An unexpected treat!

Sophie and I went to Market Harborough today after spending some of the morning watching Saturday Morning Kitchen, where the great Bob Mortimer was the guest celebrity.

I was allowed to drive Olive and we parked easily before walking into the town and stopping for a coffee at a café we'd never been to before, Two Old Goats. I said to Sophie that I'm an old goat, being a Capricorn, and we had a lovely coffee sitting outside.

Sophie stopped a woman who was walking past with her baby in a pram to say how much she loved her white dress, and it was indeed beautiful. The woman seemed happy to chat and said the dress was from ME+EM, a brand both of us recognised, and which was worn by the wife of our current PM.

After our coffee, we did the rounds of the charity shops and Sophie bought an array of lovely tops. She always gets lucky! I bought two candles and a book for Keith!

At 2pm we had a lunchtime reservation at Casa Nostra and sat in the window. We ordered chicken tenders and garlic bread to start, followed by a spicy chicken pizza and a bowl of French fries to share. I was astounded at the price of a glass of Rosé which was £9, so we had an Aperol Spritz each instead. The prices of drinks are getting silly now, and it's no wonder pubs are going bust left, right and centre!

We managed to find room for pud and we both chose panna cotta, which was delicious!

I love creamy desserts!

We paid the bill and decided to shop a little longer, visiting Waterstones where Sophie bought a book. My daughter is now an avid reader, which is fantastic, and I love recommending books for her to read. She bought A.S. Byatt's Possession which I read years ago almost in one sitting!

We returned to the car and I suggested going to Lamport Hall where an art exhibition was starting at 4pm. We drove back and joined a queue of cars all heading into the parkland. We didn't know what to expect; I'd had a notification on Facebook about the event and it looked interesting.

We parked the car and joined throngs of people walking into the stableyard of the stately home. Before we went in we were asked if we wanted a free glass of Prosecco? Er, definitely!

The stables at Lamport are beautiful and regular craft and antique fairs are held there. The art exhibition starts properly tomorrow and lasts until the 29th of September. We had stumbled upon the launch which was free to everybody and included the free fizz and nibbles. What an unexpected treat!

We strolled around sipping our fizz and admiring some of the beautiful works on display. There were paintings, jewellery, pottery, furniture and outdoor sculpture, and I saw the most gorgeous upcycled cocktail cabinet that ticked every box for me, except it was priced at £995!

Cheers to art!

I saw two beautiful photographs of local scenes that I was tempted to buy, but maybe we will come back and have another look before the exhibition ends. Obviously, we weren't tempted by the food on offer and after nearly an hour of looking around, we made our way back to the car admiring Lamport Hall itself.

One of the outdoor sculptures

Back home, Sophie pootled about and washed her new tops. We both enjoyed French Martinis and I suggested watching an 80s thriller. Keith made himself dinner and sat in the kitchen while we chose. I'd made a list of suggestions but the one we chose wasn't available anywhere, so Sophie said she'd love to see Jagged Edge again. Well, anything with Jeff Bridges in is fine with me, so we watched that! A great end to a lovely day!

Phew! It's Friday!

I had a busy shift at work today and I was thankful that Angela came in to cover for Sharon so I could concentrate on the emails. I also managed to input the October half-term playscheme places, so parents can book well ahead and get organised. Before we know it, the next holiday will be upon us!

At 4pm, I sped home and tidied the house so we could relax before dinner with a glass of Provencal Rosé. Our viewing choice this evening was The Other Woman, a film from 2014 starring Cameron Diaz. It was a great Friday evening rom-com that we both enjoyed!

Keith's friend John is away at the moment, so he didn't go to the pub this evening and cooked us a delicious chicken curry instead.

I noted in the newspaper that the 2024/2025 storm names have been published. They are:

Ashley, Bert, Conall, Darragh, Eowyn, Floris, Gerben, Hugo, Izzy, James, Kayleigh, Lewis, Mavis, Naoise, Otje, Poppy, Rafi, Sayuri, Tilly, Vivienne and Wren.

I've noticed in the past that the most innocuous-sounding names produce the worst storms... it'll be interesting to see what Bert, Mavis and Poppy are like!

An unexpected day off...

Last night, Keith persuaded me to take him to the GP surgery in Guilsborough today, where he had an appointment to see a physiotherapist about his leg. I was happy to let Sara know I wouldn't be in (Thursdays are classed as overtime so if I don't work, I don't get paid), and we set off for the rural practice at about 9am.

It was a beautiful day, and the countryside was stunning, even though it's now almost Autumn and the vibrant summer colours are beginning to fade. I sat in the waiting room while Keith was seen, and he came out with sheets of exercises he had to complete.

We went straight over to Kettering to do our shopping but popped into Costa first for a coffee. Keith hobbled about again, leaning on the trolley for support and we were soon heading home. I went back out again to see my Mum and Dad, so I could be home at about 2.30pm when I usually finish on a Thursday.

Yesterday, the care home called to ask if I could arrange for my Mum to have her ears syringed as she had a build-up of wax. Apparently, GP surgeries no longer perform this procedure, so I had to Google clinics in the area that do. Specsavers in Northampton do it, or BUPA in Milton Keynes, but eventually I booked her an appointment at the Ear Clinic in Northampton for next week. They charge £55! I'd already bought some ear drops in Tesco, so I gave those to her with the strict instructions to put some in her ears every day to soften the wax. I'm hoping that having her ears sorted out will help her to hear me better when I phone! My Mum always used to complain about my Nan being deaf and now the same thing is happening to her!

Back home, I pootled about and did the usual chores before Sophie came home. We cooked gammon steaks for dinner this evening and I served them with roast potatoes and peas. A proper pub meal!

After dinner, Sophie and I watched Celebrity Race Across the World, and it made me realise how easy it is for me to keep in touch with Mike in Thailand. I can see him on Find My iPhone and he can message me on WhatsApp for free (as long as he logs onto the wifi wherever he is). When I went to Nepal in 1987, I called my parents once to let them know I was there safely, and once more to ask them to send £60 so I could take part in another trip! That was it!

A day of domesticity.

Keith and I had arranged a boiler service today (such excitement), and the engineer arrived at 10am. I was upstairs doing battle with our super king duvet and sweating buckets when Keith called up to ask if I'd make the engineer a coffee... I won't repeat what I said here.

When I ventured downstairs, there was a dust haze everywhere, and after the engineer departed, I noticed that I could draw pretty patterns in the dust on the kitchen floor... This meant that everything had to be cleaned and the cats' bowls emptied of biscuits. There was black dust all along the skirting boards and up the walls, so I was not pleased.

As well as cleaning the kitchen and mopping the floor, we did the shopping list, and I cleaned out the fridge. Lurking in the bottom of the vegetable compartment was a rotten cucumber, which had leaked horrible liquid everywhere. Wasn't I having a fun day?!

I also did mounds of laundry but didn't put it on the line to dry as the weather was unsettled, with rain threatening to fall several times throughout the day. By 4pm I was pooped so allowed myself the last episode of Marcus Wareing in Provence and a sit-down!

Keith and I played cards again in the evening with a drink before Sophie cooked dinner. Keith had prepared meat and vegetables earlier in the day and we enjoyed beef in a black bean sauce with noodles and prawn crackers.

After dinner, Sophie and Keith watched Newcastle play Nottingham Forest while I sat on the computer listening to music. I had earphones in so I couldn't hear the shouting!

The joy of music

One of the things I look forward to the most when we travel by car on holiday is listening to music. Years ago, when I drove abroad with my parents, we listened to Roxy Music's Flesh and Blood Album, and Boz Scaggs' Middle Man. The tracks on those albums can immediately transport me back to France in the 1980s!

Sophie has Spotify, so she can pick virtually any track she wants to play and we make the most of her subscription. We play the songs in the kitchen when we're relaxing with a drink and sometimes on normal car journeys if we're driving a fair distance.

When we drove to Spain in 2022, we made our "Summer Spanish playlist" and we add to it whenever we feel a song suits. For posterity's sake, I have listed most of the tracks here, and I'll admit that 90% of the bands/singers I had never heard of before, and apart from the obvious ones, they're definitely not songs you'd hear on Radio 2 (or even Radio 1!). Sophie usually hears about them on TikTok and they all fill me with joy and bring back happy memories!

Here are my favourites:

• Tame Impala - Breathe Deeper (my absolute favourite; it was playing when we approached the Pyrenees in 2022 and I swear I had a spiritual experience!)
• Bad Bad Not Good - Time Moves Slow
• Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar (we love a bit of Harry!)
• Big Words - TTYDTM
• Harry Styles - Golden
• Rosewood Swing - Lately
• Ace - How Long
• Sault - Masterpiece
• Dre'es - Warm
• The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
• Her's - What Once Was
• John Mayer - Carry Me Away
• John Mayer - Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
• Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Falling Thunder
• Erykah Badu - Didn't Cha Know
• Sonder - Too Fast
• Steve Lacey - N Side (just sublime)
• Litany - Bedroom
• Essence (Feat. Tems) - Wizkid
• Kali Uchis - I Wish You Roses
• Grimes - Oblivion
• Movement - Like Lust
• Turnover - Dizzy on the Comedown
• Mac Ayres - Sunny & 62
• Bad Bunny - Efecto (Keith calls him Horrible Hare)
• Harry Styles - Lights Up
• John Mayer - Love On The Weekend
• Harry Styles - Adore You
• Steve Lacey - Bad Habit
• Giveon - Garden Kisses
• Harry Styles - Cherry
• Talking Heads - This Must  Be The Place (Naive Melody)
• Steve Lacey - C U Girl
• Grimes - Genesis
• Mac de Marco - Chamber of Reflection
• LeRoyce - Fallback
• Mac de Marco - For The First Time
• Mac de Marco - One More Love Song (in the top 5 of favourites)
• Mac de Marco - On The Level
• Swim  Deep - Orange County
• Swim Deep - Honey
• Swim Deep - She Changes The Weather (brings back memories of driving home with Sophie from the gym years ago!)
• Kali Uchis - Moonlight
• Astral Projection - Yumi Zouma
• SZA - Sweet November (sweet memories of driving to Pals Beach and lunch..."Remember me for who I was, not who I am...)
• The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
• Bakar - Hell N Back
• John Mayer - Heartbreak Warfare
• Surf Bagel - Good Days
• Men I Trust - Show Me How
• Santana - Europa
• Lana del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club
• Santana - Dance Sister Dance
• SZA - Saturn
• Tame Impala - Borderline
• Santana - Black Magic Woman
• Soul II Soul - Keep On Moving... of course!

This list may be updated! All of the above can be found on YouTube. Enjoy!

Remembering!

I was dreading today's shift as I normally loathe Tuesdays, but the time passed very pleasantly, and quickly, as I had so much to do. I needed to start up our children's clubs again after the school holidays, and I had to get in quick as some of them coincided with our booking process, which allows our members to book in advance. Luckily, nothing had been booked and I could slot them in!

I answered all the emails, did a lot of admin and helped with calls. Before I knew it, it was time to pop off home! It's been warm today and it was registering 28c when I drove home. I keep hearing about a last heatwave before Autumn approaches, but I don't want a repeat of last September when temperatures reached the 30s! 

Back home, I decided to re-pot the little orchid we were given last year when we'd had to deal with some horrible calls. It has grown well, so I wanted to pop it into a bigger pot. I had a bag of orchid compost and a pot so I re-planted it and stood it in a bowl of water. Hopefully, we'll soon have some more flowers!

Before dinner, Keith and I played cards and we listened to music. Every morning, when I drive to work, I listen to Radio 2 and the 7.33 (three linked songs chosen by listeners with a theme) on Zoe Ball's show. One of them today was Fools Gold by The Stone Roses, and I thought it was a great addition to our Spanish Summer Playlist. I asked Sophie to play it and went on for nearly ten minutes!

Dinner was an easy chicken Kyiv with assorted vegetables and after we'd eaten Keith and I watched Channel 4's Britain's Most Beautiful Road about the NC500 (the North Coast 500) in Scotland. Funnily enough, Keith and I did this ages ago in the late 1980s when it certainly wasn't as popular as today. We drove from Inverness up to John O'Groats, across to Ullapool, staying there for a night in a tawdry hotel, and then down to Skye. I remember lunch in a scruffy place in Scrabster where I tasted marinated herrings for the first time, lots of peat bogs and spectacular scenery, and Russian trawlers in the bay at Ullapool. There were no artisan businesses (if there were, we missed them!) and posh food vans selling lobster and venison! Just a lot of empty roads and the occasional sheep! I really wish I'd written a diary back then! Looking at Google Maps now, it seems incredible that we drove so far in one day, but then that's nothing unusual for us!

Locking problems!

Even though I didn't need to be at work until 9am today, I was still awake at 6.15am! Typical! I did enjoy a cup of coffee in the peace and quiet, though!

I left the house while Keith and Sophie grappled with the new registration plates for Olive, and enjoyed the empty roads on the way to work. I wish it was like this every day! When I parked the car it wouldn't lock... sometimes this happens if the driver's door is not closed properly, but all the doors were firmly shut. I tried again and again, but the car refused to lock. I couldn't believe it! As I stood there, my colleague Jo arrived with her husband, and they were as perplexed as I was!

In the end, I was forced to call Sophie, but she said they were still attaching the new plates, so I'd have to wait. I was furious with the situation and couldn't leave the car in case it was stolen! I had a suspicion there was another way to lock the car with the key itself instead of the fob, so I went onto YouTube and put my question into the search engine. Within a minute, I'd discovered that the driver's door handle has a removable cover. Take that off and you can access the keyhole. Phew! I managed to lock the car and sped into the office where Jo was setting up the wallboard.

I had intended to get in early, turn everything on and then get a coffee, but I had five minutes to rush around like a headless chicken before the phone lines opened! Luckily, we had a slow start and the rest of the shift was pleasant and relaxed. I did all the box office returns and managed to deal with all the customer service emails, so I was chuffed! I was dreading a busy, hectic shift, but the weather certainly helped today as it was dry and sunny.

After my shift, I managed to unlock the VW but the alarm went off! I hastily put the key in the ignition and it stopped, thank goodness! Back home, Sophie had just returned from a walk with Vikesh and Keith was itching to go and do the shopping... wonderful! I had visions of pottering about this afternoon and enjoying the sunshine.

In the end, all three of us went to Tesco at Kettering and Sophie and I replaced the batteries in both of our key fobs at the Timpson outlet as her keys had been playing up as well! We joined Keith, did the shopping and then drove home to relax.

We played cards for half an hour before Sophie cooked the Malaysian curry we should have had last night. It was lovely - aromatic and coconutty. Delicious!

Bon Voyage!

Sophie and I collected Mike and Abbie this morning at 11am and drove them down to Heathrow's Terminal 4 for their flight to Bangkok.

The weather was much better today so we drove down the M1 in sunshine. The traffic was heavy but we made good progress until we neared Slough on the M25, where we crawled along. I had estimated we'd get to the airport at just after 12pm but with the traffic, we didn't get there until 12.45pm. They were still in good time for their flight at 4pm, but there was no reason for the hold-up, so it must just have been down to how heavy the traffic was.

We dropped them off at the terminal, had a couple of good hugs and they were off on their adventures! From Bangkok, they're going to Cambodia and Vietnam and I hope they have a brilliant time exploring these beautiful countries.

Sophie and I set off back the way we'd come and called into a petrol station to use the facilities. There was only one female loo, and I have no idea what the occupant was doing in there because, after about ten minutes of waiting, we gave up.

We decided to head home via the M40 and I asked Sophie to look at motorway services. She said there was one just as we joined the motorway at Beaconsfield. This proved to be a popular place as we had to queue to get into the services and the amount of people was staggering!

There were several restaurants to choose from, but we opted for McDonald's and sat with hundreds of other people munching our lunch. I could see that a lot of people were either returning from or going on holiday and there was a busy, buzzy atmosphere. We popped into M&S to buy some chocolate and then returned to the car.

The rest of the journey was smooth and easy and we arrived home at about 3pm. I sat in the kitchen and read the weekend newspapers, and Sophie started making preparations for a Malaysian curry. The weather had become cloudy outside with a hint of rain. Well, it is a Bank Holiday weekend!

In the end, we decided not to have the curry this evening as I was still full from my lunch so it was bliss to veg out in front of the television with a glass of a gorgeous fizz called Montlouis from the Loire, and watch two episodes of Celebrity Race Across the World!

Sophie and the Moon Bums

Montlouis fizz and Comté cheese

A strange coincidence!

We awoke to grey skies and rain this morning, so it was lovely to have a relaxed start to the weekend. We had a couple of coffees and watched Saturday Morning Kitchen as the rain steadily fell outside. The gardens do need it, though!

We also managed to get a lot done, travel-wise. Sophie and I put all of our advanced passenger information into our bookings, took out annual travel insurance and I bought a year's worth of breakdown cover. We also chose an Airbnb for our journey home from Provence, in a Burgundy village. Let's hope there's space in the boot for wine! I also signed up for an account with the Dartford Bridge crossings so the fee will be taken automatically from one of my payment cards whenever we travel.

In the afternoon we went over to Halfords at Kettering to collect Sophie's new registration plates. The process to put them onto her car was easy and we were able to do this online. I remember, when I put my plates onto the Audi, I had to go to a building in Northampton and fill out all the forms, but then it was a while ago!

After Halfords, we ventured into Tesco and did a little shopping and then it was home to relax. We took the scenic route and the heavens opened again as we drove home. By now it was early evening so Sophie made us both a Negroni and we sat at the kitchen island with Keith and played cards.

We were talking about our travels and Keith mentioned the Airbnb in Normandy, and how we'd scorched the wall behind the log burner. I decided to have a look at the photos I had taken when we arrived to check the wall because I thought the mark was there when we arrived, and I was astonished to see a photograph of a bottle of red wine that Sophie and I enjoyed on the first evening...

This is the village we're staying in, in Provence! How weird is that! I hadn't even realised when we booked it!

Keith and Sophie carried on playing cards while I cooked dinner. Sophie was supposed to have been out for a late lunch with Vikesh and his family, but she had changed her mind so she was cooking leftover pasta from the freezer. We had bought steak for dinner, and the plan had been to barbecue it, but the weather outside wasn't really suitable for a barbecue, so I said I would cook it. I had seen Marcus Wareing cooking steak simply and I wanted to give it a try!

I'd already put potatoes into the oven to roast, and we popped mushrooms, black pudding and onion rings under the grill. I massaged olive oil into the steaks, seasoned them and left them to come up to room temperature before putting them into a hot frying pan. They didn't take long and after flipping them and then rendering the thin line of fat along the edges, I let them rest before we ate.

Keith was impressed with my cooking and the steaks were delicious. They were still pink but the outsides were lovely and brown. My potatoes - if I may say so myself - were a thousand times better than the soggy efforts I had last week at The White Swan! Crispy on the outside and fluffy within. Delicious! We drank a Californian red called Big Sur with the meal and it was lovely and very drinkable.

After we'd eaten we watched A Perfect Murder starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow, a re-make of Dial M For Murder. It was brilliant!

A long and tiring Friday!

Today has been long and tiring. I had a busy shift at work, putting on more films until the end of September, and changing the prices, answering all the emails, and taking calls to help the girls. I also finished the moan report! Yippeee!

Things came to a head with Sharon today, though, as she was constantly off the phone on "admin". Poor Kathy kept taking calls and became a bit irritated, so she asked Sharon why she wasn't back on the phone. Sharon said she was writing an email, so I chimed in and said that we have to do that in between calls! We don't have the luxury of logging off every time we write an email, otherwise none of us would ever take a call! Before we had our present system installed, we had a ten-second pause before taking the next call and we all learnt that we could do quite a bit in that short time! I don't think she was very happy, but the honeymoon period is now firmly over and she has to do her bit to help!

Keith had driven me to work today as we were going straight to Stansted to pick up Mike and Abbie. I consulted Apple Maps, and the app said the best way to get to the airport was to drive to the A14 via the A45. I think today and tomorrow were expected to be extremely busy on the roads as people take a last holiday before the schools return, so the traffic was heavy. 

We crawled between Rushden Lakes and the new, super-complicated Chowns Mill roundabout, and then to the A14. Once on the A14, we made good time and we were soon on the M11. We'd arranged to meet Mike and Abbie at the mid-stay parking as we had an hour free, so we called them and said we were about twenty-five minutes away.

Just as I ended the call, we saw a bad accident on the northbound carriageway, and the police had held up the traffic. The poor people caught up in the queues were standing outside of their cars and chatting while leaning against the central reservation (I wouldn't have done that as we were still thundering past going south!). The queues were horrendous, and at the next junction, the police were taking all the vehicles off so they didn't add to the congestion.

We were OK going south until we started to crawl as well, and we had no idea why. I had to call Mike again and say we were held up and the slow traffic added another twenty minutes to our journey. 

We spotted Mike and Abbie at a bus stop in the mid-stay parking, and within minutes we were on our way home. We decided, obviously, to go home via the M25 and M1 and I was so glad we'd gone the other way first as we wouldn't have known about the hold-ups on the M11 northbound.

Predictably, the traffic was busy, especially on the M25 where there were roadworks. We made it back to Northampton at 8pm and dropped Mike and Abbie off at Abbie's Dad's house. Sophie had taken care of the chilli con carne for dinner, and we were able to sit and relax with a drink before eating at about 9pm.

After we'd eaten we stayed up later than normal and watched a great documentary about the film, Brief Encounter. It was very interesting!

Rushing about again!

I had a busy shift at work today and can't quite believe that we only have a week and a bit of the school holidays left. The time has flown by!

At 2pm, I drove home and went out again with Keith to do our shopping at Aldi and Tesco. I spotted our "new" next-door neighbour in Aldi (the woman who lives behind us) with her two daughters, and I felt a twinge of sadness that we don't speak (I don't think she even recognised us). When I think of the great neighbours we've had in the past, and the sociable times we've had with them, it does make me feel a bit nostalgic.

Poor Keith hobbled around both Aldi and Tesco, leaning on the trolley for support, and we bought everything we needed. All except for washing up liquid, which we had completely run out of! I had to ask Sophie to pick up a bottle in Waitrose on her way home!

After putting all the shopping away, I made the porridges for tomorrow, prepared our lunches and peeled the vegetables for dinner. I was then able to sit down with a glass of wine and watch the penultimate episode of Marcus Wareing in Provence. What a treat!

Sophie went out for a meal with Laura this evening, to their usual haunt, The Rose and Crown at Yardley Hastings. I helped Keith cook dinner and, after we'd eaten, we watched the last episode of a three-part series about a man who was a convicted bigamist and conman. He'd left a string of broken-hearted women behind him and about ten children (that they know of). The terrible thing is that he'll be out of prison in the US in a few years, and will no doubt start all over again!

Sophie returned home at about 10.30pm, we had a chat and then it was off to bed. I am so glad tomorrow is Friday!

Rushing about!

I had an appointment at 11.30am to collect my new glasses from Boots Opticians, and I'd arranged to see my friend Lynda afterwards to wish her a happy 70th birthday. I was all done in Boots within ten minutes and shopped for my friend's birthday in Tesco. 

I texted Sophie to ask if she could sign Lynda's card and she said she'd be free at 1pm. I sat in Costa with a coffee and whiled away the time, but Sophie said she could see me earlier so I whizzed down to Brackmills.

Sophie wanted me to go into her office, which was lovely and I met some of her colleagues. Her office was airy and quiet, with a big kitchen and seating areas where staff could relax. In a few months, they're planning a move upstairs so we had a look at that, I said goodbye to her colleagues (and a dog!) and I drove to Cogenhoe to see Lynda.

As it was such a lovely day, we sat in the garden with a cup of tea and chatted. She was thrilled with her gifts from us - flowers, English sparking Rosé and a scented candle in a gorgeous deep blue glass jar. We caught up with each other's news, but at 2pm I had to dash off as I was seeing my Mum.

I drove home, said a quick hello to Keith, and sped over to Kettering. I had to persuade Mum to go shopping with me, but she agreed, so it was off to Tesco again! We had a drink in Costa and I whizzed about the store, choosing dinner for tonight and tomorrow. I am so missing Keith being able to do this as I hate shopping! We are going to have to go together tomorrow afternoon as we are fast running out of essentials!

After our shopping, I dropped Mum back and drove home and did all the usual chores that I so enjoy on a Wednesday evening! 

Excitement at work!

I managed to get on top of a lot of the emails yesterday, so it was less frenetic today. Halfway through the morning, one of the duty managers came in and said that a car had somehow become embedded in the wall of the church building next door to us. He had sped through our car park and slammed into the wall and there were police, fire engines and the air ambulance in attendance! How he managed to avoid killing or injuring someone was a miracle, especially as he had entered a pedestrian area! 

Unfortunately, he had to be cut out of his vehicle, and as that was happening, the heavens opened and we had a torrential downpour of rain so that was weird!

Our MD was in today and was very chatty, talking to me about France, which provided a few minutes of pleasant interlude while answering the emails! I can't quite believe we'll be back in one of my favourite countries in less than six weeks!

It was great to finish at 4pm and speed home. There, I discovered that the review I'd written about The White Swan on Sunday had been published on Trip Advisor, and it hadn't gone down well with the owners, Will and Jason, who had written a reply. They asked why I hadn't swapped my roast beef for something else - because the place was heaving and I didn't fancy waiting another half an hour for a meal while Keith and Sophie scoffed theirs - and wrote in capital letters: WE DO NOT SERVE FROZEN SUNDAY ROASTS! They also said my "comments about frozen food are quite odd". The lady doth protest too much, methinks!

Another reviewer had stated that the Sunday roast was the worst he'd ever eaten, and they didn't reply to that! 

Cobbled together!

It was a horrible feeling being woken up at 6am this morning and facing a new week. I had enjoyed my time off but all good things come to an end!

I think Sheila and Sara were glad to see me back, and I spent the first two hours sending the box office returns figures to the various film distributors. They had emailed me asking where they were as I always send everything through on Friday morning, and Sheila had been too busy with her own work to send them.

The rest of the day was spent dealing with emails, my own and the customer service missives, and helping out with calls. The time flew by!

Keith had been confined to the house all day as the pain in his back had moved down to his leg and he found it difficult to walk. Therefore, he hadn't been shopping, so we'd decided to use the leftover Chinese from Saturday night and "cobble" together a meal for dinner. I think Sophie was looking forward to it!

Keith and I played cards in the kitchen while she prepared a delicious stir fry, adding extra rice to the leftovers and breaking a couple of eggs into the mix. We found a bag of prawn crackers in the cupboard and it was lovely. We do like using up leftover food!

I'm not sure if Keith will feel able to go shopping tomorrow, but Sophie said she'd call into Aldi on her way home and buy dinner. Rather her than me!

A disappointing mooch...

I was looking forward to having a mooch today, followed by lunch at The White Swan in the picturesque village of Woodnewton, near Peterborough. Before we started our little jaunt, though, we called first to see my Mum and Dad at the care home. I'd bought a selection of sports bras for my Mum, as the bras she was wearing were chafing her skin (according to one of the carers). Sophie and I went to see my parents, leaving Keith in the car with the Sunday newspaper, and chatted for half an hour.

I was in two minds about which route to take, but we eventually decided to head along the A14 and make our first stop at a pub in Wadenhoe (The King's Head) which overlooks the river. Sophie had allowed me to drive her new car so I was being uber cautious! The only problem we found was that the air-conditioning still didn't seem to be working properly and it was warm inside the car, especially for Sophie who had elected to sit in the back. She was in a bit of a tetchy mood today, and wouldn't let me try and adjust the controls to make the air a bit cooler!

We arrived in Wadenhoe and found the pub. It was closed and looked permanently closed, with the gates in the car park firmly shut. This was disappointing because the pub was always lovely and welcoming, with a garden overlooking the River Nene. We stopped and consulted the map, and I said we should just go straight to the village of Bulwick, near the A43, and then head slowly through the stunning countryside towards Woodnewton.

We passed the villages of Lowick (The Snooty Fox - very expensive) and Sudborough (The Vane Arms - an old favourite but now permanently closed, too) and headed towards Corby. It took us about twenty minutes to reach Bulwick and guess what? The Queen's Head was also closed, and not just for today. We couldn't believe it! Keith and I had stopped there for a drink last year and it seemed quite popular. What is going on with our pubs?

By now, Sophie was very tetchy as she was hot and thirsty. Before we drove on, we consulted Google Maps and made sure that the pub in Kings Cliffe, The Cross Keys, was open! We didn't need any more disappointment!

We had a great welcome at The Cross Keys, where the landlord was feeling a bit fragile after an Ibiza night the previous evening! We sat at the bar and chatted with him and at long last, enjoyed a drink! Sophie had a half-pint of Neck Oil IPA, Keith had a pint of IPA (forget which one!) and I had a half of Guinness.

There was a lovely atmosphere in the pub as people arrived to eat or have a drink. We decided to have another and then drive to Fotheringhay and have a drink there before our lunchtime booking at The White Swan. 

The countryside around this part of Northamptonshire was beautiful but pubs were few and far between! We passed the villages of Apethorpe and Woodnewton and continued to Fotheringhay, famous for its castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Unfortunately, the castle no longer exists and was dismantled in the 1630s.

People were sitting outside The Falcon and enjoying the sunshine, but we went into the cool interior and ordered our drinks. Keith had a pint of Falcon's ale, Sophie had another half of Neck Oil (this seems to be very popular!) and I had another Guinness. We sat by the window and watched people come and go, and chatted. It was very relaxing.

As the time for our booking grew near, we finished our drinks and headed back to Woodnewton. The village is very pretty, with beautiful stone houses lining the main road. After parking the car, we made our way through the busy garden into the pub. There were a lot of people eating and drinking, and first impressions weren't great when we noticed a mass of dirty glasses lined up along the bar.

We were shown to our table and given three menus - the Sunday roast offering, a specials card and the huge, and I mean huge normal menu. I then remembered looking at it last year when we visited for just a drink, but I hadn't realised how extensive it was, with every kind of food choice, ranging from pub classics, to niche curries (Himalayan Goat curry, anyone?), burgers, steaks, flatbreads and kebabs, sizzler dishes and pizzas. Phew! The two owners, Will and Jason, maintained that every dish was freshly cooked to order... really?

We sat and perused the menu and chose three starters to share - chicken tenders, halloumi fingers (you can get a cream for that...) and mozzarella and garlic focaccia. Keith must have been starving as he ordered the humongous mixed grill, Sophie chose the Caesar salad and chunky fries and I decided to try the roast beef with the usual accompaniments. I was really in the mood for a good Sunday roast!

We noticed that the three young staff looked slightly stressed, and we kept overhearing them apologise for the slow service, another red flag. I also saw drinks being delivered to the wrong tables, so we resigned ourselves to a long wait...

Our drinks and food orders were taken and we sat back and relaxed. I had a bad feeling, though, as the staff rushed around and I heard more apologies. More and more people were arriving, mostly sitting in the garden and I could tell that the pub was popular with the "fashionable" crowd. Hmmm!

Our starters arrived and were tasty, but the huge slab of focaccia hadn't been cut and Sophie had to literally saw away at it to cut the bread into manageable portions! 

When our main courses arrived, Keith's meal covered his large plate and he gamely tucked in! Sophie's Caesar salad looked fine and her chunky chips arrived in a little wire basket. She asked for garlic mayonnaise (they didn't have any) so she settled for normal mayonnaise and this never arrived.

My meal looked good but on further inspection, it consisted of several slices of beef piled on top of minuscule roast potatoes, barely cooked parsnips (I love them extra crispy), hard carrots, three small sprigs of broccoli and a Yorkshire pudding. I started eating and found that the roast potatoes had been reheated and were probably frozen. I can tell when potatoes have been frozen and reheated and they were horrible, with a soft interior and burnt exterior. The Yorkshire pudding was the kind you get in a bag and had about as much taste as cardboard! The more I ate, the more disappointed I was, and I'm glad that we'd eaten a substantial starter! The beef was tender and juicy one minute, tough and gristly the next. I was not pleased.

Halfway through, I gave up, and Keith tried to foist his sausages on me, but I was in such a bad mood I refused. I hate having a bad meal, and I'd been looking forward to a Sunday roast ever since I'd booked the table. When our plates were taken away by the youngest member of staff, a teenage boy, he never asked how the meal was. I didn't want to make a scene and add to the woes of the poor staff, but when we paid the bill (£104) I did say to the waitress that I was disappointed. She said she would tell the kitchen staff.

I ask again, how can such a large menu be freshly prepared and cooked? I have worked in catering, so I do know a little about the industry, and we have always found that the smaller the menu, the better the food. You only have to dine at L'Entrecote (where they offer steak, and steak only) to see this in action!

We left and returned home, driving with the windows open as the interior of the car was so warm. Sophie will have to speak to someone at VW about this, as it was stifling. 

Back home we relaxed and Keith and I watched the last hour of No Time To Die before bed. I retired feeling hungry... maybe I should have had those sausages after all!

Grabbing life!

Sophie went to an extended yoga session this morning in the beautiful village of Harlestone, so after waving her off and having a quick coffee, Keith and I decided to go to the tip with our garden waste. He picked up all the prunings from the gravel garden (mostly ivy, which brings me out in itchy welts if I touch it) and we gathered everything up into the new Hippo bag we'd bought at B&Q a few weeks ago.

It fitted perfectly in the back of the Golf and we took some other unwanted items with us as well. The garden skip was the busiest at the recycling centre and was full. A man getting rid of his own stuff was pushing all the waste to one side with a snow shovel, making it easier for us to dispose of all our prunings. He was doing a great job, and we told him so!

Back home, we emptied our brown bin into the Hippo bag and made another trip. When we returned I decided to paint the cloakroom skirting boards, but changed my mind as it was now midday. I hate painting and keep putting it off, but next week I'm going to tackle it once and for all! I did manage to clean the skirting boards, though and make preparations!

It's been a gorgeous day today, with blue skies and sunshine. Sophie arrived home and said she'd enjoyed the session, which also incorporated meditation. She had intended to go with Vikesh but he had pulled out first thing this morning, which was disappointing for her. 

We spent the afternoon pootling about and Keith had to abandon going to see Sileby play as he'd hurt his back this morning picking up the prunings. He was in a lot of pain and it must have been bad for him to miss a game!

As well as pootling about and relaxing, Sophie bought a personalised number plate from the DVLA this afternoon! She had seen one which meant a lot to her and ordered it today. It'll be great to see Olive with her new plate! 

Sadly, Vikesh and Sophie have cancelled their forthcoming holiday to Rhodes in October, which left Sophie feeling miserable but also relieved at the same time. I had booked the same week off so we decided to take the plunge and book a week in Provence. We found a beautiful house with a pool overlooking vineyards, so that's something to look forward to in about six weeks. I realise that all these holidays are an indulgence, but I'm determined to enjoy travelling when I can. Seeing my parents cooped up in the care home has brought home to me how precious life is and how you should grab opportunities and make the most of life when you can. Who knows what's around the corner? We're looking forward to an overnight stop on the way down, and relaxing with lots of books, lots of wine and Scrabble!

Talking of Scrabble, Sophie and I played a game this evening, and I beat my daughter for the first time in ages! The three of us opened a bottle of Champagne to celebrate our wedding anniversary the other day and ordered a Chinese takeaway, a treat from Sophie.

After we'd eaten, we watched most of No Time To Die, which is what I'd wanted to watch last week. I do love a good Bond film, and Daniel Craig is my favourite!

An early start!

I woke up at 1.30am this morning and decided to check the route to Stansted Airport. To my dismay, long sections of both the A14 and M1 were closed and it gave me an estimated time of one hour, forty minutes. Luckily, Mike and Abbie were also up, so we woke Keith and decided to leave earlier than planned. I couldn't believe that such large sections of major roads were closed!

We set off at just past 2am and after Thrapston, on the A14, we were taken off the road and had to follow diversions. Ahead of us, I could see a long line of lorries, so we followed Googly's recommendations and turned off onto a narrow B road. Annoyingly, Googly was silent, and we missed a turning, so I had to stop and reverse into a driveway and go back!

As we approached the turn, two more cars appeared, and Abbie brought up her Apple maps, which she said was better than Google. I had to agree with her! It also lets you know about speed cameras! After a section of winding country roads following the other two cars, we joined the A1 South and the A14. 

Once onto the M11, we made good time and arrived at Stansted at about 3.45am, so well before we needed to be there. We headed to the Express Set Down, which was packed with people and cars. We said goodbye to Abbie and Mike and queued to get back out. It was chaos! We were supposed to have paid £7 for the fifteen-minute stay but the barriers were just letting people through without paying.

I wanted to stop at the services on the M11 to consult Googly, and she told us to go back the way we'd come, so we set off into the darkness. For some reason - probably because I didn't realise how early we needed to be at the airport - I had imagined Keith and I stopping on the way home for breakfast! I had envisioned us sitting in a sunlit café drinking coffee and eating eggs and bacon, but it was way too early for sunrise!

The journey home was smooth and straightforward and we were pulling up outside our house just after 5am. Keith went straight back to bed while I made myself a coffee and sat in the kitchen relishing the peace and quiet. The cats were desperate to go outside so I gave in and let them out. It was so peaceful as the sun rose, and the birds started to sing!

Sophie didn't go to the gym this morning as she'd had a disturbed night with all the comings and goings and I waved her off to work at 8am. I didn't intend to do much today but I did manage to hoover downstairs and do some cleaning. I also napped a fair bit! 

At lunchtime, we drove down to Brackmills and met Sophie for lunch at Café 900. I chose a jacket potato with tuna and we sat and chatted happily for an hour. It's been a gorgeous day today, with plenty of sunshine and blue skies and it was great not to be at work. I certainly made the right decision to take today as a holiday as I would have been shattered!

After lunch, Keith and I returned home and pootled about for the rest of the afternoon. I napped for an hour again and woke up feeling a bit more refreshed! Sophie arrived home half an hour earlier than usual, ready to start Wine Night with a vengeance!

Tonight, we watched another riveting documentary about a pregnant woman who had gone missing at Christmas in 2002. It was set near San Francisco and was very interesting. We sipped a Rosé wine and ate delicious crisps spread with soft cheese. Yum!

Bring on the weekend!

Not much celebrating!

Keith and I celebrated 32 years of marriage today, but we didn't have any grand plans! We had to wait in all morning while the outside charger for Sophie's car was fitted, and that was finished at midday. It looked neat and tidy, tucked out of the way behind a pillar. The lead could stretch a long way so she won't have to reverse the car up the driveway, which is what I thought she would need to do.

While the electrician was working away, I prepared the vegetables for a bolognese sauce for tonight's meal, made a batch of banana muffins using some sad, brown fruit and tried to keep busy. We knew that the electricity would be going off for a while so I hesitated putting the muffins in the oven until he'd finished!

Once he'd completed the work, explained everything to us and departed, we drove over to Brixworth and I paid Sophie's tax cheque into her bank. She'd received a little back for her car tax, which will come in handy with the bills!

Back home, we had lunch and I slowly cooked the bolognese sauce, before we had a cup of tea and a muffin. They were quite dense, but very banana-ey! I was able to sit and watch Escape to the Country for a while (a very show-off couple) and I had a nap, waking with a start when Keith said it was 4.30pm and we had to go and collect Mike and Abbie from town.

They wanted to be picked up from Abbie's Dad's house where the parking is a nightmare, and we struggled against the rush hour, getting to them at exactly 5pm. They loaded their bags into the car and we set off for home. After their trip to Tenerife (we're taking them to the airport tomorrow) they're back for two days before they jet off to Thailand, lucky things!

On the A43, Sophie realised she was a few cars in front of us and we kept getting glimpses of her in the distance! She was impressed with the charger, but after downloading the app, found it difficult to charge, something the electrician said would happen. He had offered to come over and help, but I said to leave it until the weekend as there was so much going on this evening. As we'd driven home the sky had turned stormy, and within minutes of being home, the heavens opened and we had torrential rain.

Mike and Abbie sat in the kitchen and had a drink, chatting to Keith, while Sophie and I put the finishing touches to the meal. We wanted to eat early as the four of us have to be up at 2am tomorrow morning... Ugh! 

Just pootlin'

I was awake at 4.30am this morning but managed to go back to sleep until Sophie woke me at 6am. I dreamt I was back running our soft play business with my parents, which felt so real! I remember saying to them in my dream, "I thought we'd sold this!" 

I didn't go back to sleep after Sophie had left, as I wanted to make the most of my time off! I'd had visions of sitting in the garden with a coffee, but the weather was disappointing, grey and overcast. Maybe over the weekend?

I didn't leave the house today and pootled about doing jobs and relishing the thought of a short break from work. It was lovely to sit and read the newspaper with a mug of tea! Keith went shopping because we really only needed food for Thursday and Friday evenings, so that was one onerous chore out of the way! I amused myself immensely by cleaning the detergent dispenser of the washing machine, and using my new "crevice" brush, something I have threatened to use on Keith and Sophie if they misbehave!

I tried to make sense of the holidays we have booked over the next year, and booked car parking for our trip to Berlin in November, and an airport hotel for Mallorca in December. I also looked at Airbnb houses for our trip to Spain next June, but I was surprised to find there wasn't that much choice. We still haven't decided our route so until then I'll keep looking. I would like something quirky and characterful!

Before Sophie arrived home, I hoovered downstairs and tidied up, so the house was looking lovely and cosy. The weather hadn't improved all day and it was still cloudy, but muggy. We sat and played cards in the kitchen, and Sophie read my old journal from when we drove down to Javea in 1999, when Sophie was only three. We left Northampton at 5.20pm and didn't stop for a rest until Barcelona the next afternoon. I described driving through Lyon at seventy miles an hour at 6am in the morning. We must have been utterly mad to do all that driving and not stop overnight at least twice. I would never do that now, it's just not worth the risk. I was five months pregnant as well!

After dinner of Keith's speciality Pan Haggerty, we relaxed and took both cats upstairs. Mooney gets excited if you start whispering "Where is it?" and "Have you got it?" as he goes mad for the laser toy and loves chasing the little red dot. He starts miaowing and crying and giving us kisses all the way up the stairs! Gomez chases it for a while but much prefers to snooze on the bed and have his tummy tickled!

Last day before a little freedom!

Thankfully, the heat abated a little today and it was a tad cooler. I just wanted today at work to be over, so I could enjoy the rest of the week!

As usual, for a Tuesday, the office was noisy and busy. I worked my way through the emails, answered a few calls and made more progress on the moan report. By 4pm I really had had enough, and realised I hadn't had more than a couple of days off work since March!

I have a lot of plans for the next few days, but my problem is I try and cram too much into the time! It would just be lovely to celebrate our wedding anniversary on Thursday (32 years together) but I have a feeling this is when the charger is being fitted!

In the evening, we played cards in the kitchen and tried to cheer up Sophie who was feeling a bit down over work. It was noticeably cooler and I could feel a lovely breeze coming through the windows.

Keith barbecued this evening and Sophie and I enjoyed Wagyu burgers while Keith stuck to hot dog sausages (each to their own!). I'd roasted potatoes and vegetables and the meal was lovely. One evening, we'll prepare everything in advance and sit with Keith in the garden as he grills the meat! We have hardly sat in the garden this summer, despite plans to put a table and chairs at the bottom of the gravelled area. Now would be the time to splash out on a garden set as the summer nears to an end!

Temperatures climb!

We'd charged Sophie's car all day yesterday, so she had enough miles to get her through this week. Hopefully, the outdoor charging unit will be installed before next weekend. We've called the car Olive!

I had a busy shift, and it was indeed a hot one today! When I emerged from the building, I gasped at the hot air. Keith was waiting for me so at least the car was cool! I have one day left at work and then I'm off for five days (including the weekend!). Yippeee!

Sophie and I chilled out in front of the fan in the living room and watched Come Dine With Me before we had a repeat of yesterday's meal. It was really too hot to eat anything else!

Birthday celebrations!

Sophie and I popped to Tesco this morning and bought gifts for my Dad's birthday. I treated him to a Yellowstone Park tee-shirt and a pyjama set and bought him a pair of trousers from Mum. We drove to the care home and sat with my parents and chatted while Dad opened his presents. I think he was delighted, and I knew that the staff would spoil him as well today!

Back home, we cleaned the house and prepared lunch. We had decided to try and re-create the Wimbledon lunch again today as I hadn't been able to taste or smell anything properly last month when I had covid. It was a warm day, with plenty of sunshine, and we opened all the windows to try and keep the house cool.

We sat and drank Pimm's beforehand with nibbles. I do prefer eating at lunchtime, as this means the evening is much more relaxed and the dreaded Sunday syndrome isn't as bad!

We enjoyed cold meats, quiche, salads, new potatoes and crusty bread for lunch, and after we'd cleared away and stacked the dishwasher we sat and watched television, something I rarely do on a Sunday, unless it's sport like Wimbledon or the Olympics. We watched an interesting documentary about Great White Sharks and a man who swims with them, and then, to our delight, we settled down to watch the 1954 version of Dial M for Murder with Grace Kelly and Ray Milland. What a treat!

Halfway through the film we opened a bottle of Champagne and enjoyed a fruit trifle. Anybody would think it was a special occasion!

Vikesh came over later in the day to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics and he and Sophie walked up to the top green to find Mooney. I put Sophie's fresh bedding back on and sweated buckets doing it as by now it was hot! Tomorrow is set to be hotter, at about 30c! Phew!

We half-heartedly watched the closing ceremony but by 9pm I'd had enough and Vikesh returned home. Is this the summer sport finished? Oh, no... the football season starts next week!

A trip out.

We awoke to a dreary, grey morning and enjoyed several cups of coffee and Wordle. Sophie wanted to watch Saturday Morning Kitchen, but it was a compilation of past programmes, so we switched on the last episode of the James Martin Spanish cookery show set in Girona. It was lovely to see L'Escala again!

We charged Sophie's car this morning by connecting it to the mains, but after three hours, it hadn't charged up much at all. She let me drive to Buckingham at midday, and I was impressed with how the car drove and how smooth and fast it was. It lets you know if you don't drive in the middle of the lane by gently tugging the steering wheel back, but obviously, this needs to take into account potholes and cyclists!

At the car park in the town, we had fun connecting the car to a BP Pulse public charger! We nearly gave up, but then realised that Sophie had to download the app and create an account to use the charger. She paid £10 upfront and we walked into the town to have lunch and do some shopping. The wine shop we wanted to visit was closed so we headed to an Italian restaurant called Prego to have pizza for lunch.

The restaurant offered a lunchtime special, so we took advantage and enjoyed garlicky mushrooms and goats' cheese on bruschetta, followed by two pizzas to share. The food was good but didn't beat Casa Nostra in Market Harborough! We had a glass of Rosé wine each and a bottle of water and enjoyed soaking up the ambience and chatting. 

After we'd eaten, we had a mooch around the charity shops and Sophie managed to find some lovely clothes, mainly for work. I picked out two books for my Dad and we decided to call it a day. By now, the sun had made an appearance and it was pleasantly warm. We popped into a blissfully cool Waitrose for two boxes of Fevertree lemonade (for Pimms tomorrow) and returned to the car. Sophie's £10 had earned a 20% charge so she wasn't happy! She was hoping it would be fully charged! However, it was more than enough for the drive home, which was all I was concerned about!

We had a great drive home and arrived just before Keith who'd been to see Sileby play. It was lovely to languish about and relax and not have to worry about cooking dinner! Sophie and I didn't eat again after our Italian lunch and Keith cooked himself a plate of chicken thighs.

We spent the evening watching the Olympics, and although I've enjoyed watching all the sporting events, I will be glad when they're all over!

A pleasant end to the week!

Today has been a pleasant day at work,  and a great end to the week. I was working with Shirley and Kathy, and the time passed quickly again. I managed to have a proper look at some old emails and put on two NPLQ courses for next year! This is one of the aspects of my job; we're always working in advance!

It was warm driving home, and I relaxed until Sophie got in from work. Keith wasn't at the pub this evening, but I told him it was an Olympics-free evening! Although I've enjoyed the games, I will be glad when this feast of sport is over and things return to normal!

Sophie and I enjoyed a bottle of French Rosé with some nibbles and we chatted about her stressful day. She's having staff problems at the moment and definitely needed a glass of wine this evening!

Dinner was an easy one tonight. At the moment it's so warm that it puts me off eating a little! We watched an episode of The Hotel Inspector this evening and I have to say I admire Alex Polizzi. She certainly wouldn't put up with any nonsense from her staff!

Time flies!

Today's shift passed pleasantly, and I managed to get a lot of work done. The school holidays are certainly whizzing past!

Keith picked me up at 2pm, and I listened to a voicemail from the care home which said my Dad had choked earlier on a piece of pork. He was OK, but a little shaken, and I'm sure the staff were, too. They'd had to slap him on the back quite a few times to clear it. I called and said I was coming over anyway, but Mum didn't want to go out and leave him.

I dropped Keith off at home and drove to Kettering where I sat and chatted with my parents. Dad seemed fine but it was worrying what could happen in the blink of an eye.

Back home I did some housework and then relaxed. I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday! 

What riots?

This morning, I enjoyed a little lie-in and pootled about catching up with jobs. I  had an appointment for an eye test at midday because I think I now need glasses to drive at night. My multifocal lenses are great for work as I can read easily, but driving at night is a different matter.

I had a thorough eye test, and she said my prescription hadn't changed. I then saw the branch manager about varifocal glasses and ordered a special pair for driving at night. I just hope I can get on with them! Sophie had texted me to ask to meet for lunch, so I sped back to Keith who was waiting in the car, and we drove to Riverside for lunch at Costa in the Next store.

Sophie was slightly agitated as she had problems with staff at work, so we sat and had a good chat over lunch. She rushed back to work after we'd eaten, and Keith and I popped into a very dismal Homebase to look for large garden waste bags. There was hardly anything left in the DIY store so it was sad to see all the things that people didn't want including a couple of kitchens that had been slashed in price by 60%!

From Homebase, we drove to B&Q and found a large Hippo bag that would take a good amount of our garden rubbish. I decided to drive back through town and see what was happening along the Kettering Road, where a planned "protest" was due to take place this evening.

Yesterday, at work, we received an email from a customer about one of our leisure centres that is close to this area, asking if we were going to close early? It was the first any of us had heard about it but of course, the youngsters had all seen the news on social media that a far-right group were going to meet at an immigration lawyer's office near the junction with Clare Street.

We drove into town and as we waited at traffic lights to turn right onto Clare Street, we saw a very sinister character go past on a quad bike, dressed from head to toe in black and wearing a black mask over their face. Further down Clare Street, we saw two policemen, and there was more of a police presence at the junction. The immigration lawyer's office was shuttered and I would estimate that about 90% of shops, restaurants and take-aways were either shuttered up or boarded with thick panels of wood. This part of Northampton is mainly ethnic restaurants and supermarkets, and I felt sorry for all the businesses who were obviously scared of what was going to happen. The police were very visible and talking to the business owners so the threats had been taken seriously.

We returned home and after sitting with a cup of tea and reading the paper for half an hour, we tackled the usual chores, I hoovered and dusted the living room and started the shopping list. Over a drink, we sat and chatted about our forthcoming breaks and worked out what had been paid for and what hadn't!

After dinner, I received a WhatsApp message from a colleague with a link to TikTok and live footage of the Kettering Road in Northampton. There were a lot of people about but they seemed to be anti-racist and the gathering was peaceful. The road had been shut but it appeared that any far-right demonstrators had decided not to go out! This seemed to be the case all over England and there were far more anti-racism crowds so the planned 100 gatherings didn't happen, which was great news. Perhaps good sense had prevailed!

Electricity talk!

It's been a bit frustrating at work today as the madness continues and we receive many, many calls. For some reason, Angela didn't log on until almost 10.30am this morning, leaving Jo and me to take all the calls... Am I missing something here? I thought our job was to answer the phone and help people? I was mighty miffed!

It was a huge relief to leave at 4pm and head home. Just as I arrived, a van drew up and it was an electrician that Sophie had contacted about the outside charging unit. He peered into our meter cupboard, looked at the fusebox in the cloakroom, and took a photo of it, and then gave us lots of information about charging up Sophie's car. We can contact our electricity supplier and ask them to put us on an overnight EV tariff, which sounds good and will help with the bills.

He waffled on for another twenty minutes and left, saying he would send Sophie a quote over the next couple of days. Our daughter arrived home, bringing the car manual with her as she hadn't been able to adjust the wing mirrors! She said the car had warned her about her position in the lanes on the road and whether she was too close to the vehicle in front... haha! 

We had a quiet evening with sausages and loads of vegetables for dinner, and the Olympics after we'd eaten. Don't get me wrong I love watching the games but I will be glad when all this sport is over!

A new addition to the family!

The school holidays rumble on, and we're on week three, so three more weeks after this one. Not that I'm counting, of course! In the afternoon, we had a fire alarm and everyone, including those who were swimming, had to evacuate the building! I felt so sorry for the swimmers wrapped in towels! Luckily, we weren't outside for long, but this tends to happen every school holiday!

Keith picked me up at 4pm and we drove to the VW dealership on Riverside. Sophie arrived five minutes after us and we went into the showroom to complete the paperwork. It was all done within half an hour and we went over to where Sophie's new car was charging. The salesman explained the charging process and showed us the two cables in the boot. Until we get the outside charger fitted, we can connect one of the cables to a normal plug socket, but it does take a while to charge this way, and it's not recommended.

He then showed Sophie the controls and that was it! I went with her while Keith drove the Golf home. I was impressed with her driving on the way home, as it was rush hour and she was in a new car. It was lovely, though, and the ride was smooth and comfortable.

Back home, Sophie gingerly manoeuvred the car onto the driveway and we waited for Keith, who had become stuck in the car park. He had the house keys so we had to loiter about until he returned! I think Sophie will have to have a good read of the manual to find out how everything works!

Mike gone AWOL!

Mike didn't come home last night, but as I now have FindMyPhone for him, I could see where he was - in Daventry, so not lying in a ditch somewhere! He could have texted me last night to say he was staying out with friends! He arrived home just as we were tucking into more bacon sandwiches but disappeared upstairs to have a shower. Not much changes!

I tackled the inside of the conservatory today as it's been taken over by spiders and flies. I washed the windows and cleaned all the frames so they looked a lot better. I took photos of the three glass panels I'd like replacing and we're also talking about having a new door with an inbuilt cat flap at the bottom so the moggies can come and go as they please. Having the door open throughout the winter was not a good idea!

Sophie drove to Wellingborough to see Vikesh in the afternoon for sushi at Rushden Lakes. However, she texted me to say it was busy so they went to Wellingborough instead. I'm not sure she was happy as she'd been looking forward to going to Yo! Sushi.

Mike returned to Abbie's house later in the afternoon and I said we'd see him again when we're due to take them to the airport on the 16th of August. I then looked at drop-off parking at Stansted and arranged a loan with the bank (!). Actually, I found out that taking them to the mid-stay car park is free, and they can get a shuttle bus to the terminal!

Sophie came home, and we sat and talked at the kitchen island with a drink. Dinner tonight was barbecued steak with Dauphinoise potatoes, a dish I'd never made before. I prepared the potatoes, mixed them with garlic and cream and popped them into the oven a good two hours before we were due to eat. I learnt that if you cook them on a gentle heat for a long time, the cream won't curdle.

Keith went out to barbecue the steaks, and Sophie and I popped asparagus and long-stem broccoli into the oven. We sat down to eat and I was disappointed to see that the cream had curdled and looked like over-done scrambled eggs. The dish still tasted good but I was annoyed. If I'd cooked them on a lower heat they would have been raw! I'll try again with this dish as I won't be beaten!

Tidying up!

I discovered this morning that in the night, Mike had wandered into Sophie's room by mistake and had become quite aggressive when she told him to go back to his own room... She had been scared to wake up and find him standing at the foot of her bed, and as this wasn't the first time it had happened when he stayed over, she was naturally quite upset. He had almost no recollection of it and apologised but it did make things a bit tense this morning.

I sent Keith out for bacon, and we had sandwiches and coffee for breakfast before I gave Sophie a lift to the beauty salon in Northampton. The weather this morning has been disappointing with heavy clouds and no hint of sunshine. 

When we arrived back, I decided to tackle the back garden which had been left in a mess after the men's work yesterday. I mowed up lots of the scattered leaves and small twigs and raked up the bits the mower missed so it looked a lot neater. The poor garden was parched because of the lack of good rainfall recently, so I watered all the pots and threw out some plants that were past their best.

Sophie made me a cup of tea and came out to read her book as I worked, so it was very pleasant. We even had a visit from Mooney! When I finished I was a lot happier, but now we need to go to the tip in Brixworth with all the cuttings.

Keith went to see Sileby play for the first time this season, and Sophie and I had a sneaky drink and booked a girls' getaway in Vienna for next March. We were so excited and had a good look at the hotel we'd booked and restaurants nearby, but I think that's it for now! We have lots to look forward to in the next few months!

Mike joined us and we watched an episode of Travel Man in Vienna. Sophie had made me a G&T and she made Mike and herself a Negroni. It was exceedingly pleasant sitting and chatting and watching the Olympics after the travel show. Keith came home with news of a 1-1 draw and he and Mike went to the pub for an early drink. We have been trying to get quotes for an outside charging point for Sophie's new car and they were hoping to see Josh in the pub, who's a qualified electrician. I was amazed at the quotes we've been getting, all in the region of about £1000!

Sophie and I decided to walk Mooney to the green and shout for Gomez, and it was a very sociable stroll, saying hello to our neighbours, and chatting with Paul and Sharon who were walking their dogs, Bailey and Archie.

I was going to post a letter but Mooney followed me so I returned to the green! I thought he would have stayed close to Sophie so I was surprised to see him walking behind me! We returned to the house and sat in the garden. It was blissfully quiet, which is just as it should be in the cocktail hour!

Sophie made beef stroganoff for dinner and it was delicious served with rice and garlic bread. We watched the Olympics after dinner and enjoyed the athletics and swimming. Mike went out again, this time to see friends further afield, but he certainly wasn't going to drive after the drinks he'd enjoyed this afternoon!

Slasher Keith strikes again...

We now have a new rota on Fridays at work, and Sharon is in with Kathy and me. She is still learning, but I get the feeling she's not really treating the job seriously! It's almost as if answering the phone is an option and she spent more time on "admin" than she did taking calls, which was frustrating for Kathy and me. She also disappeared at lunchtime for nearly half an hour, which was taking the proverbial! 

I put more films on until early September, managed to put a handful of swim camps on and dealt with the emails. I was horrified at 3.55pm to discover I'd missed one of our holiday activities which can be booked on Sunday, so I hurriedly did that! It was a popular activity so I'm sure there would have been queries as to why it wasn't bookable!

When I got home I saw Mike's Ford Fiesta was parked outside. It was lovely to see him again and we had a quick catch-up before Keith asked me to go outside to look at the garden. Mike had arrived in the early afternoon and had helped Keith prune some of the bushes in the garden. However, between them, they had massacred my beautiful Clematis that had been growing at the back of the garage. It was no more. I said a few choice words and they both tried to vindicate what they'd done by saying the plant was pulling off the drainpipe and growing under the roof... Hmmm! They said it would grow back! Yes, one day in the distant future!

They then disappeared to the pub, and I hoovered up all the bits of leaves and twigs that had been trodden through the house. I was not happy. Sophie arrived home and we opened a bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio and relaxed with a Netflix documentary about a female Sherpa climbing Everest.

Keith and Mike arrived home before 7pm, and Keith started banging about in the kitchen sorting dinner, even though Sophie and I were happy to do it. He'd prepared a curry earlier and all we needed to do was boil the rice and heat up the naan bread.

We sat in the conservatory to enjoy dinner and watched the Olympics after we'd eaten. Mike went to the village to see some mates, and I gave him the front door key, forbidding him to come in through the kitchen because of the cats. Mooney and Gomez are still very wary of him and we hadn't seen either cat all evening. Mooney had come into the house when Mike was in the kitchen and had done a runner straight away!

Another month arrives!

I was hoping for a few quiet days now, and praying that the niggles we experienced in July were behind us!

Keith took me to work this morning and went to do the shopping. I had a busy shift at work and was glad to finish at 2pm. I dropped Keith off at home and carried on over to Kettering to pick up my Mum and take her to have her nails done.

The area behind Natalia's house, where I park the car, resembled Old Steptoe's Yard even more today. I parked next to an ancient Mercedes that obviously hadn't moved for a while, as it was covered in dust, tree resin and bird poop. I think Natalia and her husband own an old truck that they're converting into a camper van, and that was parked right next to her gate so we had difficulty getting into her garden and the little room she uses for her nail business!

Her daughter met us and started the process by removing the old gel nail polish. She was lovely and friendly and chatted with us until her Mum turned up to take over. By about 4.30pm Mum was done and sporting beautiful grey nails with a French polish finish. 

I took her back and it was lovely to have the air-conditioning on in the car! I almost fell asleep in the salon as it was so warm! The heatwave is set to continue for another day and the forecast thunderstorms never happened here today, although we did have some rain this morning. It was cloudy and overcast and therefore humid and uncomfortable. It's always the way; we get a warning and nothing happens!