A telling off!

Sophie didn't go to the gym this morning, but I woke up before it was time for her to leave. I sat and had a coffee and then waved her off to work.

I had a GP appointment at 9:30am to discuss the results of my blood tests. Everything was fine, including my cholesterol (perfect), but I was advised to cut down on alcohol... I had to agree with the lovely doctor I saw, and he's booked me in for another blood test in eight weeks. I will be the first to admit that I drink too much, and see a glass of wine or a vodka and tonic as a treat when I get home from work. The annoying thing is that I don't drink sugary or caffeinated beverages (I can't remember the last time I had a Coke) and prefer water to pop or fruit juices. However, I'm determined to cut down and will be researching alternatives to spirits! 

Keith had accompanied me, giving me a lift to work, and I was so glad he had, as the hospital car parks were rammed! I would never have found a space at 10:30am! As soon as I got into work, I made a start on the emails, and Sara and I also cleared out a load of older messages that needed answering.

I stayed on until 5:00pm, and Sophie picked me up from our rear car park. It's been another beautiful day today, and it was great to drive home with Sophie and chat.

Dinner tonight was a very easy meal of baked potatoes with lots of salad. Scrumptious!

Chaos on the roads!

It was truly lovely driving to work in the light this morning, and sunrise is now around 7:00am, so it can only get better!

We faced another load of BOB cancellations, and Sara and I managed to tackle them all over the shift, so at least I felt like I'd done something! The weather has been very pleasant today with milder temperatures and sunshine. Are we over the worst?

Keith picked me up at 4:00pm, and he'd had a busy day as well, with a visit to the dentist for his six-month checkup. We drove home in the lovely Spring-like weather, but despite this, the roads were full of drama! Two police cars came screaming past us while we were on the A45, and then we saw an accident just past the Riverside roundabout. A car had been crossing the busy dual carriageway, and it had hit another vehicle head-on. The front had been ripped off, and there was debris all over the road. Why these openings are still in use, I'll never know, as they are so dangerous. I see cars queuing up to cross the main road on my way home, and I think the drivers are mad! 

We carried on our way, and the traffic queuing on the other side was horrendous. When we arrived at the Moulton bypass, something else had happened, and the traffic was backed up again! I texted Sophie when we got home to warn her, and saw another three incidents on the Moulton bypass and A43! It's mad to think that this was the first pleasant evening at rush hour and there were multiple problems! Sophie's satnav sent her a different way home because of the problems and she looked stressed when she arrived home. 

I felt very restless tonight and couldn't settle, probably because I had agreed to work tomorrow and try to make inroads into the email situation. Work seems to be dominating my life at the moment, and I fear it can only get worse!

Keith had prepared chilli for dinner, so I sat in the living room and watched the first episode of Lord of the Flies on BBC iPlayer. I'm not sure I will watch any more! The cinematography was beautiful, though!

After a delicious dinner, Keith watched Newcastle v Qarabag, and I fell asleep on the sofa! Back to Shetland tomorrow!

Feeling overwhelmed!

My arms were covered in a rash this morning, and they itched like mad. I seem to remember last time the rash lasted quite a while, but I hadn't had much contact with the leaves this time, unlike the time before, when I was squashing them down into a box! 

As we had no paella last night, I called into a Tesco store on the way to work to buy myself a sandwich. When I arrived in the office, Sara said there were 180 "Bob" cancellations. These aren't straightforward, as we have to read the conversation with the AI chatbot and then obtain the DD reference number before sending an email to the customer service inbox to action. It takes far longer than a normal cancellation email, and I couldn't believe my ears when Sara told me how many were waiting to be done. I really didn't think that so many customers would desert us, but it seems they're very attached to the centres we're losing!

Sara and I worked steadily all day but I hardly felt like we'd made an impact! I'm surprised I'm not dreaming about emails!

Sophie made a delicious paella tonight, and we all sat in the kitchen and chatted before she made a start on the meal. It was then time for an episode of Shetland and a spot of relaxation before bed!

A spot of gardening

I think we were all suffering from Sunday syndrome today, even though Keith doesn't work! At least the sun was shining again, though! That managed to lift our moods a little!

Keith and I went out into the garden and chopped down two bushes behind the garage (the ones that had been affected by the caterpillars). We cut them right down to give them a chance to grow back healthily. I would love to have an outdoor kitchen in this area, as the grass is patchy and we store mostly rubbish here, which needs to go to the tip!

We then turned our attention to the hibiscus tree, which hasn't flowered for years and is spindly and weedy. We managed to get the root out, and we took out another spindly tree that wasn't doing a lot. I want to gravel over this border and place a bench here, as it's shaded in the summer. We left one tree alone and started to tear down the rampant ivy that has completely taken over the fence. 

Too late, I remembered that I come out in a rash if I have contact with ivy and I could already feel my hands starting to itch... We carried on, though, and cleared a large section of the fence. I was very surprised that the wood was still intact, buried under the leaves and hadn't rotted! It looked a lot better, but we left all the prunings on the lawn to be taken to the tip on another day. It felt great to be out in the garden on a mild, dry day, and although we made a complete mess, it will look better soon!

While we'd been working in the garden, Sophie had cleaned the house, which had helped! I made lunch for Keith and me, leftover mashed potatoes mixed with grated cheese and crispy bacon bits. We had been doing laundry all day, so that needed to be sorted out, and the twin beeping of the washing machine and tumble dryer nearly drove us mad!

The plan for dinner tonight was paella, but Sophie asked if we could postpone the meal until tomorrow instead. We readily agreed, but Sophie and I still drank a lovely Rioja! 

A right old mooch about!

We awoke to a rare thing in the sky this morning... the sun! We all had a relaxed start to the day, and Sophie and I went to Market Harborough at 10:30am, as we wanted to have a coffee in Just So Italian. 

I took a seat in the window and reserved another for Sophie, who was queuing to order our coffees. The man at the end of the row departed, and another took his place, but he was under the impression that the stool I'd had at one point between my legs was for his wife! It was a good job that there was another seat next to me on the right-hand side. We couldn't believe how rude he was!

We sat and enjoyed our coffees and almond croissants before doing some shopping. Sophie bought three books in Waterstones and all of them looked interesting! She also had a good haul in the charity shops, buying some pretty tops and dresses for work.

At 1:00pm, we walked to The Little Thai for lunch. It was Sophie's birthday treat for me, and we had a delicious lunch, choosing chicken money parcels, fishcakes and prawn crackers as sides, with a curry and sweet and sour chicken for our main courses. We had a glass of wine apiece and a bottle of sparkling water, and passed on desserts! 

After eating, I wanted to look for a wooden platter for serving charcuterie, so we popped into Bagel and Griff, a shop we'd never been in before. It was gorgeous! The wooden platters were beautiful, but pricey, and we explored the upper floor, which was stuffed with candles, soaps, bathroom items and greetings cards. I picked out a bar of soap and a box of incense sticks to take home with me.

We also called into another, very similar shop called Bunny and Clarke, where we had a good mooch about, and I sprayed myself with a couple of perfumes. When we left, we said goodbye, but the owner ignored us and didn't even look up! Charming! I finally found my wooden platter in the Cookshop, and it's beautiful but more reasonably priced! 

After all the shopping, we decided to have a glass of wine at The Wine Shed and sat outside. All day, the weather had been very pleasant, but it had clouded over a little, and rain was forecast. We were persuaded to order a bottle of Grüner Veltliner, but we didn't drink it all! It was lovely to sit outside and chat and enjoy a glass of wine with a small bowl of crisps. Towards the end of our visit, it did get a bit chillier, but it's been a lot milder today.

We paid for the wine, and managed to take some home with us! In the car, we turned on the heated seats, which was bliss, and popped to Farndon Fields to buy something for supper, and to have a look at the food. Sophie bought a couple of rustic Scotch eggs, and I popped a bag of ricey snacks into the basket! They'd be perfect with a cocktail.

As we mooched about looking at yet more candles and tableware, the heavens opened! We paid and took the scenic route home through Clipston, Maidwell and Draughton. The countryside was still a medley of greys and browns, but signs of spring are about, if you look carefully!

We spent the next couple of hours relaxing and decided to watch a new drama called The Curfew, about Britain in the future, when all men have to stay indoors between 7:00pm and 7:00am. I wasn't keen on the show right from the start, and the programme started an argument between Sophie and Keith, which rumbled on all night. Not really the best end to a lovely day!

Friday's here again!

On Monday evening, I remember saying to Sophie that the first day of the working week was over, and it would be Friday again before we knew it! I was right! This week has whizzed by!

I was facing mountains of emails again today, knowing I just wouldn't have the time to answer them all. To make matters worse, Sara has been unable to get anyone to cover on Monday, so I will be on the phone from 10:00am until 4:00pm... wonderful!

It was lovely to escape at 4:00pm and drive home, with the weekend to look forward to. We opened a bottle of Viognier, munched on some snacks and hummus, and watched a silly film on Netflix called Cellar Door. It was roughly an hour and a half of our lives we'll never get back!

Time whizzes past!

Sara is off for the next two days, so I was in charge of the customer service emails. Unfortunately, I couldn't handle everything in my six-hour shift, but Macy and Sheila helped with the cancellation emails. Consequently, the time absolutely whizzed by and before I knew it, it was 2:00pm and time to rejoin Keith in the car park.

We drove home in heavy traffic, and I dropped him off before going to Kettering to see my Mum. This time, she had the remote control, so we were able to sit and watch some television in between chatting. We started watching an interesting documentary on bears in Laos, but I felt so sorry for some of them who were chained up and kept in cages that I had to switch channels. I can't bear to see any animals (or fish or birds) kept in such a confined space.

I stayed for over an hour and returned home, where Keith and I watched the end of a Shetland episode from last night... we have the last episode of series 3 to watch this evening, and we just needed to know whodunnit!

A spot of pre-Spring cleaning

After a relaxing start to the day, I gave the upstairs of the house a deep clean. I paid particular attention to the bathroom and scrubbed the tiles and grouting. I even put the shower head into the dishwasher with a few other items that needed a good clean! Everything came out shiny and clean except the detergent drawer of the washing machine. Why does a piece of equipment, only used to clean clothes, get so dirty? It's a constant annoyance!

Keith prepared the ingredients for tonight's chicken stroganoff, so we were both busy. As I worked my way through the rooms upstairs, it felt good that I was tackling the chores that needed doing! Our house isn't dirty, but it was great to clear away cobwebs and move furniture out of the way to clean. By the time it was 5:00pm, I had cleaned downstairs as well (a deep clean will be done next Wednesday), and, between us, Keith and I had prepared dinner, so it just needed to be heated up. I lit all the candles, and the house was lovely and cosy.

Keith watched Newcastle this evening, but the kick-off was at 5:45pm, so the match didn't affect our evening's viewing of Shetland. Keith and I are becoming addicted to this series, but we have series 4, 5, 6 and 7 to watch, so it will be a long time before we finish!

Same old, same old...!

Monday and Tuesday have almost been identical this week!

Masses of emails at work ✔

Masses of phone calls at work ✔

Too much to do, too little time  ✔

Relaxing around the kitchen island after a busy day at work ✔

Watching episodes of Shetland and wondering whether I fancy Douglas Henshall or not? ✔

At least the weather was pleasant on Monday, although we had sunshine and showers! It's been bitterly cold, as well, but I'm now driving to work in the light and coming home in daylight, so that's a boost to the mood! It's school half-term in our area this week, so the roads have been quieter on both journeys. 

I had an interesting conversation with one of my colleagues on Tuesday afternoon about keeping up with the news, as a fair few of our customers still seem to be unaware of the imminent loss of three of our centres, which has been advertised on our website and in correspondence to customers. There has also been much said on Facebook, with several heated discussions taking place.

This colleague informed me she has no interest in social media whatsoever (OK, I'm fine with that) but never watches the news or reads a newspaper... She said she preferred to remain in a bubble without knowing what was going on. I was astounded! We always make a point of watching the headlines of the news at 6:00pm, and I would just have to know what's going on in the world and how it may affect me! Why bury your head in the sand! She's an adult, surely she needs to know what's going on in both the UK and the rest of the world? I'm not as informed as some people, but I have a working knowledge of what's happening, and I hope I can be able to comment on news items! 

The world is a bit of a frightening place at the moment, and we don't revel in upsetting news stories, but if we go away on holiday and don't have access to a British newspaper or news channel, I always worry I'm missing out!

I'm looking forward to a day off tomorrow, and not having to answer any emails! Bring it on!

A lunchtime treat

Keith and I went over to see Mum this morning and stayed with her for a little while. She'd had another fall yesterday but seemed fine. I am having trouble contacting her on the phone lately, which is a shame, as at least we were able to speak every day. 

Back home, we got ready to go to the pub for Sunday roast, something we were all looking forward to, especially as the weather was horrible again! It has rained all morning, and the roads out towards Mawsley were starting to flood.

The pub was packed, and we sat and had a drink before our meal. The fire had been lit, and it was lovely and cosy to sit and natter! At 2:30pm, we were seated in the snug and chose our meals, with Sophie and me opting for the roast chicken, while Keith was brave and decided to have the trio of roasts - chicken, beef and gammon. We had starters as well - chicken wings for Keith and Sophie, and a goat's cheese and beetroot tart for me.

We were all pretty hungry by now, so as soon as the food arrived, we tucked in! The starters were delicious and set us up beautifully for the traditional main courses. Keith looked at his plate in amazement when it was served, as it was piled high with food, including a huge Yorkshire pudding and three mammoth roast potatoes! He genuinely struggled to eat everything! We certainly didn't have any room for pudding!

Just as we were finishing our meal, a party of people from our estate came in and sat behind us, so we said hello. We much prefer this pub to the one in Walgrave now, as the staff are always efficient and friendly, and the food is lovely. Sophie and I are looking forward to walking up in the summer and sitting in the garden with a drink!

Back home, it was time to relax and while away the cold and wet afternoon! We snoozed in the living room, and Keith and I caught up with a couple of episodes of Shetland in the evening. We are well and truly hooked!

At last! Some sun!

We had a relaxed start to the weekend, and it was great to see the sun shining. It was cold, though, and we had frosty patterns on the conservatory roof again.

At 11:00am, I drove Sophie to Daisy's house in Moulton, as they were going to Olney with Laura to have a mooch about the shops and eat lunch. I had forgotten it was Valentine's Day today, and the girls had renamed it "Galentine's Day"!

I haven't done a lot today, and I didn't feel guilty one bit! I pootled about the house, and in the afternoon, I researched houses in Normandy for my birthday in 2027! I picked out seven possible contenders to show to Sophie when she came home later. We want to stay closer to Deauville next year as we both love this stretch of the coast.

Keith went to see Sileby play, so I put the heating on and had a long, hot shower as I felt cold. Afterwards, I watched a couple of episodes of Ever Decreasing Circles and had a little nap. What a relaxed afternoon! Both cats have been in today, and I didn't blame them as it was so cold outside!

Keith came home at 5:00pm, chilled to the bone, and immediately switched on the England-Scotland rugby match he'd recorded. Sophie texted me to say she was on her way home, so after they'd dropped Laura off, I drove to Moulton to pick her up from Daisy's house.

On the way home, she told me about her day. She'd bought two of David McCloskey's books, some tulips for me, and a couple of items of clothing. Neither Laura nor Daisy bought anything, not even a book!

We sat and had a look at the houses I'd picked out with a small cocktail. Each house was lovely, but in the end we decided on a sweet bungalow in Houlgate, one of our favourite towns. It's where we collect shells on the beach, and the town is beautiful and very close to Deauville. We didn't even have to pay a deposit! The owner contacted us straightaway, so we were delighted. Another little trip to look forward to!

Sophie had eaten Italian today, so she didn't have dinner with Keith and me, which was prawn salad, served with wholemeal bread. I prepared it while Keith watched the Newcastle-Aston Villa game, and Sophie and I opened a bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio. 

After eating, we watched Alan and Amanda in Corfu, followed by an episode of Masterchef: The Professionals, as Matt Tebbutt is now a judge!

Yippee! It's the last day of the working week!

I was mightily glad it was Friday and the end of another week. I apologise if the blog has been a little lacklustre lately... this winter is dragging on and on, and the weather is getting to all of us. My painful cyst hasn't really healed, and the antibiotics that I've been prescribed aren't suiting me at all. I long for warmer, sunnier days, as we all do!

Sara had told me that she had asked Nicola if we could postpone the moan report for a while as we were so busy, but our MD had wanted us to carry on, so I finished December's report this afternoon. At least in May, I won't have so much to do! I also enrolled a number of people on a lifeguard course that's taking place next week, and tackled as many emails as I could.

Back home, I caught up with an episode of Ever Decreasing Circles, which never fails to make me smile and cheer me up. When Sophie arrived, we opened a bottle of "Orange" wine from Austria and watched the last hour and a half of Rebecca. I wasn't keen on the orange wine at first, but it grew on me!

With an easy dinner of fishcakes and mash for dinner, and the figure skating from the Winter Olympics on after we'd eaten, we had a lovely, relaxing evening!

Another week speeding by!

I was helping to cover our 10:00am to 4:00pm shift today, so I didn't have to go to work so early. I was able to have a little lie-in, and Keith and I left the house just after 9:00am.

Kathy had also volunteered to help, so she covered the phones until 2:00pm, and then I took over. Needless to say, we had lots of emails to deal with, and the calls and queries are ramping up after posts have appeared on Facebook about the changes taking place, with people criticising Everyone Active, West Northamptonshire Council and us. It's horrible reading some of the comments, and we're obviously not allowed to hit back at what people are saying.

It was a relief to leave at 4:00pm and head home. As there was so much pasta bake left last night, we decided to have it again tonight, with any remaining food left for Sophie's lunches. It was great not to have to cook tonight, and Keith and I played cards while Sophie read her latest book by Salman Rushdie. Rather her than me!

In search of lost items...

Both Keith and I had an appointment at the GP surgery for routine blood tests this morning, so once that was out of the way, we decided to go to Beckworth Emporium and have a look at the food side of the store. 

It was a wet, miserable day again, and the roads were awash with water. I don't think I've ever known such a prolonged period of rainfall for the country. I was expecting Beckworth to be quiet, but it was packed, so we made our purchases and fled home. Keith wasn't in the mood for looking around anyway, as he's not a fan of the place!

Back at home, I pootled about doing a few jobs and then went to see my Mum. She had lost the remote control for the television, so it was a difficult visit as she wasn't making a lot of sense, and I didn't even have a programme such as A Place in the Sun to alleviate the gloom! I searched and searched for the remote control, but I had no idea where it was, so when I left, I let one of the carers know, so at least Mum could watch some television. The thought of her sitting there staring into space didn't bear thinking about.

 

Back home, I did some more jobs, hoovered and lit the candles to make the house cosy. Sophie cooked a delicious beefy pasta bake for dinner, and it was lovely, accompanied by a fruity Malbec!

A manic Tuesday!

I started work at 7:30am this morning because I needed to leave early for my nurse appointment. As I predicted, we had over 150 emails to deal with, and although I did my best, there were still over 80 left to do when I finished at 3:30pm.

I followed the SatNav advice and arrived at the surgery just after 4:00pm. No sunshine to accompany me home tonight; it was grey and rainy! The nurse called me in, and I explained that I'd seen my GP in October, but that over the last couple of days, the cyst had become red and sore. I'd tried hot and cold compresses, but nothing had worked. She examined it and said she was going to prescribe me a course of penicillin, and she also took my temperature, which was fine.

As soon as I arrived home, I took a tablet, with another one planned for just before bed. I really want to get rid of this cyst as it's painful and horrible! When Sophie arrived home, she'd had a stressful day, so we had a drink while watching Rick Stein in the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. How I wish we were there with him!

A little Spanish celebration

I duly called into a Tesco store on my way to work and bought myself an egg and cress sandwich. There is no sign of our "restroom" being finished, so we are still eating at our desks.

Before I started, I had to call our GP surgery to arrange an appointment with a nurse. I was hoping to go on Wednesday when Keith and I have appointments for blood tests, but I was able to get one for tomorrow after work. The little cyst I saw the doctor about last October has become painful and red, and I'm worried it's infected. Just what I need!

We had many, many emails to deal with today, and we had Tilly, the assistance dog, with us for an hour. She was perfectly behaved, bless her, and Nicola made a huge fuss of her. Our MD wasn't aware, and Nicola dreaded him coming in when she was lying on her mat!

To add to my woes, I was on the phone until 1pm today, and the booking system went down, so I had to keep telling customers I'd call them back when it was up and running again. In the end, I used Sheila's computer while an IT man tried to get it fixed!  

Just after lunch, we had a fire alarm, and we all had to go outside. At least it was dry! This is the second one we've had in four days, and it's very inconvenient, especially when we have so much to do! I tried my best, but I couldn't clear the emails, so there's more to do tomorrow. Oh joy!

Keith and I drove home, and the weather was lovely, with blue skies and sunshine. What a difference it made to my mood and really made me think that Spring was just around the corner!

Another boost to our mood was our Puerto Rican night, in honour of Bad Bunny, who appeared in the half-time show at the Super Bowl. Keith had recorded the game last night, so we could watch the performance. We started the evening with gorgeous Margaritas and nibbled on olives. Sophie then prepared Spanish tortilla, cheeses wrapped in ham, a selection of Spanish hams, crusty bread and aioli, as well as stuffed peppers. The food was lovely, and the cocktails went down very well!

After we'd eaten, we watched Bad Bunny's fabulous performance, and Lady Gaga joined him with a fantastic version of Die With a Smile. The whole show was brilliant!

An interesting discovery...

We have spent another day pootling about, doing housework and laundry. The weather has been a little drier today, but more rain is in the forecast. There seems to be no end in sight!

After our lunch of Chinese takeaway leftovers, Sophie and I drove to Mawsley, where she sent off a parcel of books that she'd sold, and then we drove to the care home to see Mum. We stayed for a while, and I showed her the photos I'd found yesterday of the snow 17 years ago. She didn't seem to remember the day at all, and all the hard work clearing the snow. We were so reliant on the weather for business, and having snow really did it for us, as people didn't venture out at all!

Back home, I was tidying up some old files on the computer when I came across 132 pages of a novel I'd written back in about 2002-2003. It kept me hooked, so maybe I'll have to do something with it, and also bring it up to date, as there were some references in the novel that definitely belonged to the early noughties!

We had Sophie's vegetable and chicken soup, but I don't think any of us really appreciated it and all the hard work she'd put into making it... She took what was left over for her lunch tomorrow, and I resigned myself to calling into Tesco again to buy a sandwich!

After eating, we treated ourselves to an hour of Caribbean sunshine and watched Death in Paradise. Oh, how we all long for blue skies and sunshine!

Looking back...

We awoke to... yes, you guessed! Another wet and miserable day! However, I had a notification from Google Photos about this day, 17 years ago:

Mum shovelling snow

Mikey aged 9

Dad trying to clear it all away!

Back in February 2009, it had snowed over the last few days, and we were forced to go into work on Saturday morning to try and clear the snow away so customers could park! The main car park was unusable, but we had to try and do something as we had birthday parties booked! Imagine if all the rain we'd had lately had fallen as snow! It doesn't bear thinking about!

Sophie and icicle!

Back to the present day, we didn't have any plans for this weekend, so it was great to stay inside and keep warm. Sophie was determined to finish two books she was reading, and I pootled about doing some jobs. Outside was grey and overcast, and I looked at some of the flood warnings in place. I think England has over 300!

I had a very long soak in the bath in the afternoon and then lolled about on the bed reading. What a lovely way to spend a grey and dismal Saturday afternoon! When Sophie and I reconvened in the kitchen at about 5:30pm, we agreed we didn't fancy the soup that my daughter had spent most of the morning making, and fancied a Chinese takeaway instead!

Keith was in agreement, so we ordered our dishes, and Sophie and I played Scrabble. She made David McCloskey's cocktail - No3 London Gin, dry Vermouth and a twist of orange peel. It was delicious! I  beat Sophie tonight, and we played some interesting words!

Our meal tonight was particularly good, and there was enough left for lunch tomorrow. We elected to watch Casino Royale this evening, and Sophie and I indulged in a Vesper when James Bond enjoyed his!

Rain, rain rain...

Keith took me to work this morning, and I stopped off at a small Tesco on the way to buy myself lunch. We had nothing in the house as Keith didn't go shopping yesterday!

I had a busy shift, trying to deal with as many emails as I could, but as fast as I was answering them, more were coming in. Members were understandably worried about their memberships and losing three of the centres. Some of the people have been with us for decades, and I remember using Lings when I was a teenager! We dealt with them as best as we could, as we still haven't got any details about what's going to happen with the transfer to Everyone Active at the end of March.

It was a huge relief to finish at 4:00pm and join Keith in the car. I used the satnav to get us home again, and we were pulling onto the drive at 4:30pm, which was brilliant! Needless to say, we'd had rain and grey skies all day. I think this photo sums up the last few weeks:

The lovely Friday when Sophie and I drove the Normandy coast road and enjoyed a walk on the sunny beach seems an age ago!

Keith didn't go to the pub this evening, and Sophie and I opened a bottle of Porta 6 and watched the original Rebecca, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. We enjoyed pizza, quiche and salad for dinner and then watched Alan and Amanda in Corfu. The glorious blue skies and sunshine were almost too much to bear!

Winter washout

It was pouring this morning when I drove to work, and I heard on the news that some parts of the country have had continuous rain since the start of 2026. I think we are all heartily fed up with the rain, the dark, and the chill. I long to see some sun, and I bet I'm not the only one! I wouldn't mind if it were cold and frosty with blue skies!

Letters went out to our members today about what's happening with their memberships at the end of March, so we had a flurry of calls and emails. Unfortunately, many members are cancelling because they only use the sites that will be taken over by Everyone Active, so I expect to see quite a few more cancellations in the coming weeks.

I left at 2:00pm, drove home to see Keith briefly, and then went to Kettering to see my Mum. She seemed a little brighter today and had had her hair done. We sat and chatted for over an hour, and then I sloshed my way home in the gloom, as it had now turned misty as well!

At least this evening we didn't have to think about dinner as we were meeting Michael in town to have dinner at The Lamplighter. Need I say it was chucking it down when we drove into Northampton? We ran into the pub, dodging puddles and arrived wet and dishevelled!

We took our drinks up to a table and texted Mike to say we had arrived. He came through the door a few minutes later and bought himself a pint before joining us. It was great to catch up, as we hadn't seen him since my Dad's funeral in early December. 

We ordered our meals: beefy nachos to share as a starter, followed by fish and chips (Keith and me) and burgers for Soph and Mike. We sat and chatted, but the loud background music and awful choice of playlist made it uncomfortable. Keith couldn't hear anything we were saying, as directly below him (we were seated on a little raised stage) was a noisy group of people that made it difficult to hear.

Keith and I enjoyed our fish and chips, but although the batter was deliciously crispy, the fish inside was very thin. At least, Sophie and Mike scoffed their loaded burgers and pronounced them fab! It was a good night, but I don't think we will be back soon, which is a shame as it's always been a favourite of ours. The music was just too raucous for me!

We bade farewell to Michael and sloshed our way back home. The roads were covered in water, and large puddles lined the side of the A43. When we arrived home, the cats ran in as they'd been out while we were in Northampton. I think they were very glad to see us!

A tale of two firsts...

I wanted to go and get our passport photographs done today, so Keith and I decided to go to the Weston Favell Centre, post a parcel back at the Post Office and get them done in one of the special booths.

We had a frustrating journey as we discovered the road up to the A43 was closed. A driver warned me, so we turned around and went via Moulton. I followed the driver who had flashed me, and he drove like a snail the whole way! At the moment, we are suffering from potholes on all of our roads, and it's the worst I've ever experienced. Whether he was driving so slowly because of the condition of the road, I don't know, but it was very frustrating! I then managed to get behind another slow and timid driver just before we got to the shopping mall... arrgghhh!

We went to the Post Office first, and then I treated myself to a coffee and a BLT sandwich in Costa. Keith didn't want anything, even a cup of tea! We used the escalator to get to the ground floor, and I was astonished to see a new climbing facility where Wilko's used to be! The place was called Pinnacle Climbing and they had a separate area for children called Clip 'n' Climb. It was very colourful with two levels that I didn't know existed! The place was empty, but it's probably hectic at the weekends.

 We found the passport photo booth, and I took my photo, but I couldn't pay. Inserting my card didn't work, and using contactless wouldn't work either! It was £10 for just one photo, so I decided we'd do it at home instead!

We drove to HomeSense next, and I was on the lookout for a little table for Sophie's chair where she can put a lamp and her drink when she sits and reads. HomeSense had loads of tables, but none of them were suitable or were way too expensive! I did buy a new jar for storing our dishwasher tablets, a new holder for the kitchen towel and a pretty box to store all my Dad's paperwork.

Next door was The Range, a store I'd never been in before. We spotted a white table with an alcove for books and a drawer, but there was no price on it. In fact, hardly any of the items seemed to have prices displayed, so in the end I had to ask a staff member to help. It was £40 and was ideal for what we wanted, so I asked the man helping if he could take it down to the tills for me. I also treated myself to a new lunch bag as my previous one had been put in the tumble dryer and had shrunk!

Our last stop was to Starbucks to buy Sophie and her friend, Becky, an iced matcha latte each. We delivered the drinks to their office and headed home. However, on the way, I said to Keith I'd love a cold beer, so we went to The Royal Oak, and we had a drink. For the first time ever, I ordered a pint of Guinness! The sandwich I'd had earlier had made me thirsty, so the beer was delicious! We spent a very pleasant half hour enjoying our drinks and chatting in a deserted pub. 

Back at home, we pootled about, caught up with the usual Wednesday jobs, and I arranged Sophie's "nook". When she arrived home, she was overjoyed!

A little snow...

I took myself off to work this morning and arrived in good time, with my pick of spaces. We had another busy day answering loads of emails, and I was mightily glad when it was 4:00pm, and I could pootle off home!

I used Google Maps again, and this time she took me off the dual carriageway at the next junction. I then headed towards Ecton on the old A4500, and into Sywell, before crossing the A43 and missing all the long queues. I got home at 4:45pm, but ten minutes of that were spent waiting to get off the hospital grounds.

Keith went to watch Sileby play this evening, and Sophie cooked us both jerk chicken pasta and doughballs. The meal was delicious! We drank a lovely white Italian Gavi with the meal and watched a BBC documentary about Steve Rosenberg, the Russia correspondent based in Moscow. It was fascinating, but I didn't envy him his job! He regularly gets followed! It was a bit like Russia here as we had light snow throughout the evening, and at one point I thought it was going to settle! Brrrr!

We ended the evening with another documentary about four women who had been abused by the same man over two decades. He was a thoroughly nasty man, and I hope he stays in prison for a long time!

A little chat

Keith took me to work today, and as soon as I arrived, I asked to have a chat with Sara about losing my hours on a Thursday. Although she didn't really have any answers for me (and the meeting actually raised more questions!), at least I made my feelings known. She asked if I wanted to meet with Nicola, but I said no; she always has an answer for everything! It was good for both of us to have a chat and a bit of a rant!

The rest of the day was hectic, and we had loads of emails to deal with. Letters are supposed to be going out this week to customers to let them know what's happening, so I can only see it getting worse!

We used Google Maps to get home, as I'm fed up with choosing a route that's busy. We were directed the normal way (along the dual carriageway and the A43), but I think I'm going to get into the habit of doing this every time I go home, to find the best, least congested journey.

Dinner was simple again, and after we'd eaten, Keith and I watched Shetland and we're enjoying the series. I have to wonder why we didn't watch it when it was on the first time around!

Another rainy Sunday...

It was the Australian Open Tennis Final this morning and Sophie and I settled down to watch Alcaraz play Djokovic. We wanted the Serb to win, but although he took the first set, he eventually lost. But not bad for a player in his late 30s! His compatriots - Nadal, Federer and Murray have all retired!

We didn't watch the whole match, and we pootled about the rest of the morning and sorted some jobs that needed doing. We booked a timeslot for the tip this afternoon to take our old television and all the packaging, as well as some old clothes and small electrical items. Outside,  yet again, it was another wet and horrible day, so not really the best day to go to the tip, but needs must! Roll on the warmer, drier weather!

We also ordered a new DVD player from Amazon, so I'll be able to watch my Ever Decreasing Circles DVDs!  They always cheer me up and make me laugh!

Keith and I went to the tip in the afternoon, and we both had to manhandle the old television; it was so heavy! I flung the old DVD player and the annoying speakers into the electrical skip. The tangle of wires behind the television stand has now gone, and it's much tidier.

Back home, we relaxed, and I had a short nap while sitting with Keith as he watched football. We had a very simple supper tonight of cheese, biscuits, grapes, celery and apple, so that didn't require any preparation at all. The DVD player arrived, and we set it up easily! While Sophie set everything out for dinner, I watched a couple of episodes of my favourite comedy! Bliss!

Supper was delicious, and we even had a glass of Port with the meal. There was enough left for tomorrow's dinner as well!

Ladies who breakfast...

I was up and out of the house by 8:45am this morning to meet Lynda and Fiona for a 10am breakfast booking at The Swan at Salford. We met at Lynda's house in Cogenhoe, and Fiona had elected to drive us to the pub near Milton Keynes. As Andrea lived close by, she was meeting us there.

It was a beautiful morning, and we were looking forward to a good catch-up over a great British breakfast! Our route took us through Olney and towards Milton Keynes, and we passed an area with a lot of building going on and new roads, which upset Fiona's satnav a bit!

We arrived just before 10:00am, and Andrea was already waiting for us. Apart from us, the pub was empty, and as soon as we sat down, I ordered a Flat White from our Australian waiter, while the girls had orange juice.

It was great to catch up with my three friends - I can't remember the last time I'd seen them! Our chat was interrupted by the waiter who took our order: three full cooked breakfasts, and poached eggs and avocado on sourdough toast for Andrea.

The food was beautifully cooked and presented, and we all tucked in!

This was a great thing to do as we still had the rest of the day to be with our families, and three of us had plans for later in the afternoon. We agreed to meet up again in April for another breakfast, but in Northampton, and I said I would find somewhere for us to go.

Before heading home, we went to see Andrea's new house, and we said hello to her partner, Clif. They told us about their very quiet neighbours (they live next to a graveyard) and the one grave which is in a neighbour's garden. This was a criminal, buried just outside the consecrated ground of the churchyard. Andrea's neighbours tend the grave and make sure there are flowers growing around it, which I thought was lovely.

We said goodbye to Clif and Andrea, and Fiona drove us home, this time through Newport Pagnell, Horton and Brafield-on-the-Green. It only took us half an hour, which was great as she was looking at a house with her son at 1:30pm. I was looking forward to going to Market Harborough with Sophie for a drink at The Wine Shed!

When I arrived back, I was delighted to see that Keith and Sophie had set up the new television and had cleaned the TV stand and the corner of the room behind it, which was very dusty! The new television was lovely and had a beautifully clear picture! The old TV was in the garage with all the packaging, and the only problem was that our DVD player no longer worked with the new television. It was quite old, so Keith said he would order a new one. I need to watch my Ever Decreasing Circles DVDs!

Sophie and I drove to Market Harborough, and we had a look in Waterstones first. Sophie bought  The Outside by Albert Camus, a book I'd had to read for my French A-level. I hope she enjoys it.

From Waterstones, we went to The Wine Shed, and we were seated inside. The place was very busy with a noisy table of women next to us. They were enjoying platters of cold meats and cheeses, which looked delicious. Sophie ordered a cheese toastie, as she hadn't had any lunch, and we both chose a glass of wine. My daughter picked a French Merlot, while I opted for a glass of Vouvray.

It was lovely to sit and chat, and we squeezed in a slice of fruit cake with a small glass of dessert wine as a treat. Outside, it had clouded over from this morning, and it began to rain hard as we walked back to the car. Sophie wanted to buy a bottle of No3 London Gin (as drunk by David McCloskey), and after an unsuccessful visit to Majestic, we found one in Waitrose.

Before going home, we popped to the care home to see Mum, who was sitting in the dining room having tea. We took her back to her room and stayed for a chat, but she didn't make a lot of sense, unfortunately. She seems to be having vivid dreams at the moment, which she says are very real.

Back home, it was time to relax on the sofa and read. I had a short nap, and Sophie prepared our evening's meal, Tesco Indian curries with accompaniments. Sophie wanted to watch Newcastle v Liverpool after dinner, even though Keith wasn't keen. We said Newcastle would win, but they didn't, and I don't dare write the full-time score here! Oh dear!

Channelling my inner Howard...

There's an episode in Ever Decreasing Circles when the ordinarily mild and gentle Howard turns into a formidable figure after people assume he's going to lose a snooker match to the main character, Martin. He had been turned down for a job and was fed up with being so nice and not winning at anything. His stern face and demeanour while playing snooker make Martin wonder what on earth has happened to him! And, of course, he wins. It's a hilarious episode, but there is a grain of darkness about the situation, and I channelled my inner Howard this morning when I stayed in my car until almost 8:00am, enjoying my porridge and listening to Radio 2 with Scott Mills. I have missed listening to the Easiest Quiz on the radio! No more going in and starting work so early! What thanks do I get? Sara and Sheila get to go early as they arrive at 7:30am, but I don't!

I also spent much of the morning concentrating on the cinema work I do, and left all the cancellation emails for someone else to tackle. From now on, I might remind Sara and Nicola that I don't have time to do everything I normally do. Ha! How to demotivate a member of staff!

At 4:00pm, I drove home, and it took me fifty minutes to do the commute. I suppose that's better than yesterday, when it took Keith and me an hour to get home. An hour! My journey used to take me thirty minutes on a bad day!

I was mightily glad it was Friday, and although Sophie and I had planned on watching the original Rebecca, we were both put off by the annoying line down the middle of the television screen. In the end, we turned it off and Sophie prepared our dinner of chilli and nachos served with four Mexican dips.

After we'd eaten, we watched both episodes of Alan Carr and Amanda Holden in Corfu. The island is stunningly beautiful and made me want to weep. Fancy living there and renovating houses for a living!

Unwelcome news...

I just had a feeling that offering to help cover a shift today would come back and bite me on the bum... I didn't have to cover the whole shift on the phone, as Kathy had kindly offered to work from 10:00am until 2:00pm, so that was a bonus.

Just before Kathy arrived for work, Nicola called me into a meeting in the conference room with Sara. I immediately felt nervous... had I made a mistake, or were they going to tell me I was being transferred to Everyone Active? Nicola went on to tell me that I would be losing my six hours that I work on Thursday, which initially didn't feel too much of a shock. I had been thinking of giving them up myself after all the hassle we've been going through with the commute and parking, so I was OK. This was, of course, down to us losing three sites from the 1st of April. 

However, when I went to sit back at my desk, I felt a bit miffed. Why weren't these hours protected? Nicola could have made them contracted like the rest of my hours, and to be honest, losing them felt like a bit of a blow. She's asking me to take on more work (Bob, for example) but cutting six hours from my week! And would these six hours really affect the business?

When Keith came to pick me up at 4:00pm, I went on a bit of a rant. I just knew that offering to help out today wouldn't result in any kind of acknowledgement, and I vowed to stop working before my shift started at 8:00am and stop being so amenable. It's not in my nature to do that, but I felt very much as if I had been treated unfairly.

It made me feel miserable all evening, and both Keith and Sophie sympathised with me. It made me think about looking for a new job, something I really don't want to do at my age!

What day is it?

Of course, I had no idea what day it was, and it felt like an old Monday when I used to work with Kathy and Jo!

There were loads of emails to be answered, and Sara admitted to not dealing with them much since Monday. There were even some from Saturday waiting to be dealt with! This kept me busy all day, and the time flew by.

The weather was better today, and I caught a glimpse of light on the horizon when I drove in. I cannot wait for it to be fully light at 7:00am. This winter has been so dark and gloomy!

We had a very easy supper tonight - chicken and salad wraps, which Sophie prepared while Keith and I played cards. We had some delicious ingredients to go in the wraps: lettuce, cucumber, cress, tomatoes, a pepper and radishes. Delicious!

Feeling a little weary!

I had an abysmal night's sleep, and I had no idea what caused it! Maybe it was the coffee I'd consumed yesterday (although I did ask for a decaffeinated flat white in Gail's), but I awoke feeling dreadful this morning. I texted Sara to ask if I could swap my shift today and work tomorrow instead. I also said I would cover a shift from 8:00am until 4:00pm on Thursday. I told Sophie about work, and she let me snooze until she left for work, and then I stayed in bed reading.

The weather outside was horrible, and once I got up, I felt guilty about not going into work today. I showered and then decided to have a look at televisions as ours is not working properly, and we have a lovely bright pink line down the middle. I found one that had good reviews and hadn't got a bad energy rating, and ordered it from Curry's. We were able to pick it up within a couple of hours.

Keith wanted to get his hair cut, so we drove to Mawsley to find the new barber shop closed for the day. I suggested Guy's in Kettering, so we drove there, and I fell asleep while he was having his hair cut! I did say I was shattered!

From the barber's, we drove to Curry's and picked up our new television easily. We'll have to leave it until the weekend to replace it, as I certainly didn't feel like faffing around with it this afternoon, being so sleep-deprived!

On the way home, we called to see Mum, who was in bed. She wasn't expecting me, and she looked very frail and thin. I stayed for a while and then left feeling guilty, as I wouldn't be about to see her again until the weekend.

Back home, I succumbed to my tiredness and had a nap. I woke up feeling better and made a start on preparing tonight's supper of mulligatawny soup. Keith had cut up an onion, a chunk of swede and a carrot for me, as well as dicing slices of bacon, so that was a bonus! I diced an apple and let all the ingredients soften before adding curry paste, mango chutney, tomato pureé and beef stock.

Sophie arrived home as the soup was simmering gently and said it smelled delicious. And it was! I served it with naan bread as usual, and it was perfect for such a cold, rainy night!

After dinner, Keith and I decided to watch Shetland from the beginning as we suspected that there might be a storyline running through all the series. Tosh was in the first episode, looking extremely young!

Celebrity sightings!

Off to London for the day!

It's Mike's 26th birthday today, but he is spending it with Abbie in Nottingham. We've arranged to meet up next week for a meal to celebrate. Meanwhile, Sophie had bought tickets for her and me to see David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst and author of spy thrillers, at Daunt Books in Marylebone. We had decided to head down mid-morning from Kettering train station and spend the afternoon pootling about the area and enjoying ourselves!

We took the 11:19am train from Kettering, which was new to us! Keith dropped us off, and we reminded him that we'd be back just after 10:00pm tonight. The journey to St Pancras was smooth, and we chatted all the way. The carriages were sparsely populated; what a difference to the packed trains to Euston!

We hailed a black cab outside The Renaissance Hotel and took it to Marylebone High Street. First up was a coffee at the new Gail's, and a snack. Sophie actually chose a matcha tea and a ham and cheese croissant, while I settled for a Flat White and a ham and leek mini quiche. This would need to keep us going until our 5:00pm booking at the Austrian restaurant, Fischers, a little way up the street.

From Gail's, we visited our usual haunts: Daunt Books, Oxfam and Bayley and Sage, where I bought myself a bar of soap. We then wandered down to have a look at The Wallace Collection, housed in Hertford House on Manchester Square. 

A plethora of boobs and bums!

There was an exhibition of Caravaggio's Cupid underway, but first we deposited our coats and scarves in a free locker and visited the café for a glass of wine and a bowl of mixed salted nuts.

The café was lovely, set in a covered courtyard in the middle of the building. We lingered over our wine, but as time was getting on, we paid the bill and went down to the lower ground floor for the Caravaggio exhibition. This consisted of a large painting of Cupid and a couple of statues. Not many people were visiting. The painting was at the end of a long, very darkly lit room, and I felt a little uncomfortable gazing at it. It was so obviously a young boy (in fact, Caravaggio's lover Cecco) and was a full-frontal nude. The look on his face was one of impish glee, but I found it all quite disconcerting. We didn't stay long!

Up on the first floor were rooms full of gorgeous furniture, drapes, chandeliers and sumptuous art.

The Wallace Collection was established in 1897 from a private collection, mainly created by Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford. I had a feeling this man liked the nude female form, as there were numerous paintings and erotic miniatures. I had never seen so many boobs displayed in art ever, and I think I've visited a fair few art galleries!

The paintings were stunning, though, and we saw several by artists I'd never heard of, such as Boucher, Fragonard and Greuze. There were a few Canalettos which I recognised immediately, and a Dutch painter that I thought very much resembled Constable or Turner, called Hobbema, famous for his woodland scenes.

Street scenes

It was wonderful to wander around, gazing at the treasures as the light waned outside. Just before 4:00pm, we retrieved our coats and scarves and set off for Marylebone High Street. We picked 31 Below for a cocktail as they were offering their seasonal and classic drinks for just £8 each. We opted to sit outside as we had been gently roasted by the temperature inside Hertford House! The staff put the heaters on for us, and we sat and chatted until 5:00pm, watching the world go by.

A few minutes before 5:00pm, we walked the short distance to Fischers for our booking. It was just getting dark, and the shops and pubs were lit up:

Gail's

We were shown to a table at the back of the restaurant and given menus. It was a gorgeous setting and reminiscent of Vienna in the early 20th century, with tiles and mirrors on the wall, a huge clock and aproned wait staff.

It took us a while to decide what to have for starters, but in the end we opted for a selection of herring (me) and salmon (Sophie). I chose a bottle of French Sauvignon Blanc to accompany the meal, which was priced at an alarming £39.75. The Austrian wines were just too expensive.

We both chose the small schnitzel for a main course, accompanied by spätzle and potato salad (both extra). I chose the lingonberry compote, while Sophie chose the jus Parisienne. An American couple next to us, obviously early in the dating game, conversed loudly, making me laugh when he said his favourite drink was Diet Coke or Pepsi Max... I might have fled at that point!

Our starters arrived, and they were delicious. I made Sophie try my herring and recounted the story of when I first tried them in a remote eaterie near Scrabster in northern Scotland. Keith and I were on a Scottish tour and had stopped for lunch. I ordered egg mayonnaise while Keith chose the rollmop herring, and when I tasted his, I made him swap! The selection I had this evening was sublime and served with pickled vegetables. I must eat herring more often! Sophie's salmon was equally good!

Who is she?

Our main courses were delivered, and the American couple left. We were very glad we'd ordered the "small" version! My potato salad was creamy, and I could detect mustard in the sauce. We gamely tackled our schnitzels, and the wine went very well with the meal. Another couple arrived, and both Sophie and I just knew that they would be at the talk at Daunt Books. This was confirmed when the man said they had to be out by 7:00pm! 

Starters

Mains

Yummy desserts!

We asked the waitress for a little pause before dessert, and a woman arrived in a flurry of hats and scarves, coughing and obviously cold from being outside. I looked at her and recognised her from television, but I just couldn't remember where! I knew it would drive me mad!

She was meeting a friend, and while she waited, we could hear her practising her lines. Sophie didn't know her at all, but I definitely recognised her... who was she?

We saw these two men at the talk as well

For dessert, we ordered Black Forest Gateau (Sophie) and Berggasse (me), a trio of ice-creams with cream and butterscotch sauce. Delicious! We were well and truly stuffed!

Keith had kindly said he would foot the bill for dinner, but it was quite hefty, even with a 10% discount for attending the talk! The restaurant charged a 15% service charge, and I have noticed this beginning to creep into restaurants. The service was very good, but I would hate for the UK to go the way of the US and have tips at 20% or more... If the service had been mediocre, I would definitely have questioned the charge, and I hope it goes to all the staff and isn't kept by the restaurant itself.

Before leaving, we both used the loos, and they were absolutely beautiful, each one individual with its own sink. For some reason, they reminded me of opulent train carriages! I didn't dare go and speak to the actress, especially as I didn't know her name or what she'd been in! I left her in peace to chat with her newly-arrived friend!

It was a short walk back to Daunts, and we were shown to the back of the shop where travel books from Europe are displayed. The area had been set with chairs in rows, and we queued for a glass of wine. In front of Sophie was David McCloskey's wife, very glamorous and blonde. Sophie said she is a political adviser to the Government. She looked very intelligent!

We took our seats, and the talk began. Sophie was beyond excited to see her hero, and the talk was very interesting, mainly about his new book, The Persian. This was his fourth book, and he hinted that there would be a fifth. Towards the end of the talk, they invited questions from the audience, and he came over as a thoroughly lovely man; he was very intelligent and charming, and very good-looking! A veritable James Bond!

At the end, I urged Sophie to go and buy the book and get it signed. The queue wasn't that long, and she was so excited while she waited. David McCloskey had his fair share of weird hangers-on, including one woman who said she'd seen him numerous times before and asked if he remembered her. Er, no!

When it was Sophie's turn to go up, she asked him about Charles Manson and said she'd just finished watching Homeland and would love to work for the CIA! She then finished by asking what his favourite cocktail was... he replied a Gin Martini and told her the measures and the type of Gin he preferred! I think they hit it off!

To say my daughter was on a high afterwards would be the understatement of the decade! She positively floated on air as we went outside to hail a cab to take us to St Pancras!

Eureka!

Before catching our 9:15pm train, we had one last cocktail at The Booking Office. What did Sophie enjoy? A Gin Martini, of course! I had a Negroni, and then we walked swiftly to platform 1 to get our train back to Kettering and reality. What a fabulous day we'd had!

Whilst on the train, I Googled everything I could think of to try and get the actress's name. I then remembered she may have been in Doc Martin, and I hit the jackpot!

She was Joanna Scanlan, a BAFTA-winning actress who had been in lots of TV dramas! Hooray! My quest was over!

We arrived back at Kettering to a somewhat grumpy Keith (and that was before we told him how much the restaurant bill was!) and discovered he hadn't put the heating on at all. The house was freezing! Back down to earth with a definite bump!

A wet Sunday again...

Why is it that Sundays are always wet and cold? Today was horrible, with heavy grey skies and a nasty, cold drizzle.

I had two jobs to do today that I hate: changing the bed and putting a colour on my hair. The results are worth it, though, and I love getting into freshly washed sheets! My hair also looked a lot better when I was finished! Badger be gone!

We pootled about the house, Keith and I had leftover Chinese for lunch, and then Sophie and I went to see my Mum in the afternoon. She had hardly eaten any of her lunch, which was disappointing. She was determined to tell me about a dream she'd had and was a bit rambling today, but it was nice to sit and be with her. I honestly don't know how long she has left.

Back home, I filed my nails and put on a coat of clear nail varnish and had a nap in the living room while Keith watched football. Sophie was eking out her last ever episode of Homeland that she's been watching and was dreading it being over! What is she going to immerse herself in next with Gomez?

Keith had prepared tonight's dinner of roast chicken this morning, and he and Sophie cooked it. I sorted the roast potatoes, but there was too much going on (we had pigs in blankets and stuffing as well), so I retired to the living room and said I would do all the clearing up and do the dishes. Thankfully, there weren't too many cross words!

After we'd eaten, Sophie went to watch the last half hour of Homeland with Gomez, and we were told not to go upstairs. Keith and I watched the last episode of series eight of Shetland, and I think we're going to work our way backwards to the start!

Eyed up by Elon...

It was bliss to have a lie-in this morning and a relaxed start to a three-day weekend! Sophie went to the gym for a run, but struggled to get on a treadmill; it was so busy! 

We both pootled about when she returned, and she took the cats for a walk around the estate. It was bitterly cold today with an icy wind that made venturing out quite unpleasant. I tackled multiple piles of laundry, ordered myself some new clothes for work, and sorted out my underwear drawer. This was a well overdue job, and I unearthed things I'd forgotten I had! I also threw out a lot of stuff. I had several old perfume bottles in the drawer, and I had a feeling they couldn't be recycled with our regular glass. Looking on the internet, I discovered that The Perfume Shop recycles them, so it might be worth a trip to Milton Keynes to take them.

Sophie was meeting friends in Towcester this evening for a drink and a pie (at a pub that specialised in serving them) and had asked Keith and me for a lift. We were more than happy to oblige, and I had booked a table for us at a Chinese restaurant in Towcester, so we were all ready to go by 5pm. It was still a little light, and the sky was a mix of beautiful clouds in greys and blues. We relied on Jeeves to show us the way and to avoid the Queen Eleanor roundabout. He took us along the Brixworth bypass and then over to Harlestone and Duston, where he instructed me to go through Swan Valley on a brand new road. We then turned onto the A43 and came off at Hulcote, leading us straight to a car park off the main high street.

We walked the short distance to The Plough, which was packed! A huge television in the corner was playing rodeos in the US, where mad men were being thrown off bulls! Bizarre! We had a drink while waiting for Sophie's friends, and then Keith and I left to go for a drink at a pub nearby. We picked The Brave Old Oak, which was a bit old-fashioned and a little smelly. Someone had brought in their dog, which never stopped barking...

Just before 7:00pm, we walked to The Rice Bowl and took our seats in the middle of the restaurant. Next to our table was a large fish tank with two koi carp:

The white one did not take his eyes off me all night. I felt so sorry for them just swimming about in the tank without any freedom, poor things.

We decided to order the £36 set menu, which consisted of various starters, followed by crispy duck, and then five dishes for the main course. The restaurant wasn't busy, and a Chinese couple opposite stared at their phones the whole time they were there!

Our starters arrived, but we didn't have any prawn crackers with a sweet chilli dip. The food was OK (seaweed in an edible rice bowl, spring rolls, spare ribs, satay chicken skewers and breaded prawns), but I couldn't help comparing the food to The Han in Market Harborough, which has always been excellent.

There was a long wait before we were served the crispy duck, and we ran out of pancakes before we had eaten all the meat! Sophie had texted me to say her meal was over, but I didn't get the message to say she was on her way to the restaurant. I saw her say goodbye to Becky and Grace outside, and she had no choice but to sit and wait for us to finish our meal! It was now 8:30pm, and we had been in the restaurant for an hour and a half!

Sopihe ordered herself a beer, and we named the fish Donald (the orange one) and Elon. As I said previously, Elon stared at me the whole time we were sitting at the table. If I looked back at him, he'd glance away as if embarrassed, but then return to staring at me. It was a little disconcerting, and I wished I could have kidnapped him and given him a better life.

Our main courses finally arrived, and we think the delay was due to a large party in a room at the back of the restaurant and the number of takeaway orders they were taking. The staff were friendly, and the owner chatted to us about the racecourse at Towcester, but the service was abysmally slow.

Keith and I didn't do justice to the main courses - chicken with broccoli, sweet and sour pork, chow mein, fried rice and a beef and pepper dish, so I asked if we could take it home for lunch tomorrow. The bill came to £104, which was more than I was expecting, and they'd added a 15% service charge. If the staff hadn't been so friendly, I would have disputed it!

We walked back to the car on rain-soaked streets and drove home. Both cats had come in earlier in the day, so we kept them in, much to their disgust. They wandered about, and Mooney had a mad half hour clawing at one of the armchairs and trying to get something that he saw underneath it!

Sophie and I watched Graham Norton from last night, and I sampled another two of my whiskies. I just have two left now!

Thank goodness... it's Friday!

As Keith took me to work this morning, we didn't have to leave until about 7:20am. Sophie hadn't gone to the gym, so she heated up my porridge for me, bless her. Little things like that make all the difference!

We made good time to work, and I waved Keith off before going into the office. I took my lunch bag into the servery, which is going to be our staffroom, and could see that work was progressing. Hopefully, it won't be too long!

I had a busy shift, dealing with all the emails and making more progress on the moan report, as well as putting on the February half-term activities. We had a little discussion in the afternoon about the heating, as Georgie had been in and turned off the ferocious radiators. Consequently, the office was a lot cooler, but Sheila was feeling the cold. Georgie brought in his heater and put it right at the top of the office, which warmed it up beautifully. Perhaps this is the solution? Let's hope it gets Nicola's approval!

At 4pm, Keith and I drove home in heavy traffic. It was bliss to get home, revel in the lovely warm house and look forward to a glass of wine and a film. We wanted to see the original Rebecca, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, but we discovered it will be showing next Friday, so we recorded it. Instead, we watched Indecent Proposal starring the gorgeous Robert Redford, Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson. Sophie was a bit disappointed in the ending, but I loved seeing it again. It was a real 90s movie!

Dinner tonight was a very simple affair of baked potatoes and accompaniments, and we were going to stay up and watch Graham Norton until we realised it wasn't on until well past 11:00pm! This was because of the final of The Traitors, which we haven't watched. There's been so much hoohah over the series, maybe we should!

Out of the darkness...

I took myself to work this morning, but Keith has agreed to take me in twice a week so he can do the shopping. Our plan to go on Sunday and Wednesday isn't working out very well! It will also be a relief for me as I won't have to leave so early in the morning, and it will be a more pleasant journey with Keith by my side!

Two meetings were going on today in our boardroom, so lots of people arrived to take part. It was great to say hello to some of my colleagues whom we don't see so much of anymore, including the staff at my old site. The noise level rose considerably as everyone arrived and greeted one another!

 I tackled all the emails and made progress on December's moan report. I will be so glad when that is out of the way for another month!

I left at 2pm, dashed home to see Keith, and then went to see my Mum. She was a lot brighter today, but still looks terribly thin. We sat and chatted and looked at photos of her and Dad on holiday in Greece and the US. They were lovely, happy memories.

I drove home in the gloom, and when Sophie arrived back after work, she said we were now out of the ten darkest weeks of the year, from November 16th until today. Well, hooray for that! I don't mind the cold and wet weather in winter; it's the dark mornings I hate. I honestly cannot wait until it's light at 7:00am and, even better, when Sophie sets off for the gym in sunshine.

On the 20th of February, sunrise will be just after 7:00am, and sunset will be 5:25pm. Not long to go now!

A cosy cup of tea

Sophie went to the gym this morning, but woke me up before she went so I could say goodbye. I went back to sleep and snoozed until 8:00am. Bliss!

Keith went to Tesco while I tackled some chores. I called the Funeral Directors in Kettering to finalise the details for my Mum's pre-paid plan, and then I paid in full, so that was sorted out. I also had to resend my Dad's will and death certificate to his pension company, and I was mightily glad when these jobs were out of the way.

I was meeting Michelle, my friend and neighbour, for a cup of tea this afternoon, and popped around at 2:00pm. She had her log burner alight, and both of her cats were curled up in a basket in front of it. How lovely! Lily came over to say hello and made a real fuss of me, which was lovely! She probably smelled Mooney on me!

We sat and chatted, and it was lovely and cosy in Michelle's living room. Outside, the weather was horrible, with a brisk wind and rain lashing the windows. It was great to catch up with Michelle as I hadn't seen her for a while, and she told me all about her upcoming travel plans, lucky thing! They're off to Iceland soon and hoping to see the Northern Lights.

At 5:00pm, I walked home and relaxed. Keith had prepared the meat and vegetables for tonight's chicken stroganoff, which Sophie made for us. It was a delicious meal, and I just wished I could have taken some into work with me for tomorrow's lunch. I'm hoping the work on our staffroom will be finished soon and we can sit in there instead of at our desks!

After dinner, Sophie and I went upstairs to watch a Netflix documentary about a young girl who had gone missing from her bedroom in Salt Lake City back in 2002. It was riveting, as always, and almost too bizarre to believe!