Confusion!

Day 86

We've enjoyed another beautiful day but the forecast is for much colder weather to arrive at the end of the week, and over the Easter weekend.

I went out into the front garden this morning and mowed our verge which was looking very healthy. All plans to put down grass seed have been postponed, as next Monday the temperatures are set to plunge to -2! Keith came out to help and we had a very sociable session, chatting to Michelle, and then our postman who is always very friendly and helpful. He had a parcel for Sophie which she was expecting from her old manager, as well as poll cards for May. I have no idea who we'll be voting for, so I'd better do some research!

Keith and I turned over the soil, did a fair bit of weeding, and swept up all the debris, and the front garden looked a lot better - in my opinion anyway. Keith said he wanted to gravel over the area and put down pots of plants. I said that the birds loved our cherry tree, and it would be sad to tear up the bushes, so we've put any plans on hold for the time being. I just think we need to add some new shrubs and a lot more colour!

We migrated around to the back garden and managed to get the rest of the old Virginia Creeper into the bin. There's still a lot to do around there, but it'll have to wait! I dug over the corner border, and we've decided to grass it for the time being. The robin was out with us a lot of the time and was eying up the dug-over soil with interest! I saw a lot of worms in there! Every now and then we sat down and enjoyed the sunshine which was a bit hazier today. We could certainly see the improvements we've made over the last few weeks. 

Before we went to get Mike from work, we both had a shower as we felt grubby from being in the garden. When we drove over to the golf club, the temperature was registering 27c in the car, hotter than it really was, no doubt, but apparently, this week has been the hottest March since 1968!

Which brings me to the news... while I was getting dressed after showering, there was footage from a park in Nottingham where - I hate to say it - hordes of young people had been gathering, drinking, fighting, vandalising trees, and leaving acres of litter behind. I was shocked at the scenes of huge numbers of people gathered together and ignoring the social distancing rules. What is wrong with some people in our country? We see a bit of sun and a lot of us go mad! Driving to get Mike there were some people who were barely dressed! Next week, it'll be different!

When Sophie arrived home this evening she eagerly opened her parcel, but looked at the contents in confusion! She had thought it was from her old manager, but it was a moon ornament that lit up, with her name etched onto it. On the packaging, it said something like "Let me take you on a romantic trip to the moon", hardly something her manager would have said!

Then the penny dropped. The moon ornament was from her boyfriend for a birthday present, and her manager's gift had been delivered to the house across the road by mistake! She went to retrieve it and found it had been left outside their house, and they were oblivious to it being there! Back home she opened it to find four bottles of Le Chouffe beer and a glass. Next Monday we should have been in Wimereux drinking it at a seaside bar! Ho hum!

Recycling matters!

Day 85

I had agreed to help Ruth this morning with the recycling sort, the first we've been able to do all together since last year. As per the current restrictions, we were only able to have six of us attend, and we had eight bags to get through!

When I arrived at 11am, a couple of people were already there so I dived in and started on a big bag. Ruth had already set out boxes for the different recycling we collect, and most of it was crisps, closely followed by biscuit and cake wrappers! 

It was warm in the sunshine and I wished that Ruth had set up a table as it was quite hard on the back due to the bags being on the ground. At the bottom, we always find "crud" - lots of little bits of paper or plastic and this is the worst!

It took us all two hours to get through the bags, and I had pet food pouches and Tassimo pods to take home, but I asked Ruth if I could pick them up later as there were several bags' worth!

I was very glad to get home, have a cup of tea and sit down for half an hour! 

Unfortunately, at the moment, we have some seriously nasty smells surrounding us. I thought it was muck-spreading on the fields, but when we returned from getting Mike, we saw two "Recycling" tankers parked up at the back of the estate. I later found out that they were spreading food waste on the fields behind us... well, it smelt to me like the stuff had come out of a cow's bottom! It was horrible, and so badly timed with the beautiful weather we've been having! It means if we open our windows or doors, the noxious fumes drift in. Not nice!

I made a red pepper and tomato soup in the afternoon, so Sophie could enjoy it for her lunch tomorrow. I roasted three red peppers, an onion and some garlic in the oven, and sauteed a couple of sticks of celery in a pan with butter. When the veggies were roasted I made up vegetable stock, added tomato puree, chilli flakes and a couple of spoonfuls of sun-dried toms and added everything to the celery. After letting it simmer for a while and then cool down, all I had to do was blend it and hey presto! Lunch for Sophie!

Keith cooked tonight and made a delicious cottage pie with loads of vegetables. If nothing else, we're eating healthily at the moment!

Catching up!

Day 84

Today has been a busy one! Keith and I went shopping at Aldi and Tesco first thing in the morning and didn't get home until 11.30am... where did the time go? I have never known the hours speed by so fast as they have lately!

After a quick lunch and a tidy-up, Keith drove me to Abington Park in the middle of Northampton to meet my work colleagues, Kathy, Jo and Denise. The timing was a bit mad, as it's the first day of the half-term holidays, the weather was beautiful, and some of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted today, meaning that up to 6 people can meet outside in the park or a private garden. I was wise to ask Keith to give me a lift as the roads around the park were rammed with cars. He dropped me off not far from the cafe, and I asked him to come back at 4.30pm.

I had taken a fold-away chair with me, but the three other women had forgotten, bless them! It worked out well, though, as they sat on a bench while I used the chair. We were all in agreement that we weren't keen on going back to work as we were anticipating more problems with memberships, and our memories of last time were still vivid! Kathy had actually contracted Covid and said she still didn't feel fully recovered. She had suffered extreme tiredness and feared at one point she would die, which came as a real shock.

We picked a bench in the shade, so not quite the warm and sunny spot I had imagined! However, it was great to catch up with everyone's news and find out how they were over lockdown. The last time I had seen Kathy and Denise was probably early December!

We said goodbye at just after 4pm and I walked slowly back to where I'd arranged to meet Keith. Luckily, he was nice and early so we were soon heading home. Over a cup of tea in the conservatory, we discussed the kitchen again. This morning I'd had an email from Anthony, who works for Highfields Property Services, and he'd asked about the plans. We emailed back and said we were disappointed, so he was straight on the phone to arrange a meeting at the Benchmarx showroom on Thursday.

Sophie arrived home from work and went straight into preparing dinner. I helped out and we sat down to eat at about 7.30pm. As always, the food was delicious!

Badger, be gone!

Day 83

Today has been another grey and dreary day with no hint of sunshine at all. Mike was at work again but only for an hour, so Keith took him and stayed, rather than drive back home. The clocks went forward today so it was a bit of an early start for them both!

Sophie helped me put a colour on my hair, which made me feel a little better! The grey was really showing through at my temples and roots! Yikes! In the early afternoon, we ventured down to Riverside and visited Boots. Before heading home we treated ourselves to a coffee and a crispy chocolate cake from Costa and enjoyed them in the car, along with lots of other people (who were in their own cars!).

Back home we did all of the preparations for dinner this evening - a Hairy Bikers' recipe of stuffed chicken wrapped in parma ham served with asparagus, new potatoes and tender stem broccoli. Once it was all done, we were able to relax for a while and then play Scrabble with a cocktail. Sophie made me a Martini this evening, and we had a very enjoyable time sitting in the conservatory. With the extra daylight today it was a real shame the sky outside was so cloudy!

The dinner was lovely, and as we had some sausagemeat left over, we decided to do Sophie's favourite pasta tomorrow night. As usual, for a Sunday, I can hardly believe the weekend is over! I have just over a week left before I go back to work so I'm determined to make the most of the next few days!

Decisions, decisions!

Day 82

Today, according to the forecast, was supposed to be sunny and dry and I did have plans to get back out into the garden. However, it was cold and mid-morning it clouded over, so not very pleasant at all!

Mike was working a full shift today, which felt very strange for a Saturday! After breakfast, which Keith brought back from Aldi, we discussed the kitchen with Sophie. I printed off the designs and we compared them with the ones we'd received from Magnet, Howdens and Harborough Kitchens. We said they were the worst out of all four, and that no thought had gone into the process at all. We were all disappointed and felt like we were back at the beginning again! We spent almost the whole morning talking about the kitchen, measuring up and discovering that the island Benchmarx had designed was tiny! It made me feel very dispirited, to be honest, as I was hoping for great things from the kitchen company. 

In the afternoon Sophie and I applied a strawberry and yarrow facemask and relaxed by watching Come Dine With Me, which was coming from Northampton! I used to be a huge fan of the show (we even had the production company film at our business some years ago!), and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed watching it! Outside, the weather hadn't improved at all. It was still grey. windy and cold. We had to put the heating on!

Keith and I went to pick Mike up from work at 3.30pm. Next week, his hours change to 6am until 2.30pm, which is a very early start, but at least we'll avoid the school run (but they'll be on holiday anyway!).

Back home, I had a shower and then watched the rest of the Northampton shows while lying on the bed with Sophie. At 5pm we went downstairs for cocktails and Scrabble, and we both achieved the same score for our first game! However, Sophie thrashed me in the second! She was brilliant!

As a treat, we enjoyed a Chinese takeaway this evening and afterwards, we watched Skyfall. Sophie wants to watch Spectre next Sunday, and that will be it! Bring on the next James Bond film!

Feeling a bit flat...

Day 81

I was so glad we'd tackled the garden yesterday as it rained all morning and was, at times, really heavy! Plus, it was cold, so not a good day to venture out!

I have spent most of today doing housework, and mounds and mounds of washing. Hopefully, the house will stay clean over the weekend, although Mike is working both Saturday and Sunday, in readiness for golf clubs to re-open on Monday. 

I did find time in the afternoon to make a chicken noodle soup for dinner. I found a BBC Good Food recipe, but in hindsight, I would have done things a little differently. As Friday nights are supposed to be for relaxing, drinking wine and watching a good film, I wanted to do as much as possible in the afternoon, but the soup thickened until it almost resembled a chow mein dish! In future, I will get the soup to the very liquid stage with the chicken and vegetables, and then add the noodles as I re-heat it!

Late in the afternoon, we received an email from the kitchen designer. He apologised for how late it was and said he'd had a bad day, and we think this was reflected in the design, which we were seriously underwhelmed with. We all looked at the designs and went, "Oh..." There certainly wasn't a wow factor so we were all very disappointed.

Looking at the designs carefully, we realised that we had hardly gained any storage! I think it's back to the drawing board!

Sophie and I enjoyed a glass of wine before dinner, and we watched Pillow Talk starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson. It was a lovely film, and very funny! It was interesting to see how things had changed since the late 50s, though. There was one scene where Doris Day was almost being attacked in a car by an amorous young man. It was supposed to have been funny, but we didn't think it was!

Before we re-heated the "soup" I added some more chicken stock, and we made garlic bread. I was a little disappointed with it, but the rest of the family seemed to enjoy it and Mike's taking a potful for his lunch tomorrow, so it can't have been that bad!

A bit of a shock...

Day 80

The weather forecast for today was set to be dry and sunny, and I was determined to get out into the garden and cut the grass. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold and rainy, so I seized the chance!

It didn't take long to cut the lawn, and then I made a start on the border behind the garage. This corner gets neglected a bit so I cut out a new border and hoed the soil. Keith came out to help and went to investigate what we think are rat runs on the opposite side of the garden. There was a hole by the fence, and a load of soil had been displaced, so we put that on the border I had just created because the soil was quite stony there.

We have an old wheelbarrow behind the garage that we rarely use so I asked Keith to drill holes in the bottom. I could then fill it with compost and use it as a container for summer bedding plants! However, Keith was in a grump as he couldn't find his metal drill bits, and said that they were somewhere behind all the stuff we'd inherited from Mum and Dad's house...

It was lovely to potter about in the garden, and I raked over some bare patches in the lawn in preparation for putting down grass seed next week (when the temperatures rise a bit) and adding new compost to a couple of established plants in pots. The far corner of the garden is a problem as it has never looked good, and I thought of putting down some gravel and standing the wheelbarrow on it when it's full of flowers. However, this is a sensitive spot as it's where our beloved furry bear, Archie, is buried.

Although we'd managed to do a lot, we were glad when it started pouring with rain and we had to go back indoors! We prepared the veg for dinner and had lunch, and just after I'd eaten I took a call from my manager, Sara, about our return to work.

I had expected to be back in the office from the 12th of April when gyms re-open, so I was slightly shocked when she said we would be back in from the 6th of April! In a different universe, we would have been in France on that day! She said I would be doing three days a week, 10am until 4pm but that until she managed to train up two new members of staff, we would have to take it in turns to do a Saturday. Not brilliant news, to be honest.

In the first lockdown I couldn't wait to get back to work, but this time I am more wary. We faced huge problems last time with endless calls about freezing memberships, online bookings and swimming lesson queries, so I have to confess I am dreading it. I really can't complain though as I will have been off thirteen weeks, and sooner or later I would have had to face the return to work.

Sophie was not happy as she had booked her birthday week off, and was hoping we'd be able to go somewhere like Oxford for a day out. Subsequently, she cancelled her leave, which was a shame. I will be working Monday, Tuesday and Friday so at least I will have two full days off, but this could change.

I arranged to see my three work colleagues next week for a coffee in Abington Park so we could have a good natter before we go back. I have a feeling we'll have a lot to catch up on, especially as one of them had Covid!

Dinner tonight was much better - Keith cooked sausages with lots of vegetables and giant Yorkshire puddings. Delicious!

Jumping through hoops...

Day 79

I spent most of this morning setting up the new mobile phone we'd bought for my Mum. The one she has now has given her some problems, namely to do with charging, so I'd ordered another and it arrived first thing this morning. I'd researched phones suitable for older people, and hopefully, this one will be easier to use. I was able to put all of her contacts onto the phone so she can call her friends easily. Let's hope this phone is more successful!

Apart from a bit of a sore arm, I haven't suffered any after-effects of the Covid jab I had yesterday, which was a huge relief! I really didn't fancy spending two days in bed as some people had done! At just after 3pm I set off in Dad's car for the care home. To get to see my parents without a screen between us I had to have a lateral flow test and wear their PPE. I was dreading the test as I cannot abide anything being stuck down my throat!

The woman who met me at the door was not that friendly, and when I knocked over a sign on the desk with my bag, she didn't seem that happy... oops! She gave me the test, said I could go and complete it in the loo and left me to it. Somehow the liquid in the tiny tube had disappeared so I had to ask for some more. That didn't go down well, either! I managed to get the swab into my nose, but as soon as I put it down my throat, I gagged. When I was pregnant with both children I developed a problem with cleaning my teeth (I couldn't bear the feel of the toothbrush in my mouth) and this gag reflex has been something I've had since then. Yes, I am a little weird!

I had to wait twenty minutes for the test result, and I had to complete a form. Once the test was back - it was negative obviously - I then had to complete yet another form online using my phone! It's a good job I was able to do that!

The last hoop I had to jump through was donning a whole load of PPE - gloves, a disposable mask and a flimsy plastic apron. I dread to think what I looked like! And all for just half an hour with my parents! And I will have to do this every time I go if I want to see them in person!

However, it was lovely to see my parents properly after so long, and I had a hug with both of them. We had a chat and it was obvious that my Mum is not happy being in the care home, mainly because she is bored. My Dad was OK, but not really that with it, and he still looked painfully thin. The half-hour we had whizzed by, and we had another hug when we left. I really hope that things can be a bit more relaxed soon and that I can take both of them out in the car. Back home I told Keith what had happened at the care home and I think he was glad that he wasn't able to go as well! 

Before we cooked dinner we played cards in the conservatory, something we haven't done for ages! Keith had ordered a "movie pack" from The Drop Store, which consisted of a bottle of rhubarb vodka, popcorn, tonic water, chocolates and two beautiful J&J Whitley balloon glasses - all for £24, which we thought was a bargain! Sophie and I had the vodka with tonic and it was lovely.

Our dinner tonight was a bit of a disaster... I had suggested lamb steaks with couscous and roasted vegetables, but the lamb steaks, which had cost almost £9, shrivelled up to tiny portions when we cooked them. The couscous went cold, and there was hardly enough for the four of us, so I supplemented the meal with brioche buns so we could have lamb burgers, as Mike was looking at the spread with horror! A meal we certainly won't be repeating again in a hurry!

I am jabbed!

Day 78

Today has been quite a momentous day - it's the anniversary of the UK going into lockdown, and also I was due to get my jab this morning!

I was a bit nervous, to be honest, as I didn't know how it would affect me. I had heard stories of some people having to retire to their beds for a couple of days (Mike said he felt unwell) but Keith was fine, as were my parents. 

Keith and I set off early as we needed to pop to the post office for Sophie, but the road leading to the shops was closed in Brixworth, so we carried on to the branch at Whitehills, which is a lot friendlier anyway. I had to wait for a while in the queue, but we were still too early to arrive at the vaccination centre. We parked outside the very empty, huge, Nationwide offices on Moulton Park, which looked deserted...

Ten minutes before my appointment, we drove to the centre and I was directed into a car park. It was extremely busy with people constantly arriving and leaving. After a series of checks and lots of questions, I queued up to get my jab, which was the Astra Zeneca vaccination. It was over within a matter of minutes and as I emerged from the building I realised that everyone outside was taking part in the minute's silence to remember all the people who had died from Covid. I was glad that today was sunny and mild!

After sitting in the car for a few minutes and chatting to Sophie who was on her lunch break, Keith and I headed to Beckworth Emporium. We were hoping that they had their lovely turkeys for sale as we wanted one for Easter, which is approaching very quickly. Sadly, they had none, and after I'd bought some crackers, hummus and a bottle of wine, we returned home.

The news headlines today were about a fine for travelling abroad without good reason. From next Monday anyone travelling without a valid excuse will be fined £5000. I could hardly believe it! It's like something out of a futuristic film! Our government are very worried about a "third wave" sweeping over Europe, and also the possibility of new variants entering the country. France is about to go on the "red" list, so there would have been absolutely no chance of us going to Wimereux in a little over two weeks' time! I am glad we have postponed to April of next year!

Keith and I spent the afternoon pottering about and I felt fine. I prepared tonight's meal which was a beefy pasta bake, and although the rest of the family enjoyed it, I was a bit disappointed. It didn't have that much taste in my opinion! As the night wore on I kept expecting to get a headache or feel really tired, but nothing... long may it continue!

A miniature delivery...

Day 77

Our usual shopping trip took place today, but no excitement this Monday, I'm afraid! I bought two pairs of trousers for my Mum as well as some treats for when I go to see them on Wednesday.

The weather was gorgeous first thing this morning but then it clouded over (and I hadn't put any washing out either!). We are definitely into Spring now, and the daffodils everywhere are beautiful, but I just wish it would be a bit sunnier and warmer!

I was expecting a delivery today so I sent Keith off to collect Mike from work. Last year my husband had bought me an advent calendar of twelve Gins and this year I've decided to collect my own twelve miniatures and use the existing box. I had some being delivered from Amazon today and needed to stay in and sign for them. Typically, they didn't arrive until after Keith got back, but when they did I put them into the box. I now need only four more to complete my advent calendar for this Christmas!

Last year's selection of Gins.

We are in the habit of collecting old bottles in our house (I have no idea why!) but when we finally get the kitchen sorted, I think they will all have to go to the recycling skips at the tip. Maybe if I take photos of them all, it won't be such a wrench to throw them out!

A glimpse into the past...

Day 76

Last night, I'd relented about Monty staying in, and I'd put down some newspaper in place of the new doormat. Luckily, this morning everywhere was dry so he'd redeemed himself!

The forecast today had been for grey clouds, so I was delighted to see the sun shining when I got up! What a difference it makes to my mood! We spent a quiet morning mooching about and at lunchtime, Sophie and I enjoyed the leftover chilli from Friday and cooked it with some nachos and melted cheese. Delicious! Before we'd eaten I'd hung some washing on the line, and of course, within half an hour it had clouded over! What is it with me and the washing?!

After lunch, it was time for our face pack - a honey one this week - which really did smell strongly of the sweet stuff! I've never been a fan of spreading it on toast, but it was lovely applied to my face! We relaxed for a while and watched an episode of A Place in the Sun, and then I made a lemon drizzle cake. We had a few lemons in the fruit bowl that were looking a bit sorry for themselves, so I turned them into a deliciously moist cake!

Keith had been wittering on for weeks about his hair, and how I hadn't cut enough off the top the last time I did it, so I made him sit on a chair in the kitchen, and I applied the clippers all over. This time I cut a lot off and his hair was all over the kitchen floor! When Sophie came downstairs and saw him, she screamed! Now let him complain!

Sophie disappeared into the conservatory to chat with Laura and Daisy, and after enjoying a cup of tea with the lemon cake, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube of San Francisco from 1906, just four days before the terrible earthquake struck. It had been taken from a tram travelling down Market Street to the Ferry Terminal building, and it was absolutely fascinating. What amazed me was the chaotic state of the street, with horse-drawn carriages and carts jostling for space with ancient motorcars, pedestrians, horse-riders and, of course, trams. There were no crossings and people just wandered about all over the road, narrowly missing all the vehicles that were streaming in both directions! Young boys ran after motorists and jumped onto the back of the cars, and there was a constant clanging coming from the trams. It truly was a fantastic glimpse into the past, made all the more poignant in that four days later the earthquake hit the city. Sophie and I have travelled on a tram going the other way, and it was fun to go onto Google Streetview and compare how it was over a hundred years later. Needless to say, hardly any of the buildings from 1906 remained.

Keith cooked a delicious roast chicken for dinner this evening, and after we'd eaten we caught up with an episode of Death in Paradise, which is easily becoming one of our favourite programmes to watch these days!

A disappointing lunch...

Day 75

It's been exactly a year since Boris closed all shops, restaurants, cafes, gyms, cinemas, theatres, etc, etc... A whole year! Where has it gone? What would we have said if we'd known that a year later we'd be in another lockdown? We'd have reacted with horror, I'm sure!

After a fairly lazy morning, Sophie and I went to Jones's as unfortunately, I needed a new doormat. Monty had weed on it last night and it was sopping wet this morning so it went into the bin. I was furious with him and threatened Sophie that from now on, he would go out all night. I am not having my house smelling of cat pee!

Jones's was busy, and after getting a few bits, we were met with incredible rudeness by the cashier on the till. We explained we wanted two invoices and she asked us, in a sarcastic tone, which items were which, and then she had a go at Sophie - who was trying to help by handing her items to her - to keep her distance! I think she needed a course in customer service and kindness!

From Jones's, we drove to Rushden Lakes to enjoy lunch from Five Guys. Sophie had always wanted to try their burgers and see how they compared with her favourite, Shake Shack. The restaurant was quiet and after giving our order (I was bamboozled by the choice of toppings!) we waited about ten minutes for the food to be prepared.

The sun had come out but we decided to eat our lunch in the car. I took a bite out of Sophie's burger by mistake (normally punishable by death), and to be honest, her choice of bacon and cheeseburger tasted better than mine! The burger was fine but I said I much preferred the Shake Shack offerings, and we also have better ones at home from the local supermarket! I'd asked for relish and grilled onions, but they seemed to be very sparse! The chips were still in their skins, but for me were exceedingly salty, so much so that I gave the rest of my portion to Sophie who smacked her crusted lips with glee! I was glad I'd ordered a bottle of water with my meal!

We debated about whether to go to M&S but in the end, we drove home. After an hour digesting our lunch we walked to the village and back. It was still a lovely afternoon but on the chilly side. 

At 5pm Sophie made me a Negroni and we played Scrabble, where Sophie roundly beat me! She is getting good! We played another and I narrowly beat her so it's becoming much more tense! Keith prepared a very light supper of cold meats, salad and new potatoes which suited us perfectly and we certainly didn't want anything too heavy!

Our choice of entertainment this evening was Quantum of Solace, and I had to keep referring to the plot on Wikipedia to understand what was going on! When we watched it the first time I wasn't impressed, and I wasn't this time either!

Another week whizzing by!

Day 74

I am in shock as to how fast the weeks are flying by. I thought, that by staying at home and getting up to very little, the time would drag. but it's the opposite!

We had a quiet end to the week, with no visitors to the house but Monty was still unsettled and restless, constantly going outside to check that there were no strangers lurking nearby! The weather has been grey and chilly - so much for our plans to get out into the garden this month!

Most of the day was spent mooching about and completing small chores. I am waiting to hear from my manager about the rota for when we return to work, something I am not looking forward to, I have to admit. If it was anything like last time, with hundreds of phonecalls about memberships and payments, it will be hell. And, of course, we have to get those memberships back so I have a feeling we will have to sell, sell, sell! Not something I enjoy doing!

Sophie and I had a proper Friday night this evening and watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes which was hugely enjoyable. Both Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell looked gorgeous in their outfits and I do miss the days when people dressed up and looked smart. It was a real shame to realise that all of the major stars in the film are now dead and gone, but they looked so young and fit, especially the men who were on the voyage to France and who were playing members of the US Olympic team.

We had a simple dinner this evening - baked potatoes with chilli, which was delicious!

Making plans...

Day 73

This morning we had made an appointment for a kitchen specialist to visit from a local company called Highfields Property Services. I had been following them on Facebook and their work looked very good, plus they had some great reviews.

He arrived at 10am, and luckily Keith was back from doing our weekly shop. He spent two hours with us, having a look at the plans we'd had drawn up already and taking some very thorough measurements. Of course, his presence in the house sent Monty into a panic again, and when he had to go upstairs to peer into our loft, the cat, who was on Sophie's bed, went diving to hide behind her headboard! We are going to have to do something when the kitchen does get renovated, otherwise, we're going to end up with a very stressed out cat!

Highfields use Benchmarx Kitchens, which funnily enough are part of Travis Perkins, and are based in premises that I used to work in when I was a teenager! Anthony left a brochure for us and said that by the end of next week he'd have a design drawn up, and we could meet him down at the showroom to look at the kitchens.

Both Keith and I have a good feeling about the company so let's hope we can get something sorted! He was saying June for the work to start which is great as it'll be summer and the temperatures and weather should be a lot better!

The rest of the day was spent pottering about and doing various jobs. Outside the weather continued to be grey and chilly, so not really ideal to venture out into the garden. Keith was glued to the television watching Cheltenham, so I went to get Mike on my own again. I have started going early as between 3.15pm and 3.30pm, one of the large schools nearby comes out and the traffic is horrendous. He was out early today, so we had to battle our way through it to get home. Thank goodness, tomorrow is Friday!

Not the best of days...

Day 72

The soffit-cleaning man was back this morning to do some repairs to our front porch. He put in some new PVC panels but told us the top piece of wood was rotten and needed to be replaced completely, something he could do at a later date for us. I let Monty sleep in the conservatory, but he was still unsettled for most of the day, bless him!

The weather first thing was dreary and grey but it did brighten up in the afternoon, thank goodness. I spent most of the morning trying to sort out two, what I suspected were fraudulent, payments on my Mum and Dad's bank account, totalling £160. I called the bank and was also able to gain access to my Dad's Microsoft account, which informed me they had stopped regular payments back in 2016. I was furious about what had happened but I received an email later in the day to say that the bank is going to investigate and hopefully refund the money.

I also had problems accessing my own bank account as my little secure key device had run out of battery. I had already downloaded the app on my phone so I was forced to call them as well and was helped by a lovely lady who solved the problem for me. Result!

Mum and Dad were supposed to have gone to Specsavers today to sort out their eye test and new glasses, and I was really glad they were going out. However, my Mum called to say she'd been sick during the night so the appointment had to be cancelled. I felt so sorry for them as it would have been lovely for them to go out into the real world for a change. So not really the best of days today!

At least Mike was in a better mood when I picked him, but he was still filthy dirty!

Monty freaks out!

Day 71

The man arrived this morning to clean all of our soffits and guttering and completely freaked Monty out! I don't know whether it was the sound of the ladders going up against the walls, but he would not settle and kept putting on what we call "owl face" where his eyes go really big and his ears prick up.

At one point I was holding him to show him the man, and he panicked and scratched my neck! I have no idea why he was so frightened but I dread to think what he'll be like when we have the kitchen done! We'll have to keep him upstairs. I later found out that, when I let him go upstairs to get away from the noise, he peed on the bathroom mat...

Today has been a bit dismal, weather-wise, and Keith and I felt a bit gloomy as well. My husband had been looking forward to watching the horse-racing at Cheltenham, but he said it wasn't the same without the atmosphere there, and he wasn't that successful with any wins. I went to get Mike from work, and he was in an absolutely vile mood when he got into the car, as well as being plastered in mud. We had a few words on the way home which made me feel even more despondent...

The weather did brighten up a bit in the afternoon and I managed to get some of the Virginia Creeper branches into the garden bin. Hopefully, when the temperatures rise a bit we can get the rest sorted out!

Getting things sorted

Day 70

Mondays come around far too soon! Mike was off sick today as he'd had his Covid jab yesterday and felt poorly, with a sore arm. That's the two men in the house sorted and I'm just waiting to be called for mine. I think it'll be a while before Sophie gets her vaccine, bless her!

Keith and I went to do the shopping and popped to Aldi first. When we came out, we noticed two women were getting out of a car that had been parked way too close to mine. We put our shopping in the boot and Keith returned the trolley just in time to see the younger of the two women (she was in her teens) trying to get out of the supermarket with stacked up trays of fresh chicken in her arms. The manager had run out after her and was trying to stop her from going any further, while she was screaming at him! 

Seeing all this I reversed out of my space as I didn't want them to return and slam into my door. Keith joined me and said that the older of the two women had stood at the entrance doors so that they would open when the younger one approached them. I suppose the idea was then to run off with their booty! However, more staff had joined the manager and a right old screaming match ensued!

Things were much quieter in Tesco and we did the rest of our shopping and returned home where Mike drifted down to the kitchen asking if we had anything to eat... He had a pained look on his face but it didn't stop him from gobbling up a meal I'd bought him!

It was lunchtime before we put away all the shopping and half the day had gone! I contacted a local carpenter about the wooden porch over our front door that needs repairing and also contacted a local building company about our kitchen. We really need to get back onto this and try and get it sorted out within the next few months. A man from the company called me and is coming out on Thursday, so let's hope he can help.

We also had Vince next door arrange for someone to come out tomorrow to clean all of our soffits and guttering, plus repair any cement that had broken up. I've been wanting to do this for ages, so I was really pleased it'll be sorted this week!

In the late afternoon, I made mushroom soup for dinner. We still had half the tiramisu left so had decided to have a light meal followed by the dessert. I spent nearly an hour chopping up onions and two packs of mushrooms, before letting it all simmer together. It smelt delicious!

Just before I served the soup I blended it all, re-heated it and swirled some cream though it. Mike wouldn't eat it so had tomato soup instead. His loss!

Celebrating all Mums!

Day 69

I was up early this morning - I woke at 5.45am and decided to get up and have a coffee. My early start made me feel a bit sleepy for the rest of the day!

We started our Sunday with banana porridge again, and I was wished a happy Mother's Day! Sophie had treated me to the afternoon tea, plus Prosecco and the Tiramisu (this afternoon), while Mike bought me flowers and a bottle of Gin. Lovely!

Sophie and I went over to the care home at 11am and took a gift bag with a new jumper, necklace, chocolates and Prosecco for my Mum. We had a chat outside her window and I just wished I was able to see her properly. Next week we can go in and visit, after having a rapid test and we'll have to don PPE but it'll be worth it. Talking to my Mum outside was freezing, though, so it'll be great to be able to go in and see them properly. The weather today has been truly horrible, with rain and a nasty cold wind. We haven't seen the sun at all.

Back home we relaxed and enjoyed a charcoal facemask (I fell asleep on the bed) and watched A Place in the Sun as usual. By about 2pm we were sitting down to a delicious afternoon tea, prepared by Sophie, accompanied by Prosecco. The food was lovely, as it always is from Farndon Fields, and we had to wait a very good while before we indulged in the dessert that Sophie had made!

It was lovely to not cook in the evening, so we started watching Casino Royale early. When we got to the bit where James Bond orders a Vesper cocktail, we raised our own glasses! The drink was very good, so no wonder he enjoyed it!

Queues, queues, queues...

Day 68

Sophie and I enjoyed banana porridge for breakfast this morning, and after we'd eaten we both prepared the paste for tonight's dinner of Red Thai curry. We wanted to make the meal from scratch, and although it would have been very easy to buy a paste in the supermarket, we wanted to try our hand at making our own. I roasted some cumin and coriander seeds in a small frying pan, and then ground them down in our pestle and mortar. Sophie cut up chillies, garlic, shallots and ginger, and we pulverized all the ingredients in our little food processor with the juice and zest of two limes. I then cut up more ginger and garlic for the actual meal itself.

 At midday, we drove over to Farndon Fields to buy the ingredients for a savoury afternoon tea tomorrow, to celebrate Mother's Day. Today has been cloudy and breezy, and the temperatures have turned colder again, but the morning was sunny so I'd pegged some washing out before we left. At Farndon Fields, there was a queue to get in (when is there not?) and Sophie said she needed the loo! We decided to pop to Waitrose in Market Harborough, buy some Prosecco and take advantage of their facilities!

However, it was as if the government had put out a notice saying that all supermarkets were going to close on Sunday, so go now! The car parks and supermarkets were rammed with people, and in hindsight, I think it was probably due to Mother's Day tomorrow...

We gave up on the idea of going to Waitrose and scooted around a packed Aldi where we bought a bottle of reasonably priced Prosecco. There were no loos in there, so we went back to Waitrose, but the queue was even longer! We then had no option but to dash across the car park to Sainsbury's, where we joined yet another queue of people! By now, we were heartily fed up!

Back at Farndon Fields, we queued in the rain and wind to get into the farm shop. It was so miserable I called Keith to ask him to put the heating on and to get the washing in if he hadn't done so already. We even saw hail while we waited!

Once in, Sophie bought sausage rolls, a Scotch egg, a pork pie, and bread and ham to make sandwiches. They didn't have any macarons, which was a shame. I picked out some hummus and a dip to enjoy with our lentil crisps later in the day.

Back home, Sophie made the Tiramisu for tomorrow, and we enjoyed a glass of Marsala. It was delicious! At 5pm it was time for cocktails and Scrabble, and Sophie beat me, coming up with some very good words and combinations!

We just had time for a game of cards, and then we made a start on dinner. With all the preparations done, it was just a case of cooking everything, and we served Jasmine rice with the meal. We used two tins of coconut milk, adding them to the paste and chicken thighs in the casserole dish. It tasted gorgeous! The recipe was from the BBC Good Food website, and we'll definitely cook it again!

Keith and I watched the last Pierce Brosnan Bond film this evening. We now only have the Daniel Craig films to watch, and we've planned to see Casino Royale tomorrow night. Sophie wants to make Vesper cocktails to drink at the same time as the characters in the film do!

A somewhat trying shopping trip...

 Day 67

We've enjoyed a day of sunshine and showers - is it March or April?!

Keith and I went to the tip this morning, just after it opened, and took the old headboard and some other rubbish that we no longer needed. There was a short queue to get in but soon we had disposed of our things, the only disappointment being that the headboard went into general waste rather than the wood recycling skip, which I had hoped for.

From Brixworth we drove to Asda in Kingsthorpe to buy the ingredients for a tiramisu that Sophie is making for Mother's Day. We managed to buy most of what we needed in Asda but they didn't have any Marsala. We'd parked in the Waitrose car park so we decided to try there... until we saw the long queue of people waiting to go in... 

Abandoning that idea, we drove the short distance to Aldi, not to get the Marsala as I didn't think for one moment they would have it, but to get some more beer. Keith strode off ahead of me but I couldn't find my mask... I searched high and low, in my handbag, the shopping bag we'd used in Asda and the back of my car but it had gone, and I didn't have a spare.

Keith had disappeared inside Aldi so I had to try and get his attention to say I couldn't come in. I still had our shopping bag, and when he emerged a short time later he said he'd set off the door alarms as he still had one of their baskets! He had also lost a bottle of beer somewhere along the way!

He was very annoyed, and so was I that I'd lost my mask, the one that Sheila had made for me out of an old pillowcase and which wasn't replaceable. We decided to drive back to the car park, where Keith walked up and down the spaces looking for it. He couldn't see it but as we were driving away we saw something white in the road and we realised it was my mask, but severely flattened and filthy dirty - think Mrs Doubtfire's mask in the film when it falls out of a window and gets squashed by a truck!

The temptation to give up and go home was very strong, but I still needed a gift bag for my Mum's presents, so after a fruitless excursion into an M&S outlet at a fuel station, we drove to Waitrose at Wootton. I had to wind my scarf around my face to go in, but at least we were able to buy a bottle of Marsala in there! Hooray!

Keith went back to the car while I went into Dobbies (formerly Wyevale), and bought a gift bag. Inside, the garden centre had changed a lot - the Costa Coffee outlet had gone and there was a branch of Sainsbury's there selling food!

We returned home where I enjoyed the leftovers from last night's dinner for my lunch and managed to get some washing out on the line to dry. It's been lovely to see the sun shining today and the breeze was perfect for drying clothes outside for a change.

When Sophie arrived home this evening she was extremely tired so we had rather a muted Friday night. At least dinner was easy - baked potatoes!

I take a tumble...

Day 66

It has still been windy today but there was a lot less rain and we even saw some sunshine! Today had been left free to do lots of housework, which is exactly what I did... all day!

First thing, I prepared tonight's meal - chicken in a honey and mustard sauce (we bought the sauce) - and I chopped up all the veggies to go with it. That has all I've seemed to do during this lockdown! Prepare mountains of vegetables and do lots of cooking! Not that I'm complaining!

Keith helped me clean the bathroom, and I hoovered upstairs and changed our bedding. Yesterday I had put loads of towels in the laundry basket to wash so our kitchen floor resembled a launderette where the piles were waiting to be put in the washing machine! Unfortunately, during one trip into the kitchen, I slipped on Monty's food bowl mat and went crashing to the floor, hurting my left leg and ankle. The mat is a thin sheet of plastic that acted like ice on the smooth tiled floor, and falling over really shook me up, as it brought it home to me how easily accidents can happen in the home.

Keith picked me up and made me sit down for a while but I have a feeling that tomorrow I will ache! However, falling over didn't stop me from cleaning the rest of the house, but I left hoovering downstairs until Mike came home from work! He has a habit of trailing bits of the golf course all over the house when he returns!

I cooked dinner in the evening and added some dumplings to the casserole. Delicious but it defeated Keith so there are lots left over for lunch tomorrow!

A surprise delivery!

Day 65

The promised bad weather arrived today and it's been windy and rainy all day. As far as I know, this isn't a named storm, but the conditions have certainly been bad!

Keith and I went and did all of our food shopping today as I needed some coffee and I thought, in my ignorance, that it would be quieter on a Wednesday. I was wrong! I bought gifts for my Mum for the forthcoming Mother's Day on Sunday, and by 11am we were driving home. On the way, Keith and I discussed our front door and the possibility of adding a porch. We have a tiled roof over the door with two wooden struts supporting it, but the wood needs sorting out and painting as it has deteriorated over the twenty years we have lived here. I mentioned to Keith that some of the other houses had built internal doors to keep the draughts out so we drove around the estate to have a look. Our hallway is always cold if the wind is coming from the east, so a new porch would certainly make it warmer!

Imagine our surprise when we rounded the corner and saw the headboard we'd ordered some time back propped up against our front door in the wind and rain! It was supposed to be arriving tomorrow! We quickly brought it in and then unpacked all the shopping. Before we did anything else we had breakfast as both of us hadn't eaten yet and I desperately wanted a coffee! 

Once we'd had a very late breakfast we went upstairs and removed the old headboard. It was very hard work moving the bed as the castors had sunk into the new carpet we put down last year! However, after a lot of grunting and effort, we managed to get the old headboard off and brought the new one in. Luckily it was encased in heavy plastic so hadn't been affected by the elements! After more effort, it was attached to the bed and looked great!

We put the old headboard in the garage ready to be taken to the tip later in the week. As we did the shopping today I kept thinking that it was Thursday!

Pottering in the garden!

Day 64

Today has been the calm before the storm, a real spring-like day with sunshine and blue skies. It's amazing how much more energetic I feel when the weather is lovely!

Keith made me a delicious breakfast this morning, using up some egg whites left over from the clafoutis on Monday evening, and adding another to serve me eggs on toast. Yummy, and not something I have every day! We watched the news which was full of the interview last night between Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Piers Morgan, on Good Morning Britain, was almost apoplectic when interviewing several people, and stormed off the set in a huff at one point! The constant shouting made me turn over to the much more calm and dignified BBC news!

We needed to go out this morning to get something we'd forgotten for dinner tonight, so we drove to the Co-op in Moulton and Keith was able to buy the ingredients there. On the way home I put my filthy car through the carwash. I know it's going to rain tomorrow (and for several days afterwards), but with the weather being so good I planned to hoover it out when I got home, and at least have it clean for one day! Mike goes back to work tomorrow, and I have asked him to leave his extremely muddy boots in the shed at work, and wear his trainers home. He reluctantly agreed so that's a result!

We saw two odd things on our trip out: the first was when a wheelbarrow flew off a builder's truck as it went around a roundabout, narrowly missing the cars in front of us! The man driving the truck realised what had happened, but kept on driving! I dread to think what could have happened if a child was walking past or if the wheelbarrow had hit a car and smashed the window! The second was one of those little robot delivery carts waiting to cross the road at some traffic lights! I thought it was hilarious watching it start to go, and then stop, and it kept backing up as if it was scared of crossing! I have seen these little things around the Hunsbury residential estate trundling along the paths, but this one was the first I had seen in town, and waiting at traffic lights!

Back home I hoovered out my car and washed all the mud off the back seats. Keith came out to keep me company, and we tried in vain to sort out my rear windscreen washer which was refusing to work properly. I hate not being able to clean the rear windscreen, and we'd soaked the little jet nozzle in vinegar overnight (as per a YouTube video) but it still wasn't working. In desperation, we ordered a replacement part on Amazon, of all places! I was able to get same-day delivery!

It was lovely to be outside in the fresh air and I was determined to make the most of it while I could! After I'd sorted the car out, I potted up two trays of violas that I'd bought at Tesco yesterday, putting some of them in a pot by the front door. I managed to fill some more pots, and then we cut back the Jasmine that borders our garden path. It has grown outwards so much we have to continually brush past it, so that was a job that I'd been planning to do for a long time completed!

We didn't spend that long in the garden but it was great to start tidying up and getting ready for when the weather is really lovely. Hopefully, it won't be long!

After the gardening, I prepared the vegetables for dinner - Sophie was making us chicken enchiladas - and then had a soak in the bath as my fingernails were a bit dirty from planting my little violas. Sophie came home tired from work, as they are moving offices next week, and she had been packing up boxes and files. She is hoping that she will be working from home next week - something I hope too!

Even though she was tired she cooked dinner, and Keith and I helped her in between compiling our shopping list because we've decided to go tomorrow. We ordered a new headboard for our bed a few weeks ago and it's due to be delivered on Thursday, so we're heading out to the shops tomorrow instead, probably in high winds and driving rain!

A busy Monday!

Day 63

Keith and I went to Aldi and Tesco first thing this morning. I had some shopping to do for my parents, and once we'd bought everything we needed, we dropped the bag into the care home for them. I said I wouldn't visit during the week again, and this was reinforced this morning when we were held up by diggers and big trucks yet again. It's not the builders' fault as it's a working site, but it can be annoying! Amazingly, a woman was walking around the site with her small child! Surely there are better places to walk?!

Back home I tidied up and had a cup of coffee, before venturing into the garden. I am aware of March passing by quite rapidly, and we had planned on clearing away all the Virginia Creeper and making everything tidy. Although cloudy, it's remained dry all day so Keith and I tackled as much as we could, filling our brown bin right to the top. I raked up loads of dead leaves from the gravel and cut back some straggly dead fronds from a plant that displays beautiful orange flowers. A lot of the plants had been strangled by dead leaves so we cleared those away as well. At least we've made a start!

We also filled two bags with dead branches, and decided that we would wait until our brown bin is emptied this week before doing any more. Tomorrow is set to be dry again, but then the weather is going to change on Wednesday and Thursday with a warning out for high winds.

I spent the rest of the afternoon making a Mulligatawny soup for our evening meal, and soon the kitchen was filled with delicious smells! I chopped up an onion, carrot, swede and an apple and sweated them with a knob of butter before adding beef stock, tomato puree, mango chutney and curry powder. While the soup was simmering gently on the hob, I hoovered downstairs and tidied up.

Sophie helped me put the refinishing touches to the soup, and I also started on a fruit and almond clafoutis. I mixed eggs, flour, ground almonds, sugar and cream and kept the batter in the fridge before lining a buttered dish with frozen berries. Once we had eaten the soup I poured the batter over the fruit and popped it into the oven for half an hour. Both the soup and the dessert were lovely, but next time I'm going to use cherries instead, as the batter wasn't completely solid. It still tasted delicious though!

After we'd eaten we settled down to watch the Meghan Markle interview and opinions were definitely divided in our house!

The sun appears!

Day 62

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of oven-baked pastries this morning and had a lazy start to the day. Outside the weather was cold and grey yet again, but it did brighten up in the afternoon with the sun showing its face and lovely blue skies. Looking at the forecast, we have some wild and stormy weather coming to us in the middle part of next week, though!

After having our weekly face mask and a shower, Sophie and I went for a walk into the village. It was much milder this afternoon and I didn't need to wear a coat! We walked up to the "triangle" and back again and signs of spring were everywhere - from the tight little buds on the trees to the daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops in the verges. Beautiful! As usual, now, a lot of people were also out and about enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.

Back home Sophie made me a Negroni and we played a couple of games of Scrabble in the conservatory while Keith took care of dinner this evening. He cooked a delicious roast beef joint with all the trimmings and it made a lovely change. Sophie and I are planning a Thai red curry for next week, though, so that should be interesting!

33 years ago today...

Day 61

I was hoping that today would be brighter, with some sunshine, but it has remained grey and overcast again. Sophie and I went over to Rushden Lakes at midday, to go for a walk and to pop to Boots. The car park was half empty as the majority of the shops were closed. Only Boots, M&S, Holland and Barrett, and the cafes were open.

We popped into Boots first to pick up some shopping that my Mum needed. We then walked around the lake that adjoins the shopping centre, along with lots of other people who were out getting some fresh air.

The path was dry, thank goodness, although there were trails leading off it that were muddier. It was a pleasant walk, but certainly not arduous! There are other lakes in the area, and Stanwick Lakes is just up the road and has more walks, so next time we may go there.

The cafes nearby were doing a roaring trade in takeaway hot drinks and sandwiches, and we sat and enjoyed a hot chocolate. All the benches had notices on them saying that we couldn't sit down, but everyone was ignoring them!

Why?

From Monday you will be able to meet one other person for a coffee or picnic, but it looked like a lot of people were already meeting up!

After we'd enjoyed our hot chocolate, we walked up to the far end of the retail park to see what was happening there. Some of the restaurants were open for takeaway or collection, but the cinema and other leisure centres (including 360 Play) were firmly closed. We crossed to the other side of the park and walked past all the empty shops. All had signs saying they were temporarily closed - they should be able to open on April 12.

Both of us fancied a small bite to eat so we ventured into M&S who had opened their food hall and also the clothes part of the store. I'm sure Next, River Island and Primark weren't happy about that! We picked out a salad for me and gyoza for Sophie and ate in the car where it was a bit warmer!

Before going home we called into Beckworth as I was on the lookout for some pansies or violas. However, there wasn't a huge choice so we bought some frozen pastries for breakfast tomorrow, a bottle of white wine, and headed home. It was cold walking about and our house was lovely and warm when we arrived home!

Sophie and I sat in the conservatory with a Vodka Martini (a la James Bond, shaken not stirred) and played a couple of games of Scrabble. Keith had already prepared tonight's dinner of Coq au Vin so that was simmering away nicely in the oven!

Today, Keith and I have been together for 33 years! To celebrate he'd bought a bottle of Champagne so we opened that and toasted our 33-year union! Where have the years gone?

Dinner, as always, was delicious. I added some dumplings to the casserole and they were lovely and crispy on the outside and fluffy within. The film choice tonight was our latest Bond movie, "The World is Not Enough." We just have one more Pierce Brosnan film to see, before Daniel Craig takes over!

The grey continues...

Day 60

This week continues to be grey and dreary which is a huge disappointment. It's supposed to be much colder tomorrow as well, not really what we wanted to hear!

Keith and I popped to Tesco this morning, and I bought the ingredients to make a fruit clafoutis on Sunday. It's something I've always wanted to make, so I hope it turns out to be OK!

Sophie was home by 4pm again, but she was unable to log into the quiz that's held every week, so she took the opportunity to do a workout. Keith had prepared a Chilli con Carne for dinner so we opted for a bottle of red wine this evening, and watched a film called 28 Days starring Sandra Bullock and a very youthful Dominic West! We thought the film was a romcom, but it had a very dark side to it!

Our meal was delicious and after we'd eaten we caught up with the latest episode of Masterchef. Sophie admires the food critic Grace Dent, and she had given the contestants a brief to make an old-fashioned pudding with a modern twist. All four of them did really well, so not much entertainment value there then!

Pottering about!

Day 59

Keith and I have spent another day pottering about, and not doing much. When the weather was lovely and spring-like last week, I really wanted to get out and do things, but this week, with the grey, dismal skies and chilly wind, I've just felt like staying indoors! We are barely out of winter, I suppose, so there's plenty of time!

Mike is off work now for a few days so at least Keith hasn't got to get up early, take him and then pick him up. We are psyching ourselves up for next week when the schools return, but at least it will only be for three days! 

As I said, we pottered about today doing some chores, but there really is only so much cleaning I can do (or want to do!). When Sophie came home we relaxed in front of the television for half an hour with a drink, and then we both prepared tonight's dinner of fish pie with loads of veggies. The dish is not my favourite, but it went down well with the rest of my family who gobbled it down!

Keith disappeared upstairs to watch the football after dinner and Sophie and I watched a documentary on Netflix about murders in the Mormon church back in the 1980s. It was a bit strange, to say the least!

We get through another day...

Day 58

Looking at the forecast for this week, it appears that the beginning of March is going to stay gloomy and grey. What a shame, because we had plans to go out into the garden and get stuck in!

Today has been much like a repeat of yesterday, although Keith and I did venture out to pay our newspaper delivery bill, and to get some diesel before collecting Mike from work. Exciting stuff, eh? Staying in and not going anywhere definitely seems like the norm now and something we have adapted to, so I think it will be a real novelty when we're able to go out properly for the first time! Life, as it used to be, is a distant memory!

We received a letter in the post today about the forthcoming Census, on the 21 March. We have been encouraged to complete it online, which I'm more than happy to do. It only seems a few years since we completed the 2011 Census, and as an avid family tree researcher, I am eagerly awaiting the 1921 Census, which will become available next year.

It was the Budget today and we managed to watch some on the television. For me, it just involved huge numbers and I do wonder how we're going to pay all this debt back. It's mind-boggling! There will be the inevitable detailed analysis on the news and in the papers, so I will scan that!

After dinner this evening we watched the second episode of Masterchef, but the people taking part seemed a bit boring. Sadists as we are, Sophie and I love to see a pompous entrant falling flat on their face after babbling on about being an excellent cook, but there doesn't seem to be any of that so far! 

Keith and I also watched a new drama called The Terror set in 1846 about two boats trying to find the North-West Passage through the Arctic. It promises to be very good if a little spine-tingling!

Mooching about!

Day 57

We've had another gloomy, grey day and it's been cold! Where has Spring gone? This is why I never trust those early days when we get some warmth, as our weather can turn and we can have snow in March!

Keith and I didn't get up to much today. We stayed indoors and kept warm! My husband did some ironing (he hardly does any these days as we don't go anywhere to wear nice clothes!) while I concentrated on transferring my 2014 blog onto a word document, ready to make into another book. I said to Keith yesterday that I may not make 2020 into a book. The year has too many bad memories for me, and maybe it's best to let it stay online! We'll see.

We adjusted to Mike's new hours and went to collect him at 3.30pm, but he was still late out! At least today he wasn't covered in as much mud as he was last week! Back home I jumped into the bath, as much to get warm as to get clean!

Keith had suggested a takeaway from our local Indian this evening, so we ordered at 6pm and while we waited we caught up on an old episode of Grand Designs from 2009/2010. So long ago! A couple had bought an old barn in the middle of nowhere and dug out a huge area underneath for a "passive" house. Why they put themselves through this I'll never know, but it makes for good viewing!

Our Indian meal tonight was disappointing. Keith and Sophie said their curries lacked taste, and mine just seemed very hot, rather than spicy. It cost Keith £50, cheaper than a meal out, I suppose, but when it's disappointing it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Maybe we'll wait until we can all go out for a meal properly!

The highlight of my day was watching another old television episode - this time Death in Paradise. We're watching the very first series, which we never saw when it first came out. Seeing the beautiful island, the vivid colours and the sea was a real lift to my spirits!

New hours...

Day 56

Sadly, the gorgeous weather of the weekend disappeared this morning, to be replaced with fog, grey skies and drizzle. I was hoping the fog would clear to reveal a beautiful Spring day, but it stayed horrible, chilly and damp without even a hint of sunshine. It certainly affected my mood today!

Keith and I went to Tesco this morning and did our shopping for the next few days. My Mum had asked me to get some jogging bottoms for my Dad as the trousers he was wearing kept falling down. I bought two pairs in grey and navy blue, in a size small, so I hope they'll be better for him.

We called into the care home to drop them off, and I will try and avoid going during the week again as it was busy with the nearby construction which held us up. The road going in was covered in mud again so I dread to think what my poor car looked like!

Back home we realised that it was the Food Bank collection tomorrow, and we had forgotten to get anything in Tesco, so I suggested we go to Lidl in Rushden for a change. It's been ages since we went over and I fancied a look around a different supermarket... how sad are we?!

We drove over and we were surprised to see new building developments by the A14 at the A6 junction. It looks like a new industrial estate is being built with huge warehouses going up very quickly! It didn't take us long to get to Rushden even though the traffic was heavy. Lidl was quiet and we bought some essentials for the collection tomorrow as well as a few treats, including a bottle of wine, and some iced tea for Mike, the same brand that he used to drink in the US.

The plan was to go and get Mike straight away but we were a bit too early, so we called home to put the shopping away. We left to get him, and we had barely reached the village before he called to say he was working a bit later today. This gave us the opportunity to have lunch (me) and prepare the vegetables for dinner (Keith). I enjoyed some oatcakes and celery with hummus. Delicious!

It was gone 2.30pm by the time Mike emerged from work, all muddy and dirty as usual. My poor car! We went home and I sat and watched television with a Lidl almond ice-cream, which looked amazingly like a Magnum. Perfect! Not something I normally do before about 5pm but today I didn't care! I did manage to hoover downstairs and tidy up before Sophie arrived home from work, though! It's looking very much like she will be working permanently in the office now, which is a shame as I miss her being at home and sitting in the conservatory.

I sent her some photos of Monty today. He has taken to sleeping in a wicker basket we have put next to the radiator in the living room, and loves it in there!

In the evening Mike said that his boss had texted him saying they were starting new hours tomorrow - 7am until 3.30pm. Next week, when the schools return, it will be a nightmare going to pick him up as there are two in the area and the streets are full of parked cars. Ho hum!