Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Monday 30th of September

Exploring

I woke up at 6am again, but after reading for a while, I went back to sleep until 8am. Keith was already up and Sophie woke at the same time as me. I think we'd all had a better night's sleep. It was very dark last night, and quiet!

We enjoyed toast and coffee for breakfast and I put some laundry on to wash. We also turned on the dishwasher, and this tripped the electrics. We thought at first it was a power cut, but our host said to not use too many appliances at once! It would have been good to have known this!

At 11am, we drove to Vaison-la-Romaine and parked a little way from the centre. It was cloudy with the temperature at about 19c, so perfect for summer clothes. The sun was trying to peep through the clouds, but we did see a local wearing a thick coat!

In France, a lot of shops also close on Mondays so the town was quiet. We found a busy café and several tables were taken, the customers drinking coffee or glasses of Rosé. We sat down and ordered two glasses for ourselves and Keith, flustered by the arrival of the waitress, ordered a "Monaco" under the beer section. He had no idea what it was, but he soon found out!

He took one sip and grimaced, and gave it to me to taste. It was a red colour, and sweet. We found out it's a beer cocktail (shandy) made with lager, lemonade and Grenadine! He was not amused! However, sitting in the café, watching the world go by and seeing a feisty little dog trying to take on bigger ones, was bliss. It was a Monday morning! Normally, Sophie and I would be at work!

After our drinks, Sophie and I went to the Tourist Office opposite and bought two more bottles of wine, a bar of heavenly-scented soap (to add to my collection) and a postcard. We then strolled back to the street we parked on yesterday and booked a table at a restaurant called Chez Mon Béou. The place was already busy with lunchtime diners, and the aromas were lovely!

And... relax!

Before going back to the house, we called at a Super U to buy groceries. The supermarket has a pizza takeaway next door, and last night we'd unsuccessfully tried to order one, but they hadn't been cooked!

We bought the usual suspects - beer, wine, bread, salad, water, milk, etc, enough to keep us going for a few days. The plan is to tour the wine villages tomorrow and have lunch at one of them.

Back at the house, Sophie made us cheese, ham and salad sandwiches, and we ate on the terrace. Afterwards, it was time to relax by the pool (not in it) and listen to the distant hum of a tractor. Truffe made an appearance and had a cuddle with Sophie.

It was lovely to relax and read this afternoon. It was what we'd been dreaming about ever since booking the holiday!

Dining out

The afternoon clouded over, but it was still warm. We showered again and were ready to leave at 6pm, hoping to go for a drink at Le Forum, the bar we'd visited earlier. It was next to a large car park and close to the restaurant we'd booked. We parked easily and had a quick look at an information board about the Roman origins of the town which was situated above an archaeological site.

The bar was busy again, and there was a lovely, friendly atmosphere as locals mixed with tourists. Keith ordered a proper beer this time and Sophie and I had an Aperol Spritz. We sat chatting for over an hour, before walking the short distance to Chez Mon Béou.

 

The owner recognised us from earlier and directed us to a table where we were given menus. Keith ordered a local beer but Sophie and I waited until we'd decided what to eat. We suspected the owner could speak English but apart from the odd word, he kept to French. For some reason this evening, I acted like I'd never learnt the language at all, which was amusing to my family!

We studied the menu trying to work out what was on offer! Some of the phrases did not translate into English, probably because they were names of French foods! Even now, writing this later, we're still not sure what we had to eat! Keith and Sophie chose a "pannacotta" to start while I opted for a tomato "cookie" with caramelised onions.

Sophie and I chose pork for the main course while Keith took a chance on sea bass. As we were having pork, I chose a Rosé and it turned out to be very good, from a local producer. The owner translated the name for us - "For you, I would reach for the moon."

www.maspouperas.com

Sophie hadn't managed to translate all the ingredients on her starter and laughed at my efforts to try and work out what we'd ordered. "It's an adventure!" she laughed. Well, it wasn't so much of an adventure when her food arrived and she tried the "pannacotta"... the grimace on her face said it all! It was a watered-down goat's cheese but she said it was the mousse-like texture that put her off. She said eating it was like taking part in a Bush-Tucker trial! She then found out that "Banon" was a French, pungent goat's cheese! 

My starter also had a quenelle of goat's cheese, balanced on top of a mound of caramelised onions, served with a dense tomato-flavoured cookie. It was certainly substantial!

Thankfully, our main courses were a little better, but I'm not sure that Keith totally enjoyed his sea bass fillet. Our pork was tender and fell apart and was served with the world's supply of what I think were fava beans. Saying them immediately made me think of Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs...

Sophie and I managed to find room for puds - a lemon mousse with a biscuit base. The bill came to around 140 euros and we waddled back off to the car for the short journey home. Sophie had put on the headlight converters expertly, and the main beam was reflected into the hedge on my side of the road.

Back at the house, we relaxed and Sophie and I watched another episode of Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil. By the time we'd watched the episode it was almost 11pm. Time for bed!

Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Sunday 29th of September

Season of mists

I was awake at about 6am this morning after a fitful night's sleep. It gave me a chance to catch up with the blog and have a coffee before the rest of my family awoke.

We were showered, dressed and breakfasted by 10am. Sophie had been outside several times to see the local cats, some of whom had been yowling earlier. One cat, mostly white with black patches, seemed friendly and wanted to come inside!

We loaded our bags into the car and set off for Chablis where we wanted to fill up with petrol. The prices on the autoroute are much higher, so we drove out of Tonnerre and back the way we'd driven yesterday. As the road wound up above the town, we could see mist hanging over the buildings. It was beautiful!

The fields were also covered in mist and we could see more wind turbines in the distance. Before we reached Chablis, we encountered two tractors that looked like they were designed for picking grapes. As we passed by we could see that the vines had been stripped of their fruit, but there were obviously still bushes that needed picking as the fields were a hive of activity.

We had to take a detour in Chablis because of a Sunday market, but we eventually found the petrol station and filled up. We then had a short while on empty country roads before we reached the A6. There's a law only known to the French that they must, and I mean must, overtake a British car. No matter how fast the car is travelling, the law says a French person must overtake. This obviously does not apply to tractors.

Heading south

We were travelling on the "Autoroute du Soleil", a busy motorway carrying traffic to the south of France and sunshine! There were hardly any lorries but the road was busy with cars, caravans and camper vans of all nationalities. We saw nine different countries represented today, including Sweden and Denmark. Northern Europe was in search of the sun!

We stopped at an aire to use the facilities, but I missed the car park and we ended up at the back of the area which had a small toilet block. Keith and Sophie went to use the loos but Sophie discovered that the female toilets were of the hole-in-the-floor variety, so she refused to use them! I don't blame her, and they were pretty disgusting!

We drove back onto the autoroute and stopped at the next aire which was much bigger and had a hotel, restaurants and a shop. Keith bought himself a baguette while Sophie and I went in search of MacDonalds, for a treat! We had a pleasant lunch in the huge restaurant, which sat over the autoroute so we had good views of the traffic streaming past.

Lyon conquered!

After our lunch stop, we made good time to the city of Lyon. We followed Trish's expert instructions (she was behaving herself today) and we were through very easily and quickly, passing over the River Rhone several times. The opposite carriageway was at a standstill, and we remembered getting held up last year as we drove through.

Once past Lyon, the traffic became a lot heavier and less pleasant. Some of the cars were travelling very fast indeed, and I commented to Keith that we don't see that so much any more on the British motorways, as we have so many cameras and average speed checks. It meant I had to concentrate even more than usual and I couldn't wait to turn off, twenty miles before our destination.

Sablet 

It was great to leave the autoroute and turn off onto quiet country roads. We followed the same route we'd taken last year when we left Vacqueyras, travelling through beautiful fields of vines with the imposing Mont Ventoux in the distance.

We came across one tractor that was designed for picking grapes in narrow vineyard rows and it looked like it had been squashed, it was so concertinaed! The countryside and small villages were stunning and we saw several places that merited a closer look, perhaps!

The last half hour of a journey is always the worst, and today was no exception. We followed Sophie's phone directions and I ended up first in the driveway of a logis. Our turnoff was the next one and the road was narrow with houses dotted along it. We came to our Airbnb and I had to turn around, which triggered a bicker-fest as I tried to manoeuvre the car and not scrape it along a stone wall!

Our hosts met us, and they were delightful. The one thing that annoys me when we arrive at an Airbnb (when it's not a lockbox entry) is the owners describing everything in great detail, not realising that we have just travelled four hundred miles, we're tired and in need of the loo! This was not the case with our hosts in Sablet, thank goodness! They'd been gardening and welcomed us to the house, letting us explore ourselves. We also met Truffe, their cat, who was friendly and at one point got into the boot of the car to sniff our suitcase!

Truffe

The house is typical French with blue shutters, big old wardrobes in every room, wooden furniture and tiled worktops in the kitchen. We have a pool, which I doubt we will use, a gravelled terrace with outdoor furniture, a barbecue and pizza oven and views across to Les Dentelles de Montmirail (jagged mountains) and vineyards. Heaven!

In search of grub!

Of course, today was Sunday and most places in France have little in the way of eateries open in the evening. All the supermarkets were closed and outlets such as petrol stations with Waitrose or M&S attached (where you can buy a three-course meal) are unknown here. After unpacking and getting to know the house a little, we decided to explore Sablet to see what was on offer. Narrow streets abound and it's very much a working wine village. Nothing was open, so we decided to head for Vaison-La-Romaine, about nine kilometres away. On the way, we looked out for restaurants or even petrol stations where we could have bought a salad and sandwiches. 

Vaison-la-Romaine was bigger and had several supermarkets (closed) and a maze of narrow streets. We found a little shop that was open and selling tinned foods, drinks and snacks. We also saw several restaurants. At the end of the road was a large car park, so perfect for having a stroll around in the evening.

We decided to buy two large tins of beef ravioli, a pack of grated cheese, bread, beer and wine and have supper back at the house this evening. The restaurant nearby was opening at 7pm, but the thought of driving back, getting showered and then returning did not appeal. We were tired and just wanted to relax with a drink and something simple.

Back at the house, we opened a bottle of Cotes du Rhone red, Keith had a beer, and we sat on the terrace with nibbles enjoying the early evening sunshine.

It was heavenly - our hosts said there were still mosquitoes about and I think I've been bitten on my foot, but it was lovely to sit out so late in the season.

Sophie prepared a delicious dinner of ravioli with melted cheese on top and it went well with our local bottle of red wine. We made the living room/dining area/kitchen cosy with candles and borrowed a lamp from one of the bedrooms.

After eating, clearing away and stacking the dishwasher, we managed to log onto Netflix and picked a documentary about a serial killer murdering young women in the Ardennes. Auxerre was featured, as was Dinant in Belgium. It was very interesting, and of course, topical!

Provence 28th of September - 5th of October 24

Saturday 28th of September

An early start!

Ugh! I did not appreciate the alarm going off at 2.30am this morning. I just wanted to turn over and go back to sleep! We were showered, dressed and ready for the off by 3.30am, as Google Maps had informed me it would take three hours to get to Folkestone. As usual, a lot of the roads were closed.

We set off, taking the A14, the M11, the M25 and then the M20. The traffic was light and we made it to the Shuttle terminal by 6am. It was a cold morning, and the temperature went down to 3.5c at one point. Keith was wearing shorts!

When we checked in, we were given the option of taking an earlier train which we accepted. However, when the ticket printed out, we were on the one we had booked! After a quick visit to use the facilities, we had a coffee and a pastry in the car, and one of the staff knocked on the window to say we could make our way to passport control.

Luckily, we weren't pulled over for a security check and soon passed through both the UK and French passport controls. We were told to take Lane 1 and wait, so I had a little nap!

Keith said that we actually made it onto an earlier train, and as soon as we were parked up, I put my seat back and slept for the entire crossing. I love the motion of the train!

Sunny France

In Calais, the sun was shining and the temperature had risen. We took the autoroute towards Reims and stopped at the first aire we came to for petrol and coffee. There were Brits everywhere as this was the first stop where you could get refreshments and fuel since Calais. One family had lost a mobile telephone and asked us if we'd seen it as they'd been sitting where we were. We helped them look, but I'm not sure if they ever found it.

The journey continued on the quiet A26, and Keith was delighted to spot buzzards sitting on the fence. We still have no idea why they sit there! On both sides of the autoroute, the countryside stretched away to the horizon, and we saw ranks of wind turbines, turning slowly in the breeze.

Before we turned off the autoroute, we stopped for lunch at a busy aire. We had several options for food, but in the end, we picked sandwiches, a bag of crisps and water. There were a lot of Belgians on the road, a smattering of Germans and some Dutch, all of us heading south to cling onto the summer for a little while longer!

At Troyes, we turned off the autoroute and took the D444 to Tonnerre. It was a quiet road, passing through densely wooded sections and pretty villages full of gorgeous houses. The sun was shining after the earlier showers and we enjoyed looking at the scenery.

The road to nowhere

Trish, unable to contain herself any longer, took us off the D444 and onto a road so small it didn't feature on our map (we'd had to splash out on another French map as we'd mislaid the one at home). We didn't see another vehicle, but I was dreading meeting a huge tractor because of the narrow road! There were no hedgerows, so we could see for miles over the gently rolling Burgundian landscape.

After this little detour through the empty French countryside, we turned onto the D944 and were soon in the town of Tonnerre, our home for the night. I had stayed here back in 1980 with my parents when we were on our way back from Spain, but I didn't recognise the town at all. Trish redeemed herself and took us straight to the door of our Airbnb, but we had to park opposite. The house was on a quiet residential street of very old buildings, most of them crumbling, with old wooden shutters.

The hosts had messaged us with the code, which Sophie tried to put in several times, to no avail. It was 3pm, and we would have appreciated being able to get into the house and freshen up. It was only when I had a good look at the message that I saw the code was available "for the duration of our visit", i.e. 4pm this afternoon until midday tomorrow.

We decided to head for Chablis, a short distance away and a village I'd been keen to visit ever since I started enjoying wine. We drove along quiet roads, seeing fields of wizened sunflowers, their heads drooping, and hillsides covered in vines. Signs started appearing advertising Chablis producers and a lovely word - Dégustation!

Wine shopping!

Trish took us to the outskirts of Chablis where I was able to photograph Sophie with the sign:

We parked in the centre of Chablis and walked to a bar where we were able to sit in the sun. The good people of Chablis were dressed for Autumn in padded coats and trousers, but we were still clinging onto summer by our fingernails!

Keith enjoyed a Grimbergen beer while Sophie and I ordered glasses of Chablis. The waiter served the wine in tiny glasses, even smaller than our 125ml measures at home. Sophie wasn't keen as she said it was acidic, but it had to be done!

We sat and enjoyed the sunshine, but when it disappeared behind clouds, and the wind blew, it was a little chilly! A group of young British men came along, and we think they were on an upmarket stag do, as they were very posh indeed!

After we'd finished our drinks and paid the reasonable 11 euro bill, we popped into a pharmacy opposite so Keith could buy a pair of reading glasses. The ones he'd bought the other day had fallen into pieces in the car as he'd got them out to study the map!

Keith then returned to the car while Sophie and I visited the shops.

"Return the sausages!"

We found a delightful shop selling wine and local produce and bought a bottle of wine each. Sophie spotted a white from Tonnerre (I didn't know the town produced wine!) and I bought a Petit Chablis from old vines. We also chose a box of savoury biscuits and a jar of Dijon mustard with basil.

The town was delightful and the buildings were made of gorgeous local stone. Maybe, next time, we'll stop here! We headed back to Tonnerre and this time the code worked perfectly and we were able to park right outside the house. We were very pleased with the Airbnb - there are three bedrooms (one on the ground floor), two shower rooms, a large open-plan kitchen/diner/living room, and a tiny outside terrace.

Huge bathroom!

One of the bedrooms

We unloaded some of the bags from the car and showered. I had already booked a table at a local restaurant called Le Chat Qui Reve (The Dreaming Cat) for 7.30pm. It was a five-minute walk away and we were surprised at how quiet the town was. Walking along the silent streets, we noticed that it appeared a little run-down with some of the houses in a state of dilapidation. Looming over the town was a huge church and a flowing river rushed through the middle of the streets.

An old carpet shop?

Unusual dishes!

We think that the woman who owned the restaurant was Eastern European originally as lots of different dishes were featured on the menu. This was brought out on a large blackboard and she went through every dish with the diners. She was explaining the dishes to an American couple when we arrived.

We chose aperitifs - a strong Polish beer for Keith, and two glasses of fizz for Sophie and me. She then brought over the blackboard and explained everything in French. We managed to understand most of it and made our choices - a charcuterie board to share, beef goulash for Keith and a chicken dish "served with lots of onions" for Sophie and me. She spoke clearly, which was an enormous help! There were no vegetarian dishes on the menu and during the time we were there, a lot of diners ordered the snails.

I chose a bottle of Petit Chablis for Soph and me to drink while Keith stuck to beer. There had only been two tables occupied when we arrived, but gradually the restaurant filled up until the place was full. The diners were mostly French older couples and there was a lovely atmosphere.

The charcuterie board was delicious, served with crusty bread (no butter as usual), little gherkins, tomatoes and a pickled silverskin onion. Our mains were equally delicious and both dishes were served with rice. Of vegetables, there were none...

We all managed to squeeze in a pear and apple crumble for pud and paid the bill, which was about 140 euros. By now, we were all shattered, and we walked back through the silent streets, looking up at lit windows and wondering about the people who lived in the houses. It wasn't late, but the town had a very sleepy air about it!

After trying to get Netflix on the television for half an hour we gave up and retired to bed. It had been a very long day!

Getting ready!

I was facing a day of answering the phone because Sara hadn't been able to arrange any cover for Sharon. I was just hoping for a quiet day because my manager was on annual leave, and I wanted to try and clear all the emails before I left.

We had a pleasant start to the day, and when the phone lines opened, the calls weren't too bad. As I had predicted, the day passed quickly as I was so busy. At 4pm, I logged out of our telephone system and breathed a sigh of relief!

Keith had driven me again and had been to Tesco to buy some toiletries for Mum and Dad to tide them over. We sped over to Kettering, he dropped me off and went to top up with petrol, and I sat with my parents for half an hour while he was gone. Mum was delighted with her bag of goodies and I said I would call them when we reached our final destination in France on Sunday.

Back home, I packed my and Keith's clothes and tidied up the house. I hate packing and we were sharing one suitcase, so by the time I'd finished it was full!

We were a bit bickery with each other this evening. We were all tired, and it had been a busy week. I managed to sit down with Sophie and enjoy a glass of wine for about twenty minutes, and then it was time to cook a very easy supper and do more preparations for tomorrow.

I was not looking forward to getting up at 2.30am, that's for sure!

A busy shift

It was back to reality with a bump this morning and a short shift at work. I walked in to over a hundred emails to answer, so that certainly kept me busy!

Keith drove me today as the repair shop in town had texted me yesterday to say my dress was ready to be collected. We drove down to St Giles Street and managed to get parked, so I was able to run down to the shop and pick up my summer dress. I just hope I get the chance to wear it!

I had a few minutes at home and then drove to Kettering to see my parents. However, when I arrived they had gone down to see an entertainer, which was great news! I didn't want to disturb them, and I had plenty to do at home, so I left, telling one of the carers I would call them later.

I had an unexpected few hours free so I made the most of them, cleaning the downstairs of the house and trying to get things done for the holiday. It's getting very close now!

An indulgent day in the capital

An appointment in Harley Street

Sophie had an appointment with Dr Bawa at 12.30pm today and, as usual, we decided to make a real day of it. We had originally planned to take Keith to L'Entrecote, but with the holiday planned for next week, we decided to reign it in a bit, and Keith said he'd sit this visit out.

We booked lunch at Cote Brasserie, just off Marylebone High Street, and we were looking forward to a day out. My past few Wednesdays have been dull and boring, so I was determined to make up for all the chores I'd been doing lately!

We caught the 9.18am train and managed to get a seat where we finished our coffees. As we set off, we started to discuss France, and the man opposite grinned at us and said he lived in France and was back in the UK for a short visit. We had a chat, but I think he was afraid of butting in on our conversation, so he wished us a happy trip next week and went back to his phone. It would have been great to have chatted a while longer, as I had so many questions to ask him!

Refreshments and shopping

At Euston, we took a black cab to Marylebone High Street and made straight for 31 Below where we had a cup of tea, a hot chocolate and a shared plate of toast. No interesting eavesdropping today; the men next to us were talking about football! Yawn!

After our refreshments, we crossed the road to Daunt Books and spent a pleasurable half-hour wandering around and looking at all the tomes available. Sophie bought herself a new book and treated herself to a canvas bag. From Daunt's, we went to Bayley and Sage, and salivated over the food and drink!

Pumpkins and Autumn leaves featured heavily! I bought some sweets for Sara (she'd given me a cat deckchair) and a box of crackers, while Sophie treated us to a hunk of 24-month, matured Comté and a hazelnut sausage. We could easily have spent a fortune in there! Our next stop was the Oxfam charity shop and Sophie bought a quirky tee-shirt and two books, one of which was for Keith, who can read it on holiday. 

Why did the pigeon cross the road?

It was almost 12pm now, so we decided to have a glass of Prosecco and some nibbles at a corner Italian brasserie. We sat outside and asked the waitress if we could just have a glass of fizz and a bowl of Zucchini fritters and she was more than happy to oblige.

A heavenly combination!

A dark grey pigeon started strutting about so Sophie threw him some crumbs which he gratefully gobbled up! He was like a bird version of Mooney! He kept coming back for more until we had eaten all the delicious, crispy Zucchini fries. He then took himself off across the road, using the pedestrian crossing to get to the other side. A woman walked across at the same time and we doubled up with laughter, as it was so comical! He then strutted off down the High Street, on the lookout for more morsels, no doubt!

Worried about Dr Bawa

At 12.30pm we were sitting in the waiting room of the Phi clinic. Dr Bawa came out to greet us and we were both shocked by how thin he looked. He had definitely lost weight since we'd seen him back in May. He gave Sophie a little more Botox but said she wouldn't need filler until next year. He showed us photos of when she first came for a consultation and her nose is definitely straighter! Although he was as chatty as ever, we were both a little concerned as he said he'd been working constantly over the summer, even going to a conference in Orlando, Florida, where he was one of the speakers.

Lunchtime people watching!

We had an hour to spare before our lunchtime booking, so we paid a visit to Inn 1888. I enjoyed an Aperol Spritz while Sophie chose a glass of Pinot Noir. We sat and chatted and relaxed for an hour. The pub was empty, as it always is, but the landlord was putting Reserved signs on most of the tables so there might have been something going on later.

We'd debated sitting outside for lunch, but when we emerged from the pub, it was cloudy again. We chose a table right by the window and it was great for me to look out onto the street, while Sophie had a great view of the other diners.

We chose the prix fixe menu - I started with a gorgeous bacon salad, while Sophie chose the charcuterie plate and sourdough bread. We both opted for the minute steak and frites for our mains and for dessert, I indulged in a crepe, while Sophie enjoyed a classic chocolate mousse.

I was fascinated with a huge, black Mercedes parked outside. I was dying to see who was going to get in as the driver was obviously waiting for someone. He got out and rather than the uniformed chauffeur I'd expected to see, it was a young man dressed in denim, the back of his jacket covered in what looked like Japanese symbols. He was smoking a cigarette, so definitely not a proper chauffeur! A little later two women dressed in Burkas arrived, got into the car, and they sped off! How the other half live!

Our meal was delicious and very reasonably priced. We had a carafe of the house red, and a bottle of water and the bill was £91, including service.

Truly indulgent!

I'd suggested, as a real treat, a visit to The Hansom bar at the Renaissance Hotel in St Pancras, so Sophie had booked a table for drinks and snacks (not that we'd be having them) for 4pm. We took another black cab and arrived at the ornate entrance a short while later. One of the doormen opened the door for us and we went inside one of my favourite places in the world!

We took a seat in the beautiful lounge bar and studied the cocktail menu. 

There were a lot of business types barking into mobile phones, and most people were drinking tea or coffee. Not us, though! Oh no! I ordered two Normandy cocktails - Calvados, Laurent Perrier Champagne, Angostura Bitters and sugar syrup. This was a thank you from me to Sophie for all she'd done to help me over the last few weeks. The drinks were delicious and came with a thin slice of apple.

It was bliss to relax and take in the gorgeous surroundings. Sophie was people-watching again and was fascinated by a group of men who were talking French further down the lounge. She was convinced one of them was a footballer!

Heaven on earth...

Sophie wasn't content to leave after our cocktail. She wanted to go into The Booking Office, next door to The Hansom. We should have visited in April, for her birthday, so I agreed. By now it was almost 5pm, but we went over to the entrance and asked if there was a table free for drinks. The maitre d' said we could sit at a long bench for a drink and that there'd shortly be a talk about the hotel and a free punch tasting! Wow!

We took our seats at a long wooden table and ordered a Negroni each. It was a good job we'd had a big lunch as I think I'd have fallen over by now! I cannot describe how beautiful The Booking Office is. Sophie was beaming from ear to ear and said she'd never been anywhere so opulent in her life. I had to agree!

We could see the Eurostar platform from the windows so it felt utterly decadent. We both agreed to come back next year, stay the night, have cocktails and dinner, and then take the train to Paris the next morning. We'd save up for it and enjoy it!

At 5.05pm, one of the staff stood up to give a talk about the hotel, and he explained that the ritual of making and drinking punch was a celebration of the day ending and the evening beginning. I'll go for that! He passed around a box of old documents dating from the 1800s and showed us how to make the rum punch, giving everyone sitting around the table a glass.

The waiter who had served us was Italian, and his name was Rosario, and I think he took a little liking to both of us as we'd ordered Negronis! He came over and chatted every now and again and made sure we were well-supplied with glasses of rum punch!

One of the pages of the wine list - Californian Opus One £1000!

Back to reality

We lingered in the bar for an hour, not wanting to leave but knowing we soon had to get the train home and return to reality! Keith called as we were gathering our things to go, and Sophie said we'd be catching a train home at about 6.30pm. Rosario hugged us and said goodbye (he was from the Amalfi coast), and we reluctantly made our way outside where one of the doormen hailed us a black cab.

The short journey to Euston was over all too soon, and we were back in the meleé of the station. Luckily, we were able to get on a train straightaway and found a seat. We had a lovely conversation with a woman sitting opposite that lasted all the way until she left the train at Wolverton. All the other passengers were engrossed with their phones! Look up from those screens and interact with others!

It was pouring with rain when we arrived back at Northampton, and Keith was waiting for us. We sloshed home and relaxed for the rest of the evening, after doing the dreaded evening chores!

A quieter day!

Amazingly, Sophie was able to drive through Holcot today as the water had subsided. It is properly dark in the mornings now, and we faced another unsettled day of rain and grey skies.

I was busy at work again but at least I had an uneventful journey home tonight, and it took me twenty minutes rather than an hour and a half like it did yesterday!

It was Keith's birthday and he didn't open his presents and cards until Sophie arrived home in the evening. We'd bought him a new winter shirt and a lightweight jacket, which I think he was pleased with! You can never tell with Keith!

We were playing cards in the kitchen when Vikesh popped around with a card and a gift - a big poster celebrating Newcastle United, which he'll frame and put on the wall. That was a lovely touch! We didn't hear from Mike but he's probably in the middle of Vietnam so we'll forgive him!

Sophie showed me a video before dinner of Keir Starmer saying "Return the sausages" rather than hostages, which I thought was hilarious! The way he speaks, with pauses for effect, drives me mad, so it was so funny to hear him make a real goof!

Flood!

For once, the weather warnings in place for today were accurate and we've had heavy rain all day. I was busy at work and the time flew by in a blur of emails! I was just walking out of the office to meet Keith when he called me to say that Holcot was flooded, with several cars stranded in the water, so he'd been held up.

I went back into the office to wait but went out again at 4.15pm to see him enter the car park. Abbie had sent me a couple of photographs from their evening out in Vietnam, and the array of Belgian beers they could choose from! How surreal! I told her the weather was atrocious and she'd already heard from her Mum who lives in town. We have flood warnings out for several areas of the county and as I looked out onto the sodden car park, I could understand why! 

Keith and I decided to drive home via Moulton Park and Brixworth rather than the busy A43, but it turned out to be the wrong decision! We managed to get through Moulton Park but the traffic ground to a halt on the outskirts of the estate, so we decided to head to Moulton instead.

The roads were crammed with cars and were very wet. We made our way to the outskirts of Moulton and turned left to go past the college. As we made our way past, we could see cars turning around and realised that a deep flood covered the road further on. We had no choice but to go into the car park (which brought back memories of taking Mike to Army Cadets!) and try and think of another way to get home!

We told Sophie to avoid Holcot at all costs and drove out of the village and onto the A43 which was at a standstill by the Shell garage. It did not bode well! However, once we were past a flooded stretch of the road where cars were having to crawl through, we made good time to the turn-off to Hannington and home. What a relief! The last thing we wanted this week was for something to go wrong with the car!

Sophie arrived home shortly after us, and did most of the evening chores, bless her! Keith and I played cards and we had a very simple dinner of fish and mashed potatoes. The rain continued to fall all evening and we doubted very much whether we'd be able to get through Holcot tomorrow!

Rain, rain go away!

Foolishly, I allowed Gomez to sleep on our bed last night because of the stormy weather. He repaid our kindness by doing a wee on the bed... I woke up and smelt something strange, and my fears were realised when I touched the quilt cover. It was 6.30am, and I hadn't gone to bed until 1am, so I was shattered. I stripped the bed, turned the quilt around, took Gomez downstairs, and fed both cats before returning upstairs. However, the thought of a lie-in in a piddly bed did not appeal!

Outside, it was still raining, and it was dark and gloomy. I washed up the glasses from last night, and Keith wandered in looking bleary. He helped me unload the dishwasher and put everything away, and we sat at the kitchen island chatting with our cups of tea and coffee. I now faced a mound of laundry and trying to wash my giant super-king duvet, something I  could well have done without! 

We had a warning for rain again today, so there was absolutely no chance of getting any of the laundry out on the line to dry. I was annoyed about the cat as he could easily have gone downstairs and used the litter tray.

When Sophie woke up she suggested putting the soiled part of the duvet into the bath and soaking it in hot soapy water, which is what we did, but it was so heavy! We then sorted out the laundry and freshened up as Isla, our neighbour's daughter from across the road who looks after the cats, was coming over for a chat. 

We explained that we had decided to keep them in for the week as it would be easier for her. We didn't want her to worry about trying to get Gomez in late at night! She seemed very happy and I told her about our other holiday dates next year. It's great to have someone close who is happy to care for Gomez and Mooney while we're away.

Once Isla had departed, Sophie and I sloshed our way over to Tesco in Kettering. Sophie was looking for a few bits and pieces for the holiday and we had a little shopping to get. After we'd finished, we drove over to see Mum and Dad but they were just about to have lunch so we dropped off some things for them, returned to the Timpson's outlet where Sophie had had a pair of shoes repaired and fled home through the rain. 

It has rained all day today and it was forecast to get heavier. Sophie prepared tonight's soup while I constantly filled and emptied the washing machine and tumble dryer. There was always something to be done! We had also squeezed as much water out of the wet part of the duvet as we could, and it was now hanging over the airing cupboard door. I attempted to dry it with a hair dryer but gave up!

We finally sat down with a glass of wine in the early evening, and I felt shattered! Plans to have a sneaky nap in the afternoon had fallen through and I was longing for a good night's sleep! Sophie's soup was delicious and she had put some soup pasta in the pan, along with tomatoes, onions and garlic. 

As the evening wore on, the rain became heavier and our Amber weather warning kicked in. It was heaven to relax in the living room after dinner and watch television and we saw the first episode of an adaptation of a Lianne Moriarty novel, Apples Never Fall. Bliss!

A huge clap!

Annoyingly, I was awake at 6.30am this morning so I decided to get up, have a coffee and make a start on the day! It meant I'd put a colour on my hair before 9am, which I was pleased about as it's one chore I hate! Sophie prepared tonight's dessert of Tiramisu while Keith bashed, then cut steak for the stroganoff.

We're looking forward to having Liam and Sarah around for a meal and a good catch-up! It's been a couple of years since we've seen them so there'll be plenty to chat about. I miss having them as neighbours!

At 10.30am, I drove Sophie into Northampton as she had an appointment at the beauty salon. The roads were busy with weekend traffic and it was great to be able to sit in the car and relax for twenty minutes! On the way home, we called into Waitrose and I topped up our white wine stock and bought some Elderflower Pressé for Sarah. Outside, it was lovely and sunny but we had a weather warning out for thunderstorms today, and heavy rain.

Back home, Sophie and I cleaned, set the table and made the house look beautiful. I also did a couple of loads of washing, but with the second one, I decided not to hang the laundry on the line... about half an hour after I'd put the clothes into the tumble dryer, the heavens opened! We then saw flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder close together. Sophie tried in vain to get the cats in, and she saw Mooney streak across the garden and dive under a bush. No amount of calling would get him to come out, and the storm then became a lot worse...

We were in the kitchen, saw a bright flash of lightning and then perhaps the loudest clap of thunder I'd ever heard! It brought me out in goosebumps! Sophie screamed and we realised it must have been right over us. It knocked out the electricity and our internet and Sky connections!

The storm rumbled on for most of the afternoon and we had torrential rain which turned the road outside the house into a river! When it abated slightly, Mooney came running into the house, soaking wet! Sophie gathered him up into a towel to dry him off and we gave him a cat yoghurt!

There was no sign of Gomez and we have no idea where he goes during the day. We can call and call him and he rarely appears before nightfall. As a treat, and because we'd finished all of our preparations, Sophie made us both an Americano - Campari, sweet vermouth and soda. Delicious!

My daughter also very kindly painted my toenails and fingernails, and we were able to relax for a while before the evening. I had another shower and washed my hair again, and by 6pm we were downstairs cooking the meal. I lit loads of candles and the house looked lovely and cosy. 

Sarah and Liam arrived at 7pm and it was great to see them again. We chatted and had a drink and then I gave Liam the gift I'd bought for his birthday back in July - a bottle of Canadian whisky called Bearface, as they had been in Canada earlier in the year and had seen lots of bears!

We stood in the kitchen, nibbling on crisps and dips while Sophie put the finishing touches to the meal. It was a great evening and there was a lot of laughter around the table! Sophie's individual Tiramisu went down well, and we managed to get through several bottles of red wine and an equal amount of beer! It was gone midnight by the time they left! The time flew!

We sat and relaxed for half an hour and watched more flashes of lightning through the window. Keith said it was harvest lightning which normally follows a spell of hot weather. We heard rumbles of thunder, but by now, both cats were safe in the house!

Phew! It's Friday!

Weird things are happening at the moment in our office and making our jobs a little bit harder! We thought the phones were going to go down at one point and then, for a brief moment, the computers froze! I managed to finish the moan report and I put another week of films onto the system. I also put on the first week of the Christmas playscheme places (they'll be here before we know it!) and cleared all the emails, so I was happy I'd managed to get such a lot achieved despite the tech niggles!

I drove home in the sunshine, and there was no trace of any storm clouds above. We had a weather warning for thunderstorms today, and I was looking forward to a good bout of thunder and lightning, but as usual, we had nothing.

I did some admin chores on our computer and then started watching All Creatures Great and Small on the television, but I kept nodding off! It's been a busy week! Sophie arrived home and we picked out our wine for the evening - a New Zealand Pinot Gris. This time next week, we'll be getting very excited!

Keith went to the pub and I popped potatoes into the oven to bake for dinner. Sophie and I watched the last episode of Race Across The World and I think we both felt a bit emotional at the end! I sometimes listen to Scott Mills on the way home from work on Thursday (I still miss Steve Wright, though) and he kept the news very quiet!

After our very simple supper, Sophie and I watched an old episode of Fake or Fortune, followed by Gardener's World, which sent Sophie to sleep! We both have a busy day tomorrow, so it was an early night! No dancing around the living room at midnight with the cats this evening!

Crime scene!

I had a busy shift at work and concentrated on trying to complete the moan report to cross it off my list of things to do. I always feel a sense of relief when it's finished!

Keith collected me at 2pm and I decided to clean the conservatory as soon as we arrived home. There was a dead shrew in the middle of the floor, which was a lovely gift for us, and multiple dead flies! I put several of the cushion covers in the washing machine to freshen them up and sponged the sofa to get rid of any traces of the cats.

When I pulled the sofa away from the wall to clean behind it, I discovered a crime scene of dead things and dried-up bodily fluids. It was horrible! What on earth do the cats get up to? I ran some very hot water into a bucket, hoovered and then mopped the floor. I also cleaned the window sills (again) and by the time I'd finished, it was looking so much better and cleaner!

Once finished, I hoovered the living room and mopped the kitchen floor. I felt like I'd made good use of my Thursday afternoon off! There's nothing like having people around for dinner to focus the mind on giving the house a good clean. Well, for me anyway!

An expensive day!

We were up and out of the house by 7.45am this morning to take the Golf for a pre-holiday service. Sophie drove me and was in the tetchiest of moods. I am the world's worst passenger and put my foot down on a non-existent brake several times, much to her intense annoyance. After we'd dropped the Golf off at the garage, she threw a wobbler and made me drive her to work. I don't think she was happy about us having to use her car today!

We dropped her off and went home on the scenic route because of the traffic on the A45. Back home, it was time for a coffee, a couple of pastries that I baked and then threw away as they tasted strange, and a few chores before we went to Tesco.

We were shopping for our holiday this morning, as well as some bits for Saturday night and my head was all over the place trying to remember what we needed, even though I'd written a list! I bought some delicious nibbles, a bottle of Cava and a bottle of Porta 6 red wine as our friends have just returned from Portugal. I just about managed to remember to get us something for lunch!

As we came out of Tesco, the garage called to say the Golf was ready... and it would be £450 as it needed new brake discs and pads and had had a full service. It was a bit more than we'd expected, but at least we have peace of mind before we go away!

We returned home, dropped off the shopping and went to collect the car. I was glad it was ready early as I didn't want to use Sophie's car this afternoon for more errands! We had lunch and a cup of tea and I did some more chores before we ventured out again, this time to have a sneaky peek at the Highfields office, and to go to Jones's. Highfields finally got back to us with a quote for four new panes of glass for the conservatory roof and a new pane of glass with a catflap for the door. We've accepted it and the work will hopefully be completed after our holiday.

We drove to where we thought they were but the building was up for let. I'd had a feeling they'd moved and I was proved right when I Googled their new address, which was near Jones's. We tried unsuccessfully to find the office, just to put our minds at rest that they were still operating as before, but we gave up as the road they were situated on was full of cars and forklift trucks!

At Jones's, I ignored all the Christmas decorations and we bought a couple of items for Saturday night - new placemats, a new corkscrew and a salt and pepper pot! From Jones's, we drove through heavy traffic into town where I dropped one of my summer dresses off at a repair shop. They said they'd have it back to me late next week... I hope so!

Our last place to go before picking Sophie up from work was Dobbies garden centre where Keith picked out a new pair of shoes for the holiday at the Pavers outlet. Phew! We have spent a few pennies today! We drove back to Brackmills to collect Sophie and I was amazed at how heavy the traffic was!

Back home, we relaxed and indulged in a Tesco family lasagne, garlic bread and salad. I had a much-needed G&T - I think I deserved it after my busy day!

I give a pint.

I had another hectic day at work and helped out with calls when I could as Sheila managed to get my phone working again. As is usual for a Tuesday, the office was noisy and it was a relief to get out at 4pm and head to Moulton where I had an appointment to give blood.

Sophie also left at 4pm and said there'd been a serious accident on the A45 so she was forced to go another way home. Keith had driven me today, as he'd been shopping, so he had to sit and wait for me to give blood. I hadn't realised it had been three years since I'd last donated so I was subjected to a Spanish Inquisition when I sat down with one of the staff for my initial discussion. She was quite a scary woman and asked me to give her details of all the operations and procedures I'd had since I was a child... what? Why? The questions are becoming ever more intrusive and one of them in the booklet you're handed when you arrive was unbelievable! I won't repeat it here but if you had indulged in this with a partner, you weren't able to give blood for three months! My eyes nearly popped out of my head!

I managed to remember the very few operations I'd had, including my tonsils out when I was about eight, but why that was so important, I didn't dare ask. I then had to see a burly nurse because of this, and then I was actually free to give blood. Hooray! Every now and again, the blood service cries out for donations, but it's no wonder that they're short if they're so particular about who can give!

This evening was my 45th pint, but I know I've donated more than that as I started when I was 17, but stopped after I went to Nepal when I was 19. The nurse was skilful at inserting the needle in my arm so all went smoothly, thank goodness!

After a glass of water and a Club biscuit, I re-joined Keith and we sped home. Sophie was already there but it had taken her an hour to get home as the A45 was closed and she'd travelled home via Cogenhoe, Earls Barton and Sywell. 

We sat and chatted and ate a delicious beef curry that Keith had prepared earlier. He watched football after dinner while Sophie and I went upstairs and relaxed with just the one cat!

Get a life!

Sophie had another headache this morning, so missed the gym, and this is starting to worry me now, as these migraines are now affecting the way she lives her life. She has spoken about acupuncture and said she would call a clinic today when she's at work. They're hormonal and she gets them at the same time every month, but it's still worrying.

My day was busy answering all the emails and making a start on the moan report. It has now dawned on me that I have two weeks to get as much done as I can before I'm away for a week, so every minute is precious! I also realised that the next two weeks are busy every day with things I need to do for the holiday, so I will appreciate our break hugely when it arrives! I may go AWOL in Provence!

Sophie arrived home and said she'd had a dramatic afternoon at work as there had been a man standing outside her office building filming them. The building has other companies occupying the offices, so she went and spoke to the other people to let them know. One man went out and confronted him and it transpired that he was some kind of idiot who goes around filming offices for no clear reason. One of Sophie's colleagues spotted someone similar on YouTube called DJ Audit. I still have no idea why people do this and can only imagine it's because they thrive on confrontation and staff getting annoyed that they're being filmed without their permission. Get a life! 

Keith cooked the chicken and mushroom pie we should have had last night and then it was time for some brainpower with Only Connect and University Challenge!

Birthday celebrations!

We had a busy Sunday morning catching up with housework before getting ready to celebrate my friend Lynda's birthday at lunchtime. She had originally booked a table at the vineyard in Earls Barton, but they couldn't guarantee to seat us undercover, and she was worried about the weather. Instead, she'd booked The White Hart in Hackleton and had ordered nibbles and Prosecco.

Keith drove Sophie and me over to the pub, and we met Lynda and some friends she used to work with. I knew one woman who was at her 60th, ten years ago! The time has flown by!

Gradually, Lynda's other friends arrived, including Andrea and Fiona. There were about twelve of us and the noise level increased as we all started chatting and the fizz flowed! Food was brought out at about 2pm and we all tucked in, enjoying sausage rolls, breaded calamari, scotch eggs, chips, halloumi fingers and chicken goujons. 

I felt a bit guilty about Sophie coming with me, even though Lynda had invited her, as she was very much the youngest woman there! However, she chatted away and seemed to be enjoying herself! She loves to people watch and there were rich opportunities as all the different personalities made themselves known!

After the savoury food, we enjoyed mini desserts and Lynda gave us all a gift bag to take home. We were delighted to discover a pair of socks, a scented candle and body spray. It was a lovely thought and a complete surprise!

Keith collected us at 3.30pm and we arrived home in time for him to see Newcastle play Wolves. Sophie and I retired upstairs for a snooze and to catch up on yesterday's Saturday Morning Kitchen.

Our evening was relaxed and Sophie and Keith ate last night's Chinese for supper. I was content with a slice of fruit cake I'd bought at Farndon Fields, a measure of my favourite malt whisky and Michael Palin travelling from Pole to Pole. The definite highlight of my weekend!

Cats, cats everywhere, but not a one to cuddle!

Some time ago I'd bought tickets for a Cat Show taking place at the NEC in Birmingham today, so Sophie and I set off at 10.30am. I was allowed to drive Olive and we made good time on the A14 and M6. I'd pre-booked and paid for the parking and we took the shuttle bus to the arena. It was the second time of visiting for Sophie this week, and she pointed out the hotel where she stayed on Wednesday night.

Before we went to the show, we had a coffee and pastry in Starbucks and chatted about what we wanted to see. There was a talk on the hidden language of cats later in the day and I was keen to attend that. Sophie wanted to see and cuddle a Sphinx cat so we eagerly set off for the show with high expectations!

When we first entered the exhibition space we saw lots of stands selling cat food, cat scratching posts and different kinds of litter. However, it looked like you couldn't actually buy anything at the show except little key rings or trinkets. We wanted to buy some cat toys to take home for the boys but it seemed that most of the stands weren't selling anything directly. We had a look at a cat adoption stand and chatted to a woman who confirmed our belief that people do not want black cats... well, we do! But two is quite enough, thank you!

It was busy with crowds of people and some questionable smells wafting about. Hmmm! We made our way over to the cat village to look at the different breeds of cats, but the majority of them were in their cages sleeping. The ones who were awake were surrounded by a crush of people but they weren't really available to hold and cuddle, so that was a disappointment. Sophie did see a Sphinx cat and the owner said that the cat's skin felt like velvet, but she didn't offer us the chance to have a little stroke and find out for ourselves!

I'd definitely worn the wrong clothes today and I was hot and uncomfortable. We had to constantly dodge people and most of the stands were trying to sell different kinds of food, but we weren't able to buy any as I think we had to take out a subscription. Not with our fussy cats!

I'd been surprised to see people leaving the exhibition as we went in but I think I understood why - only half of the space had been taken up with the show and it was all a bit underwhelming! We decided to leave and drive to Farndon Fields near Market Harborough for lunch!

We arrived at about 2pm and we were seated immediately. Both of us chose salads - Sophie opted for the chicken and bacon salad with croutons, and I decided to have the grilled halloumi with pickled red onion, sundried tomatoes and a garlic and herb dressing. The food was good, but my salad was drowned in the dressing and I couldn't finish it. 

After we'd eaten, we wandered around and bought some treats. It was too early for the display of pumpkins but there were some Halloween sweets and chocolates for sale. We paid for our purchases and drove home through the beautiful countryside, enjoying the sunshine and blue skies.

Back home, Keith had gone to see Sileby so we threw open all the windows and I changed out of my uncomfortable top and jeans. Bliss! Why had we gone to see a Cat Show when we had our own lovely cats to enjoy?!

Our evening was relaxed and enjoyable and we found room for a Chinese takeaway later, which was delicious. We started watching The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin, but it was a bit too silly for us, so we switched over to The Last Night of the Proms instead, where they were playing... you guessed it... The Pink Panther!

A hectic Friday!

Sara and Sheila suggested to me today to move desks so I will be at the other end of the office, next to the window and away from the radiator. In the winter we have the battle of the radiator where I turn it down and someone else (normally Jo) turns it up. It also means I would be away from Jo (who has a loud voice) and this would make it easier for me to concentrate on writing emails, some of which can be quite sensitive and require delicate handling. I said I would think about it as I'm used to sitting at the far end of the office, usually in the dark!

Today's shift passed at a hectic pace - I put another load of films onto the system, taking us up until the second week in October, and I answered all the emails, dealing with a few that had been difficult to answer.

Back at home, I relaxed and Keith got ready to go to the pub for the first time in a couple of weeks. Sophie and I opened a bottle of Chenin Blanc that my daughter wasn't keen on. She said it tasted like vanilla, and I agreed, so she went back to an opened bottle of Pinot Grigio instead!

We watched the highlights of The Proms this evening, but we didn't have a repeat of last Friday night! We were in bed at a sensible hour with no hangovers looming!