Sophie was off work with me today and had planned on going to the gym to do a yoga class at 9.15am. However, when she went outside to get in her car, it wouldn't open. We had replaced the key battery in September, so we didn't think it could be that. Eventually, Keith managed to get the car open for her, and she called VW on Riverside. They said she could come down between 10am and 3pm, so we both hurriedly had showers and drove down.
We'd planned on going to Market Harborough today to do some shopping and have lunch, but we needed to get the car fixed first. We left the keys with a lovely young woman who said she would get one of the mechanics to look at Olive. She made me a great cup of coffee, and we sat and waited.
After about twenty minutes, she reappeared and confirmed it was the key battery, which they'd replaced for us. Apparently, the key tries to communicate with the car at all times, and the battery can run down. She advised keeping the keys in a pouch to stop this, and Sophie said she'd order one on Amazon.
We called Keith to let him know and drove to Market Harborough through the countryside that was shades of grey and brown. First up was a coffee in Two Old Goats, and as it was a bit chilly, we sat inside. The sunshine of yesterday had been replaced with heavy grey skies and a brisk wind!
We enjoyed our coffees with a sausage roll apiece and chatted, watching people walk by wrapped up against the wind. Sophie wanted to visit the charity shops, so we did them all! She had another great haul of clothes, and I bought a vegetarian cookery book in Oxfam.
By 1pm, we were all shopped out and returned to the car. We'd decided to have lunch at Farndon Fields, which was busy with people eating and drinking. We were taken upstairs for the first time in ages and had a look at the menu. We weren't ravenously hungry, but Sophie ordered the chicken parmo, and I chose a baked potato with tuna mayonnaise.
Both of us admitted to feeling a little glum today, and I put it down to the phone call about my Dad last night. Things are not going to get any better with my parents, and I have a horrible feeling this is the beginning of the end. The carers can't be with them 24 hours a day, and both my parents have ignored all advice about not getting up on their own and waiting for help. I had called the hospital earlier, and my Dad was still in A&E waiting for a bed on a ward. It sounds like the stories of people being kept on trolleys in corridors were true.
We had a lovely lunch, did a bit of shopping and drove home, taking the scenic route through Draughton and across wide-open fields. We saw a fair few pheasants! At home, we relaxed, and I watched a couple of episodes of Help! We Bought a Village! as I wanted to see how Paul and Yip were getting on in Normandy. We would love to go and stay when they renovate more of the cottages!
When I went back downstairs, the hospital had called to say my Dad was on an assessment ward, so I'll visit tomorrow with Mum, if he's still in. The best thing would be for him to go home, but I can't see that happening.
Sophie and I consulted the Tarot cards again and enjoyed a bottle of Vacqueyras. Neither of us was hungry at all!
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