Alone on Halloween...

Sophie's flight was at about 11am this morning and she texted me from Heathrow to give me updates. Istanbul is three hours ahead of us, which surprised me!

Work was OK today and I was able to come off the phones again and concentrate on the emails and the start of the moan report. As I was leaving, Sophie messaged me to say they'd landed and were in a taxi on their way to their hotel.

I drove home and saw mist hovering over the fields as I approached Walgrave. It was eerily spooky and perfect for Halloween! We had decided not to give out any sweets this evening as I would be on my own in the house, and we didn't want to keep opening the front door and risk the cats getting out. 

Keith was out tonight watching Sileby play so I had to make my own dinner. I honestly can't remember the last time I had to do that! He'd bought me a Tesco Finest meal but as I'd had curry for lunch we decided to have it on Thursday night instead. I cooked myself a quiche but wasn't that hungry so I left most of it!

I drew the curtains and said goodbye to Keith who set out into the dark and chilly night. We have another storm looming tomorrow and Thursday - Storm Ciarán - which should affect the southern parts of the country the most.

Sophie sent me some great photos and had settled into the hotel and had dinner nearby. We chatted and I watched an episode of DNA Family Secrets, which was so interesting. It's making me want to get my DNA tested as well and I might try and persuade Keith as his mother was adopted. 

He arrived back chilled to the bone, but very glad that Sileby won 6-0! Hooray!

Flying the nest!

I said goodbye to my daughter this morning and wished her a happy holiday, as she was going down to Heathrow with Vikesh this afternoon when she finished work early. It was a horrible morning and the traffic was horrendous. Sophie had left ten minutes before me but was stuck in traffic just ahead on the dual carriageway. Not a great start to the week!

Sara was back at work today, but full of a cold and coughing badly. I said I would deal with the customer service emails today if I was able to come off the phone. Jo was also back today after her Mum had died, but she had popped in on Friday to see Kathy and me. We all felt so sorry for her as her Mum's death was sudden and unexpected, and she talked to Nicola and Sara for a good forty-five minutes before starting work. At one point there were fourteen calls in the queue and Sheila had to help out! 

I was able to come off every now and again throughout the shift and managed to get the emails answered. Sophie had let me know they'd left and were on their way to an airport hotel and arrived at 4.30pm, which was a great journey down!

The house felt very quiet without Sophie and Keith and I played cards in the kitchen with a drink before making dinner. He had prepared a hot and spicy curry and there was enough left over for me to have for lunch tomorrow. It's up to me to think about porridge and lunches this week!

A contented Mooney

Candle-making!

It was lovely to have nothing really planned today so we could just relax. Sophie did want to go to Tesco, though, to get some things she needed for her holiday, so we drove over, bought what she wanted, and headed back home.

Our kitchen was a hive of activity in the afternoon when Sophie prepared all the vegetables for dinner, and I amused myself by trying to collect all the spent wax into one new candle, using a large Yankee Candle pot. 

Why I decided to do this I'll never know, as we had about twenty spent candles with just an inch of scented wax in the bottom! I couldn't bring myself to throw them out as we always recycle glass, so I melted the wax first in a big dish of simmering water on the hob, poured it into my metal pot and then tried (with difficulty) to remove the traces still adhering to the bottom and sides of the containers.

I was very glad to donate twelve small tumblers to Sophie for use in her office when they always need small glasses. Result! I had just enough wax to fill the Yankee Candle pot so hopefully, it will smell nice from all the different scents I used! I don't think I have a new career in candle-making waiting for me, though!

Before dinner, we indulged in another episode of James Martin in Spain, sipped a red wine from Emporda at 14.5%, and Sophie made a delicious beef stroganoff. Tomorrow she is off to Istanbul, and I will miss her!

Noctàmbul - fruity and delicious!

More kitt pics:

Mooney - he loves sitting on the window sill and watching birds

Mooney Moon bums

Mooney

Meeting the family

Today was the day we were due to meet more of Vikesh's family at a birthday lunch for him in town, so we all dressed up smartly, after a leisurely morning, and made our way to the Wellingborough Road. Vikesh had picked a Japanese restaurant called Ginza (I didn't even know it existed, thinking Akasaka was the only one in town) but as we were very early, we called into the deserted Spread Eagle pub first for a drink.

The pub had gone to town with Halloween decorations, but it was only us and another man having a drink, so a bit depressing! We saw Vikesh and his family walk past which was a signal for us to finish our drinks and walk the short distance to the restaurant.

There were eighteen of us sitting down for lunch and I was very glad we'd already met his parents, and his brother and sister-in-law a couple of weeks ago. It was a bit overwhelming at first but his whole family are lovely and made us feel very welcome.

The youngsters sat at a table behind us while we oldies sat together and chatted. We shared a starter of delicious gyoza, chicken skewers, king prawn tempura, vegetable spring rolls and samosas. It was difficult to choose a main course as there were so many choices but in the end, Keith and I enjoyed a main course of katsu chicken curry, and we drank a Japanese beer to go with the meal. The table behind was very noisy and we oldies managed to talk over the hubbub to get to know each other!

I declined dessert, as I was full from the starter and main meal, and I do think that Ginza is better than Akasaka, which is saying something! People started to make their excuses and leave, so we followed suit and we all walked back to the car park together.

It was bliss to get home, get cosy and play Scrabble in the evening, knowing we didn't have to think about an evening meal and cooking!

A cosy night in

Sophie went to work early this morning, leaving just before I did. She is in on Monday for half a day and then travels down to Heathrow in the afternoon for her flight with Vikesh to Istanbul on Tuesday. I have to admit to being a little worried about her, due to the circumstances in the Middle East at the moment, but there's not a lot I can do!

I answered the phone at work when it was busy, but for most of the day I was answering emails. The time flew by, thankfully, and it was lovely to leave at four and look forward to the weekend.

Keith was at home again this Friday but should be back at the pub with John next week. He cooked dinner tonight - a North East favourite of corned beef, onions and potatoes served with crusty bread. It was perfect for a chilly night. We have been turning on our gas fire in the living room at night, and this warms up the kitchen as well, as long as we close the conservatory doors. It's so cosy, especially when the cats join us!

Sophie and I watched the last episode of Race Across the World this evening, with a glass of red wine and some nibbles, but after we'd eaten Keith wanted to watch England's game against Argentina in the Rugby Word Cup, so that was that! No film for us tonight! 

A quiet start to the day

I was on my own this morning because Sara was working from home (her cough was terrible yesterday, by all accounts), and Sheila was at another centre. Bliss! It was lovely and quiet and I was able to get a lot done.

I concentrated on the customer service emails today and helped the others with a few queries before leaving at 3pm. Back home I pottered about, and Keith and I did the list as he is going shopping tomorrow for a change. I can't quite believe that it's Friday tomorrow and I said to Keith that I think somebody has altered the time to make it go faster!

Sophie was out tonight with Laura for a meal at The Rose and Crown in Yardley Hastings, so Keith and I raided the freezer for something to eat. We have so much stuff in there and easily found a meal for tonight. We're hoping to get a turkey for our Christmas meal soon so we'll have to find room for it! We're planning to pop into Beckworth next week to see if they have arrived.

Keith and I watched two episodes of the third series of Lupin this evening and we both thoroughly enjoyed them. I know that it can be a little far-fetched but it's brilliant TV!

Sophie arrived home at about 10.30 and after a quick chat, it was definitely time for bed!

A busy, busy day!

Sophie was working from her office today so she didn't return from the gym as normal this morning. She woke me up when she left, and I tried to get back to sleep without success. Giving in, I went downstairs, made myself a coffee and said hello to the kitts.

Keith and I had arranged to drive to Leicester today, to visit the storage warehouse where all of Mum and Dad's furniture is stored. It's now been three years since we stored it there and the cost is becoming prohibitive.

We put down plenty of food and water for the cats and left at 10am. Trish took us onto the A14 and then the M1, and we left the motorway at the Lutterworth junction, taking a lovely country route to the outskirts of Leicester.

We found the huge warehouse by turning Trish off and using Googly and went into the office where we spoke to Rachel, who was very helpful. She advised us to make an appointment to come back, view the contents of the four crates and then decide what to do with the items they're storing. We could either take on a house clearance company, give the items to charity or try and sell them via an auction. I would take some stuff with me (pictures, their computer) but it's time to make some difficult decisions.

We retraced our route back to the M1 and stopped at a delightful place for an early lunch. Attfields Farm Shop was very much like our own Smith's Farm Shop on the outskirts of Northampton but it had a lovely restaurant serving hot meals and snacks. We ordered a sandwich apiece and coffee. Keith was astounded at how large the sandwich was, accompanied by salad, coleslaw and crisps. Very good value!

We meandered around the shop afterwards and bought some cakes, and then set off for home, deciding to head back via Walcote, South Kilworth and Thornby (the same route we took with Vikesh a few weeks ago).

The kitts were fine when we arrived home but we didn't have too much time to relax as we had a vet appointment booked for 3.30pm in Potterspury! We set off early and Trish again directed us to the wrong place! We ended up in the village itself but the vet practice was inside a garden centre on the busy A5. 

We saw signs for the vet, but rather than drive around to the entrance we walked all the way through the garden centre to the surgery, which was right at the back of the building! Carrying two cats and the carrier was not fun!

We went in immediately, and the cats behaved impeccably. The vet was lovely and had seven cats of her own so she must be a fan of the furries! She weighed them (Mooney weighed more than Gomez) and then gave them their second jabs, all paid for by the Cats Protection League. We will need to go back in a year for the booster vaccinations.

Keith stayed with the cats while I fetched the car and it was a lot easier. We had been worried about a small lump on Mooney's neck and when I mentioned it to the vet she said it was either the reaction from his last vaccine or the chip. I was so relieved as I had imagined they'd want to do x-rays and further investigation. 

For a little joke, I texted Sophie before we drove off and wound her up a bit. The conversation went like this:  Me in red, Sophie in blue.

"All done x booked in for a scan next week for Mooney and had to pay £250 upfront."

"You didn't!!!"

"But Gomez had one as well :((("

"Where?"

"The same kind of spot"

"Well will have to tell them next week then"

"Jeez Louise"

"Ok we'll bring both then"

"What a faff"

"Can you transfer the money to me tonight?"

"You what?"

"Are you kidding lol"

"I can't afford £500!!

"Put it on your credit card??"

"Not covered by insurance apparently"

"You're kidding"

At this point, I confessed to winding her up but she was so incensed she didn't see my "yep" and started calling me. I was laughing so much that she put the phone down on me, but she thought I was crying. When I called her, she did not see the funny side and said a few choice words on the phone to me...

Keith and I drove home and became embroiled in the traffic surrounding Roade again, but the cats didn't utter a sound. We even went to Brixworth so I could get Sophie some cough medicine and jam (to atone for my sins). It was almost 5pm by the time we got home and I was mightily glad I'd done all the chores before we left this afternoon!

A bit stressful...

Today was a little more stressful at work as I was working with Angela who likes to make a lot of outbound calls, so I felt like I was constantly answering the phone. It meant every time I tried to do something I was interrupted! Arrgggh!

It was heaven to leave at 4pm and head home knowing I was off on Wednesday. I was met by the cats who seemed genuinely pleased to see me, which was lovely. Normally, I walk in and Keith has them both on his lap! I don't think we've ever had such affectionate cats! We're now gradually able to tell them apart without looking too closely so that's good! Gomez has a little sharp face and is interested in everything and everyone. I dread to think what he'll get up to when we let him loose outside! I'm actually dreading it...

Sophie made a delicious dinner of Panang chicken with fried rice and it was difficult not to eat the whole lot! There were only two small portions left over for our lunch on Thursday!

Sad news...

We heard from Sara over the weekend that Jo's Mum had died, and Shirley's Dad had died, both on Saturday. Two parents on the same day... what are the chances of that for such a small group of us? It was very sad as Jo's Mum died unexpectedly.

Obviously, Jo wasn't at work today so I was on the phones with Kitty. It was the first day of the October half-term and it wasn't too busy, with just the usual calls asking if swimming lessons were still on and what times the pools were open.

In the evening I treated myself to a whisky and coke (Fevertree, not Coca-Cola) and as I don't usually drink this combination I thoroughly enjoyed one... or two! Sophie's cold is not getting any better so I made her a hot toddy later in the evening.

We watched James Martin in Spain on television, and it was bliss sitting in the cosy living room with the cats curled up on the sofa next to us. 

I cooked dinner this evening which was very simple - leftover vegetables in Bubble and Squeak which I cooked in the oven for a change and the roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings from our meal yesterday. It was simple but delicious!

Reminiscing

Sophie and Vikesh went to Leicester today for lunch and food shopping. I was looking forward to their return and the yummy treats they'd be bringing back!

Today has been quiet and uneventful. I sorted out Mum and Dad's photograph albums, cleaned them up and took them to the care home in the early afternoon. They were delighted and my Dad immediately began to look through them and reminisce! I sat with them for about an hour and we all had a look through the photographs, and they brought back some happy memories. I returned home via the scenic route. The trees are changing colour now and the countryside looked beautiful in the afternoon sunshine.  

Sophie and Vikesh arrived home and we opened a bottle of Champagne that Sophie had bought to celebrate his promotion at work. He was chuffed! We also shared a couple of squares of barfi while sipping the fizz. Delicious! They sat with the kitts in the conservatory and Vikesh was mobbed by the furries! Whenever you sit down you invariably get a cat sitting on you, and it's normally Gomey Gomez! We also call Mooney, Mooney Moon bums!

Gomey Gomez  looking beautiful

Keith cooked roast beef for dinner this evening but Sophie didn't eat with us - she was too full from her lovely lunch! The meal was delicious and all the better for not having had a roast much lately!

Alternative pizza!

I woke up at the reasonable time of 8am and went downstairs to find Keith already up. I cleaned the cat food bowls, and we both washed the litter tray out and swept the floor so those jobs were done! 

Storm Babet has caused horrendous damage to the north of the UK and Scotland, in particular, with heavy rain and flooding. We have had a lot of rain but we've escaped very lightly so far. The weather today has been grey and overcast, and we debated whether to go ahead with our visit to Market Harborough this afternoon as the forecast was for rain again. However, we'd booked a lunchtime table at Pizza Express and it was dry, so we set out.

We were a little late but on the drive over, the restaurant called us to say they had to close because they had no hot water or heating, so that took the pressure off, although we were disappointed we wouldn't be dining with them.

So, where to go for lunch? Sophie suggested the Italian restaurant, Casa Nostra, in Adam and Eve Street, opposite Duncan's shop, and we headed there and looked at the menu. It looked reasonable, and as we'd been anticipating a delicious pizza for lunch, we went in. We were pleased we did! The food was excellent, and the only things we missed from Pizza Express were the Doppio doughballs!

We ordered chicken sticks with a sweet chilli dip and garlic bread to start, followed by a  14.5" chicken and spicy pepper pizza to share. With a glass of wine apiece and a bottle of water, followed by desserts of Tiramisu and a Smores Sundae, the bill came to a reasonable £60. The restaurant gradually filled up with diners and it looked to be a popular place to eat. We might go there now, rather than Pizza Express!

After we'd paid the bill, we hit the charity shops with a vengeance. Sophie wanted to get a pair of boots and some jumpers for her trip to Istanbul in November, so we were on the hunt! I couldn't believe how busy the shops were! The cost of living crisis seems to be hitting hard as the places we went to were crammed with people.

Unfortunately, Sophie didn't find any boots but she did buy a dress, a little handbag and three tops. She was trying to get a Stevie Nicks vibe and the black dress was perfect! It was brand new from Principles and retailed for about £60! She snagged it for £22!

We did all the charity shops in Market Harborough and then headed home to relax. I had a nap and we met up in the kitchen at 6pm for a glass of red wine and Scrabble. We had two games this evening to make up for not playing much recently and listened to some great music from the '90s and the Noughties. So many of the tracks brought back fond memories for Sophie and me and reminded us of going to the gym and, strangely, me ironing and watching VH1!

England was playing South Africa in the Rugby this evening, and we all decided to enjoy cheese and biscuits sitting in the living room. We never normally eat in this room and the cats were very inquisitive about the cheese, trying their best to get up to the coffee table where we laid out the food! We lit the fire and it was very cosy! It was a great evening but so disappointing that England lost by one point! 

Scaredy cat!

I was back answering the phone today as there was only Shirley and me working. I did try and answer as many emails as I could in between calls, but it was difficult. I had a lot of long complicated queries today, so I was extremely glad when it was 4pm. Sadly, both Shirley and Jo have parents who are very ill at the moment, and with half-term next week, I fear we will be very short-staffed.

Tonight was a special wine night with a bottle of Champagne and nibbles. I had bought a tray of little blue cheeses topped with seeds in Tesco the other day, and Sophie had picked up a bag of posh crisps in Waitrose on her way home. Keith was again, an honorary member, and stayed out of the way in the kitchen. He knows his place on a Friday night!

The Aldi Champagne we drink is £15, but I think it's delicious and better than some higher-priced bottles! We sipped our drinks and watched the last part of a documentary on Dali, which was an eye-opener! Dinner was cooked by Keith and was an easy meal - chicken Kyivs and mash.

Afterwards, Keith wanted to watch the Rugby World Cup (I can't believe it's still going on) so I suggested to Sophie we take the cats upstairs with us, watch something better on television, and let them cuddle up on the bed as a treat. I really wish I hadn't...

Mooney went all silly and ran behind Sophie's bed and wouldn't come out, but Gomez jumped up on the bed with me and enjoyed some treats. He is definitely far more confident than his brother. We decided to leave Mooney to come out on his own, but every time we went near Sophie's bedroom, he ran back behind the bed again. It was very frustrating!

I went to get the broom but Sophie shouted at me. She wasn't feeling great and was tired and full of a cold, so I said we'd wait and try and tempt him out with treats. He did come out, but every time Sophie went to get him he ran back again!

By now it was about 9.30pm and we were both fed up. What I had thought would be a nice evening had turned into a pain! In the end, we both went up to her room and I gently nudged the broom behind the bed so Mooney came out. I then blocked up the sides with pillows, and Sophie caught Mooney who had run behind the curtains. What a palaver! Not really the relaxing Friday evening I'd envisaged!

Feeling annoyed!

I had to work an extra hour today because of the time I'd lost a couple of weeks ago, so I was at work until 3pm. I answered all the emails but ground to a halt at 1pm with not much to do! Luckily, I had a load of box office returns to scan so that kept me busy until I went home!

Annoyingly, as I drove through Walgrave, I discovered that the road home was closed, so I had to make a diversion up to the A43. I was blooming annoyed! It seems that at the moment there are so many roads closed for one reason or another! However, the news about it had been on our local Facebook page and I just hadn't read the dates properly, thinking it was next week when the children are on their half-term holiday. I was forced to drive past the primary school and couldn't believe how many cars were parked in the surrounding area! I'm sure it never used to be like that when Sophie and Mike were there!

Back home I sat on the sofa with Keith and we decided to catch up with Rise of the Nazis: Manhunt, but I fell asleep! Oh dear!

Sophie took charge in the kitchen this evening and made a delicious meal of beef tacos, with lots of vegetables. The leftovers did make it to the tubs for lunch tomorrow!

Angry words...

I was woken at 7.30am by the care home saying my Dad had had yet another fall during the night and the paramedics had been called out to him. This is the third instance of them falling over now, so I might try and speak to someone when I see Mum this afternoon.

Sophie arrived home at 8am, and before she arrived I cleaned out the cat litter tray and washed the food bowls so everything was clean. I hoped she'd have a better day in the conservatory with them!

I had so much to do this morning and I tackled my car tax, car insurance, and pet insurance for the kitties and arranged a vet appointment for next Wednesday for their second vaccination. Keith and I also called Bell's in Leicester to ask if we could go and see them next Wednesday to talk about the storage of Mum and Dad's furniture. We need to make a hard decision about what to do with everything as they can't justify spending £200 a month on the bills.

After all that was sorted out, I prepared tonight's dinner, a sausage and cabbage soup. I had to finely chop a couple of onions, shred a Savoy cabbage and take the sausage meat out of their skins and roll them into little balls.

So, the morning was a busy one, and at 2.30pm I went to collect Mum and we popped to Tesco for a coffee and some shopping. The café was full when we first arrived, so we did our shopping and then sat down with a drink. The poor girl serving was completely on her own, which explained why half the seating area was roped off. 

We sat and chatted and then it was time to take her back. I managed to speak to their senior carer when I walked with her back to the room, and she said she was going to try and swap the beds around in their room to prevent any more falls.

Dad had a gash across his forehead but before I could ask him how he was, he asked if I'd brought the photo albums he'd wanted with me. Of course, I'd forgotten, as they're in the garage and out of sight, and he was quite nasty about it. I shouted back that I had enough on my plate at the moment, so it was not a good end to the visit. My Dad never asks how I am or enquires about Keith and the children, and it seems every time I visit he demands something or another.

I drove home feeling annoyed, and as soon as Sophie finished work we sat in the kitchen and had a chat. I started to prepare the dinner and had to cook the sausage balls in the oven. I fried the onions and then the cabbage and added wholegrain mustard and beef stock. The little sausage balls went in at the end and the soup did look like the recipe picture.

Unfortunately, the soup was not very good and I won't count it as one of my best! Needless to say, we didn't pack it up for our lunch tomorrow!

A better mood!

I was in a better mood at work today, and thankfully, I was taken off the phone and able to concentrate on the moan report so I could finish it. Once that was done, I helped Sara with emails and the time flew by.

Keith was out this evening to watch Sileby play, and I told him to wrap up as the wind outside was chilly. It wasn't as cold as yesterday, but Autumn is definitely upon us!

Sophie cooked a delicious orzo pasta dish with peas and pancetta and it was perfect for a cold night. The kitts do come and join us in the living room, especially Gomez, but Mooney seems to prefer the conservatory and is often out there on his own. They have developed real characters since we adopted them and Gomez is far more outgoing and inquisitive. I think that once we let them out he will roam far and wide to explore, which is a little worrying!

Sophie and I watched Grand Designs this evening, followed by Fake or Fortune, which was very interesting and featured an artist called Gorky, who I'd never heard of.

Keith arrived home at about 10pm looking chilled to the bone and tucked into a plate of oven chips that I'd cooked for him. At least this evening I didn't overcook them!

First frost

We had the first frost this morning and when I drove into work, all the fields surrounding the village were white. Brrr! Maybe we're in for a harsh winter!

Unfortunately, I wasn't in the best of moods today, and when I found out that Kathy was off and hadn't been replaced (meaning I was answering phones) I became more annoyed. If anyone is off now on annual leave, there is no cover, which is ridiculous and means we're working with a skeleton staff. Heaven knows what will happen if anyone is off sick!

So, I was miffed about answering phones and told Sara I couldn't do anything extra today, which was a bit petty of me, but I did put some more films onto the system! I was glad to get out at 4pm and head home!

We made the decision to close up the conservatory this evening and put the heating on. The cats were a bit bemused, and one of them (Gomez, I think) ran into the closed door with a bang, which made me feel awful. However, they soon realised it was warmer in the living room and were more than happy to cuddle up with us on the sofa! It means we have to have the cat litter tray in the kitchen but there's a little spot for it in front of the conservatory doors. I will be so happy when they can go outdoors!

Dinner tonight was a turkey chilli for a change. It was just as delicious as beef but not as much fat!

Getting colder...

Conversely, I was up late this morning and opened my eyes after 9am! I hadn't been to bed late, so I must have been making up for yesterday!

It was another glorious Autumn day and although it was sunny, it was chilly. I did mounds of laundry today but had to tumble dry it as I'm sure it wouldn't have dried on the line. We concentrated on upstairs and I gave the bedrooms a good clean. 

While I was pootling about, Sophie prepared tonight's meal of chicken thighs and pearl barley. A perfect meal for a cold day! We had lunch together and feasted on the leftovers from yesterday's snacks. After lunch, as most of my chores had been done, I relaxed and then had a lovely hot bath.

Sophie and I didn't play Scrabble tonight - we seem to have got out of the habit - and watched a couple of episodes of James Martin in Spain. The programmes certainly whet the appetite but some of the dishes he cooks didn't appeal! Sophie did the rest of the cooking for dinner, and there was enough left over for our lunches tomorrow.

This weekend has whizzed past but it's been very enjoyable, and I'm glad I tackled some outstanding jobs that needed doing. My arm and shoulder felt fine after the housework but only time will tell!

Our wine of choice tonight - an Alsace Pinot Noir

Meeting the parents!

For some unknown reason I was awake at 5.45am this morning, and after half an hour of trying to get back to sleep, I gave up and went downstairs to see the cats and have a cup of coffee.

I was glad I was up early, though, as Vikesh and his parents were coming over in the afternoon and bringing some Indian snacks to have with a cup of tea. I made a start on the cleaning, and together with Sophie helping. by lunchtime the downstairs of the house was looking lovely. I had opened the windows to get some fresh air in, even though it's been much colder today. I did not want the house to smell of cat litter!

Vikesh and his parents arrived at 2pm and brought a whole array of savoury foods for us to enjoy. We had pancake rolls, samosas, chickpea balls, spicy bhaji-type things and a delicious, steamed yellow cake that was liberally sprinkled with coriander, and was lovely eaten with chutney.

Both cats behaved beautifully and were happy to be picked up and stroked, which was great. I did wonder if they would run and hide with so many new faces, but they revelled in the attention and Vikesh loved having them on his lap.

Sophie made a delicious masala tea and we had a great afternoon chatting and laughing and getting to know one another. Outside, it was lovely and sunny which warmed up the conservatory so we didn't need to worry about the heating. We are going to have to make some decisions about the cats being out here soon as it will be too cold.

Vikesh and his parents stayed until about 5.30pm and after they'd gone, Sophie and I played cards and relaxed. We ordered a Chinese takeaway for dinner but cut down on everything as we had eaten quite a bit this afternoon!

After our meal, we watched the end of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and I looked up the main actors to see if they were still alive. Unfortunately, they had all passed away even though they were so young and vibrant in 1954. The man who was inside the Creature costume was very handsome, but would have been in his 90s if he were still alive!

Friday the 13th!

On my way to work, I passed Sophie as she was heading home, which was a novelty! She had swapped days and was looking forward to being in the conservatory with the cats!

Our office was lovely and quiet today - we only had Sheila, Kathy, Shirley and myself in so it was lovely and peaceful. An excellent end to a hectic week! I tried to get as much cleared up as I could before Sara returns on Monday.

After work, I headed home to catch the last ten minutes of the Halloween quiz that Sophie was holding. She had made up her face with little spiders and looked suitably scary! She was giving the answers to the quiz and was enjoying herself immensely!

Keith didn't go to the pub this evening, so he was an honorary member of the Girls' Wine Night club. Sophie had suggested watching The Creature from the Black Lagoon because of today's date, so we found it on Amazon and settled down with a glass of white wine and some nibbles to watch. Sophie admitted she had found it hard to work with the cats on the roam today and couldn't believe how many times they had used their litter tray throughout the day! She said it was bliss to sit and relax with the film and know it was the start of the weekend.

It came out in 1954 so was a bit on the silly side and not at all scary! We watched it until we ate dinner but Keith refused to watch it after we'd eaten and I didn't blame him!

New people!

After work today I popped home, changed, and then went to collect my Mum so I could bring her home and introduce her to Gomez and Mooney. She was waiting for me in reception and on the way back I bought some biscuits and cakes in the Co-op to have with a cup of tea.

I was wondering how the cats would react to another person, but Gomez was straight onto her lap for a cuddle. Brilliant!

Gomez on Mum's lap

As you can expect, she was delighted and so was I! Monty would hardly ever sit on our laps and would only relax if we put his blanket down for him to lie on. And then that was only when he got older. We sat and chatted for a while and the cats were loving the attention they were receiving from us. 

Keith came with me to take Mum back and then it was home to sort out the dinner and tidy up. I hoovered and the cats seemed fine with the noise, which was good. They are a bit wary of the television at the moment, but Mooney loves sitting on the windowsill in the conservatory and watching the birds. I have a feeling they are going to love being outside and hunting!

Sophie came home and had had a bad day at work so she was appreciative of the tidy house, the candles lit and the dinner all prepared. She had a drink tonight, bless her and she deserved it!

After dinner, we tried to entice the cats into the living room so they could sit with us as we watched television but they were both a bit wary. Gomez is happy to come in but Mooney is still reluctant so Gomez goes back to keep his brother company!

The kitts! Welcome Gomez and Mooney!

Sophie wasn't working from home today as normal because she's hosting a Halloween quiz this Friday, which is the 13th. Spooky! She had asked us the questions last night when we were sitting in the kitchen and it was brilliant! Her presentation on PowerPoint was great, and we did quite well, although some of the questions were a bit taxing!

She went off to the gym as usual this morning and I managed a lovely lie-in until 8am. Keith and I had decided to set off at 10.30am and go to Jones's before picking the kitts up at 1pm. The weather today has changed from the warm sunny conditions we've had lately, and it was grey and wet when we set out.

We drove to Jones's and I realised we hadn't been for ages. Normally, we visit in August to see if they have the Christmas stuff in (always) so we were expecting lots of seasonal goods on display today. Unfortunately, the buyers at Jones's have gone over to the dark side, and there was hardly anything available for cats... it was all about dogs! Everyone seems obsessed with canines at the moment! There were no cat bowls, only one type of open litter tray and a couple of toys, and that was it! I was very disappointed!

I had a look at the Christmas cards to see if they had my favourite Peter Pauper cards available but even they had disappeared! No wonder we haven't been for such a long time! We paid for the few things we'd bought - a bed, some toys and a fragile litter tray - and decided to pop into the new Lidl at Duston.

We were able to buy a bag of litter in Lidl but there were no cat bowls. I did manage to find a food mat and some treats, but that was it. We had no choice but to go to Pets at Home on Riverside as we were too early to set out for Buckingham.

We should have gone to Pets at Home first, to be honest as they had everything we needed, and more! We bought five food and water bowls, more treats and toys, and a scratching post as I do not want the cats to start scratching the sofa as Monty did!

At about 12pm we set off for Buckingham and decided to try the A508 again. Foolishly, I drove into Roade and discovered the road was closed out of the village. We headed towards the villages of Ashton and Hartwell and followed diversion signs, but we came to a road closure again! It was a good job we'd allowed ourselves plenty of time!

Back onto the A508, we skirted Roade and headed towards Milton Keynes going through multiple roadworks on the way. We arrived at April's house on the dot of 1pm and she led us around the back of her house again. Amazingly, as we went into the shed, the kitts came rushing up miaowing, as if they knew we had come back for them! How lovely!

We put them into the cat carrier (thank goodness we hadn't sold it at a tabletop sale a few years earlier!) and set off for home. They were extremely good and didn't make any fuss at all! As soon as we got home we let them out of the carrier and let them explore at their own pace. I fed them and we put down the litter tray in the conservatory. They seemed to be very happy in there and neither of them tried to hide, which was a good sign.

The rest of the day was spent catching up with the usual chores, so we were very busy, but we managed to find the time to sit with the kitts who were so affectionate! I don't remember Archie and Monty being so relaxed when we first brought them home! We have called the cats Gomez and Mooney and they are proper witch's cats!

I kept Sophie up to date with what they were up to and we can already see their own characters coming through. Mooney is the bigger of the two cats and has three white hairs on his chest. He is more timid and nervous than smaller Gomez who loves exploring and is extremely affectionate. We can see the differences now, which is a relief!

Sophie couldn't wait to get home and see them and we sat in the conservatory with them for cuddlies. They will soon get to know all our cat words, such as "furry bellies", "grub grubs" and "kitts"!

It had been a very busy and hectic day and we decided, foolishly, to cook savoury mince crumble for dinner along with tons of vegetables! Anyway, we managed and also did the shopping list ready for tomorrow. A new litter tray was the top priority as I had already cracked the one we'd bought in Jones's. I'm not looking forward to the litter tray being out for the next 4-5 weeks but they will need to stay in until they get used to the house. I can't wait for the first time they go out into the garden, though, and see them explore!

More expense!

I had a very pleasant day at work and remembered Keith's words of last night, so I called into the garage on the way home and filled my tank with diesel. To fill it up (as it was nearly empty) cost me £90! I think that's the most I've ever paid to fill the tank, but that should last me a few weeks, and to be honest, I can't remember the last time I actually put any diesel in it, it's been so long! Definitely way before the holiday! 

Sophie had finally (after a bit of confusion over email addresses) completed the adoption forms and arranged to pick up the cats tomorrow. Keith and I will have to buy a bed, bowls, litter and a litter tray before we go, so I'm hoping Jones's will have everything we need. With the shock demise of Wilko's, we will have to go to the wholesaler, but I will certainly miss the discount store very much, as it was so useful for things for the garden and bird food.

My shoulder and arm have been a lot better today so it's either the painkillers working or it's getting better! Either way, I'm relieved!

Keith made a delicious curry this evening and then it was another episode of Lupin. We couldn't remember much about the first series so it's a good job we're watching it again!

Back to work

After our busy, but very enjoyable weekend, it was back to work today, and I was exclusively managing the customer service emails as Sara is on holiday all week. 

As I was so busy, the time flew by, and before going home I had a chat with Jo and Kathy for ten minutes. It's always good to have a catch-up after work and sometimes a good moan! 

At home, Sophie said she'd been in touch with the Cat's Protection League office and was trying to arrange for us to pick the cats up on Wednesday when I have a day off. To be honest, I wasn't expecting this to be so soon, and we've had to postpone going to Southampton to see Mike and Abbie again on Sunday as there's no way we can leave them all day on their own. I am very glad we've decided to have two brothers as they can keep each other company, and it'll be just like having Archie and Monty again!

We watched the news with real horror tonight after the happenings in Israel at the weekend. What a start to the decade this is turning out to be. Keith warned me to fill up my car with diesel tomorrow, as he predicts that petrol and diesel prices will rise because of the war.

Tonight was an easy dinner of chicken Kyivk and afterwards,  we started watching Lupin again, right from the start. Series 3 is now available on Netflix, but we had forgotten what happened, so it's right bak to the start!

Yesterday rats, today cats...

We had a relaxed morning with pains au chocolat and coffee for breakfast, and at lunchtime drove over to Buckingham, as we had an appointment to meet two black kittens at 3pm. Sophie popped into Boots on the way (and nearly lost me when I went to park the car) and we took the A508 towards Milton Keynes, as directed by Trish.

However, the A508 was closed because of extensive roadworks so we had to drive back to Blisworth and get onto the A43. It was another beautiful autumn day with warm temperatures and sunshine. Gorgeous! Trish took us off the A43 and through beautiful countryside, and we passed through the village of Maids Moreton, where a recent real-life crime television series was set. 

In Buckingham, we parked the car and went to find a café for lunch. A very popular tea room was full so we headed for another place, but it was full of dogs and children and had loud music playing. We decided to have a Subway sandwich, which was a great choice, and it was great to sit in the quiet seating area and enjoy our lunch.

Sophie had wanted to go a bit earlier to have a look around some charity shops, but everything was closed. We wandered back towards the car park as there were a couple of cafés there, and we wanted to pop into Waitrose. We spotted a wine shop, and just had to go in! 

I was so glad we did, as the man running it was French and came from Chinon in the Loire so we had the loveliest chat about wine and France for a good half an hour. He had some beautiful wines from all over France, including a Montlouis sparkling wine, and we said we'd been to Vacqueyras only two weeks before. We both bought a bottle of wine, and Sophie chose two Belgian beers for Keith. The shop (a Cavavin franchise) reminded me very much of Duncan's shop in Market Harborough and had some out-of-the-ordinary spirits, as well as Port and different beers.

After our wine buying, we treated ourselves to a glass of wine at a bar opposite, and it was bliss to sit in the sunshine and enjoy our tipple. It felt more like July or August rather than October!

After a quick visit to Waitrose where Sophie treated a homeless man to a sandwich and a drink, bless her, we drove to the house where our future kittens were staying until they found a home. April, the foster carer met us and directed us around to the back of the house where she had an enormous garden, with large ponds full of Koi carp. Right at the back were sheds housing numerous cats resembling a professional cattery. She took us in and the two back kittens, whom she'd named Danny and Blake, came right up to the front of the run and seemed excited to meet us!

I think this was Gomez

We stayed for half an hour chatting with April and cuddling the exceptionally friendly cats. Both were black, with no markings at all, so goodness knows how we'll tell them apart! We decided to take them and arranged with April to contact the local Cat's Protection League office to sort out the payment (£90 each) and the adoption papers. The cats would be vaccinated, neutered, chipped and wormed before we welcomed them home, so the fee was very reasonable.

We felt very excited and drove home via the A508 and the A5, heading back onto the A43 at Towcester. This whole area is a nightmare at the moment with lots of roadworks going on so the journey back to collect the cats will be fun!

Back home we relaxed and Keith cooked the last barbecue of the year! We forgot that it now gets dark at 7pm so he grilled the food in the garage opening with a portable light! It may have been the last, but it was one of the best!

A Fancy rat show...

Some time ago, Sophie came home and told us about a colleague at work who kept and showed rats. She said there was a show taking place in Nottinghamshire in October and she was going to take Vikesh as a bit of a joke. Throughout their relationship, she has always called him a rat, and he was so fed up with it that he threatened to reduce the money he intended to spend on her for her birthday and Christmas presents. Every time she called him a rat, he deducted £1 from his spend!

I asked to go with them as I couldn't wait to see his face, so today was the day! She had kept Vikesh in the dark about the day out, sending him into a frenzy as he imagined all sorts taking place!

We picked him up at about 10am and set off up the A14 and the M1 towards Nottinghamshire. Halfway along the M1, we all came to a halt for no obvious reason, but as we started up again, we could see the left lane was completely given over to motorbikes... there were hundreds of them! There were so many of them I had trouble getting into the filter lane to turn off the M1!

Once off the motorway we bypassed Loughborough and headed towards the village of Normanton-on-Soar. Vikesh was becoming more and more apprehensive! The countryside was beautiful and very soon we came to the village. As we passed the sign we saw the village hall and outside was the sign - Rat Show here today!

It all became clear and, to his credit, Vikesh took it very well indeed! He posed for a photo with the sign and I think he was relieved it wasn't anything like sky-diving or deep-sea diving!

We went into the village hall and met Sophie's friend from work who had brought several of her rats to the show, and also a couple that we could hold!

It was great to wander about, looking at the rats and talking to them. They were very inquisitive and kept poking their noses through the bars of their cages. Apparently, they make great pets, and are very clean, but only live to about 2 years!

We asked Sophie's friend lots and lots of questions and I found it all fascinating. However, I'm definitely not going to get any! You have to have them in twos or threes as they're such sociable animals.

We stayed for about an hour and then had a lovely wander to The Plough, about a five-minute walk away. We saw a magnificent Horse Chestnut tree on the village green and we couldn't resist looking for conkers!

The Plough was quiet when we arrived but it soon filled up with lunchtime diners. We chose some bread and olives to start, along with samosas, followed by fish and chips for me (in honour of Keith), chicken for Sophie and hake fillet for Vikesh.

The Plough is a lovely pub set on the banks of the River Soar and we could see a narrow boat moored up on the river. It was a gorgeous, warm day and although the morning had been a bit overcast, the sun made an appearance in the afternoon. It was a bonus day and lots of people were making the most of the good weather by sitting in the pub garden and soaking up the sunshine and warmth. Let's make the most of it while we can!

The food was very good and it was lovely to linger over our lunch and chat about the rats! None of us had room for dessert, so after a quick wander down to the water's edge, we walked back to the village hall to collect the car.

On the way home Sophie fancied an ice cream so we came off the M1 at junction 20 and headed through the villages of Walcote and South Kilworth looking for, ideally, a farm shop! However, there was nothing and one place, that looked promising, wasn't open until the 14th. It was a pumpkin pick-your-own with a shop and café but we were too early!

We eventually ended up at Beckworth and I bought ice cream tubs for us. We went and sat in the sunshine outside and I looked at several beautiful olive trees, with hefty price tags! Amazingly, Vikesh's brother and sister-in-law were at Beckworth, with his sister-in-law's sister and husband (phew!) so we all met to say hello and I was introduced to the family. There was lots of hugging!

We took Vikesh home and we were invited to meet his parents, who were absolutely lovely. They were stunned about the rat show and we had a great laugh about Vikesh's reaction!

Sophie and I returned home and relaxed after our very busy day! We decided not to play Scrabble as it hurt my shoulder (for some reason) to sit at the kitchen island. Dinner this evening was cheese and biscuits accompanied by Celebrity Race Across the World. A perfect end to a lovely day!

So glad it's Friday!

I was so relieved that today was Friday and the weekend was beckoning! I had lots to do at work today, so the time flew by, thank goodness! I'm hoping that a weekend away from a computer and mouse will help my arm and shoulder!

When I arrived home, I sat and watched an episode of The Vintage French Farmhouse which was filmed in Provence. It was lovely to see the gorgeous countryside that we'd travelled through only a few weeks ago.

Keith went to the pub in the evening, and Sophie and I opened a beautiful bottle of red wine (Pepper Box) and watched Grand Designs. It was a lovely thought that we had some great things planned this weekend to look forward to!

This weekend we're all set for higher temperatures and sunshine so the summer we didn't get in July and August has arrived now! It's mad! Having said that, a few years ago, I can remember one Halloween being about 23c!

Totting up the cost!

I drove myself this morning as I was taking Mum to have her nails done straight after work and I have to admit to feeling a slight twinge as I drove. Perhaps all the driving I did has taken its toll a bit, or maybe because I was tense, I hurt the muscles in my back?

Work was fine, and at 2pm I dashed off to Kettering to collect Mum, who was waiting for me in reception. Hooray! We sped back to Northampton and I sat with Mum while she was attended to. I nearly fell asleep!

When we were finished we drove into Moulton and I picked some things up in the Co-op that she needed, as well as going to the chemist and buying some freeze spray for my shoulder. I have spent a small fortune on painkillers! I estimate I've spent around £80 on various painkillers and things to help! Added to that are the lost hours (my Thursday hours are overtime). This is something I could definitely have done without!

I called at home after the Co-op and Keith came with me to take my Mum back. We sped home again and started on the dinner, but when Sophie arrived home she said she would prepare and cook the chicken pasta bake, and I was only too happy to agree! It was delicious!

Seeking expert help!

Today has felt like a "non-day" as I had a physiotherapist appointment at about 1.30pm, so right in the middle of the day. I tentatively suggested going out into the garden to cut the front verge, and I was shouted down by Keith and Sophie, who said I would be mad to do that! Hmmm!

So I've pootled about and not achieved very much at all! At 1pm, I took myself off to the surgery and within minutes of arriving went through to see the very young physio. He did a lot of manipulation and asked lots of questions, but he didn't seem to think my condition was serious. It was serious to me! I asked about stronger pain relief and he said he'd talk to the doctor and text me.

He gave me some exercises to do and that was it! On the way home I met Sophie who was also heading to the surgery for an appointment with the physio for her knee which has been hurting her for quite some time and has stopped her from doing various classes at the gym.

I did at least tidy one of the cupboards at home and Keith and I did the list for shopping, so that was something, but woefully short of all the jobs that are waiting to be done, with gardening very high on the list of priorities!

Sophie cooked again tonight and made a delicious paella with enough left over for lunch tomorrow!

Changing my mind

I initially texted Sara at 7am this morning to say I wouldn't be at work today as the pain in my shoulder and arm was bad before I'd even got into work, but by 9am I felt a lot better. Keith had been shopping and when he got back I said I was going in for 10am. I drove, but he came with me as I doubted I'd get a space at that time of the morning.

I had so much to do at work, and the thought of sitting at home all day again and watching television was horrible. My arm did hurt in the afternoon, but I managed to get a lot done, thank goodness.

I had ordered a massager from Amazon and it arrived just after I got in from work. I'm hoping it will ease out the knots in my back and neck! Keith can also use it on his feet so I'm sure it will come in useful!

Sophie went out for a meal with Daisy and Laura this evening and Keith and I had our guilty pleasure dinner - sausage, egg and chips. It doesn't hurt every once in a while, and all the ingredients were lovely quality!

With Sophie out, we watched an episode about the hunt for the Nazis after the second world war and Annika, set in Scotland, so pretty serious stuff this evening. I fell asleep waiting for Sophie to come home, and as she'd only gone to The Telegraph pub in Moulton, she wasn't late. Hooray!

Pain, pain, go away!

This horrible pain has not gone away with a day's rest yesterday, and my arm hurt all day at work. I was pretty fed up at the end of my shift, especially because the painkillers hadn't worked.

The weather was cloudy and dull when Keith picked me up and it started to rain heavily in the evening. Sophie and I sat and watched James Martin's Spanish Adventure which was perfection because:

1)    We had a fantastic storm raging outside

2)    I was enjoying a whisky and ginger ale

3)    The programme was about food

4)     The programme was about travel

5)    Someone else was cooking dinner

At times, we paused the programme so we could watch the lightning outside and listen to the thunder boom all around us. Every now and again the rain became torrential, and we opened the windows so we could listen to it.

Keith cooked chicken pie for dinner tonight using a sauce from a jar, but I wished he'd made his own gravy like he normally does. There wasn't a great deal of taste! 

A Greek treat!

I had a disturbed night's sleep again and vowed to go and buy some co-codamol today to deal with the pain. I was sitting downstairs at midnight with a bag of frozen peas on my shoulder. Not really what I want to do on a Saturday night!

The pain did ease a little this morning so I foolishly changed the bedding on our bed and did some housework, meaning that once I'd finished it was aching again. It's like toothache in my arm! Sophie spent the morning tidying up and hoovering as Vikesh was coming over in the afternoon to make a red velvet cake with her and also to bring us some Greek food for lunch. He had bought gyros, a wrap stuffed with salad, chicken, tzatziki and chips!

We sat in the kitchen and ate the delicious food and became covered in sauce! There was no elegant way of eating the wraps! Once we'd finished, Keith and I went over to Tesco at Kettering and I made straight for the pharmacy and bought a box of co-codamol. I am really hoping they will help at night because however I lie in bed, it's not comfortable.

Back home, Sophie was up to her elbows in flour so we left them both to it and relaxed on the sofa. Keith was engrossed in the golf, and I have to admit to watching it as well. Of course, I was rooting for Europe to win!

Later in the afternoon I gave in to the nap and went upstairs to lie down for half an hour. All of these disturbed nights are catching up with me. We should all be raring to go after our two-week holiday but we all feel shattered! 

On Wednesday I had expressed interest in a cat that was looking for a home with the Cats' Protection League, but we found out today that she had already been reserved. She was a pretty little thing but maybe we're better off getting a male cat? I have had more affectionate male cats than females. Anyway, we're not giving up and I think we're ready for another little furry companion!

Keith was supposed to cook chicken pie this evening, but what with the Greek wrap and a slice of red velvet cake, we couldn't face a big meal, so we've postponed it until tomorrow. 

We therefore had a very relaxed evening and the new tablets seem to be working. I just want a good night's sleep!