A somewhat challenging day...

I was awake in the night at 2.30am and looked out of the window to see our tall Eucalyptus tree almost bent in half in the wind...I got back into bed praying that it would stay upright and not fall on us!

This morning, though, we awoke to blue skies and white fluffy clouds scudding across the sky. Yesterday, sadly, Archie had managed to get hold of a female blackbird in the garden and had torn all her back feathers out. Last night we'd tried to catch her to keep her safe but she'd scuttled into a bush and had hidden from us. This morning I looked out to see her eating some seed I'd put down so she seems to be OK, but I'm sad that she's unable to fly away.

We had the cleaning to do this morning and it was hard work. I finished at 9am and Keith brought Mikey in as he had an Orthodontist appointment at 10am. It was at a surgery we'd never been to before so I offered to drive in case Keith couldn't find anywhere to park. We found it easily (thanks Google maps!) and luckily there was a few spaces. Rather than sit in the waiting room with them, I stayed in the car and twenty minutes later Keith came out to say he hadn't even been seen yet...

After half an hour of waiting they both came out to say that the Orthodontist was delayed and they could either wait longer or make another appointment. I was furious because by now I'd wasted an hour of my time and Mike still hadn't been seen.

We drove back to work and Keith and I immediately left again - me to go to the bank while he went to the dentist surgery to sort out another appointment. We arranged to meet at the bank to then pop up to Tesco and after I'd done all I needed to do I stood and waited...and waited.

Thinking he'd been to the bank and seen that I wasn't there, therefore deciding to go to Tesco on his own, I started to get mad, but then I saw him coming and there was literally steam coming out of his ears! He'd had to wait ages in the dentist surgery and then the staff had seemed really confused by what had happened this morning! At last he was able to make an appointment for the end of May (!) but he was hopping mad at the length of time it took to do such a simple thing!

We dashed around Tesco buying food for the next two nights and then it was back to work and all the noise and chaos that my work brings! We were busier than yesterday and the car park was half-full already. Keith departed with Mike in tow and I happened to say to Mum that the lady I'd seen in the bank had taken our wallet of takings and had left it on a chair behind her...She'd stamped the paying-in book but I wanted to check the statement anyway. It was then that I noticed that our credit card transactions were much less than they should have been... Going back on the statements I realised with a sense of doom that not one payment had gone into our account from the new terminal I'd installed two weeks ago...

Feeling very panicky now, I called the helpline to be eventually told that the payments were going into a completely different bank account, but then the penny dropped...they were being paid into our new buyer's account!

Dad called our contact who said that a terminal meant for them (when they took over) had been sent to us and as it had our name on it, I'd mistakenly thought it was a new upgrade for us... Why they hadn't thought to tell us I have no idea.

We eventually got things sorted out and I'm just glad we have a good relationship with our buyers and also glad that I'd spotted the mistake before more time had passed!

Easter begins!

Today is the first day of the Easter holidays and the weather dawned bright and sunny, which was a relief! It's due to change tonight, though, with strong winds and rain forecast.

We had a meeting with the new buyers first thing and they told us they hope to be in by June at the latest. We met the man who's going to be running the business and he seemed very pleasant.

After the meeting Sophie and I went off to the bank and Booker and by 4pm we were able to go home. The rain had just started and it was bliss to jump in the bath and relax after a busy day. We gave the gym a miss tonight but I'm hoping we'll be able to swim later in the week after the lessons have stopped for the holidays.

I dropped Keith off at the pub and noticed how windy it was, and cold as well. Winter is not over yet!

An hour lost...

The clocks went forward today so I spent the day whinging about losing a precious hour as I do every year! As predicted the time flew by this morning as I woke up at 9am (8am) and by the time we'd taken Sophie to work and popped to Booker to get stuff (grrrr!) it was lunchtime!

We called in to see Mum and Dad who'd forgotten to put their clocks forward so were shocked at how late it was! Back home I put the hoover around and then slobbed about for the rest of the day, feeling grumpy!

The weather today has been atrocious with wind and rain so we couldn't even get out for a walk or sit in the garden. What a difference to last Sunday when I enjoyed having my lunch in the sun!

Being nosy!

I never go food shopping with Keith but this morning I fancied accompanying him as it was a grey and rainy morning and I did feel a bit bad that he had to go on his own. Normally he goes on Friday morning but of course we were away yesterday!

I managed not to annoy him by wandering off or putting stuff in the trolley that we didn't need and very soon we were all done and heading home. I did think the children would still be in bed but Sophie was up and keen for some breakfast! I cooked a bacon sandwich for her and sausage sandwiches for Mikey, Keith and me. Mike then went off to Brixworth to see his friends (one girl in particular, I think!).

In the afternoon we met Mum and Dad at a house on our estate which has been up for sale for ages. They were hoping that the people selling it would move a bit on price but after talking to the estate agent he seemed to think they wanted over the asking price. Sadly, I certainly didn't think the house was worth the price they wanted as it was badly in need of a clean, wanted decorating throughout and the outside desperately needed some love and attention. It made me realise what a good deal we had on our house when we bought it as we have two bedrooms with big fitted wardrobes and this house had just the one small cupboard in the master bedroom. If it had been me moving in I would also have wanted to put down new carpets as well as they were certainly past their best!

It made me quite sad to see the house in that state as the owners have obviously neglected it. It's probably the reason why it's been languishing on the market for so long as it just wouldn't compete with the brand new houses being built nearby at the moment.

Mum and Dad came in for a cup of tea after viewing the house and we had a good chat about it. They're going to put an offer in, but for a lower price!

The rest of the day was spent doing very little and before going to pick Mikey up I prepared all the dinner to give Keith a break from cooking. After dinner we caught up with the latest episode of Fortitude and we're nearing the end of the series. I hope there's going to be a good ending!

A long day!

We left home at 8am this morning and had a great journey up to Bishop Auckland in County Durham where Keith's brother lives. We didn't get away with a non-stop journey, though, and made a stop on the M1 for the children to have a second breakfast at a McDonald's. I'd bought some pastries in Tesco yesterday and although they'd had a pain au chocolat before we left, that wasn't enough for them, obviously!

The weather was gorgeous with lots of sunshine and little fluffy white clouds. I hoped it would stay that way! We arrived at Val's house at about 11.30am and had a long chat. He's just been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and although a little thinner and fragile than when we last saw him, he did seem quite well.

After a lunch of sausage rolls and fruit pies, we left at 2pm and drove to Keith's home town of Ferryhill to see his ex-Brother-in-Law who runs a Wine Bar in the small town. They both had a lot to catch up on and general hilarity ensued as they chatted. Although they're friends on Facebook, Keith said it was great to see John in the flesh again as the last time they'd met up was almost two years ago.

We reluctantly said our goodbyes at about 3.30pm and set Gladys to find the pub we'd picked in the Nottinghamshire village of Laxton. I'd already booked a table and we hoped to be there for about 6.30pm.

As it was a Friday and the schools broke up for Easter today, the traffic was a lot heavier than on the way up. We carried on along the A1 into Nottinghamshire and made the village at a much earlier than anticipated time of 6pm. Laxton is gorgeous and I was delighted with the choice I'd made - The Dovecote Inn.

It's a beautiful pub, very warm and welcoming with soft lamps, lovely furnishings and an efficient, friendly landlady who ensured we had a great evening. We stood at the bar for a while to stretch our legs and then made our way to our reserved table which overlooked the village church.

Sophie, Mike and I chose garlic bread as a starter and this was delicious, made from a seeded rustic bread with lots of garlic and green leaves to garnish. Sophie and I then had a delicious chicken breast served with a casserole of new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, chorizo and butternut squash. Keith went for the lamb shank and Mikey chose a beautiful steak pie that was undoubtedly home-made with chunky chips and veggies that did for the rest of us as well.

Keith was happy with the beer served in the pub and we all heartily wished it was nearer to home! We left at 8pm and Gladys said we should be arriving back on our driveway at just after 9.30pm. I sincerely hoped we'd have no hold-ups!

We did have a good journey home, turning off the dark A1 at Stamford to follow the A43 back to our doorstep almost! It was lovely to get home and Keith and I had a wee dram before hitting the sheets!

Short week!

So, it was my last day at work this week and time passed very quickly. Mum and Dad came in at lunchtime as they were returning the Mini and the arrangement would be that I would give them a lift home.

It's been another beautiful day but blustery winds and rain are due at the weekend. I'm just hoping that the Easter bank holiday weekend will be a sunny and warm one this year!

After dropping Mum and Dad off at home Keith and I drove to Market Harborough to fill the car with diesel at the Tesco garage and while we were in the town we looked for the new Beerhouse that Nick was telling me about when I was in Duncan's shop the other week. We drove up and down the road four times and we still couldn't see it! Maybe next time we'll Google Earth it!

We had a very relaxed evening after we arrived back home - Keith cooked a delicious roast chicken dinner and then it was early to bed as we have a very long drive ahead of us tomorrow!

Getting checked out...

Although the weather started off foggy this morning, it soon brightened up to a clear and sunny day. Keith was in with us and surprised me by mowing the lawn in our little garden. The grass was very long indeed and although it looked a bit chewed when he'd finished it should help the next time it needs to be cut.

Sophie went off on a driving lesson and I just hoped we wouldn't be too busy with her gone! However, before we knew it she was back and although we were pleasantly busy we weren't manic.

After lunch Sophie, Keith and I went over to the bank and then we printed off a photo to take up with us to see Keith's brother on Friday. It was a photo I took of my family on the pier at Anna Maria Island and is perhaps one of my favourite photos. We thought it would be nice for him to have it as we don't normally give out too many pictures of ourselves!

At 3pm Sophie and I were back over at the Weston Favell Centre as I had an eye health check at Boots. The optician was very thorough and even took a photo of the back of my eyes, which she said looked very healthy, so that was good. After I'd been thoroughly checked out Sophie and I went off to the gym and even though my daughter didn't feel like doing a lot, we did manage time on the treadmill and the bike. I found it very pleasant to get back into doing some exercise while watching A Place in the Sun!

Sophie went off to the cafe after her workout while I went down to the spa. I met Liam on the way who'd been swimming and we chatted about the house they've just bought. I spent a very relaxing time in the jacuzzi and then it was home to help Keith prepare dinner and talk about our dreams of renting a villa in Florida for a few months! One day, perhaps!

House-hunting again!

It's been another beautiful day today with an interesting, and what I would call, Florida sky! Lots of fluffy clouds and then big towering thunder clouds in the afternoon that gave us the odd shower.

As we were quiet today Mum, Sophie and I went off to look at a new housing development in the large village of Earls Barton. It was a Redrow estate and I was very impressed with the finish of the houses and how much bigger the bedrooms were. We looked at a four-bedroom house that we all agreed was a bit big for Mum and Dad as they only have three double bedrooms at the moment! The development was right on the edge of the village with views over open fields. The woman who was in the show home office was very chatty and it made for a pleasant hour escaping from work!

When we arrived back it was quieter still so Sophie and I called it a day and went home. Sue was coming over in the evening so I tidied the house a bit and then put some food down in the garden for our little feathered friends.

Sue and I had a great chat over a bottle of Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier and a fantastic array of nibbles that Sue had bought over with her. Keith had the honour of taking Mike to Army Cadets and then after Sue left we had cold roast pork for a light supper. To be honest it was all I needed after my nibbly feast!

Unexpected Outing Part 2!

Today I've felt that I've had little control over my life! Dad had asked me to take him and Mum home this evening as they were finally returning their little Mini. They never drive the car and all it does is sit on the driveway. This meant that Sophie and I were unable to get to the gym tonight but we said we'd make up for it on Wednesday this week.

The morning flew by and when I got back from the bank Dad had gone to return the Mini. He was going to call me when it was time to pick him up but we kept on waiting and after two hours I said to Mum I'd go down to the dealership and see what was happening. I was very surprised to see him five minutes into my journey, driving back to work...

After I'd turned around and followed him back I discovered the problem - somehow a squirrel had got into the engine and had chewed away at the casings of the electrics. The dealership wouldn't take it back without the problem being fixed and it wasn't going to be cheap...

Understandably Mum and Dad were a bit upset but they felt there was nothing they could do. They've had squirrels in the garden but I have a feeling that Dad might get his revenge on the furry nuisances!

As we were sitting having a cup of tea the phone rang and it was Keith saying that Mike had missed his bus and could I go and pick him up from school? There was no point in coming back to work so I shut everything down and went to collect him.

Back home Keith received a call from his drinking partner, Dave, who said he wasn't going out to play tonight, so we all decided to go out for a drink, back to The Spencer Arms in Chapel Brampton where we'd been the other week. Keith walked down to the pub first while we all got ready and we picked him up on the way.

The pub was very quiet but we opted to sit in the bar area again rather than the restaurant. Keith was going to be naughty and order Mike a half pint of cider (at 16 he could enjoy beer, cider or wine with a meal) but he was lucky he didn't as for the first time ever the barman asked to see the children's ID! We hadn't ordered Mike a drink and then we discovered that the barman had been at school with Sophie so he knew exactly how old she was!

The meal was a mixed success. I enjoyed my curry but Keith was very disappointed with his mixed grill and Sophie's pie came with cold, over-cooked chips and not the mashed potato she was expecting. Mike was happy with his burger but Keith did mention that he wasn't happy with his meal so the manager gave him a discount of 25% off the bill.

On the way home I treated the children to a tub of ice-cream and we watched an episode of Gator Boys. A lovely end to a fairly good evening!

Sunny Sunday

Today has been beautiful and a really Spring-like day. Keith and I went out into the garden and did a bit of tidying up before we took Sophie to work at midday. I didn't think she would be needed all that much today as the weather has been gorgeous.

On the way home we called into the garage to get the Sunday papers and I put my car through the car-wash. It's now gleaming inside and out! When I arrived home Mum called to ask if I wanted to go and look at a show-home in Brixworth this afternoon. They're interested in buying a house on a new development and wanted me to go and look.

I had a lovely lunch sitting in the garden, reading the newspaper with Archie and our little robin who kept flitting about and pecking at some fat balls I'd put down on the grass. He was a fearless little thing and came quite close, even though Archie was sitting right next to me! The sun on my face was lovely and I've made a vow to try and sit out in the sun as much as I can this year, to keep my Vitamin D levels topped up!

Luckily Sophie was finished work at 2.30pm so I went to collect her and then we met Mum and Dad in Brixworth. The show-homes were beautiful and the particular house they were interested in was a gorgeous four-bedroomed residence. I was impressed with the modern furniture and interior design but I felt the bedrooms were quite small and a lot of the appliances in the kitchen were "extra". It even had a conservatory which we later found out wasn't standard with that design, which I thought was a bit naughty! We had a look at two other houses, one of which was a three storey five bedroom home and was huge!

After looking at the show-homes we had a walk around the development and I wasn't really keen at all. It makes me appreciate how much I love where we live as it's much smaller and the houses are more spaced out. I said to Mum and Dad that it might get noisy in the summer and there were already cars being parked on the roads.

We left Mum and Dad at the development and at Sophie's urging, went off to Costa Coffee. I was tempted to sit outside but as it was now getting late the temperatures had dropped a bit!

How many trips to the tip?

Six, actually!

We've had a very busy day and we've finally cleared all the branches and shrubs that Slasher Keith cut down the other week. To be honest, it helped that Paul and Sue took a lot of the greenery to reinforce their garden hedge to stop their two doggies escaping! We'd already had one bin emptied but Keith had filled it again so we taped it closed and put it in the back of my car along with a tub full of branches and twigs.

We took this to the tip, emptied it and returned with two more binfuls! The other three trips were to take old wooden furniture that we'd stacked behind the garage, including a hammock that had gone all mouldy and two deck-chairs that we'd never used! Why we keep so much rubbish I'll never know!

That's a bit better!

By the time we returned the back of my car resembled a field! It was a good job I never got around to hoovering it out the other day! We had lunch and then I gave the inside of my car a really good clean before finally relaxing as by now it had turned really chilly.

In the evening the three of us went into town to visit The Artizan pub as we'd heard it had been refurbished and was selling a good range of beers. Unfortunately, we'd forgotten that England were playing France in a crucial rugby match and the pub was full of drinkers who'd obviously been there quite a while! We stood and had a drink for a short while before moving on to The Princess Alexandra where we'd had an enjoyable evening last Friday with Sue and Paul.

The beer that I'd enjoyed so much was, sadly, not available, so I tried an Icelandic Porter which was OK, but not nearly as nice as the Neopolitan Milk Stout. Maybe it was a good thing as I was driving tonight! Sophie liked the pub and she tried a couple of different beers, including one which was heavily laced with honey. They had so many bottles of beer to choose from and we'll definitely be going back there again soon.

Our last stop of the evening was the Balti again and I had a bit of trouble parking outside, managing to hit a lampost before Keith got out of the car and parked it for me! What made it worse was that it was very dark but every time I tried to get the car into position, another vehicle loomed up behind me and put me off! Luckily I didn't do any damage to my rear bumper but my ears were a bit damaged from Keith getting angry!

The Balti was packed to the rafters but we took a table by the window and chose from the extensive menu. Keith and I went for a milder dish than we'd had last week and Sophie chose a very garlicky chicken dish that she said was delicious. Our beverage accompaniment tonight was just plain water!

The end of another week!

After the eclipse of this morning, the weather turned out to be beautiful and very Spring-like. Sophie and I popped to Booker and then took the opportunity to pick up litter in our car park and get some sun!

Having said that, the amount of rubbish we collected was horrible, and we found a pregnancy test lying in the car park, as well as lots and lots of wet wipes, nappies and McDonald's wrappers...

At lunchtime I drove my daughter into town as she was meeting some friends for lunch and I'd barely been back and eaten my own lunch before it was time to go back and pick her up! We'd planned on having an early finish so after dropping her friend Daisy off in the middle of town, it was back to work to turn off my computer and then head for home. Sophie went out for a walk with another friend who lives nearby and although I had planned to get out into the garden with Keith he was in the middle of ironing and was very resistant to the idea of going outside! I ended up relaxing on the sofa but we have a lot of work to do tomorrow!


In the evening Sophie and I took Mikey down to Gibraltar Barracks in town as he's off on an Army Cadet weekend. Rather him than me!

Solar Eclipse!

This morning, at about 9.30am, the moon made a partial eclipse of the sun and it was amazing to behold! The last time I experienced any kind of eclipse was back in 1999 and I can remember taking all the children we had in our Nursery at the time outside to witness the phenomenon. All those children (including Sophie) would be between 17 and 20 now, so that's amazing in itself!

I took a photo of the trees in our car-park as it was happening - you can see how dark it is!

Inside the building we had to turn on the lights it was so dark! We had a few customers turn up and they stayed outside to have a look (not directly at the sun, though). It felt very strange to see the sky grow darker!

Quiet days

Sometimes there are days when absolutely nothing of note happens so there's really not much point in writing anything down. Wednesday and Thursday have been very quiet - a case of get up, go to work, go home, have dinner...that's it!

On Thursday the toothache I'd been experiencing for almost a week became unbearable so I was forced to call the dentist. I was told I could go at 1.30pm and sit and wait for an appointment, which is what I did.

Luckily, within five minutes I was called in to see a different dentist (which made me a bit nervous!) but he had a poke around and said I'd developed an infection behind one of my wisdom teeth and that I needed antibiotics.

Suitable relieved, Sophie and I went to the chemist and I spent £8.00 on a prescription. It's been so long since I've had to have any medication on the NHS that I was completely out of touch with how much a prescription costs!

We had a quick visit to Tesco where I treated myself to a smart looking pen/stylus for use with my Hudl. It should make typing on it a bit easier!

Off early!

Sophie and I were facing quite a long day at work today as we had an after-school party. My daughter is working for us almost full-time now and helped out a lot by setting up the party rooms and taking lots of telephone bookings. It seems incredible that a few months ago she was hesitant about taking calls but she is brilliant on the phone now!

I managed to get a lot of paperwork completed and in the afternoon we did escape for a little while to take my books to a charity shop. We passed by the old Greyfriars Bus Station that was demolished on Sunday and we marvelled at the huge pile of rubble that was all that was left of the ugly building.

After we'd deposited all the books at the Barnado's Donation Centre I treated Sophie to a McFlurry and we went off to Booker to get some essential bits for Maureen. The earlier mist and grey skies had given way to sunshine and we were delighted to be able to go home earlier than planned as a new member of staff was keen to come in and look after the party.

On the way home I went to take the car through the carwash but the automated one had broken down, meaning that we could use the manual one. I never do well with this one as I leave whole sections of the car unwashed but Sophie and I didn't do badly today and when we drove away it looked a lot better than when I drove in!

At home I was finishing it off with a clean cloth and wiping down the interior when Sarah drove past and asked if I was going to be around for a while. She popped over and we had a chat about the new house and it was great to catch up. I didn't get around to hoovering the car but I'd much rather have chatted!

Washing balls (again!).

It's been another day of washing balls and doing lots of cleaning at work. It did feel good, though, to scoop them all out and make sure that the ballpond itself was clean - we only managed to find some copper so no rich pickings today!

At 3pm I took Keith home and collected Sophie and we went off to the gym for a well-deserved wallow in the jacuzzi. As I'd been on my feet all day and crawling on all fours in the narrow ballpond all my muscles ached and I really didn't fancy doing more exercise!

After the gym it was home to prepare dinner and then finally relax with a glass of wine. Bliss!

Celebrating Mums!

Mothering Sunday has come around again and I was treated to breakfast from Keith this morning, plus wine, chocolates and flowers from the children. Lovely!

There was no lazing about for me today, though, and after I'd dropped Sophie at work I went to see my own Mum, but for the first time on a Sunday morning she wasn't at home! I phoned her to discover that my parents had gone shopping but they called in on the way home to have a coffee with us so I could give her the card and Next voucher.

After they'd gone I cleaned the conservatory and moved all the bags of books into the boot of my car. I've given up on trying to sell them so I'll drop them off at a charity shop next week. I cleaned the rest of the downstairs rooms and then was able to relax for a little while before going back to pick Sophie up from work.

Mum and Dad were coming for dinner tonight and Keith had prepared chicken en croute followed by chocolate cheesecake. I set the table and lit lots of little candles to make the conservatory cosy and welcoming.

We had a delicious meal and afterwards we watched a DVD of my cousin Tracy's wedding from 1987. There was brief footage of Mum and I and we looked so different. Sadly, so many people at the wedding are no longer with us, including the bride and the bride's mum so it was very poignant watching everyone on the television.

Of course, watching my cousin's wedding made me want to see my own marriage so we watched that as well and it was really late when my parents left! And then I had to do the rest of the washing up! Pah!

Stressy Saturday!

This morning, early on, the weather was beautiful and I looked forward to seeing the sun shine all day. How wrong can you be, though, as within a couple of hours, the sky had clouded over and the rest of the day was grey and overcast. Oh, and bitterly cold!

We all went out early this morning...Mikey to Brixworth and Sophie, Keith and I to Tesco at the Weston Favell Centre as Sophie needed to buy me Mother's Day pressies! The plan was for me to sit in Costa Coffee while Keith and Sophie shopped in Tesco.

Now I have to confess to hating the Weston Favell Centre with a vengeance. It's always extremely busy and today it was even busier than normal as everyone was out buying Mother's Day gifts and flowers. I escaped to Costa and sat and read the paper with a coffee and a muffin.

When Sophie finished I was going to treat her to a Creamy Cooler but the queue had grown to enormous proportions, so we decided to go to Riverside and have a coffee in Next. My Mum is a huge fan of the store so I treated her to a giftcard and then bought Sophie her coveted drink to have on the way home in the car as, predictably, the cafe was crammed full of people!

Back home I waited for the phone to ring from work, as I just had a feeling that Sophie would be called in. Of course, it came as I was in the bath getting ready to go to Market Harborough! Sophie was, quite rightly, very annoyed, but luckily they managed to get someone else in so we could go shopping after all. I think Sophie has worked enough hours this week!

We had a quick lunch in Caffe Nero first before going to the usual shops, finishing up in Duncan's shop where we tasted a couple of wines. I had a look for a beer similar to the milk stout I was drinking last night and found two contenders which I bought. I also chose a Skye beer for Keith which I hoped he would like.

Whilst in Market Harborough we popped into the Gallone's ice-cream parlour to order Sophie's birthday cake. I find it very hard to buy ice-cream cakes in this country and it's become a tradition for Sophie to have one on her birthday!

Back home, it was great to sit and relax with Sophie and watch Masterchef before we had to collect Mikey from Brixworth and then make dinner. We'd decided to have a mixed grill tonight so as we were cooking all the different meats we had a beer tasting. I loved the Wiper and True "Milkshake" and also the Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout. Delicious!

Out on the town...

After yet another busy day at work we finally managed to get away at almost 5pm. I was really looking forward to an evening out with our friends from over the road, Paul and Sue, as they were taking us to a new pub in Northampton called the The Princess Alexandra.

Sue and Paul picked us up at 7pm and we set off for the town, parking in a nearby multi-storey. After drinks at the pub we were heading for a very good Balti restaurant so we all had some more alcohol with us!

The pub used to be a "spit and sawdust" pub in a back street of Northampton but was now what is called a "Craft Beer and Ale House". We are seeing more and more of these places springing up, specialising in very small breweries and obscure beers. There was a great atmosphere there and we fought our way to the bar, marvelling at how many beers were on offer. Sue was seeing some of her ex-workmates in there as well, and they came over to say hello and to have a chat.

I tried half a pint of Hobgoblin to start and was a little dismayed to find it served in a jug with a handle, which I hate! Keith tried a local beer which was also served in a pint jug and he confessed he didn't like this type of glass either! Paul happened to notice a board describing a 6% Neopolitan Milk Stout only served in a Schooner so I just had to try that next and I loved it...it was creamy, smooth and totally delicious so that's what Paul and I drank for the rest of the evening! The Schooner was 2/3 of a pint and at 6% it wasn't for the faint-hearted but we both agreed that it was a lovely beer.

We had a really good time in the pub, enjoying the atmosphere and the mix of customers. From there, we walked back to the car and drove the short distance to the Balti restaurant. Funnily enough, several groups of people who'd been in The Princess Alexandra were also in the Balti King, including some of Sue's work colleagues, so that was good!

We ordered our meal and Keith and I just had a small glass of wine! I chose a Balti Jalfrezi which turned out to be very hot indeed! We munched on poppadoms while our meal was being cooked and the food was very welcome as by now we were all very hungry. Keith and I shared a dish of mushroom rice and a Peshwari naan and definitely didn't have any room for  dessert afterwards!

When we got home both children were still up and Sophie was relived we hadn't gone onto one of the clubs in town that I'd teased her about in a text!

Scaring the children...

I was dreading today as we had two evening parties and I just knew we wouldn't get away from work until about 7pm, making it quite a long day!

Keith and I had to go to Booker this morning which wasn't an enjoyable experience. We had to use two trolleys as all the stuff kept falling off the first barrow and I was very worried we wouldn't be able to fit it all into my car. We bought as much as we could but I just know I'll be back down there tomorrow.

Keith went home in the afternoon and Sophie and I braced ourselves for the evening rush. The one very good thing about today was that we had a young girl in on work experience and she turned out to be very capable, something that's quite rare these days! She worked hard all day and even did the last party so that Sophie could clear up and cut up a Birthday cake.

We had about 17 children in all aged around 9 years and they were mad, throwing themselves off the inflatable and just generally causing mayhem. I longed to be at home in the peace and quiet! I kept an eye on them and manned Reception and I happened to look over to our football area which is inside a netted enclosure to see a very young boy at the top, obviously having climbed there. I rushed over and shouted at him which resulted in him slipping down a couple of feet. Half way down he jumped and I managed to catch him but I was absolutely livid and demanded to see his mum who was sitting in the restaurant area oblivious to what her offspring was up to. I was so angry that the little boy started crying and sat on his mum's lap for the next quarter of an hour but I explained to them both that there could have been a very nasty accident if he'd slipped and fell from that height.

I felt very shaky after my encounter as I just didn't want to imagine the repercussions if the worst had happened. A little while later I had to speak to him again as he was doing somersaults on the bouncy castle!

Eventually, after dropping many heavy hints that we were closing and wanted to go home, the parties left and we cleared up the remainder of the mess and went home. I gave Polly a lift and when we arrived home it was a very quick change and freshen up as we'd booked a table at Pizza Hut as a treat.

The restaurant was almost empty which was a shame, but we had a lovely meal with the men ordering meat feast pizzas and Sophie and I sharing a BBQ chicken deep pan. I had some lovely salad, the children shared garlic bread and on the way home we called into McDonald's for a McFlurry. It was bliss to eventually get home and sit and relax before bed!

One of those days...

I knew today was going to be one of those days when Mikey growled at me after I'd told him to get up for the third time! I went downstairs to find Monty in my place on the sofa so I chucked him off, told him to go back to his own cushion and went into the kitchen to make some coffee. When I returned Monty was back in my place so this time I put him outside and all the way to the door he hissed at me! What a lovely start to the day!

As is usual now on a Wednesday, we were busy and I just knew that Booker would deliver at the height of the lunchtime rush...but we kept waiting and waiting and when it became clear that they were going to be very late, I went to call them but then I remembered that I hadn't finished the order properly on Monday as the computer was taking ages to complete the checkout process...

When I looked on the website, my order was still sitting there waiting for me to finish it. This meant that at some point this week Keith and I were going to have to go and get the shopping ourselves as Booker only deliver to us once a week. I was not happy, as you can imagine and I could have kicked myself for forgetting to go back and complete the order.

To make matters worse today, I had a phone call from the school to say that Mikey had had someone step on his head during a game of rugby and could I go and pick him up? And maybe get him checked out, just in case? I sent Keith to collect him and when they arrived back at work he looked and felt fine. He managed to wolf down a beefburger for lunch and then he went home with Keith for the rest of the afternoon.

Sophie and I were at work until around 6pm but it was still light when we drove home, which was good. I will be very glad when this week is over and we can go home at our normal time!

Spring is in the air!

This morning, when I popped to Tesco to get some stuff for work, I noticed all the picnic ware was on display. It was really lovely to see the bright colours and know that Spring is not far off! I bought some plates and cups for work as I couldn't resist the beautiful blues, greens and yellows. I also treated us to a couple of bunches of daffodils as I think they're the most cheeriest of flowers and they never fail to brighten my mood when I see them. Hopefully they will brighten things up at work.

When I returned I found that we'd had a delivery of 3000 brightly coloured plastic balls that Mum and Dad had ordered last week. When we emptied them into the ballpond the children went mad as they dived and rolled amongst them!

Today was a day of getting a lot of paperwork done and catching up with jobs that had been left for me while I was off last week. It felt great to work my way through my list of jobs! Sophie and I were at work until 5.30pm and then it was time to go home, watch a few recorded races from Cheltenham (Keith had a winner and a second on an each way bet) and prepare dinner. Both of the males in our house were out tonight - Keith to a local football match and Mikey to Army cadets - so it was a girly night in!

After dinner we sat and watched The Silence of the Lambs - Sophie was expecting a horror-type of film but it's much more a psychological thriller. I'd last seen it years ago so I enjoyed it all over again...not sure if Sophie felt the same way, though!

Balls, balls everywhere!

After a busy morning getting up to date with things at work, I helped wash a whole ballpond full of multi-coloured balls and put them back ready for opening time tomorrow.

Keith and Ian had had the unenviable task of emptying it out and cleaning the vinyl floor and my poor husband looked shattered when I took him home at 3pm. I collected Sophie, drove back to work and then we headed to the gym...me to go straight to the spa as I was aching all over, and Sophie to do a work-out on the gym floor.

It was bliss to relax in the warm water of the jacuzzi and afterwards I treated Sophie to a hot chocolate in the cafe before going home to get the dinner going. I had to pick up Mikey from Brixworth before collecting Keith and he said he wanted to go home on the way back to the pub. He suggested I drop him off at the entrance to the estate but I knew that Sophie would freak out if he crept up on the house and banged on the front door! Even when I parked right outside and tried to call her she told us off for not giving her any warning we were there!

A quieter day!

After all the excitement of the last few days, today has been lovely and quiet, just like a Sunday should be!

Keith went off to do our weekly shopping while Sophie and I drove to Booker to get some bits for work. While we were there I saw an old friend of ours who used to run a nearby pub. He looked terrible and admitted to me that he'd really made a mess of his life. I felt very sorry for him and remembered how he used to be, a really successful landlord with a great pub that people used to visit because of the good beer, great atmosphere and delicious food. It brought it home to me how quickly lives can change if you make the wrong decision.

After I dropped Sophie off at work I returned home and with Keith, went to see Mum for a cup of coffee. I hadn't seen her all week so we had a lot to catch up with! Back at home neither of us felt like doing much and all plans to go out in the garden were abandoned when it started to rain.

Sue popped around with some cheesecake and Bakewell tart that went down extremely well with a mid-afternoon cup of tea! She's offered to lend us her wood shredder to get rid of all the branches languishing in the garden so that will come in handy next weekend. At the moment all the birds are using it as an impromptu playground and are having a wonderful time flitting about in the branches so we might have to be careful that no little bird has made a nest!

A day by the sea

I awoke to gorgeous sunshine this morning and watched Gator Boys on the TV while drinking my first coffee of the day. I love this show as it's set in Florida and we were very close to where they have their rescue centre, near Miami when we visited last year. I did want to go and visit but we just ran out of time.

Keith came back from taking Mikey to Gibraltar Barracks for his rugby weekend and casually mentioned how lovely it would be to go to the coast...well, I don't need a lot of persuading so I went to talk to Sophie to see if she was agreeable to going with us (if Mike had been at home, he definitely wouldn't have wanted to go!).

I don't think my daughter was that keen but in the face of my enthusiasm she had no choice! We all quickly showered and set off for the North Norfolk coast at 11am heading first for Huntingdon and then taking a road over the Fens towards Kings Lynn.

As the road is just a single lane carriageway for the most part, it was hard going, especially as you can guarantee on getting something slow in front. In my case it was a dumper truck that I managed to overtake before we hit a few miles of dual carriageway around Kings Lynn!

Once past Kings Lynn we headed for the coastal road and passed Sandringham and then Hunstanton. The scenery changed and we came across lines of wind-bent firs and gorse bushes by the side of the road.

By now we were all hungry and we turned off the road to Brancaster Beach where I hoped there'd be a little cafe selling coffee and sandwiches, similar to Winterton-on-Sea. We found a large car park and headed off to what looked like a pub or hotel only to discover it was a private golf club!

The beach here is undoubtedly gorgeous with a huge expanse of golden sand backed by dunes. The tide was a long way out and several people were out walking with dogs who were thrilled at all the space they had to run. However, there was nowhere to have something to eat so we had to return to the car and drive on. It was also extremely windy and we were literally eating sand at one point as it blew across the beach.

We drove back to the main road and pressed on towards Wells-next-the-Sea. On the way we passed a couple of pubs but we were really on the lookout for a cafe and we found one called The Deepdale Cafe in the village of Burnham Deepdale which fitted the bill perfectly.

Sophie ordered a chicken burger with chips while Keith and I opted for sandwiches. The food was delicious and I've never seen such huge sarnies in my life! I had sausage and red onion and I didn't think I would eat again that day after finishing!

Suitably replete, we got back into the car and headed off to Wells-next-the-Sea. This coastal road is very pretty, dotted with houses studded with the local flinty stone and quaint country pubs. We passed Holkham Nature Reserve and arrived at Wells with crowds of other people. All the car parks were either full or exorbitantly priced (we only wanted to park for another hour or two) so we reluctantly gave up on the town and headed back to Holkham where we knew there was another car park.

Here, the cars were parked either side of a narrow road leading down to the Nature reserve and the beach. We followed a boardwalk through the trees and out to the edge of the beach.

Again, there were lots of people but the beach was so huge it never felt crowded. We saw lots of shells and walked right across the expanse of sand following a tidal channel that, in places, looked quite deep.

It was still extremely windy but warm - at one point the temperature was 17c! Sophie and I collected some little shells and we decided to head back to the car as we weren't really wearing the right footwear for the beach (some of the sand was more mud than sand) and the wind was very strong, sending grit into our eyes. However, if I chose to come and stay in the area I'd love to walk along the Norfolk coast path and from this beach you can walk to Wells easily.

It was a lovely spot and there was an old-fashioned van selling hot coffee and cakes. I bet whoever owned it was doing a roaring trade!

Back in the car we drove back to Wells-next-the-Sea and then headed inland where we saw a sign for a Real Ale shop! We just had to go and see and I ended up treating Keith to two bottles of local beer, one at 7% and one at 8%. Let's see how they compare to his McEwan's Champion!

Keith directed me on a different route back to Kings Lynn and the low-lying sun made driving difficult. At one large roundabout we missed our turn and ended up doing an unplanned trip around Kings Lynn. I was astonished to see a sign for the docks as I didn't realise we were so close to the sea.

Back on the right road, we made good time except for one car who held me up for a little while. I managed to overtake the car and we were soon speeding back to Huntingdon, admiring the sunset and the numerous wind turbines that are so common in this part of the country.

Photo courtesy of Sophie from the back seat!

 From Huntingdon it was an easy road back home and after a quick visit home to feed the cats we were back out to the pub after ordering a Chinese takeaway for dinner. The Royal Oak was very busy with a lot of people arriving to eat and we sat for an hour at the bar enjoying a drink.

Back home, despite our late lunch, we enjoyed our dinner and then it was time to relax in front of the box and enjoy the last episode of Songs of the South!

A Day at the Races

Today Keith and I celebrated the 27th anniversary of our first date, when we went to Brighton for the day! We'd decided to go to Leicester races for a day out with a stop off at a pub on the way home for a meal.

We left at midday and I filled up with diesel in a very busy Market Harborough. From the town it was a mere half an hour's journey to the racecourse which is right on the edge of Leicester.

As we were early we had time to stroll around in the lovely sunshine, eat a beef bap (delicious!) and have a cup of coffee while studying the form. The last time we'd been to this particular venue, I'd been pregnant with Sophie so that tells you how long ago it was! We used to regularly go racing and we both enjoy it immensely.

We both like National Hunt racing over either hurdles or fences and the races are usually quite long, unlike the sprints on the flat. Leicester holds both flat and NH racing and I think today was the last set of races over the jumps.

Before the first race we went to look at the horses as they were walked around the parade ring. I always like to see the beautiful animals and the horse I'd picked in the first race, Bebinn, looked gorgeous. He pranced around looking at everything and I swear he kept looking at Keith as he was led past! Both of us decided to bet on this horse, so after the jockeys had appeared, chatted to the owners and then mounted their rides we left to go and place our bets with the bookmakers who had lined up their display boards by the stands.

I put a £5 bet on Bebinn but Keith put £20 on to win. He was the favourite but there's never any guarantees in horse-racing! We took our place on the stands and waited for the horses to come out and canter over to the starting point. It was a beautiful day, still, with lots of sunshine but the wind was a little cold. I was just glad it wasn't raining!

I'd forgotten how much I love the excitement of racing as it's been so long since Keith and I have treated ourselves to a day out. As the horses came into view on their second and last circuit I was jumping up and down as Bebinn took the lead and won!

In the second race, a horse called Val de Law was the clear favourite, so much so that it wasn't worth placing a bet on him, in our view anyway. We went for the second favourite, Cash and Go, and we hoped that he would be able to beat the more favoured horse. Again, we went to have a look at the parade ring and then it was back to place our bets.

Imagine our delight and amazement when Cash and Go won, even though as they were coming up to the winning post he was four lengths behind at one point! This particular horse was trained by Venetia Williams, one of the best trainers in the country so we knew he had a good chance!

In the third race I just had to have a bet on a horse called Lamb's Cross while Keith went for Thoresby. I had an each way bet so I would win a percentage of the money if my horse came first, second or third. Keith said that the ideal result would be his horse to come first and mine to come second...which is what happened! I was ecstatic as Lamb's Cross wasn't even the third favourite to win and was a bit of an outsider, so I was thrilled to get a bit of money back!

In the fourth race we both went for Cloud Creeper but the end was a bit spoiled by an argument we had with Mikey who'd been under the illusion that Sophie was going to drive him to Brixworth...! Er no, I don't think so! He'd come home from school and made plans to go and see some friends so he was pretty disappointed to find out he was going nowhere! Anyway, Cloud Creeper won for us so now Keith had had four winners out of four. He was very pleased as that meant our evening's dinner was paid for!

In the fifth race I chose a horse called Bravo Riquet but I secretly fancied Kerryhead Storm to win. However, when I've picked my horses I try not to change my mind as it would be galling if I changed my choice and then my original horse went on to win! Keith picked Kerryhead Storm and it won, predictably! I wish now I'd had an each way bet on Bravo Riquet but I was thrilled that Keith won as it meant more money towards dinner!

We'd both agreed not to have a bet in the last race as it was a Hunters' Steeple Chase and the riders were amateur jockeys. However, we decided at the last minute to go for Siro Demur (me) and the favourite for Keith, Neverownup. We watched from the stands and I had a very good run for my money as Siro Demur was runner-up to an outsider, El Mondo.

We both agreed we'd had a fabulous day and we returned to the car to make our way to the village of Manton where we were hoping we'd get a table for dinner at the, aptly named, Horse and Jockey pub. If we were unsuccessful we were going to return to the pub at Wing we'd visited on New Year's Day and my birthday and which was only a couple of miles away.

Luckily the pub was very quiet and there was no problem with a table. We had a couple of drinks first, sitting on some very comfortable chairs in front of a wood burning stove and then we were seated at a table in the small restaurant.

We both went for exactly the same starter and main course - smoked mackerel pate followed by fish and chips. The food was delicious and we ended our meal with a strawberry sundae for me and cheese and biscuits for Keith. It had been a really lovely end to my week's holiday and we both agreed we'd definitely go racing again, maybe next time with the kids so they could experience the excitement!

"Slasher " Keith strikes again...

As soon as Keith arrived back from taking Mikey to school we started loading the car with the old tumble dryer and other rubbish that we needed to take to the tip. Unfortunately, I didn't check the opening times on the website so we arrived at just after 9am to find the recycling centre still closed...

We turned around, went home and I made a cooked breakfast while Keith disappeared into the garden to do a bit more hacking. When we sat down in the conservatory to eat breakfast the garden was already looking better with all the branches heaped up in the middle of the lawn. Sophie was very pleased by what she saw as she's been saying for ages that our garden is too overgrown!

Our daughter cleared away and stacked the dishwasher while Keith and I returned to the tip. The tumble dryer went straight to the "Re-use" section, while the old cooker went into the small appliances skip. Only the polystyrene packaging went into the landfill skip, so that was good!

Back home I set about clearing out the garage and getting rid of all the rubbish that we've kept over the years. Why we keep such stuff, I'll never know! Very soon the boot of my car was full and I looked out into the garden to see how Keith was getting on...

Slasher Keith at work...

The question was, how were we going to get rid of it all? I'm not sure it would fit into our garden rubbish bin!

We went off to the tip again but this time we had much more rubbish that really couldn't be recycled, such as old paint-stained sheets, very tatty old clothes, an old umbrella, hanging baskets that looked disgusting and loads of plastic wrapping. I dread to think what we looked like when we arrived as I had dust all over my jeans and Keith was in his oldest, scruffiest clothes!

We made one more trip with two old bikes that we hadn't used for years and these went straight to the "re-use" section which was good. Maybe they'll live to see another day!

Keith was finished in the garden so we surveyed the branches and decided to look into getting a skip as we also have old garden furniture languishing behind the garage, which is another messy area. To have this all clear and tidy would be great.

I hoovered the back of my car out and then Keith went up the ladders to clean the guttering above the drive. We have a mini lawn growing in it so that came out and then he gave the plastic a really good scrub to get rid of a greeny-black mould that looked unsightly. I was really pleased when we were finally done!

After we'd finished (I kept looking at our clean and tidy garage with a sense of satisfaction!) we had hot baths to get rid of all the grime and then left at 3pm to collect Mikey from school. We're really proud parents as he's been chosen to play rugby for his army cadet company and needed boots, a mouth guard and shin pads. It meant we had to go to Sports Direct on Riverside, a journey that would normally take a mere ten minutes, but because of all the roadworks on the Round Spinney roundabout, took us twice as long because I diverted onto other roads at the height of the afternoon school run.

I'm not a fan of Sports Direct. We asked an assistant where the rugby boots were and then it took us ages to find someone else to go and get Mike's size. I hate the fact that all the merchandise is piled up to the rafters and there's no sense of space. The wait meant that the kids started bickering a bit and I was hopping about with impatience as I wanted to be home to get ready as Sue was due around for a glass of wine at 6pm.

We were finally seen to and a pair of rugby boots brought out for Mikey to try on. Once we were all sorted I treated the kids to a promised McFlurry ice-cream and then it was off to Tesco to buy dinner for the children for tomorrow night and some nibbles for this evening to have with the wine that Sue was bringing around.

We braved the heavy traffic on the way home and before Sue came around I called my Mum for a chat as I haven't spoken to her since Tuesday and I was eager for news of the sale...but there wasn't any!

Sue brought a lovely bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and we enjoyed hummus dips with breadsticks and yummy popchips. We had a good catch up and we're looking forward to going out with her and Paul next Friday to a pub in Northampton that stocks some real ales.

After dinner, Keith and I settled down to watch Fortitude and it really had a grisly ending...yuk!

A little bit of pampering...

Keith set off for a walk this morning so I took Mikey to school and then returned to do some chores before Sophie and I went off to the gym. Just as we were about to leave Keith returned and set about cutting down some of the bushes in the garden.

It was a job that was long overdue as our garden looks a bit of a mess at the moment. The bushes have advanced into the lawn and have really cut the space we have down by about three feet! My only concern was that the birds use the bushes as shelter and I was worried there were some nests hidden at the back. However, once Keith had started, there was no stopping him!

Sophie and I went to the gym and we exercised on the bike and the treadmill before going down for a lovely swim. It was quieter in the pool than usual as only one lane was given over to swimming lessons so it was great to have the slow lane to ourselves for a change!

We relaxed in the spa for a short while then returned to the changing rooms for a hot shower before going down to the cafe for lunch. We chose from the "create your own dish" menu - chicken, new potatoes and roasted veggies for me, chicken, noodles and broccoli for Sophie. We were a bit worried about the time as our appointments at Kingsley were at 2pm but our meals arrived after a short wait and we had plenty of time to get to the salon.

Sophie had booked an hour's massage and I chosen a Hydradermie facial and I was really looking forward to some relaxation. The last time I'd had this facial my skin looked lovely afterwards and the therapist uses a little electric roller to improve circulation.

I had a very enjoyable session and I'm sure I fell asleep at one point when the therapist left the room to allow me to relax after she'd put a mask on my face. When I met up with Sophie downstairs, she didn't look too happy and once in the car she explained that she'd hated her massage as the therapist was really hard on her muscles and she now ached all over. Not the relaxing session I'd imagined her having, then! She said she had knots all over her shoulders and in her neck and that the woman had really dug in deep to get rid of them.

We went home and did very little for the rest of the day, which was lovely. I think this week I've achieved a good balance between working in the house and garden and relaxing and so far I've enjoyed my time off!

Keith and I sat and watched the latest episode of Fortitude with a drink before dinner. The series is hotting up now and we're both enjoying how the story is unfolding!

A little bit of shopping...

Before I'd even finished my first coffee of the day, I'd bought a new tumble dryer from Curry's and Keith had chosen a new hedge trimmer from Screwfix. We arranged to collect both items from the stores so after taking Mikey to school it was back home to shower, wake Sophie up and then all leave to have a quick coffee at Costa on Riverside.

The coffee shop was full of business people having breakfast meetings and it was lovely to sit in the morning sunshine and sip a flat white with a raspberry and white chocolate muffin! Delicious!

We called into Boots briefly for Sophie to treat herself to some make-up and then it was off to Curry's to pick up our gleaming new tumble dryer. Our old one had been dismantled and was standing forlornly in the garage ready to be taken to the tip and I was mightily glad to see the back of it!

Within ten minutes the new appliance was in the back of my car and then I popped into Halford's to buy some door protectors as my doors sometimes get scraped when I park on the drive...I hate the sound of the paintwork scraping along the brickwork!

We just had one more port of call before going to Screwfix - a stop at Homebase to buy a big pot of white gloss paint and a new blind for the cloakroom as the one we currently have is stuck in a half-way position and is very annoying!

We drove to Screwfix where I amused myself by searching for uPVC paint which Keith and Sophie said didn't exist...I was sure I'd heard of it but they watched me flicking through the huge brochure nonetheless, making fun of me as I searched in vain!

Just as we were about to leave, the phone rang and it was my Mum saying she couldn't get my printer to work...I tried to talk her through the process over the phone, but in the end I gave up and said we'd call in on the way home.

Work was looking very busy when we arrived and we had to disappoint Polly when we told her we were just calling in for a moment. Within minutes I'd fixed the problem, much to Mum's relief, and finished off the wages for her. I didn't want to hang around as I just knew I'd get sucked into problems and niggles so we said a hasty goodbye and escaped back out into the sunshine!

Back home I cleaned the floor and wall in the space where the new dryer was to go and then Keith and I manhandled it into place. It looked so much better than the old one! I'd had a load of washing on the line as it was a breezy day but we finished the clothes off in the dryer to see how it performed...very well!

I carried on cleaning the very back of the garage and I'd never seen so many cobwebs and so much dust in one place! As the tip is closed until Thursday we didn't do too much as there was nowhere we could put the stuff we didn't need but we definitely need to go on Thursday and a clear out of the garage is long overdue!

While I was out in the garage Keith had fitted the new blind and it looked lovely at the window. At least we can have a bit of privacy now!

After lunch I hoovered downstairs and then at 3pm it was time for some relaxing. Sophie and I sat and watched two episodes of A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun, both of them featuring Florida. One couple were looking around Sarasota and we saw the beach near Anna Maria Island that we used to pass regularly. How I would love to be able to buy a house in Florida!

In the evening Mike decided he wasn't going to Army Cadets but Keith, Sophie and I had already decided to eat out. Mike was more than welcome to come out with us, even though he'd already eaten dinner, but he preferred to stay at home so we changed our plans and went to the Spencer Arms in Chapel Brampton. I hadn't been to the pub for years and years but it had undergone a refurbishment and we were pleasantly surprised at how lovely and welcoming it looked.

There were no tables free in the restaurant but we were quite happy to sit in the bar area, not far from a lovely log fire. The man behind the bar looked the twin of Ben Howard and when I went over to order our food I asked him if anyone had ever told him about the resemblance! He said no, but that people did say he looked like Edward Scissorhands!

We had a pleasant meal - Keith and I chose pate to start followed by gammon for him and Brewer's Chicken for me, while Sophie opted for garlic bread and a chicken burger. We did have to wait a fair while for our main courses to arrive and my meal wasn't piping hot, but I would definitely go again. Keith was happy with his beer, a pint of Tribute that was about 4%.

When we got home we found a much happier Mike (perhaps he just needed some time alone!) and I served some ice-cream I'd bought earlier in the day. It had been a busy day and it was bliss to snuggle up on the sofa and watch TV before bed!

Time off!

It felt great to wake up this morning and know I had a week off work, although I actually did go in today and had two phone calls from my parents with a couple of queries.

Keith took Mike to work (even though the school bus passes our door at 8am) and when he arrived home we cleaned the front windows, a chore that was long overdue. The weather was gloriously sunny but very windy and the wind was cold! I went outside to clean the cloakroom window and then somehow we ended up cleaning both cars and I swept up all the leaves from the front garden.

At midday we were very hungry as we'd had hardly any breakfast so we cooked a bag of chicken dippers and ate them with spaghetti hoops and bread and butter...what I would call "Nursery" food but delicious nonetheless! We sat in the conservatory and watched our numerous birds visiting my feeders and we were shocked to see a little mouse (or maybe a shrew?) darting out from the bushes to grab some seed that I'd put down on the grass! We'd never seen him before and of course, Sophie gave him a name, so now he's Jerry!

After lunch Keith and I popped into work as I'd sold a book on ebay and needed some brown paper to wrap the book in. I helped Dad with a problem and then put a new ink into Mum's printer so both of them were very glad we'd called in!

In Moulton I sent the book from the post office and then popped into the Co-op where I spent more money than I intended! We returned home, said hello to Charlotte who'd come to have a cup of tea with Sophie and then I relaxed for a little while before it was time to go to the gym later in the afternoon.

I didn't do much on the gym floor (ten minutes on the treadmill while watching A Place in the Sun) but I did manage a swim and a relaxing session in the spa. Sophie worked harder than me, but then she hadn't spent the morning cleaning windows and washing cars!

Back home I went to put a load of laundry in our tumble dryer but the machine refused to work...when I brought Keith home from the pub he changed the fuse, but it kept blowing so I think it's time for a new one...and I'm very glad indeed as I hate our tumble dryer with a vengeance!

Just pottering...

As we didn't have to go to Booker this morning it gave Sophie a chance to drive into work. Unfortunately, as is always the way when driving on country roads, we came across numerous cyclists, a pair of horses and parked cars on her side of the road in Moulton which meant she had to stop (with an idiot too close behind her) and which completely unnerved her.

She clearly didn't feel confident this morning and Keith and I have decided that we're going to change her driving instructor as we think that by now she should have more confidence in her driving. There have been a couple of things Sophie's said about her instructor that have worried me - such as not pressing the accelerator when she moves away...huh? - which led her to stall Jim numerous times before she got the hang of driving the very quiet Honda. She stalked off into work after her drive in a very bad mood, and I felt terrible for her.

Keith and I called in to see Mum on the way home for a cup of coffee and we chatted about the bungalows we looked at yesterday. I still can't believe they're asking £285,000 for such small houses and Mum said that they were going to look at some other show homes this afternoon. If they go again, after today, I'm tempted to go with them, to get some ideas for my own home!

Back at home I tackled the kitchen and cleaned out the cupboards, throwing out jars and packets that were past their sell by date and arranging everything more neatly so a) we could see what we actually had in the cupboard and b) preventing things from falling out on top of us when we opened the door!

I gave the downstairs of the house a good clean while outside the weather changed from dry and sunny to grey and rainy. No getting out into the garden today then!