A trip down south.

At 9am this morning we set off for Southampton to visit Mike and Abbie. The weather was disappointingly cloudy, and it was cold. The last time we travelled this road it was sunny and Autumnal, and the trees were beautiful shades of red and gold. Today they looked dark and forlorn if that makes sense!

We made good time but I insisted on stopping for a coffee about half an hour from Southampton, near Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey. The queue in the fuel garage was long, and when we arrived back at the car Keith was impatient to leave. Mike had asked if we could take some DIY tools down as he obviously had a job that he wanted Keith to help him with, but we didn't know what it was or how it would take.

We parked in the small car park behind the flats and met Mike who came down to let us in. I gave him a big hug and handed him a giant Toblerone, something we always buy for him! The kittens were a bit skittish today but I managed to have a quick cuddle with Hugo who is gorgeous!

The DIY job was a cupboard door that needed fixing and within minutes it was all done. Mike gave me a bottle of Scottish Gin and some chocolates for my birthday, and then we left to go to a nearby pub for a drink. I had a bit of difficulty parking, but we were soon sitting with drinks in The Rover. Sophie and I stuck to soft drinks today but the men indulged in pints and Abbie sipped a shandy. The pub was on the cool side, but with fuel prices rocketing, that's not surprising!

Mike and Abbie had booked a table at a pub within Southampton Common called The Cowherds and it was already bustling with people and dogs. We took a table by the window and Keith and Mike went to get drinks even though it was table service. They couldn't wait for another beer!

We all chose our meals and Mike and I shared a flatbread and calamari to start. For my main course, I opted for the Hunter's chicken schnitzel with a side salad. Various other meals were pork belly, pizza, fish and chips and fishcakes served with a poached egg. The food was good and the service efficient and friendly.

Before going back to the flat we called into The Witch's Brew again for a drink, The man behind the bar was wearing a different coloured nail polish on each finger - it's a very quirky place!

We left at about 4pm and headed home in the gathering gloom. Keith fell asleep in the back of the car while Sophie and I chatted in the front. It was heaven to get home at about 6.30pm and relax with a drink. Southampton was playing Manchester City on the television, and we were really glad that kick-off was 5pm and not earlier in the day, because of the traffic!