Shopping hell...

My idea of hell is a busy crammed shopping centre, and today I had to endure just that! Dad wanted us to take my Mum out to get her some birthday gifts, and today was the day. I remember, in my youth, when all the shops were closed on a Sunday, and the roads were lovely and quiet. Now, Sunday is no different to Saturday, and I sometimes yearn for the old times when you were guaranteed a bit of peace and quiet!

We collected Mum at 11am and drove over to Rushden Lakes, which was already packed with cars and queues waiting to go in. We parked some way from M&S and the main shops because the car park was so full!

Neither Sophie nor I wanted a big lunch and we decided on M&S so Mum could enjoy a baked potato. There was a long queue in the cafe, and we must have waited about twenty minutes before we got to the counter. Sophie had taken Mum to sit down and the place certainly wasn't busy.

Sophie chose a small sandwich while I enjoyed a turkey and cranberry one. Mum ate about half of her baked potato so I was glad we hadn't gone for a big lunch in Bill's or Pizza Express! After we'd eaten we bought the birthday gifts - underwear, a new dressing gown and chocolates. Perfect!

From M&S we popped into Next and I bought Mum some perfume and jewellery from my Dad. She was getting tired now, and the jostling crowds were getting us all down! It was hot in the shops as well, and my heavy coat was making me perspire!

We left Mum sitting on a bench outside Next, and I wrapped her up in my coat to keep her warm while we fetched the car. Although it was sunny today, the wind was bitingly cold. We sped back to the car, collected Mum and returned her to the care home, getting caught in a traffic jam on the way at the new Chowns Mill roundabout, that held us up for almost half an hour.

We took the scenic route (another lovely sunset), and back at home, we relaxed with the Sunday papers. In M&S I'd bought a bottle of white wine, and some accompaniments - prawn toasts, spring rolls and other little prawny things, so we were looking forward to our meal.

Sophie and I sorted the dinner out by decanting the food into oven-proof bowls and heating it all up. There was still a lot of food and tonight's planned dinner - cassoulet - will do for tomorrow!