knew I would do more exercise in the fresh air than at the gym!

Sophie decided not to come with us (she was in a bit of a mood) so we set off and decided to walk part of the nature reserve in the hope that we'd see some wildlife. Luckily, the gates were open so we were able to commence our walk where we used to, before the gates were put up.

It was getting a little misty over the fields and I did wonder whether we'd have to contend with thick fog by the time we got home!

However, we had the light for most of our walk, but in the woods, in the nature reserve, it was very atmospheric. We didn't see any deer, just the odd pheasant and the almost constant flapping of birds as they flew away from the trees when we approached.

Last night, as we drove home from picking up Mikey from Army Cadets, we talked about what a shame it was that magic didn't exist. This evening, it was easy to believe that imps and elves could live in the forest as the trees made strange shapes against the misty sky and we could hear faint rustlings in the undergrowth... I tried to imagine what the countryside was like hundreds of years ago when walking through the woods would have been a dangerous thing to do!

We didn't see a single soul through the nature reserve and although we tried to be as quiet as we could, we didn't see any major wildlife. By the time we reached the village it was almost dark so it was great to get home, take off our muddy boots and sit and have a drink in the conservatory with a game of cards!

Costume headaches!

I haven't been too busy at work today so I wrote a list of personal things I needed to do over the next couple of weeks. I booked my car in for a service, booked an airport hotel for Sophie and me for next Wednesday evening at Luton and then went in search of a Disney Princess costume for Fiona's Come Dine With me on Saturday 29 November.

Call me a cheapskate, but I really didn't fancy buying a costume for around £30-£40 that I will never wear again so I had real difficulty! Plus, I'm not an average size so that made it even more difficult to find the right dress to wear! By the evening I'd had enough and resorted to emailing my three friends to ask if we could possibly change the theme... However, Andrea had already sorted out her Snow White outfit so it was back to the drawing board! Lynda was also having a problem so Fiona very kindly agreed to widen the theme to Disney characters in general even though she, too, was finding it difficult to find a suitable costume! And it was her idea!

As I was sitting next to Keith, who was wearing his cuddly grey onesie, I had an idea...I could go as Thumper from Bambi! All I needed was a pair of white slippers and some rabbit ears and hey presto! My costume! Problem solved!

Manic Mondays!

Mondays seem to come around very quickly these days! And there was me thinking that I wouldn't have many left to work!

After a morning spent sorting things out after the weekend and going to the bank, Sophie and I did some painting in the afternoon. It's looking increasingly likely that we'll still be here to put up the Christmas decorations, something I was really hoping would be someone else's job!

After work we headed to the gym and managed to fit in a swim and a relaxing session in the spa. Then it was home to hurriedly prepare a Macaroni cheese for supper before going to collect Keith from the pub. Another busy Monday finished with!

Christmas preparations!

Today has been much busier than yesterday - it certainly hasn't been a sleepy Sunday!

Mikey went off with his friends again this morning and before Sophie started work we had to call into Booker to get some essentials that were needed by Maureen. We dashed around, dropped the stuff and Sophie off at work and drove to Pitsford as we were going to do half of the nature reserve.

The foggy, drab morning had turned increasingly cloudy and as we neared the reservoir it started raining... However, by the time we'd parked the car it had stopped thank goodness. I didn't fancy walking for two hours in pouring rain!

The walk was pretty hard going as the ground was soft and muddy in places and piles of leaves covered the track. It was very quiet (and pretty eerie too!) and we didn't see much wildlife at all, although Keith said he did spot a deer in the distance and a squirrel ran across the path at one point. We saw a couple of panicky pheasants but no other walkers at all, not even when we got to the fields behind our house.

After getting home we drove back in my car to get the little Honda and then it was home for some lunch and time to prepare the dinner and the Christmas cake. It took me almost an hour to mix all the ingredients for the cake and when I had everything in the bowl it was very heavy to mix! I'd added some mixed nuts this time and when it was cooking the smells were delicious! I think we're going to find it hard to resist eating it until New Year's Eve but it has to be "fed" every week for six weeks with alcohol to make it all moist and even more delicious!

After I picked Sophie up from work we called into Costa Coffee and treated ourselves to a hot chocolate and three of the tiny little Christmas cakes (between us, I hasten to add!). It was lovely to relax for half an hour after my busy day!

Just potterin'...

Today has been lovely and quiet after a busy week! Mikey went off to Milton Keynes with his friends and Sophie was out at work all day, so when Keith went to watch the football in the afternoon I had the house to myself! Bliss!

I sat and watched a film (Almost Christmas) in between dealing with some laundry and preparing dinner. I'm really into Christmas films at the moment and although the movie I watched this afternoon wasn't very soppy or sentimental, it was very good and starred Paul Giamatti, one of my favourite actors, who was in the excellent "Sideways".

When everyone arrived home from their various outings it was time for a delicious steak dinner. Perfect!

An evening in the Florida Keys!

I went into work as usual this morning and then I left at 10am to go home and get ready for hosting the Come Dine With Me evening. My theme was "An Evening in the Keys" and I was looking forward to having a fun night with my good friends.

I had a bit of a shock when I arrived home to find we'd had a power cut...Keith said they'd been trying to get it going again as the electricity kept flicking on and off. I tried to keep calm and not think about the consequences of having no power for most of the day!

Luckily, within half an hour the electricity was restored and I could get down to preparing for the evening ahead. I made the base for my Key Lime Pie and marinated my chicken breasts with the Jerk paste. Keith took Sophie into work as she was needed over lunchtime while I cleaned the conservatory and set the table.

When the base of the pie had cooled I made the filling and put it in the oven while I prepared my veggies and prepped as much as I could to save time later. I didn't have the luxury of being able to cook the dishes in advance and both my starter and my main course had to be cooked while my guests were sitting waiting! Not something I like to do!

Sophie finished work at 2pm so we collected her and then went home to have a welcome cup of tea and a biscuit...the ultimate comfort food for me!

By 5pm the house was looking lovely so I went and had a bath and then put the finishing touches to my preparations. Sophie did my make-up and hair and then it was down to prepare the Mojitos and light the candles.

My guests arrived within minutes of each other and looked fabulous! Andrea had a dolphin head on while Fiona came as Don Johnson from Miami Vice! Lynda wore a summer dress along with a straw hat and huge sunglasses! I was rather more refined with a pair of white trousers and a floaty top, the same outfit I'd worn several times on holiday!

I finished making the drinks and we were soon sipping the rather strong cocktails! Keith had walked up to the pub for a drink and he arrived home just as I was shallow frying the crispy coconut prawns. I served them with rocket leaves and a chilli dip and they were delicious, thank goodness!

As we ate our starters I put the chicken in the oven to cook, with the mushrooms and Chantenay carrots following soon after. I couldn't really sit and chat to my friends as I was in and out of the kitchen checking on the food and then making the sauce for the pasta. I was delighted with the results and Sophie managed to cadge a bowl of the pasta, saying it was better than the first time I'd made it. The dish was creamy but had a lot of heat from the Jerk paste!

Before dessert we played "Pop-up Pirate", a game where a plastic pirate sits in a barrel and we each took it in turns to insert a sword into holes in the barrel. One sword triggers the pirate to pop out of the barrel which was great! Of course, the Florida Keys had their fair share of pirates so I thought it was very apt!

My Key Lime pie went down very well and after polishing most of it off (the kids had a slice each as well) I made coffee and we sat and relaxed. Sophie was an absolute treasure and did all the washing up and clearing away for me. I couldn't have done it without her help, bless her!

It was a great evening and the girls left at about midnight. Next up is Fiona's evening where we have to dress up as Disney Princesses!

Serious events...

We had another terrible journey into work and school this morning as our usual route was blocked by an accident. As we turned onto the road that leads to the school I could see a flashing blue light in the distance coming from the village. On our road I could see all the cars stopped and within a few minutes a huge fire engine sped past. The cars coming the other way advised me to turn around, which we did, and I fervently hoped that nobody had been seriously hurt in the accident.

I dropped Mikey off in the middle of the village, much to his disgust, but there was no way I was going anywhere near the school this morning!

Dad and I had a meeting with the new buyers in the afternoon and it was a little bit tense as they asked for a contribution towards the building's "dilapidations". This really only comes into effect if we were to leave the building empty, but we said that there was no way we could lower the asking price and I honestly believe that they were only asking to see if we would say yes. The two men we had the meeting with have to report back to a committee of Trustees and I suppose they have to follow procedure. The meeting went well, though, and we are getting closer to a completion date, which was good news!

Sophie was off on a driving lesson and then she'd been dropped off at a friend's house as they had to go into school to collect all their photographs from the exams, many of which had been displayed on the school walls. They all got back to work at about 4.30pm and Sophie was carrying a huge folder of pictures. She was determined to put a lot of them up in the house so I suppose we'll have to find room on our walls now!

Squeezing in another walk...

The weather this morning was atrocious with torrential rain, winds and skies as dark as night. I took Mikey to school and felt really sorry for him when he got out to walk to school. Thankfully, he hadn't got far to go!

Amazingly, by mid-morning the weather had cleared up and the afternoon was sunny and dry. What a difference it made! After work we decided to make the most of the late afternoon sunshine and go for a walk over the fields. We walked down to the village first this time so by the time we'd neared home it was almost dark. The sky was a beautiful shade of indigo and the trees looked gorgeous outlined against the soft golden horizon.

After our walk Keith and I sat and played a game of cards in the conservatory and then cooked roast chicken for dinner. It felt good to have got out for a walk but as we approach 21st December, we're going to have to start earlier or we really will be getting back in the pitch black!

Posting pains!

Today has been busy at work and, as usual on a Tuesday, catching up with paperwork in the office. I printed out my menus for Friday night and also a copy of my car insurance certificate to take home. I put them in a folder, gathered up all the post and the day's newspaper and left work a bit early.

I generally post the mail in the same mail box and as we use franked mail, we deposit our post in a large locked box. When I got home, nice and early, I realised I hadn't got the folder containing the menus and the insurance certificate, or the newspaper...

I could only imagine that I'd posted the folder with the mail so, in a bit of a panic, I told Keith who agreed to drive back with me to see if there was a number I could call listed on the post box. When we got back to the box, there was a number but if course it was a national number and I knew I didn't stand a chance of getting through to someone who could help. Sitting and waiting for the postman to come and empty the box just wasn't an option so I resigned myself to going home and trying to call from there.

On the way home Keith suggested we go back to work to check the office and imagine my embarrassment (and relief!) to see the folder sitting on my desk! Hooray!

We drove thankfully home in the gloom where I sat and relaxed for the rest of the evening!

Moany Monday...

Today I have been in a grumpy mood, and I have no idea why! I really didn't want to be at work today and when I went home to get Sophie, I said I didn't want to go to the gym either! This didn't go down well with my daughter who was all ready to go, but I just couldn't face getting back in the car and battling back through the busy traffic to Riverside. It would have been far better if Keith had driven her back to work for me, but of course, that didn't happen!

However, it dawned on me that this Friday is my turn for hosting the Come Dine With Me evening and I wasn't at all prepared! I was going to cook stuffed prawns as a starter but I decided they were too fiddly (life's too short to stuff a prawn) so I decided to cook Coconut Prawns instead. I will practise them on Wednesday night.

I logged onto the Tesco.com website and ordered all my food, plus a bottle of white rum to make Mojitos. I also ordered four bottles of the Californian Barefoot wine, which I'm hoping will complement the food perfectly. I also devised my menu:

"An Evening in the Keys"

To start - Coconut Shrimp...from the restaurant "The Hogfish Grill"

For the main course - Jerk Chicken Pasta...as eaten at Bahama Breeze

Finished off with - Key Lime Pie...enjoyed at The Island Fish Co

I'm hoping it will be a success!

Posh afternoon tea!

This morning we all went to Pitsford village as Mikey was taking part in the Remembrance parade there, representing the Army Cadets. The weather was exactly the same as last year - blue skies, slightly chilly and lots of sunshine.

We all met at the flag pole in the centre of the village where the various groups taking part hoisted their particular flags and the Last Post was played (always moves me to tears). We then all walked to the church where wreaths were laid at the War Memorial and a two minute silence held.

After the commemoration at the Memorial we all trooped inside the church for the Remembrance Service which lasted about an hour. In front of us a couple had a little girl of about three who did not want to sit still! I have to admit to finding the service a bit boring in parts so I could sympathise, but was it really the place to bring a child as young as that? She obviously couldn't understand the significance of the day and in the end, her father was forced to take her outside as she really was spoiling it for everyone who was seated near her.

After the service we sped home and I had a quick bite to eat before hoovering the house. The carpet resembled a field and I'm sure most if it is brought in on the cats' feet! Mikey went off to Brixworth to see his friend and at 2pm Sophie and I went around to Mum's house to give her our presents and to whisk her off for afternoon tea at Fawsley Hall, near Daventry.

Mum was delighted with her gifts - a John Lewis voucher from Keith and I, and a necklace and photograph frame from the children. I'd printed off two pictures of the children and she was thrilled as she was going to ask me to get her up-to-date photos of the children for Christmas!

We went off to Weedon first for a mooch about the shops and I bought a little toy reindeer to go on our tree - I couldn't resist! I also bought some gift tags and some little silver, glittery tea-lights for the table on Christmas Day. This year I really am starting early! We also spotted some gorgeous decorations in the Cookshop there but this time I did manage to resist! Perhaps closer to Christmas!

We left Weedon at about 3.30pm and headed to Fawsley Hall. The road is very narrow and hilly but the views are beautiful. The last time we were here Sophie took some stunning photos of the lake and the trees and in fact, my current header photo was taken in the grounds.

We drew up in front of the gorgeous building, some parts of which date from the Tudor age (Queen Elizabeth I stayed here in 1575), and went into the Reception area where we were greeted by the very friendly staff. We took our afternoon tea in a high-ceilinged room overlooking the grounds and the nearby church. I have to admit to being slightly disappointed in this as I was looking forward to sitting in a cosy lounge with a log fire (or two) in a much older part of the hotel. On the way through the building we'd peeked at the restaurant which was situated in the oldest part and was absolutely gorgeous...I want to come back for dinner one winter's evening!

However, the slight disappointment was made up by the selection of sandwiches, scones and cakes on offer and the limitless pot of tea. We had cucumber, ham, egg mayonnaise and smoked salmon sarnies, followed by scones with clotted cream and jam and then a range of small "fancies" one of which looked like a fried egg and was delicious!

We left at 5pm, stuffed to the gunnels with tea and cakes and had another leisurely walk through the restaurant and lounge bars. We also had a quick look in the Great Hall where people were sitting over cups of tea and reading the Sunday papers...how lovely!

Outside it was just getting dark and all the mullioned windows were lit. The building looked ravishing! We drove the fairly long distance home in the dark, chatting about our day and I think my Mum had a fabulous Birthday!

Special Birthday celebrations!

Today has been one of the days when I felt like doing very little - the weather has been horrible and I was just content to research my family tree in the warm!

Sophie moaned about wanting to go somewhere, though, so to appease her slightly, we went off to Tesco in the afternoon to get some things I needed and I treated her to a Costa Coffee while we were there. They have their new range of Christmas drinks and snacks available now but we managed to resist the gorgeous chocolaty beverages on offer and stuck with our normal choices. We did share a chocolate twist, though! I bought a bottle of sparkling wine for Mum as we're all out tonight for a meal to celebrate her 70th Birthday and I'd invited them around for a drink first.

Back home I had a short time to relax before Sophie and I went to pick up Mikey from his friend's house in Kingsthorpe. He was waiting for us outside the house and looked very tired. He said he'd had a great time but had stayed up very late on Friday night so no wonder he looked shattered! When he got home he had a shower and then fell asleep on our bed!

Mum and Dad came around at 7pm and we had a drink in the conservatory. My Mum is actually 70 tomorrow and I can't believe it! She doesn't look her age!

We had a great meal at The Swan at Lamport and Mum and Dad's friends Garry and Gloria also came to celebrate. We sat by the fire with a drink before sitting down and chose from the extensive menu. I decided to have a stuffed pepper to start, which on reflection, was a mistake. The cheesy filling was tasty but the pepper itself was barely cooked and the appearance let it down as it looked like somebody had vomited into the green vegetable!

My main course of crispy calves liver was much better and it came served with green beans and mashed potato. I even managed to find room for a chocolate torte for dessert! Everyone else enjoyed their meals and it was great to sit in a group and have a good chat. Dad had ordered some flowers for Mum and these were on the table, much to the envy of the other diners, apparently!

It seems incredible that my Mum and Gloria celebrated their 40th Birthdays together thirty years ago and I was younger than Sophie is now! Where have all the years gone?

Glum Friday...

Today has been long and boring, I have to admit. Sophie has been in at work with me all day as we had a lunchtime party and then a further two parties in the evening, which meant that we were at work until 6pm. Not a good thing on a Friday! Next week I'm determined to get back into our gym routine!

So, today dragged and it was bliss to finally leave work and go home. Mikey was off in Birmingham at an "Asking Alexandria" concert so there was just the three of us. We treated ourselves to fish and chips tonight for dinner and very good it was, too!

First frost!

This morning we awoke to the first frost of the Autumn and the temperature was 3c, unbelievable when you think it was 23c last Friday!

Mum and dad took an extra day off this week, so Sophie and Keith came in to work with me again today. We had a fairly quiet day and managed to get away at about 3.30pm. I was planning to cook Jerk Chicken Pasta, a dish I'm planning for my Come Dine With Me meal next Friday. I'd bought the ingredients in Tesco today and Keith had marinated the chicken breasts in the Jerk sauce when he got home.

We had a bit of a scare this evening as we thought our boiler had packed up. Keith kept trying to get it to fire but it would get going for a very short time and then stop, meaning we had no heating or hot water. No heating I can manage, but we need hot water desperately! Luckily, he persevered and managed to get it working again but an engineer is coming out on Saturday to have a look. Phew! We don't really need the expense of a new boiler at the moment!

I made my pasta dish and it was delicious, although there are a few tweaks I'll make on the night. Keith commented that the lime juice was a bit strong and I'm going to cook more chicken and less pasta. The kids loved it though, and there wasn't much left over...always a good sign!

Remember, remember...

So, it's the 5th of November and after a busy day at work I took Sophie and Mikey to the fireworks in the village. Keith drove us up as we were home from work later than usual and dropped us off at the entrance to the lane which led to the farm. The bonfire and fireworks take place on a large field behind cow sheds and farmyards and it's always dark and bumpy to walk on, despite the little candles to light the way!

The bonfire was still unlit so we stood and waited in the cold. Although it was chilly, the evening was clear with an almost full moon illuminating the fields. At 6.30pm several men took torches to the huge bonfire and the thing caught very quickly!

The fire lit up all the faces around us although I still didn't see many people I knew. We were probably surrounded by friends and neighbours but everyone looked different in the dark!

As the bonfire raged the first of the fireworks went off and we had a great show. The kids went off to get some refreshments - mulled wine for Sophie and I and a burger for Mikey - and we enjoyed watching the display.

All too soon it was over and we walked home to a delicious, spicy chicken curry made by Keith. Perfect!

A taste of freedom...

This morning Keith had a dental appointment in Leicester. He had been referred by his usual dentist to a practice in the city for possible root canal treatment so as he was unsure of where to go or where to park, I went with him to keep him company.

It was the most beautiful of mornings with mist and hazy sunshine first thing, giving way to blue skies and fluffy white clouds as we headed to Leicester. We'd dropped Mikey off at school and Sophie off at work as she had a driving lesson planned for mid-morning.

We made good time to Leicester and Gladys helped us find the building straight away. We parked nearby and went in search of a coffee shop, but failed to find one, as is always the case! We gave up and went back to the dental surgery which was situated in a gorgeous old Victorian building. I sat and waited in the beautiful  sitting room while Keith was seen to and read some very upmarket magazines...what a difference to my usual dentist!

Within about twenty minutes he was finished so we headed home, calling into Wistow Rural Centre on the way as I was desperate for a cup of coffee by now! We'd never been here before but it was a lovely little place with a garden centre, art gallery and cafe serving lovely coffee and pastries. We enjoyed a coffee and a cheese scone and I sat there hoping upon hope that soon I would be like the other ladies in the cafe sitting enjoying a morning coffee without work to think about!

Before we went and picked Sophie up from work, we returned Mikey's costume to the hire shop and I had a look for a Disney princess dress for Fiona's Come Dine With Me in a few weeks. I'm planning to go as the princess from the film Brave and wanted a long green velvet dress.

We collected Sophie from work and returned home where we spent a very enjoyable afternoon doing not much at all! The beautiful blue skies gave way to storm clouds and we had a shower of rain in the late afternoon that put a stop to a walk over the fields!

Squeezing in a walk...

Things were a little tense at work this morning as we hadn't had as good a half-term as we'd expected and we had a large VAT payment due today...I really will be glad when we've sold the business and I don't have to worry about money so much!

I made an attempt at cleaning our carpets by the seating area as they were very dirty and then popped home to get Sophie as she had an eye test booked with Boots Opticians. Her eyes were fine and we did mention the funny thing that happened with her vision earlier in the year, but the Optician said that her eyes were very healthy. Her prescription had changed, though, so she needed glasses for distance. I wasn't expecting this at all so it was a bit of a shock when we were told to choose a new pair of glasses! The Optician tried to sell us a special finish to help with the blue light emitted from tablets and laptops, but that was £70! As I have a lot on this month, I said a firm no!

I parted with over £60 for the eye test and the glasses and we went back to work in a very grumpy mood. The plan had been to go to the gym but Sophie had forgotten her phone (again!) so we went home and managed to squeeze in a walk over the fields before it got dark. I was going to walk without a coat, but I was glad I'd changed my mind as the wind was very cold indeed!

It was a beautiful evening, though with the sky a gorgeous pearly blue and gold on the horizon where the sun had already set. The bare trees looked lovely outlined against the sky.

Back home we had an evening of Desperate Housewives so it was a very relaxing end to a busy day!

Quiet Sunday...

After the excitement of the last couple of days, today has been very quiet. We dropped Sophie off at work at 11am and then I helped Keith to put new grouting in our shower cabinet...we know how to enjoy ourselves! It badly needed to be done, though and looked so much better when we'd finished!

The weather today has been much more autumnal and it certainly felt cooler than Friday! We also had some heavy downpours of rain and it was the perfect day to stay indoors and keep warm!

Dressing up!

The phone went at 9am this morning and I groaned because it could only be work...Paula, our weekend manager had called as she couldn't find out big party diary and thought it had been locked in our office...

Keith and I drove into work and went straight to the office but it wasn't there. To my intense annoyance, the diary was in the kitchen and why Paula hadn't thought to ask Maureen first, I'll never know. Of course, the crows had seen me drive in and were waiting for me on the roof of the building so I had to take them some food. An unexpected treat for them, then!

We drove home and I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the house. As usual, there were masses of leaves outside our back door so I swept them all up but when I went out again they were all creeping back...damn things!

In the afternoon, Sophie and I went to Market Harborough to do some shopping. I wanted to buy a bottle of Greek wine in Duncan's shop for the Come Dine With Me dinner tonight and I was delighted to find some wine from the island of Paros. I've been there twice but Mum and Dad try and go every year so I bought a bottle of white wine to try and another bottle of a different wine to take tonight. I was spoilt for choice!

We had a lovely time shopping and then it was home to get ready for my transformation into Nana Mouskouri! I had a bath, pinned my hair up and then Sophie did my make-up, emphasising my eyes with heavy black eyeliner. When I put the wig and glasses on and dressed in a floaty black trouser suit I felt I looked the part!

Keith and I drove to Andrea's house and we were treated to a show of fireworks the whole way. I expect there'll be fireworks every night now for a week seeing as Bonfire night is on Wednesday!

Andrea looked brilliant dressed up as a Greek goddess and Lynda arrived also dressed in a toga and looking fantastic! Fiona, though, stole the show, as she'd decided to come as Medusa with vivid green eye make-up, false lashes and snakes in her hair! Brilliant!

Fiona and Lynda

Fiona and I

Andrea looking very glam!

 
We had a lovely meal with pitta bread and hummus to start, followed by Feta and spinach tart. For the main course, Andrea had cooked Moussaka with salad and we finished the meal with Baklava and cream. Delicious!

After we'd eaten we played a game called "Rapidough" where we had to make models out of playdough. Our partner had to guess what we were making and if we lost we had to forfeit a bit of dough. Whoever had the most left, won the game. It was hilarious! I've never laughed so much in my life!