Last day of "summer".

It's been a Bank Holiday wash-out today with rain from early on. Horrible! What a truly awful summer this has been and what a difference to last year when the sunny days just went on and on!

All plans for our walk were cancelled so we had a very relaxing morning doing very little. We now have a new neighbour - a rented van has been coming and going all weekend but we haven't yet met the person who's renting Sarah and Liam's house. I just hope they're friendly...and quiet!

We went out in the afternoon to the Majestic Wine Warehouse in town as I had some vouchers from Mum and Dad to spend. We bought seven bottle of wine - six reds and an Alsace white and I was thrilled to see the Ravenswood Zinfandel back on sale.

Just as we were finishing Mike called so before we went over to Kettering to pick him up we called into Waitrose so Sophie could buy me some coffee as she keeps drinking all mine!

The weather worsened as we drove over to get Mike and it looked like a late Autumn day. We didn't get up to much in the afternoon but Keith did venture to the pub...some things stay the same!

Rain, rain, rain

It was back to the rain today and it really didn't let up until the early evening. Sophie was in at work at 11am so we dropped her off and then popped to Costa Coffee at the Tesco in Kettering to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat.

We'd planned on going to The Kings Arms in Wadenhoe for a lunchtime drink and the pub was very busy indeed with people turning up for meals and being told there was no tables if they hadn't booked. We sat at the bar and talked about going away for the weekend soon...both of us need a break!

Once we arrived back home we took Mike to Kettering to see a friend (I sometimes think he doesn't like being at home!) and then it was back to relax for a bit before going to collect Sophie. I watched Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason which was very enjoyable and sipped on a mug of camomile tea which I find delicious and very calming.

Sophie rang to ask us to pick her up slightly later as all the staff had to do the cleaning in readiness for opening tomorrow, a Bank Holiday. We never used to open on holiday Mondays but the new owners want to change things so will be opening at 10am. I asked Sophie not to go in, as I really didn't want to be driving in again to drop her off and collect her. If the weather is OK, we are planning a walk!

Village affairs

Today has been a much better day and very enjoyable, thank goodness!

The sun has shone and we've had plenty of blue skies so that's been a relief. I went out into the garden first thing and mowed the lawn and tidied up the borders. The little robin came out and pecked at the fat snax and it was lovely to see him about.

In the afternoon Sophie and I went to the Buddhist centre in Kelmarsh and had a cup of tea and a cake in the World Peace Cafe. We've decided to go to the meditation classes that run on a Wednesday evening as we both think it'll be a good idea to try and relax a bit more! The whole place was very calming and friendly and we both felt a lot better when we came out.

From the Buddhist centre we went to the garden centre at Harlestone Firs and had a look around. Unbelievably they had Christmas cards and crackers for sale! Nooooo!

Sophie bought a Mexican recipe book and then saw some adult colouring books and pens...perfect for alleviating stress! They had a wide range of different books and pens so she bought a beautiful pad and a selection of pencils.

As a treat (and a bit of a joke) I bought Keith a bottle of Old Farts beer as the three men depicted on the label reminded me of Keith, Dave and John who meet up every Monday and Friday in the pub!

Back home we waited for Keith and Mike to return. Keith had been to see his local football team play while Mike had visited a friend in Kingsthorpe. We had been asked to go to the Beer Festival in the village and had arranged to meet Paul and Sue there after Keith had returned from his football match.

When Sophie and I had passed by earlier the pub garden was packed out with people and I wasn't really looking forward to it, to be honest, but we actually had a lovely time!

We walked up as there were loads of cars parked in the village and we enjoyed the walk, despite the sunshine having disappeared behind some thick clouds. There were loads of beers to choose from but they were all straight out of the barrel which Keith doesn't like. He likes a beer with a beautiful creamy head! He chose a beer called Collision while I went for a stout called Black Pearl.

We went off to find Paul and Sue in the crowd and listened to the last song of a live band who were performing in a tent. Once they had finished we could sit and have a conversation with them both! It looked like most of the village had turned out for the festival and there was a lovely atmosphere, just what I needed today!

We had three drinks and then it was home for a chilli con carne supper!

The walk home - the sky was beautiful

Some relaxation

Today has been a better day and after dropping Sophie off at work again (she has tomorrow off thank goodness) we went to Booker as there was some cash waiting for us in the form of a rebate. We saw a lovely lady called Rachel who set us up with two new cards so we can continue to shop down there.

From Booker we went to the bank to deposit the money into the work account and then went home where I studiously avoided the emails and contacted Mum about going into work in the afternoon to see April and her new baby.

Mike wanted to go to Brixworth so I dropped him off, picked up Mum and we went off to work. Thankfully the weather had been beautiful today with a lovely sky and little white fluffy clouds. We had a nice chat with Georgie who told me the finance man was due to come in...that would have pleased me as we could have had a chat and tried to sort things out, but in the end he never showed up...

April came in with her new baby boy and we did much cooing and aahhing over him. It was lovely to sit and relax for a short while and see the staff before heading off to Walgrave with Sophie who was able to finish early. Mum and Dad were viewing a house for sale there and it looks like they may have a buyer for their house but I don't think things will happen until much later in the year.

Mum and Dad weren't keen on the house so we didn't stay to look around with them. I decided to tidy up the front garden as the grass verge was a bit long and the soil needed hoeing. It looked so much better when I finished and Sophie came out to keep me company!

Bad day...

It's been very difficult writing this blog this week as today was a day I'd certainly rather forget. Keith and I dropped Sophie off at work this morning and then we went to Jones's as we needed light bulbs for the kitchen and dishwasher tablets. I'm hoping we can still use the card in the future!

When we arrived back home I made the mistake of checking the emails and read an absolutely vile missive from the buyer's Finance Director. He was extremely rude and nasty and I just collapsed in tears. I felt like I was in the middle of a nightmare that would never end, and all over stock that we left them so they could continue trading without interruption. I wish now we'd emptied the place and left them with nothing.

Mum and Dad came around and we discussed what we could do but I couldn't stop crying. I've started to hate going into our conservatory because of all the work stuff lying there and it's just making me more and more stressed. I wish now I'd put all the accounts and payroll files onto Mum and Dad's computer at their house. At least I'd have some respite from it all.

I spent the afternoon trawling through all of the invoices for the whole year to prove to the horrible man that the prices I'd put down for the stock were correct. Our dining room table was covered in invoices and there was paper everywhere. Not the best of days!

A trip out...

After the stress of the last two days, Keith suggested we go out this morning to Market Harborough and get out of the house (and away from work) for a little while.

The day started grey and miserable but brightened up during the afternoon which was a relief. We drove to Market Harborough and after a bit of a problem with finding change for the car park (Keith had to go and buy a newspaper in WH Smith) we had a very pleasant lunch in a small cafe called Appleby's, a few doors down from Duncan's shop. We both enjoyed a hearty cheese and onion sandwich and then popped into the wine shop where I bought a couple of bottles of wine and some beer for Keith.

We then wandered around for a while as Keith wanted to buy some pies for dinner in the evening. He didn't see anything he liked so we drove to Sainsbury's to get dinner, but the choice there was so poor we walked out, after putting back the few things we had in our basket!

I then suggested the Farndon Fields Farm Shop but although my hubby was impressed with the range of food on offer, there was still nothing he liked so we left empty handed again! We drove off to Tesco in Kettering and bought everything there instead!

By now the sun had come out and it was such a relief to see blue skies and sunshine. It certainly improved my mood!

Not that much better!

Well, today hasn't been much better and we're still arguing with the buyers about the stock. Mum and Dad came around in the morning while Keith dropped Sophie off at work at 9am as she's covering for Polly who has taken the day off. At least we saw some sun this morning!

I knew this period after the sale would be difficult, but I didn't think we'd have this much stress. It was supposed to be a time to relax and celebrate but I can't see much of that happening this week at all!

I will just be glad when it's all over!

Feeling a little depressed...

I didn't have far to commute this morning! I'm not so sure about working from home though! Before, I could leave all the paperwork in the office but now it's here and staring me in the face whenever I go into the conservatory. I will be very glad when all the admin is over and we can end the company!

I checked emails first thing and was dismayed to find a rather curt missive from one of the buyer's finance bods querying the amount of stock we put down and asking for a breakdown. He ended by saying that if we did this they would consider whether to purchase it from us or not! Seeing as most of it would probably have been sold or used by now, this was very annoying news.

It put me in a bad mood for the rest of the morning which was spent doing the final payroll and writing out all the P45s. Keith and I then headed into work so I could borrow the fax and it was already very busy. Georgie was in the office with another member of the staff from Unity so I felt a little uncomfortable intruding on their work. To make matters worse I had problems with the fax machine as it had been turned off and I couldn't get it going again. To be honest I felt like having a little cry!

Luckily, I managed to get it going and then we left, heaving a huge sigh of relief. Polly looked a bit under pressure on Reception and it was lovely to walk out (into the rain) and go to Tesco to get dinner for the next couple of nights.

We went to Kettering and I treated Keith to a sandwich and a cup of tea in Costa Coffee before we bought food for dinner and some snacks for Sophie who had Laura and Daisy around.

The rain continued for the rest of the day and was, at times, really heavy. I felt a wee bit depressed, to be honest. This time last year we were enjoying the sun and blue skies in Florida and thinking of that made me a bit teary. Sophie went off to have her nails done in the late afternoon and I sat outside to wait for her. watching the rain pour down the windscreen and thinking it was more like a late Autumn day than summer.

Back home I gave Keith a lift to the pub and prepared macaroni cheese for dinner. I'm hoping tomorrow will be a better day!

Lazy Sunday!

We awoke to another sunny day but the forecast was for rain arriving later in the day. We took Sophie into work at 10.30am which she wasn't too happy about as she knew she'd be there until the bitter end!

I had plans to do some housework today but it still felt really muggy and hot, so I changed our bedding, got it out onto the line to dry in the sunshine and then did very little for the rest of the day! Mike went over to Brixworth and I asked him to try and coordinate his collection time with that of Sophie to cut down on car journeys!

He asked us to pick him up at 5.30pm so we collected him and then went to get Sophie. The forecast rain had arrived mid-afternoon and we had torrential downpours but on the way to work the sun came out and the evening became much more pleasant.

At work we had a little wait for Sophie and all the staff came over for a chat. It's great that I still have contact with the company and I liken it a bit to being a grandmother...all the pleasures but none of the responsibility!

Saturday freedom!

Today is the first Saturday where I haven't had to worry about work, either because the weather is fine and dry so we'd be quiet, or if it was wet and horrible and I'd worry we'd be busy and staff would call in sick. It felt lovely!

I was up early and treated myself to a cup of coffee in the garden. Keith warmed up some pain au chocolat in the oven and with Sophie we enjoyed sitting in the garden to start our weekend.

It looked set to be a beautiful day and Sophie's friend Elise came around to see her during the morning. I just relaxed and caught up with stuff on the internet before having a shower at midday so that Sophie and I could go somewhere in the afternoon. I wasn't sure where but in the end we went over to Castle Ashby and the small courtyard of shops there.

First stop was The Buttery where we ordered a scone, jam and cream for me accompanied by a pot of tea and a jacket potato with cheese for Sophie. It was a very hot day now, with a temperature of about 29c and after finishing our lunch we had a quick wander around the shops before Sophie bought us both some ice-cream. We sat in the car with the air-conditioning on and enjoyed the blast of cool then drove home. On the way storm clouds gathered overhead, huge towering cumulonimbus, and I really hoped we'd have a good storm to clear the muggy air.

I was intending to sit in the garden when we got home but it was very cloudy now so I stayed inside and fell asleep on the sofa while listening to Pointless Celebrities! Later, after a few light showers, we did manage to sit outside for a little while with a drink and talk to Monty. Keith cooked steak and ale pie (phew!) and after dinner Sophie, Mike and I watched The Exorcist...we're enjoying the 1970s classics but at time the film was a bit rude, not to mention very scary!

Working from home...

This morning Sophie and I met Mum and Dad at the Vauxhall dealership in Northampton as Dad's Astra was due for a service. I'd suggested going to Costa Coffee and then taking Sophie into work on the way home rather than making two trips in the car!

We had a lovely half hour in Costa and then drove to work to say goodbye to various people, including the guys from BACA and a couple of men who rent units from us. Sophie fed the crows and I asked her to look after them for me in the future. The crow babies are always around at the moment with their funny high-pitched squawking!

Mum and Dad gave their keys to Georgie, we said goodbye once again and then we returned home to start contacting people to say we'd sold the business. My conservatory has been completely taken over by the computer, the printer and all our files so it looks a bit of a mess at the moment!

We managed to get a lot done and then Dad and I went over to Tesco as we needed ink for the printer (typical!) and stuff for lunch. I met Jenny in the store and we had a good chat about what had happened which was lovely. Is this my life now? Shopping in Tesco and nattering with friends?

I dropped Dad off, did some more work and then we had to go and pick Mike up from his friend's house. He seemed a bit quiet and tired but it was nice to see him...he's not around much at the moment!

Dad called to say that his car wasn't going to be ready until Tuesday as there was a problem with the engine computer...Oh! He insisted on a courtesy car so I went down with him and helped him with all the paperwork. It's all been a bit much for my dad this week and I can't wait until everything is finalised so he can finally relax and enjoyed his well-earned retirement!

I drove back to work and collected Sophie after having a quick chat with Georgie. Polly didn't seem too happy to be honest, and wasn't keen on having to stay until 6.30pm every evening. Perhaps the staff might realise that we weren't that bad as bosses after all!

We had an enjoyable evening as after dinner Sophie and I settled down to watch Jaws which is 40 years old. Wow! Where have the years gone?!

I am unemployed!

Today has been another agonising time of waiting about, this time for the money to be transferred into our account. I left Georgie to run things properly as technically we had completed and I couldn't face any more quibbles about the takings from the business. Dad came in with me but Mum stayed at home to rest her knee, which although a lot better, was still swollen.

As the weather had dawned wet and grey this morning, we were very busy and it was a bit of a relief to leave work and go over to the bank to deposit out last ever takings from the business. While I was there I popped into Tesco to do some shopping as Sue was coming around for a drink in the evening.

When I got back I waited some more and at lunchtime the money was finally transferred into our account. I handed my keys over to Georgie, dismantled my computer to take home and said a tearful goodbye to the staff, including Sophie who was working all day.

I drove home in a daze again, not quite realising that that was it! Freedom!

Once home I set up the computer and then Keith and I drove Mike and a friend all the way over to Hunsbury, on the other side of Northampton, to see a friend. Luckily they were both staying there overnight!

On the way home we called into work to collect the chilled foods I'd left in the fridge (!) but Sophie wasn't ready to go home so we had to leave her there. She won't be able to waltz out as she likes any more!

We sped home and I prepared a little buffet for the evening before it was time to go back and pick her up from work. Phew! All this driving about will have to stop!

Sue brought a beautiful cake with her in the shape of a champagne bottle and a bottle of Prosecco to enjoy. We had a good natter and nibbled on the lovely selection of foods that I'd bought earlier, supplemented by celery, grapes and soft cheese that Keith had bought for Mike earlier in the week. Mike had taken a bit of celery and decided against eating it! It was delicious with the creamy cheese!

We complete!

Today has been horrible as we've been waiting around all day to complete on the sale and it seems to have taken forever. Georgie was in and decided to install his own credit card machines before we opened, which was a tad premature! Keith and I hurriedly did a stock take as we had been stopped some monies to cover the rents of the sub-tenants which we hadn't expected. We weren't going to charge for any stock left on the premises but felt we had no choice to do that now.

I was under the impression that by 10am the business would no longer be ours, but it wasn't to be...what a frustrating day!

At 3pm we had to go to see our accountant for a meeting about the sale. We were there for almost an hour and when we got back to work we learnt that everything had gone through! The bank have already taken their share of the money!

We had another emotional goodbye but it did feel like a huge anticlimax and wasn't at all how I imagined it would be. To make things worse, the weather has been really dreary this week with heavy, sombre skies that have made my mood a bit grey! I don't think I'll look back on this week with any lasting affection!

After work Keith and I went to the pub for a drink and sat in the window talking about everything that had happened. Outside it poured with rain and I still felt very unsettled with a horrible feeling of "agitation" as there was still an enormous amount to be done to finish running the business. I've been sleeping really badly this week but that's no surprise, is it?!

Legal stuff

This morning was a blur of legal documents flying backwards and forwards and playing the waiting game yet again.

Sophie took today off but she came in with Keith around lunchtime because I thought I needed her to sign her contract of employment. As there wasn't much happening with the completion we decided to go over to the bank and treat her to a McFlurry on the way back. However, as is always the way with these things, Mum called as we were coming out of the bank to say we could go over to the buyer's solicitors in Corby to take the signed contracts and other papers that had to be exchanged.

We rushed back to work feeling very nervous about the whole process and we signed everything that had to be signed. This was it!

I drove to Corby, guided by Gladys who took us on a bit of a wild goose chase towards the end but thankfully we found the offices which were on a small industrial estate. A woman came out to greet us and showed us into a conference room that was immaculate but very impersonal. I never thought that our 21 years of running a business would end here.

The buyer's solicitor came in with an assistant, checked all the documents and then asked us some questions about our sub-tenants, which we weren't expecting. However, within twenty minutes that was it and he assured us that by the time we went to bed tonight we would have completed on the sale.

We drove back to work in a sort of daze but we didn't finalise things today. We were all a bit emotional about it and my Mum hugged Maureen and shed a few tears, which was only to be expected.

Sophie and I left work and in the evening we decided to go to The Lamplighter in town for a drink and something to eat. I felt very strange - a mixture of feeling liberated and terrified! Mike was out at a friend's (I'm going to forget what he looks like soon!) so there was just the three of us going out to relax for a few hours.

Unfortunately The Lamplighter were only serving food until 7.30pm so we had a couple of drinks and then moved to The Britannia for a meal. The pub was pleasantly busy and we had no problem getting a table for the three of us. We all chose starters - garlic bread for Soph, pate for me and Keith opted for whitebait. Need I say what he chose for a main? Fish and chips of course! I enjoyed a burger while Sophie went for a chicken version and we all enjoyed our meals.

The nights are definitely drawing on now and it was getting dark as we drove home at 9pm. Autumn is on its way!

The waiting game again...

So, was today to be our last day at work?

We phoned our solicitor first thing and arranged to send one of the documents up to her by special delivery, rather than try and arrange a courier. We knew then that we wouldn't complete today, which was fine.

Sophie and I went over to the bank and the post office and then we had to just wait to hear from our solicitor. It looks like it's really close to happening now as we've never got this far before with signing documents and sending them off!

The weather today has been a bit dreary and grey and it cooler than of late. This is definitely not turning out to be a wonderful summer!

Important reading!

Sophie wasn't needed at work today so it gave me a chance to really get on and tidy up the garden without having drive her in. The new grass seed I'd put down had grown vigorously so I mowed the lawn and then hoed all the borders. While I was doing this the little robin made an appearance. attracted, no doubt, by the digging I was doing and hoping to find some worms! The weather was beautiful but with just the tiniest hint of Autumn in the air.

Monty-cat also came out to join me and sat and sunned himself while I worked hard! Sophie obligingly hoovered upstairs for me which was great. I worked all morning and at lunchtime Keith and I took Mike to Brixworth. Back home I vacuumed my car and then went and showered as I was due to go around to Mum and Dad's house at 3pm to look at the documents for the sale.

We sat in their conservatory and very slowly went through the contract of sale. It seemed they were most bothered about us changing the name of the company after we completed!

We were there for a couple of hours and thrashed everything out so we were a bit more optimistic by the time we'd finished. I just hope it will all go through next week now!

Before heading home I wanted to get the outside of my car washed so we drove off to Moulton and Sophie called Mike to find out where he was and if he was ready to come home. Amazingly he was also in Moulton so we picked him up and I treated both children to some snacks before we had the car washed.

Back home I sat in the garden with Monty and then watered the plants. Our sunflowers are getting taller but there's no sign of any flowers yet. Hopefully, if the weather improves a bit we'll see them before the end of this month!

Anniversary celebrations

Keith went to Tesco early this morning and came back with a bunch of beautiful flowers and a bottle of Dark Horse for me, which was an unexpected treat! We said we weren't going to buy each other anything for our wedding anniversary!

After a slow start Sophie and I cleaned out the fridge (it needed it) and while she dusted I hoovered up all of Archie's black fur and little burrs. I'm sure most of the bits on our carpet are from him so I banned him for the rest of the day! It helped so much that Sophie gave me a hand with the house work today and by 2pm we were on our way to Market Harborough.

I'd also received some gorgeous flowers from Mum and Dad and when I called to thank them Dad said that an email had come in late on Friday about completing on the sale on Monday. Arggh! There was also some important matters we needed to discuss before Monday so I said I would call into work on Sunday morning and print off all the papers.

We had a lovely afternoon in Market Harborough and Sophie treated me to a cake and a cup of tea in Caffe Nero. We visited all our usual haunts and ended up in Duncan's for a quick tasting of Italian wines. I bought Keith four bottles of beer and treated myself and Sophie to a couple of bottles of wine.

Back home I somehow managed to print off the email and documents from our solicitor via my Hudl and wireless printer so I was able to show my parents all the paperwork when they came around in the evening for a drink. We had an enjoyable hour sitting in the conservatory, sipping wine and trying our hardest not to talk about work!

In the evening we enjoyed a homemade two course dinner (we saved the trifle for tomorrow as we were all so stuffed) of prawn cocktail/pate and toast followed by chicken in a creamy sauce with veggies. Delicious!

A busy end to the week!

Today the weather has been atrocious with constant drizzly rain and grey, misty skies. What month is it?

Understandably we were busy at work and not one of our other staff would come in to help, which meant that there was just Maureen, Ricky and Sophie in the kitchen, Polly on Reception and Keith and I to help out. Even Georgie was called away to work elsewhere which was a blow as I'd been planning on him helping out! However, although we were busy it was a pleasant busy and there was a nice atmosphere in the kitchen as we all worked away!

Keith and I went to Booker in the afternoon and managed to get wet while we loaded up the car with lots of stuff. I'm hoping it will last the weekend so we won't need to go on Sunday.

By the time we eventually left it was almost 6pm so I was very glad to get home! We treated ourselves to fish and chips tonight and it was bliss not to have to cook dinner while Keith was at the pub!

Plumbing...a new career?

As predicted, we were busy today as the weather forecast was for thunderstorms moving north from the continent. Although we never actually saw any thunder and lightening during the day, we did get some rain in the afternoon and people flocked in as they'd obviously been watching the weather reports.

Everything was going fine and I was in the kitchen keeping up with the washing up when Polly rushed in to say there was a problem with one of the toilets. I went to get a bucket of water to pour down the loo if it was a blockage and our plunger.

However, it wasn't a blocked toilet...water was pouring out of one of the cisterns and when I took the top off it spouted out like a fountain!

I hurriedly emptied the water from the bucket down the other loo and put it under the cistern to catch the water which was pouring all over the floor. I then rushed back down to the kitchen to call Keith to ask him what to do and get some tea-towels to mop up the flood.

By the time I got back the water had stopped pouring out of the cistern so I flushed it again and it started to leak. I now knew that it would stop so while it was filling the bucket I mopped up the water and then had a look inside the cistern. A small piece of plastic had come away from a pipe so I managed to fit it back on and then flushed the loo again. This time it worked and there was no gushing of water everywhere!

I spent the next ten minutes mopping up all the water and emptying the smelly nappy bins and when I ventured back to the office I saw Keith drive up in his car. He was a bit annoyed that I'd managed to fix it as he'd made a wasted journey!

Anyway, he stayed with us for a while and even helped out in the kitchen!

Relaxing drinks

After work this evening, Sophie was meeting some friends at TGI Fridays at Sixfields so Keith and I decided to drop her off and then go for a drink at a pub in Blisworth called The Walnut Tree Inn.

First of all we had to pick Mike up from Brixworth and have something to eat which felt a bit strange as we almost never eat before going out for a drink!

Mike elected to stay at home so after dropping Sophie off at the restaurant we drove to Blisworth, about fifteen minutes away. I knew I should have researched where the pub was but thought it would be easy to find in the village...how wrong I was! We drove along every street and found one pub called The Royal Oak, but no sign of The Walnut Tree!

In desperation we turned Gladys on and after a few moments she started barking instructions at us as we turned down a road that led to the Blisworth Arm, near to the Grand Union canal. Luckily, as we drove along the pub appeared on the left and we managed to take the last parking space outside the front.

The Walnut Tree is also a hotel and although the bar was quiet there were quite a few people eating in the restaurant. We had a very relaxed couple of hours sitting on bar stools and chatting about our holiday in Scotland. We both decided that maybe in September we'll try and get away for a weekend, just the two of us but we didn't know where we would go...somewhere different perhaps?

At 10pm we picked Sophie up from seeing her friends and she'd also had a good night. We drove home and then all of us sat in the conservatory and Keith and I tried a wee dram of the Singleton Sunray that I'd bought at the Talisker distillery. It was beautiful!

The waiting game...

We were in early to do the cleaning this morning which wasn't pleasant. We're definitely back to earth with a bump!

It was my Dad's birthday today so I gave him the bottle of Singleton whisky I'd bought and cards and gift vouchers from the kids. We decorated his desk and chair with balloons and streamers and he was really pleased!

Today's been fairly quiet on the work front and guess what? We didn't complete so it felt like we were waiting around all day and then nothing happened. I can't begin to describe how frustrating this all is and how it's affecting us all now. My dad had a migraine last Friday when he went to Booker and one of the cashiers had to write the cheque out for him which is very worrying. I don't know how much longer we can stand this uncertainty and stress.

Sophie and I left at 4pm and we went home to potter about in the garden with the cats. Archie keeps coming in covered in little burrs which stick to his fur so I have to keep combing him to remove them all. Heaven only knows where he goes to get them all! Sophie's also concerned about a cat that's appeared who keeps threatening poor Monty. He was attacked by this cat the other day and received a bloody nose.

We picked Mike up from the barracks in town at 7.30pm and he was tired, dirty and badly in need of a sleep! As soon as we got home he disappeared into the bathroom and didn't emerge until he was sweeter smelling, thank goodness! He spent most of the evening attached to his iPod and we discovered that he'd met a girl on the camp called Millie. Ahhh!

By the way, on the news this morning we saw that it had been Scotland's coldest and wettest summer for thirty years and the patches of snow we thought we saw were exactly that...snow! It's unheard of for snow to still remain on the mountains during the summer but this is what's happened this year. Typical!

Back to work

I was supposed to have had this week off as holiday but I was in at work at 8.30am and hoping that today would be my last day as we were due to complete on the sale on the 11 August (Dad's birthday).

My parents came in and my mum's leg was very swollen after her knee operation of last week. They were thrilled with the wine and chocolate and I told them all about our adventures in Scotland!

Georgie came in so it was a bit manic first thing and at 11am I went to collect Sophie from home so she could cover lunchtime. The weather was a bit grey and overcast and we had a few light showers at midday so it was a good idea that she came in to help!

Keith went off to the pub in the evening and then we enjoyed a delicious beef casserole for dinner. Mike is back tomorrow so our peace will be shattered and the mountains of laundry will start all over again!

Homeward bound!

We had planned to explore the Lake District on Sunday but the weather wasn't looking its best and we all really wanted to get home and relax before I went back to work on Monday.

We were up early and packed before we went to the Llama Karma Kafe for breakfast. Unfortunately we didn't see any llamas at all but Sophie did buy a few bits and pieces in the shop and I bought some chocolate for my Mum and Mike.

By 9am we were on the road and heading south where the weather gradually improved. We used the M6 toll road again as there were delays on the normal motorway and very soon we were near home. We called into Tesco before returning home and bought a chicken to roast for dinner in the evening.

The afternoon was spent doing all our washing and getting it out onto the line to dry in the beautiful sunshine!

A Scottish Adventure - August 4-9 2015

Heading south

After another delicious and filling breakfast we reluctantly said goodbye to Pippa and John of Heathbank B&B and packed up the car to drive south to the Lake District.

We took the ferry over Loch Linnhe again and managed to get straight on as there wasn't much of a queue this morning. Once over the stretch of water we headed south on the A82 towards Glencoe and Loch Lomond.

Keith was driving this morning and the traffic was heavy, but even busier going north with numerous caravans, camper vans and coaches. Glencoe was bathed in sunshine for a change and the car parks along the side of the road were jammed with vehicles as people got out to take photos.

We caught up with two slow cars and a coach and Keith overtook them all much to my dismay! We had a bit of an argument about that, I can tell you!

It wasn't long before we reached the shores of Loch Lomond but in the small town of Tarbet we ground to a halt and didn't move. Thinking it was traffic lights we waited patiently but as we crawled further into the town we realised there'd been an accident and the road south was closed.

I looked at the map and told Keith there was an alternative route via the A814 which linked up with the A82 further south. As there were so many vehicles on the road and huge numbers of them were using the A82 the towns of Tarbet and Arrochar quickly became gridlocked. Everyone else had the same idea about the A814 and very soon this too ground to a halt with several cars in front of us turning around and heading back to Arrochar.

We spoke to a man in a snazzy sports car who told us that he'd heard the road was blocked so we turned around and called into a pub to try and decide what to do. Luckily they had wifi so I used my Hudl to research a ferry from Dunoon to Gourock which was very close to where we stayed on Tuesday night. It meant taking a different route and was a bit of a detour, but after more arguing Keith agreed to the plan and we set off. It was certainly better than going back onto the A82, heading north in a huge loop and then finding another route south! Outside the pub the road was jammed with cars and one woman was shouting angrily at her husband, no doubt hugely frustrated by the delays.

The man in the snazzy sports car was also parked in the pub car park but he looked like he was staying put for a while. We whizzed off onto the A83 and then turned off onto the A815 which was a beautiful road. There were hardly any cars on the road and the route skirted Loch Fyne. Before very long we were at Dunoon and we noticed the man in the little sports car behind us! As he was Scottish we felt we'd made the right decision!

(We later learnt that a motorcyclist had been very sadly killed on the A82 after a collision with a van and the road had been closed for five hours. All the traffic had been diverted north in a huge 60 mile detour so we felt we did well escaping the mayhem and choosing the route we did).

The ferry from Dunoon to Gourock was very busy and we just about managed to get on. We sat in the car and the crossing was a bit choppy! Once in Gourock the traffic was slow but as soon as we reached the A8 and then the motorway we were able to speed up a bit.

The rest of the journey to Penrith was uneventful and the weather became warmer and sunnier the further south we went. We arrived at our B&B, The Llamas Pyjamas, for the night at around 4pm which was a lot better than we'd anticipated given the problems on the roads. We were shown to our room for the night which had been decorated with an Inca theme and was very pink!

The doors leading into our room

All three of us were in the same room tonight and Sophie had a daybed to sleep on. We had a beautiful bathroom (wet room) and a coffee machine as well as a mini fridge.

We asked the girl in charge about possible pubs for our evening meal and she told us to head back towards Penrith and then take the road to Shap. There were several villages on this road and we liked the look of a pub called The George and Dragon in Clifton. We called in for a quick drink, had a look at the menu and booked a table for 8.30pm.

Back at the B&B we hurriedly showered and changed and I sat outside for a little while watching the traffic streaming along the very busy A66. The place wasn't how I imagined it at all as I thought we would be in a very quiet position in the middle of the countryside, but it was still very pleasant even though there was an absence of llamas!

We had a very enjoyable evening at The George and Dragon and after having a relaxing drink in the bar we moved to a cosy little table just off the main entrance. Keith and I both chose lamb steak with chips and veggies while Sophie opted for the Teriyaki beef. The dishes were a bit more expensive than we would normally pay for a pub meal but the quality of the food was very good and all sourced locally.

We arrived back at the B&B and settled in for a night's sleep...always a bit difficult when there were three of us sharing a room!

A Scottish Adventure - August 4-9 2015

Three ferries in one day

I treated myself to a delicious full breakfast this morning and it kept me going for the rest of the day! We spoke to the couple who were on the boat with us yesterday and they said how sorry they felt for us being buffeted by the wind and the waves, but I reassured them there was nothing they could do as to have got up and swapped seats would have been positively dangerous.

We set off rather late this morning and Keith walked down to Strontian village to buy a newspaper in the village shop. We'd decided to head for Skye but we were undecided as to which way to go - via Mallaig and the ferry to Armadale, or to take the longer road route which passes through some spectacular scenery? Half of the route to Mallaig was on single track roads so we decided to do the longer route via the Kyle of Lochalsh and maybe head home on the ferry.

To begin with, we had to take the small ferry to Corran and luckily, even though there was a queue of cars in front us, we managed to get on straight away. It cost £8 for the single trip and we stayed in our car as we made the short crossing.

Once over the Loch we headed for Fort William and then further north towards Skye. The road wasn't that busy which was a relief and very soon we were on the A87. Sophie promptly fell asleep and as we neared Skye we decided to take the very small ferry to Kylerhea. To get there we had to head over a mountain pass that became a little hairy, especially as I was driving!

The road seemed to go forever and we started to question whether it was a good idea to use the old ferry rather than the bridge, but it was too late to turn back! At last we arrived to find the ferry disembarking some cars so we were soon being loaded ourselves.

Again, we sat in the car and paid the ferryman £15 for the privilege!

Funnily enough, we met this car again at the ferry port in Armadale

This ferry crossing has been used since 1773 and only runs in the summer. Keith and I used it the last time we visited Skye and chatted to a man wearing a kilt and carrying a Tesco shopping bag! He was a real character!

Once over the narrow crossing we resumed the road and I followed the big Porsche car that had been in front of me. The road was very winding and steep in places and luckily we only met the odd car now and again. The Porsche took off so he wasn't much help!

Once we were on Skye we decided what was best to see as we didn't have long. Keith wanted to get the 5.20pm ferry back to Mallaig so we headed for Broadford first as Sophie needed the loo! We called in at The Crowlin Hotel for a quick drink and again, Sophie was not impressed, but then neither was I! A few other tables were taken by tourists (one couple were French I think) and the food served to them looked very unappetising!

We quickly drank up and headed inland to the Talisker Distillery as I wanted to buy some whisky for my Dad and maybe a bottle for me. The roads seemed a lot busier than when we last visited and it may have been because we were right in the middle of the holiday season.

The narrow road to the distillery was jammed with cars and a long convoy of camper vans all heading to Carbost. I'd never seen so many all together in one place in my life and the queue made our progress snail-like as we crawled along behind. Just a few feet from the distillery everything ground to a halt and Keith got out of the car to see what was happening. He directed me eventually into a space in the car park but by now I'd had enough!

The distillery was crammed with people and had definitely had a make-over since our last visit almost twenty years ago! We decided not to take a tour and I chose two bottles of Singleton whisky - Tailfire and Sunray - as I'd bought my Dad Talisker for his Father's Day present back in June.

I remember the distillery being very small, very basic and very quiet the last time we went so we were both shocked to see so many people clamouring to get in!

As the time was speeding past we decided, reluctantly, to head to Armadale. I felt cheated that we hadn't got to see much of Skye but maybe Keith and I will return on our own when the summer madness has died down!

It was still wonderful to see the fantastic scenery and the Black Cuillins which still command respect for their majestic peaks. The drive to Armadale was lovely as we could see over to the mainland and I stopped half way to take a couple of photos.

The ferry terminal was busy but we were able to buy tickets straight away from the very jovial staff in the office. We had about an hour's wait so Keith amused himself by walking to the end of the pier and throwing the remnants of our picnic to the seagulls who homed in on the food like heat-seeking missiles!

We were also able to sit and have a cup of tea and a cake and Sophie enjoyed a chicken burger which she'd been longing for ever since we entered Scotland!

The little cafe overlooking the water

We were soon driving onto the ferry and this time we had to leave the car and make our way up to the decks. It was very windy once we set off so the three of us sat inside and I was surprised to see a little shop and cafe. It was like a cross-channel ferry in miniature!

Before we went in I did take some photos:

The crossing didn't take long and very soon we were embarking in Mallaig which looked a busy town. The road back to our B&B was gorgeous and we decided to try for a pub in Glenfinnan, half way to Fort William.

The route was very quiet and we sped along, (Keith was driving) passing a promising looking hotel called The Lochailort Inn. However, I was convinced there was something better in Glenfinnan so we carried on...only to be bitterly disappointed!

It meant we had to drive back to Lochailort and luckily they were able to accommodate us for a meal. As usual, Sophie took exception to the place straight away as the walls were painted blood red and there were deer heads and stuffed animals everywhere. She said to me that, "something bad happened here," and I was inclined to agree at first! However, the place grew on me and we had a very good meal. I chose chicken stuffed with haggis, Keith had fish and chips (what else?) while Sophie opted for just a starter of chicken liver pate as she was still full from her chicken burger. I also fancied some Scottish cheese afterwards but the wait lasted forever as I think they had to go out and buy some!

Our waitress was clearly not English and her command of our language was not brilliant as Keith and Sophie told me she'd already said there was no cheese but I hadn't heard her! She also hadn't heard of a "whisky and lemonade" which I thought was strange considering her choice of job!

Our meal was enlivened by the family on the table next to us who kept us entertained with their imperious requests and the fact that the husband/father spent the entire meal staring at his phone and not talking to his family at all. Even when he was eating he kept the blasted thing in his hand and ignored what was going on around him!

After our meal we continued on our journey but we had no choice but to turn off the main road and head back to Strontian on a smaller road. Half of the journey was on a two lane highway but then the road narrowed and we were back on the single trackway. However, the stunning scenery made up for the slight discomfort and I felt like I could easily live along the route, it was so beautiful. What made it even lovelier was the gorgeous evening sky as the sun went down. I tried to capture the views:

Before long we were back in Strontian and heading back up the narrow track. We just had a brief watch of the TV before it was time for bed!

A Scottish Adventure - August 4-9 2015

Getting up close and personal with sharks

We were all up early and sitting down to breakfast at 8am this morning, along with another couple who we later found out were on the same boat trip as us.

Rather than eat a heavy breakfast I opted for poached eggs on toast with muesli and fruit as I didn't want to be feeling queasy on the boat! We were all done by 8.30am and Keith went to open the gate while the other couple followed us. I wasn't too happy about this as I certainly didn't want to be the lead driver for the next forty minutes, so when I had the opportunity I pulled over to let him go past.

I was glad I did as he hurtled off and I couldn't even keep up with him! When we eventually got to Ardnamurchan Charters they had just got out of their car so we weren't that far behind but it did mean that there were no parking spaces left and Keith had to reverse our car into a tiny space next to a cattle grid!

We approached the boat yard via a very steep set of steps and Keith paid the balance of the amount we owed for the trip. There were loads of dogs milling about including a huge one called, very aptly, Hagrid!

We had a black labrador on the boat with us all day and he was gorgeous. His name was Tag and he must have a lovely life!

There were ten of us on the boat, along with the Skipper, Andy and his mate, Billy, a young lad who did a lot of the driving on the way to the island of Muck.

At first the waters of the loch were very calm and although it did start raining it wasn't too bad. Most of the boat was open with just a small cabin that could fit about four or five people (and the dog). There were two bench seats under a small canopy and then two garden seats at the very end of the boat. Most of us stood at first to get a good look at the loch and the surrounding scenery but one couple stayed put on the bench seat under the canopy for the entire voyage! They weren't British (they may have been Italian) but they didn't seem at all interested in looking at anything and I did wonder why on earthy they'd paid £80 each to just sit and natter together!

These seats weren't popular when it was raining...more of that later!

Skipper Andy on the right sensibly decked out in waterproofs!

Keith getting wet!

We puttered out slowly into the loch and went past the island of Carna where we were told they were trying to re-introduce wild cats. We kept a lookout for sea eagles and saw some seals basking on rocks.

Further out we saw a whole flotilla of yachts which was a bit bizarre as their brightly coloured sails contrasted starkly with the grey sea and sky.

We were very near to the island of Mull and the smaller isles of Eigg and Coll. We could see other yachts in the distance and the occasional fishing boat.

As we moved out past the Ardnamurchan lighthouse (the most westerly point of mainland Britain) one of the men in our group shouted out that he'd seen a Minke whale diving. He even managed to capture it on camera! We slowed the engine and circled the area for a while but we never saw it re-surface which was a real shame.

A little further on, though, we did spot a basking shark and it came very close to the boat.

At one point we saw three of four sharks very close and through the clear water we could see their huge mouths as they swam along hoovering up plankton.

I don't know how big they were but I'm glad they weren't interested in eating us!

We stayed in the area for a good while and then motored over to the island of Muck where we stayed for almost two hours. It gave us a chance to grab something to eat and stretch our legs for a while.

There wasn't a great deal to do on Muck! We went for a short walk with Tag and then headed to the small cafe where we ate toasties and drank copious amounts of tea from a huge brown teapot.

Our little boat in Muck harbour

Muck's map of entertainments!

Muck scenery

Fearing for our lives!

The journey back to Laga Bay was split into two halves. The first part of the voyage was horrendous as the sea had become very rough while we were on Muck and stupidly we sat on one of the bench seats at the back of the boat so we took the full force of the sea spray that drenched us. Keith stood up as it was impossible to move into the cabin, the seas were so rough. All we could do was hang on and Sophie became very upset at how bad the conditions were. At one point I feared the whole boat would turn over and none of us were wearing life jackets.

Tag sensed how upset we were and before things got really bad came and pressed his body against us before retreating to the safety and warmth of the cabin. We just had to sit it out and Sophie was literally shaking with the cold and wet.

Thankfully, we rounded the point with the lighthouse and entered calmer waters. The sun also came out and we dried out a bit and were able to appreciate the stunning scenery.

Tag also made an appearance and sat and watched one of the couples eating their sandwiches! He didn't get much!

We arrived back at Laga Bay at 6pm and went thankfully to our car for the journey back to the B&B. We had planned to go straight out to eat but we were all very dishevelled and encrusted with salt so we drove back as quickly as we could to have a hot shower and change out of our damp clothes.

We'd booked a table for 8.30pm at The Inn at Ardgour and we got there with seconds to spare! The pub was very busy but we were shown to our table and our drinks order taken so we could finally relax.

I'd been in Scotland since Tuesday without having haggis so Keith and I both decided to have that as a starter, served with oatcakes, which were delicious. For my main course I went veggie and had an asparagus and wild mushroom risotto, Keith had fish and chips (again) while Sophie chose chicken stuffed with cheese. The food was lovely and gradually the pub emptied out so it became quieter and more relaxed.

We arrived back at the B&B at just after 10pm after driving through spectacular scenery. The evening sky was light blue tinged with fluffy pink and grey clouds and the whole landscape was breathtaking.

Once again we all snuggled down in bed and watched some TV before turning in for the night and a well-earned sleep!

A Scottish Adventure - August 4-9 2015

The Ardnamurchan Peninsula

Keith and I had rather a disturbed night as our bed was on the small side. It was probably a normal double but as we're used to a Super-King, we felt like we'd slept on top of one another all night!


Breakfast was included in our room rate which I thought was a bargain (£129 for the lodge, for the three of us) so we all went off to the hotel after showering and dressing. The breakfast room looked out over a riding area and would have been lovely if the sun had been shining, which it wasn't...

We helped ourselves to cereal, fruit and toast before going back for cooked food and very good it was as well. It set us up for the day! We sat at a table right next to a huge TV screen and watched the BBC news from London which was a bit bizarre!

After we'd breakfasted we packed everything up and bid a fond farewell to our little lodge. Hopefully, one day I will return!

I drove this morning and we made our way through the stunning scenery to Loch Lomond. After crossing the Erskine Bridge we stopped for diesel in Dumbarton and then entered the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The road by the lake was very twisty indeed and covered frequently in huge puddles of water.

The views were stunning and luckily I didn't come across any slow caravans on the way! I was part of a convoy of vehicles (inevitable) but we all drove at a reasonable speed and very soon we were coming into Glencoe, an area that always looks very forbidding. Every other time we'd been through Glencoe I'd wanted to stop at the Visitor Centre and today we did. I was badly in need of a coffee and I wanted to find out a bit more about the massacre in 1692 when the Campbells slaughtered the MacDonalds who had been their hosts.

We went and had a cup of coffee and then ventured out to the viewing point. By now, the sun had come out, briefly, and it was great to see Glencoe clearly for a change! When we found out that it cost £8.00 each to visit the Glencoe exhibition we rapidly changed our minds about going in and went back to the car. Mum called me and said that everything was fine with work and they were inching closer to a completion date.

Fort William and the saga of the missing jeans...

From Glencoe we headed towards Fort William as we had decided to go and search for a new pair of jeans for Sophie. She discovered, last night, that she'd left a pair of black jeans at home, around which most of her wardrobe was based. We found out that there was a branch of M&Co in Fort William and I suggested she try and get a pair there.

The last time Keith and I were in Fort William was years ago and we were disappointed with the town then. I'd imagined it would be like a small Alpine town, full of trekking shops, tea rooms and cosy restaurants and pubs but we were sadly mistaken. Things hadn't changed...

We parked near the town and discovered that there was some kind of French market going on with stalls selling Bratwurst and other European delicacies. We made straight for M&Co but Sophie looked at the shop as if it smelt bad and although she tried on a pair of slimfit jeans, they certainly weren't suitable.

We left and walked on a little distance with Sophie comparing the town to "Dartford, only in the north". I did try and warn her! Rather than re-trace our route back to Corran and the ferry over Loch Linnhe, we decided to drive around the lake and see if there were any suitable pubs along the way. This single track road was beautiful and half way along we pulled in by the side of the loch and ate some of our picnic that we'd left the previous day.

We could see Fort William on the other side. I'm sure you can also see Ben Nevis on a clear day.

It was very peaceful and I did envy the people who lived with these views all the time. We kept a lookout for creatures in the loch but didn't see a thing. We did see lots of sheep, though, some of which were grazing on the road and were completely oblivious to me driving past!

We arrived at Ardgour (where the ferry runs) and called into The Inn at Ardgour for a drink. It looked promising for an evening meal as it was only 12 miles from Strontian where we were staying. Keith was delighted to find they stocked the Belhaven Speyside Ale so I joined him in a bottle. It was considerably cheaper than in The Wheelhouse last night!


The long and winding road...



From Ardgour we drove onto the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the most westerly point of mainland Britain. Once we arrived in Strontian and found directions to our B&B we drove on to find out where our boat trip would start from. We wanted to find out how long it would take us as the road is just a single trackway with passing places and the last thing we wanted was to be late the next day!

Unfortunately, Sophie wasn't keen on the very twisty road. It was fine from Strontian to Salen, but then it became even narrower and skirted a loch which meant it went up and down and in and out and it felt like being on a roller coaster! It took us forty minutes to do the trip and then I had to drive back. I had to concentrate hard for every single minute as an oncoming car could appear at any minute and if we were unlucky it would be just as we drove past a passing place and one of us would have to reverse. Not a good idea when the sides of the road fell away to the loch! I'd had ideas of carrying on along this road to Sanna Bay where the sand was supposed to be white and the sea turquoise, but:

a) The weather was horrendous

b) It would probably have taken us another hour and a half and then we would have had to drive all the way back

c) Sophie would probably have killed me with her bare hands.


Luckily, on the return route I tagged onto a tanker going the same way and as he filled the road I was able to hang onto his shirt tails and follow him closely all the way to Salen. He blundered his way through with oncoming drivers having no choice but to stop for him, with little old me following closely behind! Just after the pretty village of Salen he pulled over to let me overtake and then it was up to me to look out for oncoming cars!

At 4pm we were more than ready to check into our B&B but it was still a two mile trek up a hillside. By now I was very tired from all the driving and just as I was about to make a tight turn onto an even smaller road to the B&B the road was blocked by a van coming out of the turn. It was the last straw for me as I had to continue up the road and then try and do a three point turn on a narrow stretch of road. I lost my temper a bit and then became even grumpier when I realised I still had some way to go and the entrance to Heatherbank B&B was blocked by a closed gate!

It was a huge relief when we finally arrived and parked the car. We were met by Pippa who showed us to our rooms and explained about breakfast and offered to book us a table at a local hotel for dinner. We unpacked and changed for the evening and drove back down the track to The Strontian Hotel.

By now the weather had become even worse with a constant drizzling rain and a heavy mist covering Loch Sunart. We settled ourselves into a seat in the Bothy Bar and watched as numerous people traipsed in, all dripping wet from the rain. I have to say, we all wondered what we were doing and whether we'd made the right decision! At one point I felt as if we'd entered the twilight zone! Sophie looked at us as if we'd dragged her to the most godforsaken spot on earth and I did feel sorry for her! In a weird kind of way it was enjoyable to be sitting in a cosy bar and doing a spot of people watching but my daughter certainly didn't appreciate her surroundings!

Keith fell out with the barman (he called him Uncle Fester from the Adams family) as the first pint he tried was terrible and he left most of it. He then went on to drink a bottled beer which cost a whopping £5 a bottle!

I discovered that it's not a good idea to look up a restaurant's menu online as I'd been salivating over the thought of their chicken, stuffed with haggis and served with a whisky cream. Of course, it wasn't on the menu and I had to choose from dull dishes such as lasagne, pasta, chicken curry or fish and chips. There was venison casserole on the specials board, thankfully, so I opted for that as it was the only authentic Scottish food I could see, while Keith went for the fish and Sophie chose the pasta Napoli.

The hotel was very busy with lots of different nationalities eating there. Heaven only knows what they thought of the atrocious weather! The food was good, but not outstanding and we decided we'd try somewhere else the next night. Sophie left most of her pasta (the serving was huge) so we were a subdued little group by the end of the evening and longing for our beds! It had been a busy day!

Back at the B&B Keith and I had a small dram of whisky that we'd bought in the village shop earlier and we all snuggled into our bed to watch TV. Thankfully, Sophie had her own room with a double bed so she was happy!

A Scottish adventure - August 4-9 2015

Overnight in Glasgow

We were all packed and ready to go at 8.30am this morning and Keith said he would drive up to Tebay services, where we'd stop and have some lunch. I'd fondly imagined that we would be standing in the sunshine and munching on our picnic but I couldn't have been more wrong!

We made good time on the M6 as we decided to use the M6 toll road, which at £5.50, saved us all the bother of going through the busiest part of Birmingham. As we drove further north the weather worsened and by the time we reached the beautiful part of the M6 which runs through the Lake District the rain and mist were much in evidence!

I was so disappointed as I really wanted Sophie to see the Lake District (the parts you can see from the motorway anyway!) in all its glory, but it wasn't to be. We pulled in at Tebay, or Westmoreland Farm Shops (it's perhaps the only motorway services which isn't part of a huge chain), dashed in to use the facilities and then ate our picninc overlooking gloom and mist.

I took over from Keith and we made our way a bit more slowly and sedately north, leaving the M6 which turned into the M74 as soon as we reached the Scottish border. Sophie slept most of the way so our commentary on the sights we could see from the car nearly always fell on deaf ears although she was awake when we crossed over into Scotland!

All too soon we were in Glasgow and Keith negotiated me through the city and onto the M8 towards Bishopton where we were stopping for the night, at the Ingliston Country Club. We found it first and then headed back onto the A8 to find The Wheelhouse Bar and Grill. 

We'd researched this pub a few weeks ago and it looked the most promising for an evening meal so we had a drink (Keith tried a lovely beer called Belhaven Speyside Oak-Aged Blonde Ale) while I had a coffee and Sophie had a bottle of water. The menu looked good so we booked a table for 8pm and then drove to our home for the night, just a few miles away.

We parked the car in the hotel car park and walked over to Reception to find the receptionist on the phone. So we waited and waited while she booked some people in and then we discovered that we were at the wrong place and had to go to the country club entrance! Keith was not very happy!

We trooped off back the way we had come and this time we were given the instructions for our lodge and told where to go. It was great that we were able to park right next to our little wooden chalet!

We were all delighted with the lodge and it would have been an ideal place to stay for a few nights as we had a dining room/sitting room/kitchen area, a shower room, an additional loo and two bedrooms.

Our well-equipped kitchen

Sophie's bedroom

Our bedroom

It was lovely to have so much space and we unpacked for the night and then relaxed. Outside were rows of stables as the country club have an impressive riding school and dressage area. Keith and I went for a walk and although I was sorely tempted to go and see the horses, visitors weren't allowed.

Our chalet had an outside area and the grounds were extensive so it would be a great place to stay and explore the local surroundings. The weather was horrible, though, but if the sun had been shining it would have been lovely to have sat outside with a drink.

After we'd showered and changed we drove to Bishopton itself and called in for a drink at the Bishopton Inn Hotel. Although the place looked fine to me, Sophie took exception and hated every minute we spent there! We had a couple of drinks and then drove to The Wheelhouse where we sat and enjoyed a drink in the lounge before dinner.

Keith and I chose the carvery while Sophie opted for the Cajun Chicken and very spicy it was as well, she said! Our carvery was great but Keith still does a better roast! We had pork, gammon and turkey accompanied by all the usual veggies, roast potatoes and mash. The pub and restaurant were very busy but the staff did a good job of keeping us happy and were very friendly. The weather, sadly, hadn't improved at all, which was a shame as the pub sits right on the Clyde and the views must be stunning when the sun's out throughout the evening.We could see Dumbarton Rock from the windows and I would have loved to have explored a bit more.

We were back at our lodge at just after 9pm and it was great to sit and relax while watching The Three Day
Nanny!