Tornado, anyone?

We woke this morning to driving rain and wind, and although we talked about not going on our trip to Kent to visit Knole House, in the end, we decided to go. How bad could the weather be?

We set out at 10am and Google maps said the best route was the A14, the M11 and the M25. I had already looked up the new Ultra Low Emission Zone in London and discovered that it covered the Blackwall Tunnel and Greenwich, which was annoying. It would cost me £12.50 to drive that route!

I'd paid £5 to use the Dartford Bridge/Tunnel so we were well-prepared, but we weren't, sadly, prepared for the freak weather that hit Northamptonshire this morning. As we turned onto the A14, the wind really got up, and at one point, there was an almighty gust that sent leaves spinning through the air, and I honestly thought that a lorry on the opposite carriageway was going to blow over. The dual carriageway was literally covered in green leaves and they were raining down on us like snow. Ahead, was a clear blue sky but behind a huge dark cloud. I am not normally afraid when I drive in bad weather, but today I was, and the thought of struggling with the wind and rain for another two hours certainly wasn't pleasant. I had to keep a tight grip on the steering wheel and debris was blowing all over the road, including plastic drums and containers. 

The outside lane of the A14 was covered in leaves - you couldn't see the road - and after driving through the tortuous weather, we decided to turn back at Thrapston. We'd noticed the cars slowing down on the opposite side and, as we travelled back home, we discovered why:

A tree had fallen across the inside lane, and this happened again a little way further up the road. Imagine if you'd been driving and that happened! I think we made the right decision!

More was to come, though... our route home was blocked by a fallen tree just outside our village so we had to turn around and try another route. Although the sun had come out now, the wind was still strong,  but the gusts we'd experienced on the A14 were the worst I'd ever known.

Back at home, I checked our weather and there were still no warnings out for our area. I felt really angry because if we'd been warned about the damaging gusts and torrential rain, I would never have set out. Why do we get weather warnings and then nothing happens? I was so annoyed I went onto the Met Office's Facebook page and wrote a stern post!

As we were both all dressed up, we decided to venture out to Olney for lunch. We had to take a circuitous route as there was a tree down between Walgrave and Holcot, and we encountered more damage as we drove into Buckinghamshire.

We headed for Teapots as we'd been dreaming of lunch there as we drove! Luckily it was quiet so we took a table and chose our lunch - jacket potato with cheese and beans for Sophie, and one with Coronation chicken for me. We even found room for a big pot of tea and their Guinness and chocolate cake!

Disappointingly, a lot of shops were closed, but the charity shop in the market square was open so we had a brief look around in there, plus a shop selling all manner of accessories and scented candles. Before going home we bought some sweets for Halloween (I hadn't bothered before as I thought we would be out for the day).

Back home the local news was full of talk about a tornado that had hit Northamptonshire... the wind was undoubtedly strong, but I'm not sure it was a tornado! There had been widespread damage and a lot of roads were affected by fallen trees. The Met Office really did do well, didn't they?!

As the clocks went back an hour last night, it was dark at 5pm. I lit all the candles, we put our terracotta pumpkin outside with tea lights inside and put a spooky video on the television courtesy of YouTube. Sophie and I played Scrabble and answered the door numerous times to Trick or Treaters, all of whom were polite and well-mannered. All of the sweets went, so that was a bonus!

Jabs galore!

Sophie went to the gym this morning and called me from the car sounding very upset. Sadly, she had seen a dead cat on the dual carriageway, and it reminded her of Monty (who at the time was curled up on her bed). Unfortunately, because we live in the country, we see all manner of dead animals when we drive about - badgers, squirrels, rabbits, and even Muntjac deer. I dread hitting one of those. I have killed a badger (on Moulton Park industrial estate of all places) and recently, a squirrel, so I know how upsetting it is. 

I had my flu jab booked for 10am at the surgery and asked Keith to come with me as I thought the place would be packed. It was empty, and I was the only one there! It went very smoothly and I was in and out within minutes. As I emerged from the building (at the back) it was pelting it down with rain so I had to run to the car! I got soaked!

When I returned home I looked up a play called The Shark is Broken on the internet. It had been featured on the BBC news this morning and starred Ian Shaw who is the actor, Robert Shaw's, son. The play is about the behind-the-scenes drama on the set of Jaws and I really wanted to go and see it in Covent Garden. I was a bit disappointed to find that matinee seats next Thursday were going for between £50 and £60! The play is an hour and a half, and I just couldn't justify spending that much money! I am really hoping the play will tour the provincial theatres and then we'll go and see it!

Sophie returned from the gym still looking upset, and we all got ready to go out at 11.30am to Guilsborough. Keith had an appointment for his Covid booster jab at 12pm and we'd booked a table at The Witch and Sow for lunch. The pub used to be called The Ward Arms but changed its name to reflect stories about a trio of witches riding a sow from Guilsborough to the nearby village of Ravensthorpe. Apparently, there are stories of witchcraft in Guilsborough, and two women were hanged in about 1600!

Guilsborough surgery was packed, and I parked the car while Keith went in. Again, he was seen very quickly and we drove the short distance to the pub, which had only just opened. We took a table in the window and had a good look at the lunch menu. The weather now was gorgeous so it was lovely sitting by the window and soaking up the sunshine.

After half an hour we ordered our lunch - a fish finger sandwich for Keith, Ploughman's sandwich for Sophie and a black pudding Scotch Egg for me, served with a side of French Fries. The food was very good, and gradually more people came into the pub. It would have been nice to have had a fire on though, to warm us up a bit!

After we'd eaten we paid the bill and returned home where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. I cut Sophie's hair and she cut mine, and we looked at the regulations for our upcoming break in Mallorca. Apparently, we must provide evidence of our vaccinations and complete numerous forms. Sophie has two days holiday booked next week and we've decided to devote a whole day to sorting out what we need to do!

As it was Saturday, it was Scrabble and drinks, and then a light supper of cheese, biscuits, grapes, celery, apple and a tot of Port. The cheese (all from Aldi) was delicious and we enjoyed goats' cheese, Red Leicester, smoked Cheddar and Stilton!

Ending the week on a good note!

I had a very pleasant shift at work today, helped by Vicky coming in as an extra person on the phone. There was only Sheila, Kathy, Vicky and myself in, so it was very relaxed, and just how the end of the week should be! It seems incredible that half-term is now over - the week has sped by!

This evening Sophie and I enjoyed a bottle of The Ned Pinot Gris, our last bottle! We will have to invest in some more, it's so delicious! The plan is for Keith and me to abstain from alcohol in November in readiness for our little break in Mallorca in December. I did it once before in November and did very well - there are so many non-alcoholic drinks available now that it's quite easy to sip something delicious!

Our film choice for tonight was Disclosure, and Sophie and I enjoyed it very much. It had been ages since I'd seen it but I love Michael Douglas's early films - he was quite the dish!

Imparting good news!

I woke up with a headache and I really didn't feel well this morning, so I took a test straightaway. It was negative, and after taking some painkillers, I did feel better! It's horrible at the moment as every twinge or little cough can be suspected of being Covid when it's probably not! I do know far more people who have had it this time, though, so it's always worth being careful!

Before Keith and I did the shopping, we popped to the care home and took some new shoes for Dad. I tried to get a garden room appointment, but the only one available was 5pm, which was too late. I said I would take them out instead, and tried to speak to someone about their change of plan to move, but nobody was available.

Keith and I did the shopping, returned home and had lunch. I didn't pick my parents up until 3pm today and we went over to Tesco at Kettering and had a coffee in Costa. I asked them if they would like to come for Christmas dinner and they were over the moon. Their faces lit up, so that was lovely to see. I just hope Covid doesn't put halt to our plans!

We did a little bit of shopping and I took them back. I did manage to see the regional manager but said I would email as well, just to confirm. I also emailed Avery Park, so let's see how long it takes to get a response!

 

Out and about!

I was looking forward to today, as Sophie was off work, and we had planned to go to Ikea with Keith to look at shoe storage and things for the house.

I had a phone call from my Dad early on, though, saying that he and Mum had changed their minds about going to the new care home and wanted to stay where they were. As you can imagine, I wasn't happy as I'd arranged a van to collect their sofa on Monday 1 November and bring it home to store. I told them to make a decision by this evening, as I needed to let everyone know what was happening.

I had a horrible headache this morning, which didn't help matters, but I took some tablets and we stopped on the way to Milton Keynes to have a coffee and pastry from Costa. Maybe, on reflection, today wasn't the best day to visit Ikea as it was half-term and the place was heaving. We abandoned any idea of visiting the restaurant and just plunged into the showrooms straightaway.

We managed to find a suitable shelving unit for the shoes, as well as lots of bits and bobs for the house, including candles, a new vase, a doormat, curtains for the spare room, wine glasses and storage jars. We weren't that impressed with the Christmas decorations and didn't like the gonks that were for sale. Hopefully, we'll find a new one in Mallorca!

We queued for ages to go through the checkouts, and when we got there, an assistant told us we hadn't got both boxes for the shelving unit, so we had to go all the way back! Just our luck!

By now we were all a bit peckish, so we took the A5 to Weedon and went to Darlington's for a very late lunch. It was 3pm so Sophie and I shared a Club sandwich, while Keith munched on a well-stuffed turkey one. Which reminded me... were the turkeys at Beckworth?

We decided to go and find out, so we took a very long, winding route to Mears Ashby, driving through some gorgeous scenery with leaves flying about madly in the wind. It was all very Halloweenie!

At Beckworth, there were no turkeys, so it looks like they may be a bit late this year. There is talk of our traditional Christmas bird being imported from France or Poland this year because of the shortage of poultry workers!

Back home we hung the new curtains in the spare room and put one of our floor lamps in there. It looks very cosy now and will keep on looking better once we decorate and buy new bedding. 

Sophie prepared dinner of beef tacos and we hung out in the kitchen all evening. We were looking forward to the new series this evening, Universe, presented by Professor Brian Cox, which was showing at 9pm on BBC2. It was great and extremely interesting, but I think I only understood about half of it!

The days roll into one...

Monday and Tuesday have been quiet, mostly uneventful days, so not much to report at all. This is what happens when most of the day is spent working!

It's half-term this week but after a mad hour on the phones, it calmed down a lot and was a lot quieter than I thought, on both days. We had the usual endless swimming enquiries, but not as many as I'd feared.

On Tuesday we were finally told what the opening times over Christmas would be, and I have to say I was disappointed. Last year we didn't open on Christmas Eve, but this year we are, albeit a shorter day. Christmas falls particularly badly for me in 2021 - I work Monday, Tuesday and Friday so it was looking very much like I would only get the Saturday and Sunday off, like a normal week!

However, Sara and Sheila had a meeting this morning and the holiday rota has been mostly sorted out. I have Christmas Eve off but will have to work the Bank Holiday Monday. I am then off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, in on New Year's Eve and off over the weekend, returning to work on Monday 3 January. So, it could have been a lot worse!

Decisions, decisions!

Today has been a very lazy Sunday before the working week rolls around again! I let Sophie sleep in late and she must have needed the slumber as she didn't wake until 10.30am. I don't think a long lie-in does any harm now and again!

We all pottered about the house and did some chores but the weather today has been a bit gloomy. The leaves are falling in earnest now and the colours are changing to browns and oranges, so typical of this time of the year!

Sophie and I looked at flights to San Francisco in the afternoon, and British Airways had their timings for next October available. I felt very nervous about booking so we've decided to leave it and look at the Virgin flights when they come online. Just lately, I have found it very difficult to make decisions about travel. Perhaps it was all the uncertainty during the pandemic, and not knowing whether we would be able to travel at all. I've booked for Sophie and me to go to Knole in Kent on Sunday because we have a voucher to visit a National Trust property, but even doing that felt like a big step! I must try and seize the moment and just do it! Just imagine we booked San Francisco on a whim back in 2018, and I remember booking to see Ben Howard in Berlin without a moment's thought some years back!

Keith cooked a delicious roast chicken for dinner, with all the trimmings and Sophie and I sat and played Scrabble beforehand. We ate in the conservatory tonight, something we don't do very often these days as there's just the three of us!

Dining out.

Sophie was going out for lunch with her workmates in Milton Keynes today, so Keith and I dropped her off at the station, and then returned home to potter about.

The leaves are really starting to turn now and next Sunday the clocks will go back an hour. The news is full of dire predictions about Covid at the moment, and I am glad that Keith is having his third booster jab next Saturday, while I'll be having my flu vaccine. I have known far more people get Covid this year than last year when things were really bad. Several of the staff at work have had to isolate themselves because of their children bringing it home from school!

Sophie texted me to say she was getting the 5.30pm train back from Milton Keynes, which was great as we had a table booked at The Rose and Crown in Yardley Hastings for 8pm. She was coming back a little earlier than we'd anticipated, so we decided to call in for a drink at The Red Lion in the same village first.

The Red Lion is a lovely, cosy, thatched pub and we made our way through to the bar area that reminded me of someone's living room! There were several people drinking and we took a table in the middle of the room. I just hoped I wouldn't spill Keith's beer again like I did the last time we sat centre stage!

Keith ordered two small glasses of wine, and a pint and the bill came to a shade under £15. Now, I know I keep going on and on about prices (and even I'm getting fed up with moaning), but it really is getting me down how much a round of drinks costs these days. No wonder so many pubs are closing down! Sophie and I barely had any wine in our glasses! Sophie said that Keith and I were out of touch with prices these days but I disagreed. When I worked for Majestic, we supplied lots of pubs and the price of the bottles they were supplying was about £5, so the mark-up must be huge!

We had two rounds in the pub (I declined another glass), and at just after 7pm made our way to The Rose and Crown. The car park, even at that early hour, was almost full, and the pub itself was heaving. Sophie loves this pub and has had consistently good food here, so she was very much looking forward to our meal. I had eaten here with Andrea, Fiona and Lynda years earlier, in the summer, and I remembered it being very popular then.

I bought a bottle of Chenin Blanc and a pint of beer for Keith which came to £21. We thought it would be better to buy a bottle, and Sophie could have more than me as I was driving. We sat at a table near the bar to have our drinks, and couldn't help listening in when a group of people arrived just after us. They'd booked a table for five but there was no record of their booking, so the staff were scrambling around to find out what had happened. Our table was ready, so we offered the one we were sitting at to the party of five who gladly accepted.

We had a table right next to the fireplace in the middle of the dining area, and the atmosphere was lovely with people eating and drinking. We looked at the menus, made our decision and waited for our orders to be taken, but the staff were so busy we had to wait a fair while. We didn't mind as it was great to sit and relax.

Eventually, we gave our orders for food - Korean Fried Cauliflower for me, Devilled Lamb's Kidneys for Keith and Mussels for Sophie. For our main courses, we ordered Lamb for Keith, Plaice for Sophie and Chicken and Ham pie for me. The food was very, very good, but we did have to wait a fair while for our main courses, and the party of five whose booking was misplaced were served before us!

Keith's only gripe was the beer. They were serving his favourite, Abbot, but it wasn't pulled properly, making it flat and unappetising. He did take it back to the bar at one point to see if they could inject some froth, but it remained flat. He was not amused!

The bill came to £118, and it was only after we paid that we realised we'd been charged again for the wine! They realised their mistake and refunded Keith the amount, which was good!

We drove home through very dark country lanes, and were greeted by Monty, who had obviously missed us while we were out!

Another week over!

I was very glad today was Friday as I felt it had been a long week! Sophie didn't have to be at work until 11am, and had booked to do a Yoga class at the gym so I woke her before I left. I thought she should have had today off completely, after the hours she'd been doing this week, but she was happy with the slightly later start.

Work was busy with phone calls about swimming, but I still managed to do some admin. The playscheme places are now ready to put on for Christmas... it's approaching fast!

In the evening Sophie and I watched Cocktail starring Tom Cruise, a film I'd never seen before. It was pure 80s schmaltz, and I thought the acting was dire, but it was pleasant enough for a Friday night! We can all have a lie-in tomorrow and a lazy weekend!

Christmas is coming...

After a slow start to Thursday, Keith and I went shopping this morning and spotted a shelving unit in Aldi that looked perfect for our shoe cupboard. We snapped it up as it was only £14.99!

When we got home and unpacked it, we realised that it was not at all suitable - there was no way we could have put any shoes on it! It'll have to go on the wall somewhere else in the house, maybe Sophie's bedroom or in one of the bathrooms!

I picked Mum up in the afternoon and we dropped off the material I'd bought at Julie's house, and picked up some more samples for the cushion. We have decided to have the blinds made up in the beautiful fabric we bought last week, but delay the cushion until next year as the cost for both was coming out at nearly £700. I don't doubt that Julie would have made a fabulous job of the cushion, but at the moment we are using the worktop as valuable space, and it will certainly come in handy at Christmas!

From Julie's house, we drove to Beckworth for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. The weather today has been gorgeous with clear blue skies and sunshine, and it was a real treat to visit the shop. Unfortunately, we were told there was a wait of about half an hour, so we had a look around the Christmas section. I saw a gorgeous Christmas cushion which would have looked lovely in our living room but it was £50! There were some beautiful things for sale, including a lit-up deer and baby for £350, but we kept our purses in our bags! I will probably go back with Sophie and have a look, and maybe buy a gonk!

I said to Mum that once she moves into the two rooms at the new care home, she could decorate her living room, so it would be great to think they'll be in before Christmas.

Our buzzer went off so we made our way to the restaurant and we were seated by the window. The sunlight was flooding through and it was lovely to sit and relax. Mum ordered a slice of Victoria sandwich cake while I chose a scone with jam and butter. 

Both of us only managed half of our cakes, so we had them boxed up so Mum could enjoy them later in the day. After paying, we had another look around and then I took Mum back. I was expecting a call from Sophie to pick her up from the station, and she let me know she would be getting in at about 6.15pm, which was far better than I'd expected. 

Keith and I drove down in heavy traffic to collect her, and she'd had a brilliant time, especially the cocktails at The Shard, which she said was fantastic as they'd been seated by the window with wonderful views.

Back home we quickly prepared dinner - quiche with new potatoes, asparagus and sweetcorn. We both enjoyed a drink before eating, but Sophie was shattered and her cold was still hanging about. I just hope Keith and I don't catch it!

Florida weather!

I had a lie-in this morning, and woke up just before 8.30am. One of us, at least, had to be at home today for when the electrical engineer calls. He said he would try and get to us on Wednesday so I just hope he does!

When I went downstairs to make my morning coffee, the weather took a turn for the worse... we had thunder and lightning and torrential rain with strong winds. It reminded me of the storms we had in Florida!

Keith and I spent the morning pottering about and doing some jobs, and the sun came out! What a difference to this morning! I took all of the towels and bedding out of the airing cupboard, in readiness for the engineer's call, and noticed that some of them were a little damp. Did we have a leak on Sunday that splashed onto some of the electrics in the cupboard?

I made lunch, and I just knew that when we sat down to eat, the engineer would arrive, and he did! Imagine our embarrassment when the problem we'd experienced on Sunday evening failed to materialise! We tried everything - turning on the heating and the water and making sure that nothing was different to how it was on Sunday, but the central heating system was working properly with no trips. We couldn't believe it!

He was very understanding and went into a long explanation about leakages that we didn't fully understand, but he said that if the electrics kept tripping we might need to upgrade our fuse box. With the new kitchen we have far more appliances than we did before so it might not be able to cope.

Keith looked mightily relieved - he'd been expecting a huge bill, so it was a real bonus that we weren't charged anything for a call-out. If something goes wrong again, he'll be the first person we contact!

We had a very quiet house again this evening and before having dinner played cards in the kitchen. Sophie was out for another dinner and at 10pm, as I was going to bed, she texted me to say she was off to The Shard, with Abby, for cocktails... I told her to have a good time, but I just hoped she wouldn't be out too late!

All by myself...

The temperature at 7.30am this morning was 16c! That really is too mild for the time of year!

Work was fine again, and there were four of us answering the phones so I managed to get a lot of cinema admin done. The time did drag a bit so it was a relief to get out at 4pm and drive home. Sophie was away tonight and she's also away tomorrow evening, working at an exhibition in London. She caught the train from Northampton at 6.30pm with her colleagues, bless her, and wasn't feeling her best as she has a cold. The views from her hotel room overlooking the London Eye did make up for the long day, though!

Keith went off to see Sileby play this evening so I was all on my own (with Monty, of course). I had a frozen pizza for dinner with a glass of wine sitting at the island. Not my first choice for an evening meal but it was either that or fish fingers! We had forgotten Sophie was away this evening and Keith would be out! The last time I was on my own in the evening was years ago, so I was looking forward to a long soak in the bath, and watching something on television, which is exactly what I did!

We had torrential rain again this evening, but it didn't affect Keith who was able to watch the match under cover. He arrived back at just before 10pm and looked cold! Tomorrow, we can both have a lie-in! Hooray!

An Autumnal day.

It was dark and rainy going to work this morning... I hate the early starts at this time of year!

Work was fairly busy but not as bad as I expected considering it's half term next week. When I drove home it was pouring with rain and the roads seemed slippery with the fallen leaves. Autumn is definitely here!

I'd put out a plea for help on our residents' Facebook page this morning, and when I arrived home Keith said he'd contacted an electrical engineer to look at the central heating system. If that didn't work, then he'd call a heating engineer in. The only thing was that he couldn't come out to us until Wednesday... Again, I was pleased it was so mild!

Dinner this evening was chilli con Carne and Keith cooked. Sophie and I talked about what we wanted to see and do in Mallorca. We were hoping that there would be some Christmas markets on in Palma. Last year we missed them so much!

Holiday plans...

To celebrate Mike being home (briefly) I cooked a big breakfast this morning - sausages, scrambled eggs, beans and toast. Once we had eaten and cleared away all the dishes, Keith and I dropped him off in town as he was going out for lunch with Abbie and her family. We waved him off and he said he probably wouldn't be back until Christmas. We're still hoping to drive down to Southampton again, so let's hope we see him before then!

Back home I changed our bedding and did more washing. Sophie and I looked at flights to Mallorca in December, and we took the plunge and booked them with EasyJet! Zain is coming with us, so Sophie was very excited! We'd already provisionally booked a hotel in Palma (the same one we stayed at in 2019) and a small hotel in Pollensa, so we spent a pleasant hour looking at restaurants near the hotel in Palma and deciding where to eat in Pollensa. I do think we all need to be aware that it's December, though, and a lot of places may not be open!

In the afternoon we enjoyed an indulgent face pack and then I had a bath. Unfortunately, while I was having a soak, the electrics tripped, and it took us a fair while to work out that it was the central heating system. This was not good news, and I'm just glad that it's mild at the moment and that we have an immersion heater for hot water!

Dinner tonight was cajun spiced chicken with wedges and a chive dip and Sophie had prepared most of it this morning. While the meal was cooking, Sophie and I enjoyed a cocktail and played Scrabble. Keith joined us at the island and watched the second half of Newcastle playing Tottenham Hotspur. The game had already been interrupted by a fan having a heart attack, so the second half had been delayed. Keith had spent ages mucking about with the electrics, so not really what he'd had in mind for his afternoon's viewing!

Our evening meal was delicious and the chicken very tender from the spicy Cajun marinade!

A working Saturday...

It was a bit of a shock, but I was at work today, beginning at 9am, so not too bad! The shift also ended at 2pm so a very short day to what I'm used to normally!

I had a very pleasant shift, but I hadn't anticipated how busy the centre would be at 9am, as there were swimming and gymnastics lessons on, and both car parks were full. I managed to find one space in the rear car park, dumped the car and fled into the building!

As well as answering calls, I did a lot of admin work and the time flew by. On the way home, it was my job to buy some limes, but the Co-op at Moulton had none, so I had to trek over to Brixworth. I bought a little box of chocolate treats and returned home to enjoy a cup of tea with Sophie and Keith.

Michael texted me to ask for a lift home from Abbie's in town, so Keith and I went to get him. The weather today has been gorgeously Autumnal, with blue skies and sunshine and mild temperatures. How long will this last I wonder?

Back home it was cocktail time and Mike, Sophie and I played Scrabble on the kitchen island, which was great, and very enjoyable! Sophie and I then prepared one of our favourite meals to welcome Mike back home for the night - Jerk Chicken Pasta with garlic bread.

Keith chose to have a pie he'd made earlier, and I think he definitely misses out! The meal was delicious, very spicy and there was enough left over for Mike to take it back to Southampton tomorrow! What a compliment!

A different world!

I had plenty to do at work today, even though I thought I was running out of jobs on Tuesday! A whole load of invoices and orders needed processing and the phones were busy. We have one more week before the October half-term holidays begin, and I suspect we will be frantic then!

Sophie and I decided to watch the 1976 film, Carrie, this evening and both of us were shocked at life back in the 70s! John Travolta slapped his girlfriend twice, a teacher was smoking around the pupils and then she hit one of the girls! It was definitely a different world back then!

I'm sure I'd seen the film before, but a long time ago, so it was great to watch it again with Sophie. She brought home a stack of DVDs from someone she works with, so that will be great to keep us going for a while!

The hunt for pasta...

While Keith went shopping this morning, I made a start on glossing the skirting board and door of our new cupboard in the hallway. Keith had painted the walls a dark blue yesterday, using the paint we'd originally bought for the kitchen doors (matt emulsion), and it was looking lovely. The glossy white skirting board and doors contrasted beautifully with the dark paint. We just need to find a shoe rack/storage unit now and put up a row of hooks to make it complete.

I worked away all morning and touched up the paint on the banisters as well. I was very pleased when I'd finished. The door (the old one that used to lead into the kitchen) was in dire need of a fresh coat of paint and it looked lovely.

After a quick shower, we headed into town to pick up my material from The Mill Shop, and to hunt for bow-tie pasta that I needed for Saturday night's Jerk Chicken Pasta. Keith had been unable to buy any at all in Tesco this morning, so we called into Lidl where there wasn't any either! I did buy some different beers though, including two cans of Stout, and a bottle of Leffe Brun which I love.

Homesense didn't have what we wanted, but they did have a range of brightly coloured pasta that I don't think would have gone down well with my family! We decided to pop into Beckworth to see if they had any, and just as I was about to go in, I spotted Sara, Sheila and Nicola with Julia. They'd been enjoying Julia's retirement lunch, and when I told them about the pasta, Nicola offered to get me some when she was in Sainsbury's. Luckily, she didn't need to as when I went into Beckworth, Keith was triumphantly holding a packet aloft! Job done! They still didn't have any turkeys, though!

Before going home we had to pop to Mum's care home to pick up a bank statement as the new care home has asked for proof of income... the hoops we've had to jump through!

Back home it was all hands on deck as I'd said I would make minestrone soup for dinner. Keith and I chopped vegetables and simmered them with chicken stock and pasta on a low heat. Although the soup was tasty, the vegetables were still a little too al dente for my liking... another recipe we'll have to work on!

Mince disaster!

Julie arrived this morning to measure up for two blinds and the bench seat cushion, but before she got down to business we had a good chat. Her two daughters have now left home and one of them is working as a vet. I still see them as little girls who used to have sleepovers with Sophie! Where has the time gone!

I showed Julie the material we wanted to use, and she advised that a plainer fabric would be better for the cushion, and she would look at some samples. We decided on a teal colour as a contrast, as there were hints of this colour in the blind fabric.

After she'd gone she texted me to say that the price of the fabric we liked had gone down in price but there were limited stocks, so I ordered three metres straight away! The warehouse is in Northampton so I could arrange to go and collect it tomorrow.

I prepared all the vegetables for dinner, and the mince to make a savoury crumble and went to collect Mum from the care home. I suggested having a coffee at the Costa in Next so she could do some shopping if she wanted. 

We sat and enjoyed our coffee (I had the first mince pie of the season!) and then we had a look in the shop. I picked out a lovely picture for the kitchen and, after sending a photo to Sophie for approval, decided to buy it. It would look great against the white wall in the kitchen.

Before I took Mum back, we called at home so she could see the kitchen again, pet Monty and have a chat for half an hour. She seemed a bit depressed today and I think she is still finding it hard to adapt to her new life.

In the evening, I made the savoury crumble but it wasn't a success. I blitzed some leftover garlic bread in our blender and used that as a topping, but the mince tasted strange and Keith said it was because I'd cooked it without draining off the fat. I disagreed, but I don't think we'll be making it again for a long time!

 

Scared out of my wits!

Having the extra two hours a day to do admin work means I have caught up with outstanding jobs, so today I was at a bit of a loose end! There were four of us answering the phones with not one single call abandoned, and I shouldn't think so!

The time did drag a bit so it was great to speed home at 4pm and look forward to a couple of days off. I have an old friend coming around tomorrow to give me a quote for two blinds and a bench cushion, so it'll be lovely to catch up with her news. Her twin daughters are the same age as Sophie and we've known each other since the girls were at primary school, so it'll be nice to see her again.

Keith was out to see Sileby play this evening so it was a girls' night in! We chose meatballs and pasta for dinner, with garlic bread, something we haven't eaten for ages. We are running out of things to eat that Keith doesn't like!

We decided to watch A Quiet Place 2, which was alarmingly scary! The creatures in it are horrible! I remember seeing the first film at the Northampton Filmhouse, and the audience was silent throughout! We both enjoyed it very much, and I know there's another film scheduled for next year.

Dinner was delicious, and we cooked some oven fries for Keith for when he returned from the football. I was in the kitchen when he arrived home, a little earlier than I expected, and I just saw this dark figure at the back door wearing a bobble hat... he gave me a terrible scare, and the film we'd just seen didn't help!

A quiet Monday...

I hate it when Sophie comes into the bedroom and tickles my feet to wake me up! Arrggghh! It's Monday again!

I saw her off to the gym (it's now fully dark at 6.30am) and then sat and watched the news with Monty until 7am. Work today was busy but not unpleasant and it was great to have the extra two hours to complete any admin work that needed to be done.

Back home I caught up with Keith's news and we sat at the island and chatted. We are now spending so much more time in the kitchen than we did before, and it's great to sit and relax and read the papers there.

There is not much to report today! It's been a usual Monday and at least the first day of the week is over and we're heading for the weekend again!

Just mooching!

After a grey and cloudy start, the sun came out and we were treated to blue skies and balmy breezes. Perfect for getting out into the garden and cutting the front verge. Keith came out with me and trimmed the bush as well so that the grass could grow a bit, even though it's Autumn. I strimmed the grass, weeded and dug over the soil so it looked a lot better, and much neater when I finished! I also swept up loads of leaves - the season is upon us!

Sophie went to have lunch with Daisy and Laura at Beckworth and was gone all afternoon. I mooched about, did some hoovering, did several loads of laundry and read the papers so it was very relaxing, which was lovely after our busy day yesterday.

The beautiful weather continued all day and it was sunny and warm for October. When Sophie returned we played Scrabble and drank wine before Keith ventured out into the garden to barbecue. We thought it was a good idea because of the weather, but we forgot that it gets dark at about 7pm at the moment! He had rigged up a light so at least he could see and we enjoyed delicious food as always.

Tomorrow it's back to work, but I do feel like I've had a proper weekend!

Riverside delights!

Today has probably been the best, and most enjoyable, day of the year so far. After a relaxed morning spent pottering about, Sophie and I left for Henley-on-Thames at 2pm, for our booking at 8.30pm to see Grace Dent, the acclaimed restaurant critic. The journey was great, the M40 was quiet, and the winding country roads leading to the riverside town were beautiful. The sun was shining and it was an absolutely gorgeous day.

Henley itself was busy, with people taking advantage of the warm Autumn sunshine, and milling about the town and by the river. We made our way to the railway station car park and found a spot, but both of us were a bit worried about the walk back this evening after the talk. I looked up the time it would take and was told 18 minutes, which was a bit longer than I was hoping for.

We decided to walk the route and find a tea shop on the way as we were both a bit peckish. We found one a short walk away, a quirky place full of beautiful pottery, and lovely foodstuffs for sale. We had a cup of tea and a coffee, and a small slice of lemon cake each.

The cafe was just about to close, so we hurriedly drank up and continued our walk along the main shopping thoroughfare. Several places lured us in! A lovely place called Vinegar Hill where Sophie bought some earrings, and a charity shop (Henley-on-Thames is the place to go for second-hand clothes as it's extremely affluent!). Sophie spotted a brand new Zara bag for £8 and snapped it up!

We carried on walking and realised that leaving the venue, a country house conference centre and hotel on the edge of town late at night, and walking back wasn't a good idea, despite the town being very genteel! We decided to head back to the car via the river and move it to a long stay car park opposite Phyllis Court. It was a rugby club car park, but we hoped that by the time we arrived in the car, the game would be over.

Walking back to the car along the river was glorious. It honestly felt like we were abroad somewhere, a French riverside town maybe, as the smells and atmosphere were reminiscent of holidays! 

At the pub on the bridge, the outside tables were busy with people eating and drinking. Further along, the cafes and restaurants were doing a roaring trade, and I wished we'd arrived sooner and spent the day enjoying the town.

We got back to the car, navigated the still busy traffic in the town, and drove to the rugby club car park. Luckily, there were numerous spaces, and Sophie bought a day ticket which said it ended at 7pm, although there was a sign saying the gates would be closed at 10.15pm. We decided to ask someone and made our way to the office, passing the bathrooms on the way, where I had to restrain Sophie from trying to see through the high windows! We could hear the players washing and smelt lovely soapy aromas coming from the windows!

The woman we spoke to confirmed that the gates would close at 10.15pm so we made a note to set an alarm on Sophie's phone later! We definitely did not want the car locked in!

We had a table booked at The Giggling Squid for 6pm and we still had about 45 minutes to kill, so we decided to go to Coppa Club and have a drink. The restaurant was heaving with people but we managed to find a seat at the bar and enjoyed our drinks while watching the staff rush around. It was lovely to sit at a bar - I can't remember the last time I did that!

Sophie's choice - a Hibiscus Margarita

We spent an extremely pleasant half-hour enjoying our drinks and then made our way to The Giggling Squid. This was also very busy and different from the last time we came when we ate a lot earlier. We were seated at the rear of the restaurant and as the evening wore on they became busier and busier! Not only were they catering for customers in the restaurant but they were doing takeaway as well!

We chose two glasses of Thai Rose, a wine we'd never tried before, or even known about! For starters, Sophie chose pork dumplings while I opted for pork skewers, chargrilled and served with the most delicious tamarind sauce. We also enjoyed a generous basket of prawn crackers.

We both decided on the same main course - sticky chicken served with egg fried rice. The food was delicious and very filling!

At about 7.30pm we called for the bill and made our way to Phyllis Court. Along the way, we peeped through various restaurant windows and saw people eating and drinking. How lovely that things seem to be returning to normal!

Grace Dent was appearing in a marquee in the grounds of Phyllis Court. We walked down the dark driveway and met a woman on her own who was also attending. We chatted to her as we waited to go in, and she was astonished when we said we'd driven from Northampton!

Grace Dent was interviewed by Eleanor Mills, a former editor of the Sunday Times magazine. Her husband and Grace Dent's partner were sitting behind us so we listened in! I had assumed Grace Dent would be staying at the hotel but they were going back home to London afterwards!

The talk was great and was all about her book, Hungry, an account of her childhood and her route into being a restaurant critic. She gave us some anecdotes about Masterchef and it was great to see her in flesh and listen to her stories.

Sadly, we didn't have time to get our book signed as we had to hightail it back to the car park before it closed (along with numerous other people), and by 10pm we were driving back along very dark country lanes to the M40.

We arrived home at just past 11pm and relaxed with Keith until midnight. It had been a wonderful day, and we're planning on going back to the town very soon!

So glad it's the end of the week!

Another week has whizzed by and I was glad it was Friday! I spent two hours doing admin work and at 10am went on the phone. The first few callers I had were annoying and I was hoping it wouldn't set the tone for the day!

Sheila had made some scones and she managed to get all of us to eat one by the time we left at 4pm! It was a much better day than I'd been expecting, made easier by having an extra member of staff, Vicky, working with us.

Keith went to the pub this evening, and Sophie and I sipped a glass of Chardonnay and watched an excellent film called Chef. It was perfect for a Friday night and we both loved the soundtrack. That's the background music for Scrabble nights sorted!

As there was so much food leftover from last night, Sophie and I mixed the meat and vegetables with kidney beans, cheese and nachos to make another meal. Keith didn't fancy it again, so we ate alone. It was delicious but we still can't make it as good as they do at The Lamplighter!

Breakfast out!

I treated Keith to breakfast this morning at Beckworth, and luckily there was no queue! Before going to the restaurant we looked for turkeys but there were none. It is a bit early!

The breakfast was delicious - egg, bacon, sausage, hash brown, tomato, beans and mushrooms served with toast - but the price of the coffee was extortionate. £2.95 for a cup of black coffee served with milk. Having worked in catering I know that the profit margin on that must be huge. I realise that companies have to try and get back some money after the lockdowns we endured, but this felt like daylight robbery!

Once we'd eaten we had a wander around and I noticed that there was a lot of Christmas stuff available. I find it hard to believe that this year has gone by so quickly! After Beckworth, we popped to Tesco and bought a couple of things that Keith had forgotten yesterday. I looked at quilt covers for the spare room but we decided that we'll probably buy them in Jones's. Their quilts are lovely and fluffy! We also put some more diesel in my car in readiness for my and Sophie's trip to Henley-on-Thames on Saturday.

The rest of the day was spent pottering about - I cleaned the windows in the kitchen, and the cloakroom window, and ventured out into the garden to clear up the leaves and prune back the bushes. The grey weather of this morning had given way to the occasional spell of sunshine in the afternoon and it was a lovely Autumnal day.

We also prepared tonight's dinner of fajitas but Keith said he didn't fancy it at all! Sophie cooked the meal in the evening and we all sat in the kitchen to eat. If the energy prices go through the roof this winter, we may do this all the time and shut up the conservatory!

Frustrated!

I had an appointment to pick up Mum and Dad this morning in an attempt to sort out the Nationwide fiasco. We drove to the Weston Favell Centre and headed for the building society first. Frustratedly, we were still unable to resolve anything and had to wait for a phone call next week to sort it out. To say I was annoyed was a huge understatement!

We had lunch at Burger King and then did some shopping in Tesco. Mum and Dad's friend Gloria was having a coffee in The Lounge so we said hello and she promised she would visit them next week. 

I dropped Mum and Dad back off and headed home to see Keith who had been doing our weekly shop while I was out. It's been a glorious day today, all the more annoying that I had to spend almost three hours in the Weston Favell Centre. Not my favourite place!

After a cup of tea, I cleaned the kitchen and hoovered. No one tells you that when you have a new kitchen you clean it obsessively, in a vain attempt to keep it looking as pristine as the day it was installed. We have noticed white marks on our black composite sink so I emailed the manufacturer this afternoon to ask for their advice. As it's black, the marks show up and they annoy me!

Dinner this evening was gammon again and I managed to burn my arm in two places getting it out of the oven!

Getting things done!

I spent eight hours today doing admin work, including putting the films on until November (No Time To Die is on in early November, so I had a legitimate excuse to have Daniel Craig on my computer screen!), putting all of our October half-term crash courses on the system, sorting out loads of invoices and orders and updating the cinema spreadsheets.

Half an hour was also taken up saying goodbye to Julia, who used to work in the DD department, and who has been furloughed since the start of the pandemic last March. She decided to retire so we had a little presentation for her in the bar area upstairs and enjoyed fizz and cake. I had spoken to her hundreds of times on the phone but had never met her so it was great to put a face to a name!

I was so busy I barely glanced out of the window so couldn't say anything about the weather today! We did have torrential rain and winds in the evening though, as we were sitting down to dinner. It is chilly at the moment, and I think Autumn is definitely here to stay!

Brushing up!

As usual, I was up with Sophie at 6am this morning, and heading off to work at 7.30am. I did an hour's admin work and then had an hour's refresher training on using a defibrillator, which was better than I had been expecting. We covered CPR and the use of the machines so I feel confident should I ever need to use the equipment (but I hope I don't!).

At 10am I was back on the phones and we had a busy day. I was still trying to catch up with the orders and invoices from Friday, and there just didn't seem enough hours to get everything done! Luckily, tomorrow, I will be off the phones all the time and able to do lots of other work. Hooray!

Back home I sat at the island in the kitchen and read the papers from the weekend with a glass of the stout that Mike had bought me yesterday.

 As soon as Sophie arrived home from work she started preparing dinner - Gino's sausage orecchiette. She made a very good job of it, and it was delicious, with enough leftovers for lunches tomorrow!

Sophie's masterpiece!

Heading south!

Today we drove down to Southampton to visit Mike and Abbie. We left home at 9am, called to get them a house-warming gift at an M&S outlet, and took the A43, M40 and A34.

It was a very pleasant journey, and the scenery as we got past Oxford was beautiful. The weather was, too! What a difference to the rain and wind of yesterday! We arrived at about 11.30am and met their two new kittens, Trixie and Hugo, who were little bundles of fluff!

We'd booked a pub for 2pm but Mike suggested a drink at one of their haunts before we ate. Their flat is conveniently situated near a high street where there are lots of shops, restaurants and pubs. A bit different to us!

We had a drink at The Pig and Whistle on the high street, which was empty, and chatted about Mike and Abbie's move to Southampton. They had stayed with friends at first, which hadn't worked out well! From there we went to the Brewhouse and Kitchen about two miles away. The sign at the entrance wasn't promising - they could only cater for people who had booked - so I was glad I'd reserved a table!

We had been to a Brewhouse and Kitchen in Islington two years ago when Sophie and Mike went to a gig at the O2, and although we hadn't eaten there, Keith and Mike loved the range of beers on offer. This was the same, and they were both soon sitting with pints of beer, while Sophie had a Pilsner, Abbie enjoyed a Shandy and I sipped a delicious Stout.

We were given menus, but told a lot of the choices weren't available. Hmmm! Three of us went for the roast while Sophie and Keith had the beer can chicken. We also ordered starters - nachos and burnt bits of pork, which sounded horrible, but looked delicious!

Ahhh! Father and son!

Sophie and I weren't impressed with our nachos as they were dry and tasted a little stale. Unfortunately, my main course wasn't that much better. I had some thick slices of beef, but the roast potatoes tasted strange and sweet, and the rest of the vegetables and gravy were tasteless. My meal was also barely hot, so very disappointing.

We left at 3pm and the pub had emptied out completely. I really do fear for the future of our pubs at the moment - they don't seem to have recovered from the lockdowns we've suffered at all.

Before going back to the flat we went to another of Mike and Abbie's favourite haunts, the aptly named Witch's Brew. This was a funny little place on the high street and looked like an old shop, rather than a pub. The bar was right at the back, and the range of beers and ciders was astonishing! Mike bought the round and treated me to a 9% stout to take home! There was no way I could have drank it and then driven back!

I really liked the quirky pub which was full of witchy stuff and books about spells.

The resident dog appeared and we made a fuss of her, which was lovely. She seemed to like Mike especially!

Back at Mike and Abbie's flat we loaded the car up with some things they didn't need (including our suitcases!) and said goodbye. It had been great to visit and we promised to go down again soon and help them with some DIY. Mike had been particularly lovely today, so I think the separation has been good for all of us.

The journey home was smooth and trouble-free, and we arrived back at about 7pm. Supper was cheese and biscuits, and Sophie had the leftover pie from last night. It had been a long day so we had an early night. I am back to work at 8am tomorrow... arrgghh!

Wash-out!

The weather today has been atrocious, and perfect for staying in the house! Keith had his flu jab booked for 11am, so Sophie and I had breakfast alone - a not very good eggy bread! Most of mine went into the bin! We then made a start on sorting out Mike's old room, moving the bed into the centre of the room, and washing all the bedding.

I had changed my bed as well today, so the house resembled a laundry! When Keith returned from the surgery, he took the bookcase out of the cupboard we'd made in the hallway. It just wasn't working in there, as every time we opened the door the whole thing wobbled alarmingly! 

We then had a great time trying to manhandle the thing upstairs to Mike's room! Sophie helped and there was a fair amount of swearing and shouting, but we got it in the room and then replaced all the books. It's a much better home for it! I had cleaned the room and we took an old beer barrel and a police cone (don't ask!) down to the garage. The plan is to decorate the room, maybe put down a new carpet and then replace the mattress and headboard to make a pretty spare room or a chill-out room where Sophie can watch the television if she wants.

I then hoovered the house and sorted out more mounds of washing. Thank goodness we have a tumble dryer as outside the rain didn't let up at all. Keith went to see Sileby play this afternoon, and I thought he was mad as it was chilly as well as wet. I had a long hot bath before lying on the bed with Sophie, indulging in a face pack and watching Gordon, Gino and Fred in Greece. The footage looked heavenly! 

Tonight's dinner was one of our favourites - the chicken and ham tangle pie. Luckily Sophie had done most of the preparation earlier in the day so we were able to play Scrabble with a glass of wine and relax. This meal this evening, whether it was because we'd assembled the pie earlier, was even more delicious, and we'll definitely prepare it this way again. The flavours had all mixed together and it swiftly disappeared!

After dinner, Sophie and I watched Fatal Attraction, always one of my favourite films. Keith refused to watch it and went upstairs!

A film treat!

Today was the last day I'd be working 10am until 4pm. Next week, as furlough has ended, I'll be doing my extra six hours tagged onto my three days, so will be coming in at 8am and doing two hours of admin before I go on the phones. I'll get up as usual with Sophie, and then get ready and go to work. I feel it's going to be a bit of a shock!

Work was busy again today, and I was swamped with things that needed to be done, including a whole load of orders. The time passed very quickly, but I felt very frustrated that I hadn't done everything that I should have done! It was lovely to leave at 4pm with the weekend to look forward to!

After I'd dropped Keith off at the pub, Sophie and I had a glass of wine - a white Malbec I'd bought in Aldi. It was delicious and one we'll certainly buy again. We watched an hour of "Play Misty For Me", starring a youthful Clint Eastwood and set in Carmel. We enjoyed it immensely! I'd seen it before, a very long time ago, and it's hardly ever shown on the television, so it was a real treat. A colleague of Sophie's had lent her "Play Misty For Me" and "Fatal Attraction", another very enjoyable film!

Dinner tonight was a simple baked potato and salad supper, and after we'd eaten, we watched the rest of the film. Both Sophie and I were tired but it was great to have a lie-in tomorrow to look forward to!