Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

Walking and art, and steps!

Although we were both tired from our long day yesterday, we didn't sleep as well as we'd hoped. I think with me, it was the food (the porky sauce) and the strange room, and the noises from the street outside. We still felt fine when we woke up, and I was looking forward to breakfast, French coffee and a wander around the neighbourhood.

We were out by 9:30am and found a branch of Le Pain Quotidien on the Rue des Abbesses. Inside, it was lovely and sunny from the light streaming in through the large windows, and rustic in an appealing French way. We took our seats, had a good look at the menu, and placed our order. I chose pancakes with fruit while Sophie went for a ham and cheese croissant. Hot coffee completed our breakfast!

We sat and lingered over breakfast. I had enjoyed my fluffy pancakes with banana, raspberries and blueberries, and Sophie had loved her croissant. We decided to have another coffee at a café if we came to one, paid the bill and set off on the recommended walk around Montmartre.

Our first stop was a beautiful church, the Église St-Jean de Montmartre. We went in, paid for two candles and admired the stained glass windows. Back outside, we made for the "I Love You" wall, which we never really understood... It was situated in a little garden but was closed because of building works, so we could only see it from a distance. It was covered in, I guess, the words "I Love You" in multiple languages. Hmmm! We met the first crowd of students here, and they dogged us all day!

I was on the hunt for a new glasses case, and I wanted one with a black cat on it! We went into a couple of gift shops, and Sophie bought some bookmarks. We carried on up the street and went into an art shop, where I bought a poster of a waiter serving wine. Perfect for our wine nook in the kitchen!

We passed one café, and we were tempted to go in until I saw the price of a flat white... 6,50 euros! No thanks! We carried on along the street, stopping to look in shop windows and admiring the architecture and the village feel. Montmartre still retains the atmosphere of a village, with its cobbled streets, beautiful old houses and pretty cafés and restaurants.

Next, we came to a flight of steps, so up we went. At the top, there was a café and a quirky art shop with the word "merde" (or s**t) on everything! Sophie couldn't resist a little wall plaque for her bedroom!

We turned right, went to the end of the street and found the funicular railway, which was below us. It was very similar to the one we rode in Le Tréport, and I wanted to use it to get up to Sacré Coeur. We chatted to a large black crow here, who carried something in his mouth. He looked at us intently and then flew off!

We descended the steps, but before queuing for the funicular, we spotted a Fragonard perfume shop, and dived in. The scents were divine! I bought myself a soap in a gorgeous box, while Sophie splashed out on a bottle of eau de parfum. It was a beautiful shop, with an array of soaps, perfumes, clothes and diffusers, and we had great fun testing all the different perfumes!

I joined the queue for the funicular while Sophie went to get tickets, which proved to be a very confusing process. She bought what she thought were the right tickets, but when we eventually got to the barrier to ride the funicular, we weren't allowed through. In the end, we had to get help from a real person, who loaded the tickets (a bit like Oyster cards) with more euros. We then joined the small throng of people waiting to get on.

It was very cosy in the carriage as it ascended the short distance to the top. When we emerged, we both fancied a drink and a sit down, so we took a table at a restaurant nearby. We sat next to another flight of stone steps, and I could see everyone reaching the top and looking completely puffed out! A couple of show-offs were running up the steps, and we saw a few dogs enthusiastically make their way up, dragging their owners behind them!

We ordered two small beers and a club sandwich to share. It was delightful sitting in the sun, people-watching and chatting. It was a Monday! Normally, we'd be at work!

We sat and enjoyed our drinks and sandwich for a good while, both of us reluctant to move away from the pleasant restaurant. This was what Sophie wanted to do on this short break: not dash from tourist spot to tourist spot, but sit and watch Paris go by, drink wine and relax! So we did!

We did eventually move and paid the bill. We had a brief look at the gorgeous Sacré Coeur church, but there was a long queue to get in, so we said we'd leave it. It was tourist central here, with crowds of people, men trying to see hideous knick-knacks and padlocks to attach to the railings. We kept a close eye on our bags and waved several men away who approached us to try to sell us stuff! It was also warm now, and I was glad we'd dressed appropriately! Some people were wearing heavy coats!

We made our way further into Montmartre and discovered a vibrant area of shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. It was even busier here as people wandered along, and the eateries were packed with people enjoying the afternoon sunshine. The streets were very narrow and sometimes a little disconcerting when a van or car drove past!

We eventually found ourselves on the outskirts of this area, and it became a little quieter. We were still following our little map, and we soon came to a vineyard, a relic of Montmartre's past. Sadly, it was closed, so all thoughts of a wine-tasting in the sun vanished. The vineyard makes about five hundred litres of wine a year. I would love to try some!

A celebrity sighting?

By now, we were gently descending the hill, and soon came back to "our" street, the Rue des Abbesses. We had talked about ice cream, so we looked at the menu of one restaurant, but they only did scoops, and we both wanted a bit more than that! The next restaurant had a full dessert menu with my favourite - Chocolat Liégeois! We settled back in our seats, ordered the creamy puds and a glass each of Alsace Pinot Blanc to accompany them. Bliss! Sophie had a Café Liégeois and hoped it wouldn't keep her awake tonight!

I had a wonderful time people watching, and saw who I thought was Sir Keir Starmer sitting opposite at a café. He was identical, but Sophie disagreed. Whoever he was, he was having a whale of a time, so maybe not Sir Keir!

Sophie saw me intently watching everyone who passed by, so she came to sit next to me as she felt she was missing out! We certainly saw some characters walk past! It was heaven to sit in the sun, relax and look forward to a musical night out!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

"Dangerously overcrowded"

A few weeks ago, while driving to work, I learned that the London Marathon was to take place today, and I'd groaned as we had unwittingly planned the first day of our Paris trip to coincide with this major event. We had decided to take the Eurostar to Paris and had booked a train from Kettering to take us to St Pancras for our 11:30am departure.

There was nothing we could do about it, but we had both readied ourselves for a busy train to London. While Sophie finished getting ready, I wrapped a bottle of Champagne (a gift from Sophie's work buddies) in foil and put a generous number of sausage rolls into a ziplock bag. We also added some flapjacks and a couple of breakfast bars to keep us fortified on the journey. This all went into a cool bag, ready to be consumed when we went through the Channel Tunnel and into France!

Keith dropped us off at the station, and the weather was grey and cool. I tried not to shiver in my short-sleeved dress! I knew, however, that it was set to be sunny and warm later in the day. Once the station shop had opened, we treated ourselves to a coffee and went to wait on the platform. More and more people started arriving, some carrying placards as they were going to support people who were running. We then had an announcement that the train was very busy, as it had originated in Derby.

We had three more announcements that the train was busy, so we readied ourselves for a standing journey down to the capital. We also had two small suitcases with us, which would take up space! When the train arrived on the platform, we squeezed ourselves into the small area by the doors; the aisle running between the seats was already full of people. It was horrendous! We had no windows to look out, and we were crammed in like sardines. To be honest, it was dangerous. A woman standing next to us was very unhappy and said she felt it was unsafe, as none of us had anything to hold onto when the carriages lurched from side to side.

As we carried on down to London, more and more people tried to board. Now, men were turning up wearing Leeds United football shirts, and Sophie was convinced one man groped her as he pushed past to try and get further down the train. Everyone was complaining about the conditions, and we wondered why an additional service hadn't been put on. EMR must have known the service would be busy!

At Bedford, we had an empty train running next to us, which added insult to injury! We were informed by the train manager that we could take a Thameslink train to London, but that wasn't an option for us! How the train was able to move with everyone was beyond me!

It was utter relief to arrive at St Pancras, and we followed the signs to the Eurostar check-in area. We were just on time to go through passport control and security. Sophie wasn't expecting this at all and was a little surprised to find we had to put our luggage through the X-ray machines. She was frisked because of her bracelets, but, for once, I wasn't stopped!

The Merry Widows!

Once through, we entered a very busy area where people were waiting for the next train, bound for Amsterdam. Boarding started half an hour before the train left, and once the Amsterdam lot was boarding, we were able to find a table outside Pret A Manger and sit and have a drink. I bought two bottles of water and a small bar of chocolate each to get over the shock of the train journey!

Our train was soon available to board, and we joined the throng of people on the escalator up to the platform. We found our carriage, put our suitcases onto the luggage racks and found our seats. They were airline-style, with footrests and trays. Next to us, on the right, were four seats with a table between them. Our seats were comfortable, and we were facing in the direction of travel, which we prefer.

The carriage gradually filled up as people found their seats and placed bags in the overhead shelves. At 11.30am, we set off, and the people next to us comprised two American women (in their 80s, we later found out, and travelling with their daughters who were sitting behind us) and a couple from New Zealand. A Japanese couple were in the seats in front. As we wound our way through the outskirts of London, there was a party air in our carriage, which was lovely! By now, the grey skies had turned blue, and it was a gorgeous day.

Soon, we were out of London, and we saw the Dartford Bridge. We then picked up speed and hurtled through the Kent countryside, and the four people next to us began to chat. It was great as we could hear what they were saying, but we didn't have to contribute! We learnt that the two women were widowed and the New Zealand couple were visiting friends in Paris. The American women took out boxes with Harrods "The Georgian" on them, which were leftovers from a very posh afternoon tea! They certainly knew how to have a good time!

Very soon, we saw the Eurotunnel check-in, and before long, we were under the Channel. Sophie and I had a bet as to how long we would be under, and I won, as we emerged nineteen minutes later at 12:23, a minute later than I said. It was much shorter than the trip by Eurotunnel, which is thirty-five minutes!

We'd let the Champagne stand for a while, as I was worried the cork would come out with a lot of force, and we wrapped tissues around the neck and covered it with a bag in case the cork flew out and hit someone! This aroused the interest of the four people next to us, and I was relieved when I eased the cork out with a satisfying plop! We were asked if it was a special occasion, and we said it had been Sophie's 30th birthday a few weeks ago.

We'd brought Sophie's Wimbledon plastic glasses with us, and as the French countryside whizzed by at just under 300km an hour (186 miles), we sipped the wine and munched on Keith's delicious sausage rolls. The American women tucked into scones and cakes, and the New Zealand pair ate Eurostar risotto with small bottles of wine. In front, the Japanese couple unwrapped their sushi. There was a real festive atmosphere, and it was delightful!

I loved staring out of the window, seeing the flat Northern French countryside pass by, and glimpsing cars on the autoroute and small villages and farms. We passed Arras and then Lille, where we slowed down slightly, and had a lovely chat with the four people next to us. One of the daughters went to bring the Mums a bottle of wine each, and they were having a wonderful time, chatting happily to the New Zealanders and us. We told them about going to Vienna in May, and they couldn't quite grasp what Eurovision was all about!

Manic Paris!

All too soon, the wonderful journey was over, and we were pulling into the Gare du Nord.  We said goodbye to everyone and wished them a lovely time in Paris. Collecting our luggage, we stepped off the train and into the madness that is the Gare Du Nord and Paris itself. Outside, taxis were waiting, but we were reluctant to take one, as we'd heard stories of tourists being ripped off. Several people tried to get us to take one, but Sophie had booked an Uber, which met us a short distance away. The area was thronged with people and heavy traffic; it was a complete shock to the system after the genteel train ride! We kept our bags close to us, and our phones inside, as we didn't want someone ruining our holiday before it had even begun! We were very aware of the people around us, and didn't let our guard down for one minute!

Our hotel wasn't far away, and we both stared out of the taxi windows as we made our way there. For some reason, there were lots of wedding outfit shops, with rows of male mannequins standing outside. Bizarre! This area looked quite seedy, with shabby shops and graffiti-covered buildings, and I was glad we had chosen to stay at the Terrass Hotel in Montmartre. 

Scene from an Uber

Our driver had difficulty dropping us off as the road was closed, and he got out of the car and disappeared for a few minutes, which was slightly unnerving. However, he managed to turn around and dropped us off right outside. We were met by a lovely hotel receptionist who carried our bags in for us, and took our details, as well as a 130 euro holding fee using Sophie's card. This was for the use of the minibar (we never used it) and a tourist tax. He then gave us a map of the area and pointed out a circular walk which would take in all the sights of this beautiful part of Paris.

A rooftop drink with views!

We were in room 301, and as we emerged from the lift, the corridor was dimly lit and dark.  Our room was on its own and opposite the lift. We opened the door, and we were met by a lovely, bright hotel room with views over the busy area below. When I leaned out of the window, I could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance!

We had a double bed, a lovely bathroom with a walk-in shower and adequate storage, with a safe and minibar. We unpacked, stowed our passports and tickets in the safe and relaxed after the long journey. The bed was comfortable, and we both hoped for a good night's sleep!

Sophie had booked an early evening table at Bouillon, so we freshened up and made our way to the seventh floor, where there was a cocktail bar and views across the city. It was already busy with people, but we took our seats at a high table and ordered a glass of rosé each. It was very warm, and the sun was shining onto the beautiful terrace. What more could we want? Delicious wine, and views of Paris in the Spring!

All around us, people were eating and drinking and enjoying the ambience. A man opposite was marking some kind of manuscript, and we couldn't help people watching! We sat and sipped our wine,  but the time was getting on, so we paid the bill (about 20 euros for two glasses of wine and service) and descended to street level.

Sophie had the directions for Bouillon on her phone, and we walked towards the Rue des Abbesses, where there were numerous bars, cafés and restaurants. It was a Sunday evening, but the establishments were packed with people eating, drinking and having a great time.

We realised we had enough time for another drink, so we sat down at an empty table, only to be told that a couple were waiting for it! Oops! We walked on and made our way to Pigalle through a maze of narrow, cobbled streets, some of which were very steep indeed! Montmartre is situated on a hill, and the streets are very steep with steps in some parts. A funicular runs up to Sacre Coeur at the top.

Close neighbours!

We came to Pigalle, once the hangout of prostitutes, and now home to the Moulin Rouge as well as numerous sex shops and live sex shows, and we marvelled at how busy it was! We saw Bouillon on a corner, but it looked like a takeaway shop... Sophie became very worried, but when she consulted her map, she realised it was just a small outlet. The proper restaurant was a bit further on! There was a queue outside already, but as we had a reservation, we were able to bypass this. However, Sophie then realised she'd booked the table for 6:30pm, not 6:00pm, so we were told we were too early. The restaurant was heaving with people, and the queue stretched around the corner. It was certainly very popular, and also manic!

Luckily, there was a bar opposite, so we grabbed a table overlooking the street and ordered two more glasses of rosé. These were 4,5 euros each, half the price of the hotel bar! We sat back, and we were agog at the busy road running alongside the bar, the traffic, the bikes, the tooting of horns, the crowds of people walking past... 

On a screen above us was the Chelsea-Leeds match, so we texted Keith to let him know! The supporters we'd seen boarding the train this morning wouldn't have been very happy as Leeds were losing!

At the appointed time, we went back to Bouillon, and after a little while, we were shown to a table upstairs. I had a view over the busy road, and our fellow diners were extremely close. I nudged elbows with the woman to my left several times! 

We were given menus and waited a considerable time to have our orders taken. We both chose the egg mayonnaise to start, while Sophie went for turkey in a sauce, and I decided to have a pork shank with chips. We ordered a bottle of house rosé and were given another bottle of tap water.

The waiters were flying about, and we witnessed several breakages as they tried to carry overloaded trays. One plate of beef bourguignon and pasta went flying, and the poor waiter had terrible trouble clearing it all away! It was crowded and noisy, and our senses were overwhelmed!

Our starters arrived and were dispatched quickly. Those sausage rolls were a long time ago! We also had a basket of bread, which we used to mop up the thick mayonnaise. There was no salad or fancy presentation!

The couple next to us were finishing their meal, and I was amazed at how quickly the table was set again. The top paper sheet was whipped off, a fresh one put on, four wine glasses and cutlery plonked down, and that was it! All set for another couple!

Our main courses arrived, and Sophie was very happy with her meal, but I had made the wrong choice. I had a thick knuckle of pork in a sweet sauce with chips, and that was it. No vegetables to speak of! While we were finishing our main courses, a young couple arrived, and when Sophie started telling me a story about a Love Island participant, the woman joined our conversation. The couple were Canadian, and Sophie got on very well with the woman who was the same age. They had a wonderful chat!

We ordered dessert: a chocolate mousse for me and Floating Islands for Sophie, and then paid the bill, which was under 50 euros. This was why it was so popular! We said goodbye to the Canadian couple who were in Paris for a few days before going on to Amsterdam, and made our way out of the heaving restaurant where the queue still snaked around the corner!

Street Art

Because of our full tummies, we had a very slow walk back to the hotel. We took the quieter streets, and they were a world away from the madness we had come from. We saw various street art pictures, and the area reminded me a little of Hackescher Markt in Berlin. There were a few quirky bars and shops dotted about, and a group of people had spilled out of one bar and were enjoying their drinks in the street in the warm evening air. I itched to take a photo of a man with purple hair bottle feeding a baby!

Some of the art reminded me of Banksy's graffiti, and it was all very quirky and novel! Slowly, we walked up a steep street, noticing several quieter restaurants which looked promising for tomorrow night.

Back at the hotel, we decided to complete our day with a nightcap at the rooftop bar. It was still very busy, and we were asked to sit in an adjoining area and wait for a table. Sophie ordered a Negroni, while I chose a Drambuie, which seemed to confuse the waiters completely. In a gap through the foliage, I could see Sacre Coeur above us.

We were soon called through to the main terrace, and I sank into a two-seater sofa while Sophie took a chair facing the Eiffel Tower. On the hour, until 1:00am, it glitters and dazzles, which was wonderful to see! What a treat!

We ordered another round of drinks, chatted about the holiday so far and did more people watching. It was fascinating!

Highs and lows

Sophie was taking part in a 5k Park Run this morning with her work buddy, Becky. She set off at 8:00am, bless her, after a restless night's sleep from the heavy meal of last night. I don't think any of us had slept well, to be honest!

Keith and I had a very busy morning preparing food in the kitchen. We'd asked Keith to make us a batch of sausage rolls to take with us tomorrow to eat on the Eurostar, so he concentrated on them, while I started preparing a beef bourguignon for tonight. In between preparing food, I did multiple washes and put them out on the line as it was a beautiful day.

Keith's sausage rolls looked beautiful and golden brown when they were cooked. They will go well with our Champagne tomorrow! I had wiped the mushrooms, peeled the shallots, and Keith had cubed the beef for me, so I started the dish, coating the meat in seasoned flour and shallow-frying it until it was browned all over. I then fried the lardons, mushrooms and onions, added herbs, tomato puree and a whole bottle of red wine and let it all simmer on a low heat. It smelled lovely!

Sophie arrived home on a real high after completing 7k, and having breakfast with Becky and her other work buddy, Grace, who hadn't run with them. She had enjoyed herself immensely and wanted to do another, and also make it a regular event. Keith and I were very proud of her!

We pottered about until the early afternoon, and I hoovered downstairs and nicked one of the sausage rolls for lunch. At about 2:30pm, we went to Tesco's to buy some bits we needed and then popped to see my Mum. Her door was closed when we arrived, and I thought at first she was involved in one of the activities, but she was sorting out the photographs again, taking them out of the albums and scattering them about. Her room was a complete mess. 

We made her sit down, and tried to clear up the bits of paper strewn on the floor, and I checked the bin, to find one of my wedding photos and a pic of Sophie in there. A couple of carers came in to ask about Mum's covid jab, and I said I'd rather she didn't have it, as twice now she has been ill afterwards. They confirmed that she had been throwing away photographs, and Sophie became very upset. It was awful to see her so distressed after she'd been so happy earlier on.

She said she was going back to the car and took as many photos as she could with her. Five minutes later, she was back and had met one of the carers, who told her that Mum had thrown my wedding photos out of the window. Luckily, someone had found them, but how many others had been tossed out of the window never to be seen again?

I was very upset now, and noticed that she wasn't wearing her engagement ring. Sophie and I searched everywhere and decided to take all the albums home with us, as well as a box of bits and bobs. I was hoping it would be in there. This made me really angry as I knew my Mum had wanted Sophie to have her ring when she dies. 

I'm now worrying about other items in the room, and I took a Rob Piercy landscape print out of the wardrobe to take home with me. Sadly, my Mum wasn't making any sense as to why she had suddenly decided to rip out all the photos, but I did find it unnerving that the ones she'd actually thrown away were of my wedding day... 

We left as Sophie was so upset, and she said it was because she didn't want me to become like that when I get old. I said I was very different to my Mum and that if I did start to show similar signs, I would take myself off to Switzerland! However, I could see why she was so upset, but I reminded her that both my grandmothers had lived until their early 90s and were independent right up until they died. Sadly, both my parents suffer and (suffered) from Parkinson's Disease, which has certainly hastened their demise.

We went home to sit in the garden, and this time, both cats came out with us. It was blissfully quiet; if this carries on, I'll be tempted to buy some lovely garden furniture! It was great to sit in the garden, but I couldn't help noticing that the grass needed cutting and it was, quite frankly, a mess! I only like sitting there when everything is neat and tidy, and I've been working hard on it!

We went inside, and Sophie and I played Scrabble. We opened the bottle of Pinot Noir that we'd bought in Oxford, and after the first sip, I said it needed a little chilling. We enjoyed a great game of Scrabble, and Sophie beat me. We chilled the wine a little, and it did benefit from a short spell in the fridge!

I'd turned the casserole off earlier, but now I turned it back on and made sure the beef was tender. We'd decided to serve the dish with tagliatelle and eat a bit earlier than normal, as we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow and we didn't want a late night.

The meal was delicious, and Sophie raved about it, which was great. There was enough left for lunches and for Keith to have when we were away. Once cleared away, we watched the last episode of Katya Adler's tour through Europe, and we learned some surprising things about France!

A Greek experience!

I drove myself to work today and arrived at 7:26am, to find no spaces again. This was seriously annoying. How early do I have to leave to get a space? I'm not leaving before 7:00am! The small car park opposite our office was also full, so I had to try the car park in front of the maternity unit. I managed to squeeze into a space, but I was worried that when I returned after work, I wouldn't be able to get back into the car.

When I arrived at the office, Sara said she had taken the last space in our usual car park and had arrived just before me. This is the first time since we moved to the new office that I've had such trouble parking, and I could understand it if it were about 9:00am, but 7:30am? 

This put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day, and I was so annoyed, I resolved to look for another job when we come back from Paris next week. I have never, in all my working life, had to look for a parking space!

In the afternoon, things were very quiet in our office, as only three of us were working. Sara had taken her usual half-day, and Nicola was on holiday. I decided to tidy up the box I'd brought with me from our other office, put some papers out for shredding, and start writing the answers for the FAQs for Bob. 

We had a late phone call asking whether the swimming lessons were on at one of our pools, and we all groaned as this school is notorious for cancelling lessons at the last minute. As it's (almost) on my way home, I said I would go and check. This was a big mistake, as the traffic going there was horrendous! I began to wish I hadn't bothered! The gates were open when I drove past, so it looked like everything was running as normal. I couldn't have done anything anyway!

The three of us were looking forward to going to our local pub this evening for a Greek Night, and our table was booked for 8:00pm, giving us a chance to relax at home before the meal. When Sophie arrived home, we sat in the garden with a small glass of wine and chatted about our days at work. It was lovely and warm in the early evening sunshine, and Mooney came out to accompany us. He amused himself by chasing bees, and then got caught on the fence when he heard some birds chirping. Just as we were about to rescue him, he jumped down, looking embarrassed.

 

7:45pm saw us at the pub, and feeling a bit shell-shocked by the loud Greek music! The bar staff couldn't hear what we were saying! Our table wasn't ready, so we stood at the bar with our drinks and tried to have a conversation... impossible!

We were eventually taken upstairs, where it was a little quieter, and we could chat! My former work colleague, Amanda, was at the next table with her partner, so I said hello and that we'd catch up later. The night's menu was on the table, and we were sharing starters of bread, hummus, tzatziki, stuffed vine leaves, and spanakopita. There was a choice of main courses; Keith and I chose the mixed (chicken and lamb) souvlaki, while Sophie opted for the chicken. 

The starters were delicious, and we fell on them as by now we were very hungry, ordering some more bread to go with the delicious dips! The main courses were good, but my salad had been sprinkled with thyme, I think, a herb I'm not that keen on!

At times, with the warm night air outside and the music, it did feel like we were in Greece! It was a hectic night, though, and we felt the atmosphere was a little lacking upstairs. Before our desserts arrived, I chatted with Amanda about what was happening with work. She had been automatically TUPEd over to Everyone Active but seemed to be enjoying her job role with them.

Our desserts were very sweet - baklava and kadaifi - but delicious. I would have loved a good dollop of vanilla ice cream to detract from the sweetness. I'd asked about a Greek wine to accompany our meal, but there was none, so Sophie and I had enjoyed a bottle of South African Chenin Blanc, which went well with the meal.

We paid the bill and returned home to watch an episode of Amanda and Alan in Sicily. It was a lovely end to a very busy day!

A busy afternoon!

My shorter shift passed quickly today, and I dealt with virtually all the emails. Macy, Nicola's daughter, was a bit upset when she arrived for work, as she had a small bump in the car park and her little Polo was quite badly damaged. Nicola had to rush off to help her, but she soon recovered and was ready for work at 10:00am.

At 2pm, Keith collected me, and we drove home via Screwfix on Moulton Park, where we collected our light fittings. Back at home, when we opened the box, we knew they were the right ones, so I ordered a single one from the Screwfix outlet near Kingsthorpe. We decided to go and pick it up this afternoon after I'd visited my Mum.

It's been a glorious day today, with warm temperatures and plentiful sunshine. Keith sat in the car while I saw Mum, who seemed a bit confused today, and was surrounded by photographs and one of her albums. Anna, one of the senior carers, came in and explained that she'd been a bit erratic with her belongings and to take home anything that was of value, sentimental or otherwise. I took home the photos, a picture, and my Dad's blood donor records, delighted to see that he'd donated fifty pints in 1987, and just before he was in a bad car accident and was therefore no longer allowed to donate. He also had quite a rare blood group, O negative, which meant his blood could be given to almost anyone and was especially useful as a donation in emergencies, when the blood type of the person needing it isn't known. It made me feel very proud, and I hope to donate my fiftieth pint later this year or early next.

Once back with Keith in the car, we drove over to Screwfix in very heavy traffic. The light fitting was ready to be collected, and before going home, we called into a small Morrison's shop in Kingsthorpe, where Keith treated us to a bottle of Aperol and a tub of hummus with breadsticks. We were then caught up in traffic on the way home via Brixworth due to roadworks, which held us up even more! By now, I was heartily fed up with being in the car!

 

We arrived home just before Sophie, and there was a mad scramble to do the usual evening chores before we could relax at 6:00pm. Sophie made Aperol spritzes, and we scoffed all the breadsticks and hummus, leaving no room for our planned supper of soup and crusty bread!

We decided to have cheese on toast instead (light cheddar, which doesn't melt, and looked like skin according to Sophie!). The snack was delicious with brown sauce, though, and a side helping of Masterchef!

A lunchtime treat!

Keith and I had two appointments at the surgery this morning; me for a follow-up blood test, and Keith for his spring covid jab. Mine was first, and the receptionist denied Keith's request to get his jab earlier, so he had to wait. The nurse had difficulty getting blood out of my right arm this morning, so she had to use my left arm. I still, after a fall in 1999 while eight months pregnant, can't fully straighten my left arm, and never use it for my blood donor sessions, but she managed to get a vial of blood for the test.

As we had an hour to wait, we popped to The Workhouse in Brixworth for a coffee. I also indulged in a pain au chocolat for breakfast. It was pleasantly busy, and we took our seats while the waitress served our drinks.

After enjoying our drinks, we drove back to the surgery, and I sat in the car and read the paper while Keith was being jabbed. From the surgery, we drove home, and I had a mad hour of changing the bed and putting together a box of donations ready for a collection tomorrow morning. We have been using Anglo Collections for unwanted clothes, books, CDs and DVDs, and some of the money raised goes to charity.

At midday, we set off down to Brackmills to pick up Sophie and went for a sandwich at the Costa outlet in Next. It was lovely to sit and enjoy lunch in the busy café, and afterwards we went down to the lighting department, and I picked out two lampshades for the living room, in a neutral colour. We had a look at the sofas and furniture and then returned Sophie to her office.

Before going home, we called back to Riverside and visited the new Wickes to look for the kitchen light fittings we need. They didn't have any, so I suggested we go to Screwfix and order them. We have managed to get an electrician to come out to install them at last... It's been a bit of a chore, to be honest! Similarly with our planned oven clean that desperately needs doing!

We managed to order a box of three (we need four), but they wouldn't be ready for collection until Thursday. We paid and drove home, glad that we had made some progress!

I spent the rest of the afternoon pootling about and doing all the jobs that need doing on a Wednesday. Dinner tonight was a chicken stir-fry, and I didn't realise that Sophie wanted to add loads more vegetables to the dish. I don't think she was too happy when she came home and discovered I hadn't cut up the asparagus, courgette or long-stem broccoli! 

Dinner was delicious, and after we'd eaten, we saw another episode of Masterchef. One contestant made a chocolate fondant, and Sophie and I screamed when she said what she was going to do! We both think she cheated a little because the inside was peanut butter, which did ooze, luckily for her!

Back to normal

Things were back to normal this morning; Sophie went to the gym, and Keith took me to work so I didn't have to worry about parking!

I walked into far fewer emails than we've been receiving recently, and by 4pm, the hundred cancellation ones were done (by Jaden and me), and we were down to just a handful in the normal inbox. The phone calls have also dried up, so that's a bit worrying... I'm thankful I still have jobs to do, but I think Sara will stop looking for cover on a Monday, and it will be just Kathy and me on the phones. Nicola asked if I wanted to take the minutes at a meeting in July when Sara is off, and I jumped at the chance. We're all hoping that our new gym on Brackmills will be up and running in early June and provide more work!

Keith and I pootled home via Overstone; anything to avoid the dreaded A43, which now bears a patchwork of repairs after it was closed at night over the weekend. It was my turn to cook tonight, and Keith had prepared the vegetables and the mince for me. I made a savoury crumble topping, and then it was time to relax for half an hour before cooking dinner.

Masterchef started tonight with Anna Haugh and Grace Dent, and Sophie and I were looking forward to it. We watched it on iPlayer before our dinner, and already we have a contestant crying, two saying their food is inspired by parents and grandparents, a couple of crumbs, a tuile and a gel!

An early morning shock!

As we hadn't eaten dinner last night, Keith didn't go shopping, so I took myself to work. I called into a Tesco store on the way to buy myself some lunch and didn't get to the car park until 7:30am. There was not a space to be had! I was shocked! Luckily, directly opposite our office is a small car park and I was able to leave the car there! Phew! That was a close call!

The rest of my working day passed uneventfully, and I took a different route home, via Kingsthorpe and Brixworth, for a change. It didn't take too much longer, and it was far more pleasant!

We had used up our eggs yesterday, and I needed one for tonight's meal, so I asked Sophie to get some on her way home from work. The small Waitrose in the fuel station didn't have any, so she bought three packs of chicken fillets in a sauce instead (for a small mortgage), and we decided to scrap the meal we were going to have altogether. Another day!

 

The chicken fillets were delicious (in some kind of barbecue sauce) and lovely served with new potatoes, asparagus and peas. By now, I was back to my old self, but Sophie still felt a little queasy.

After dinner, Keith and I watched the last episode of The Capture, and we were suitably satisfied with the ending. I think there may be a series four!

Feeling a little fragile!

We went to bed very late last night, but I had a terrible night's sleep, and felt nauseous for some reason. It definitely wasn't alcohol, as we'd stuck to wine, but I was wondering whether it was the heavy meal of lasagne, followed by the creamy dessert?

I woke up feeling out of sorts, so all plans to get a lot done today went out of the window! Sophie felt the same, so we drifted about the house, feeling a bit yukky and guilty for not doing anything! I ate beans on toast for breakfast, and the nausea came back, so we decided to skip dinner tonight and keep it light on our tummies. Keith said he also felt a bit fragile, and he didn't go to the evening, so perhaps we had had a bit of a run-in with a bug?

I spent the afternoon transcribing more of my Nepal diary and created a separate blog for it, so I can share it with the Encounter Overland Facebook page. I'm hoping that the people in the group will find it interesting! I also did several loads of laundry, so the day wasn't completely wasted.

Sophie had a lovely afternoon reading in the sunny conservatory with Mooney, and I felt a lot better after I'd had a nap and caught up on some of my lost sleep!

We had a very light supper - egg on toast - and had an early night. It's back to the routine tomorrow!

A sociable Saturday!

I had arranged to go out for breakfast with friends Andrea, Fiona and Lynda this morning, and had volunteered to drive to The Wavendon Arms, near Milton Keynes, where we had a 10:00am booking.

We all met at Lynda's house in Cogenhoe, and it only took about half an hour to get to the pub. It was a gorgeous day, but too chilly to sit outside! We took our seats inside and, while we waited for Andrea to arrive, ordered coffee and tea.

Once Andrea was seated and we had ordered more drinks (another flat white for me, as it was a tiny serving!), we had a good look at the breakfast menu. I chose the traditional full English, Lynda opted for the vegetarian version, and Andrea and Fiona ordered combinations of scrambled or poached eggs, toast, bacon, and smoked salmon.

We had a great chat, and it was lovely to see everyone again and hear their news. The food was good and plentiful, and the pub was pleasantly busy with early diners. We paid the bill, a reasonable £25 each, and said goodbye to Andrea before returning to Cogenhoe the same way. The weather was still glorious, and the countryside was looking beautiful.

I said goodbye to Lynda and Fiona and drove home. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned left at the Holcot roundabout to head down to the village, as there was one long continuous line of cars and vans leaving the car boot sale. Anyone caught up in it would have been severely delayed!

Sophie was ready and waiting for me when I arrived home for our planned visit to Homesense in Northampton. I wanted to get two new lampshades for the living room, another bottle of white for tonight's wine do at Michelle's, and a small gift for her.

The traffic leading to the St James retail park was horrendous, so we decided to abandon our trip. It's much better if I can go on a Wednesday, and a lot quieter! Sophie hadn't had any lunch, so we drove to a Subway outlet on Brackmills, and she bought herself a chicken salad and some cookies to enjoy at home later. She had pre-ordered the meal, and while we sat and waited, we watched a crowd of boys on BMX bikes take over a large part of the car park with their bikes. They were all wearing big, bulky helmets, so they were being sensible, at least!

Sophie ate her salad while I drove to White's Farm Shop near Earls Barton, where I hoped to buy another bottle of white wine and some chocolates or flowers. I spotted a bottle of French Chardonnay with a pencil-drawn picture of rustic barns, which appealed, and also bought Michelle a set of three pretty candles. We'd spotted a homewares shop when we parked, so we had a quick look at the lovely, quirky shop, and I treated myself to a bar of honey soap. It smelled gorgeous!

Back home, we relaxed, and I had a nap before our evening out. We both freshened up, and I wrapped our two bottles of white wine in foil to disguise them. Keith was looking forward to his fish and chips and an evening of sport!

We walked to Michelle and Richard's house at 7:00pm, and were closely followed by Paul and Sharon. There was a flurry of greetings, and we congregated in the kitchen for a glass of fizz and Chambord with an added raspberry. The two cats, Hector and Lily, eyed us a bit warily!

We decided to start the wines with one of Paul and Sharon's rosés, followed by our two whites, then the second rosé and, lastly, Michelle and Richard's two reds. After nibbling on crisps, we sat down at the dining room table and enjoyed a chicken lasagne with salad and garlic bread.

The foil-wrapped rosé was brought to the table, and we all loved the delicate pink colour. Paul asked about how rosés were made, and I explained that you can make white wine from red grapes, but not red wine from white grapes! We all said the rosé was delicious, and it was revealed as Kylie Minogue's wine! Richard then kept score of both the label and the wine to see which would be the winner, which was noisy and hilarious as we all gave our scores and reasons.

Next up was the French Chardonnay that Sophie and I had bought today. I could hardly detect any aroma on the nose, and the taste wasn't much better, either! It cost £12.89, so I was very disappointed and said so. It certainly wasn't typical of a creamy Chardonnay. 

After the Chardonnay, we tried the Gary Barlow Sauvignon Blanc, and I began to think I had lost my sense of smell and taste, as this was bland as well! Everyone laughed when we revealed the label and Richard pointed out the piano keys on the label, which were G and B. A bit narcissistic! 

The least liked label - Gary Barlow - and the best

I was very disappointed with both wines, which amounted to £20... we should have just taken a Vouvray and a New Zealand Pinot Gris!

The second rosé was slightly dry and one I wouldn't rush to buy, but it was in a gorgeous bottle that we all loved handling. By now, Michelle had served a lemon cheesecake, which was delicious. 

We then poured the first of the reds, an Italian Montepulciano, which was too tannic and dry for me. Sharon wasn't keen either, and I had to persuade her to at least try the wine. B y now, it was noisy, and there was a lot of laughter around the table as we all chatted and enjoyed the evening. Lily had made an appearance and kept brushing against my legs, bless her, so Michelle picked her up, and we had a cuddle.

The last red was a Portuguese, and both Sophie and I loved it. Michelle and Richard said they hated the label, but we thought it was beautiful! It came from Aldi and was priced at about £6.50. This is one we will ask Keith to get the next time he's in the supermarket!

Richard added up the scores, and Gary Barlow's label was awarded the worst, with the Italian the best. Kylie's rosé was the most popular wine! I was astounded to see it was almost 1:00am, so we said our goodbyes and walked the very short distance home. Sophie then had a terrible job of getting Gomez in. He was out with Cora, Lynn's cat, and it took all of her powers of persuasion to finally entice him into the house for bed!

A quiet Friday

I drove myself to work this morning, and as the emails are not coming in quite so thick and fast, I was able to complete other jobs, such as putting on the May playscheme places, an NPLQ course and tidying up all the cinema box office returns spreadsheets. I also wrote a list of Frequently Asked Questions for BOB, who is returning to work soon and will have a different role!

Our small suite of offices was deserted today, as Nicola had taken a day off and Sara had gone home early. None of the senior management team was in, so it was blissfully quiet! I sped home at 4:00pm and relaxed until Sophie arrived about forty-five minutes later. We opened the bottle of Greasy Fingers to go with the chilli. I'd read Michelle's message properly and realised we had to take two bottles of white wine tomorrow night... one of a label we liked, and one of a label that didn't appeal! It was a good job that I checked!

The red was delicious, and despite its unappealing name, we'll certainly buy it again! Our film choice for tonight was Definitely, Maybe starring Ryan Reynolds and Rachel Weisz. It was perfect for our Friday evening!

After a delicious chilli con carne, we watched two episodes of Alan and Amanda in Sicily. Bring on the weekend!

FOMO and Bill

Keith took me to work this morning, and I had another busy shift dealing with emails. The phone calls have definitely lessened, and it's noticeably quieter, which is a bit of a worry. 

At 2pm, Keith collected me, and I dropped him off at home before going to see my Mum. She seemed OK today, but was a little tearful at the end of my visit and said she missed going out. I suggested going out for a cup of tea next Wednesday, but then she didn't seem keen. I do worry about going out with her as she is so unsteady on her feet, and I dread her having a bad fall and ending up in the hospital. It made me feel guilty but also a little sad that we can't go out and enjoy tea and cakes as we used to.

Back home, we didn't have any supper to sort out, as it was fishcakes and mash, so it was a relaxed evening, playing cards and chatting around the kitchen island. Sophie and I shared a bottle of French wine that was a hybrid of an orange and a Rosé. It was perfect for our fishy supper!

Later in the evening, we renamed the cats... Mooney is now FOMO (fear of missing out) while Gomez is (Baldie) Bill. Gomez has patches of baldness under his chin and on his legs, and he came in at the same time as Mooney went out to have a cuddle with us. We then saw Mooney staring at us from the door of the conservatory, and it was obvious he wanted to come back in, for fear of missing out! They are indeed a special pair!

Pottering about!

I didn't have any plans today, so it was lovely to potter about, doing small but necessary jobs. I wanted to get the en-suite shower cubicle cleaned, and another exciting job: cleaning out the fluff from the tumble dryer filter. Yes... I know how to enjoy myself!

There was satisfaction in finally doing the jobs that I'd been putting off, and I put out some feelers for help with replacing the under-cupboard lights in the kitchen and cleaning the oven. The last time I cleaned the oven, I burned my arms with the corrosive substance I used, and we have to virtually lie on the floor to get the bottom oven cleaned properly, so I refuse to do it again. 

So, I pottered about, Keith made me eggs on toast for lunch, and I just took my time and crossed off a lot of chores. I also did the usual Wednesday jobs, such as the shopping list, lunch and breakfast for work tomorrow.

Keith had already prepared the onion and pepper for tonight's meatballs and pasta, which Sophie had agreed to cook when she got home from work. Keith refuses to eat meatballs, so he had bought himself a beef pie for dinner.

Before Sophie ventured into the kitchen, we watched the first episode of Missed Call starring Joanna Scanlan, who had been sitting at the next table to us in Fischer's restaurant, London, back in January.  

The plot sounded promising: a 17-year-old girl on a French exchange visit goes missing after calling her Mum (Joanna Scanlan) in the middle of the night. We persevered, but after about half an hour, we gave up. We both agreed that the acting wasn't very good and it all seemed a bit unrealistic! I was disappointed, to be honest, but never mind!

Before dinner, we had a sudden, torrential downpour of rain and gusty winds, and we managed to get Mooney in, who must have been sheltering under one of the cars, as he wasn't that wet, bless him. Sophie started the dinner, and I opened the kitchen door to let some fresh air in, and heard a lot of sirens outside, something that is very unusual for our area. I then smelt burning, and realised that Sophie had put Keith's pie in the oven, but had turned on the grill by mistake! The top was completely black! We had to scrape all the burnt bits off and then put it back in the oven! I later found out that the sirens were from fire engines attending a fire in a field between Walgrave and Hannington. Drama indeed! 

After dinner, Keith and I caught up with another episode of The Capture, and that seems to be going a little far-fetched as well!

The wormy ones...

Keith took me to work today, and I stopped off on the way to treat myself to a Tesco meal deal lunch, as we had almost nothing at home. I bought myself a sandwich and a bag of Easy Peelers to enjoy as well.

I was dreading Nicola coming into work, and at first, she had a coughing fit so bad that I thought she was going to make herself sick! I disappeared to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee, and thought back longingly to the afternoon when Sophie and I sat outside the Whispering Pines house and read our books in peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I need to work to afford things like this!

Luckily, she wasn't so bad for the rest of the morning, and then took a half day in the afternoon. Sara and I concentrated on the cancellation emails and managed to get them down to just over 200. The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight!

At 4:00pm, I rejoined Keith, and we drove home in heavy traffic. The schools are well and truly back now, and Easter is just a distant memory.

Sophie was overjoyed to find Gomez on her bed when she got home, and unusually, he stayed upstairs until after we had eaten. Sophie asked us to be quiet as she didn't want to wake the beast, but he came downstairs just as Keith and I were watching The Capture, which was very noisy (Frank Napier was using awful sounds to torture the new commander of SO15!).

Sophie then noticed that Gomez had worms... just what she needed this evening. She refused to let him out, and we had to catch him and make sure we applied the worm treatment to the back of his neck. After we'd applied it, he jumped off the barstool and shot us a look of pure loathing. And I mean, loathing! It was almost as if he'd spoken to us!

She then fretted about getting Mooney in and spent most of her evening up and down the stairs instead of relaxing. She hadn't gone to the gym this morning because she'd pulled a muscle in her leg, so that didn't help! Keith and I were riveted to the television, watching The Capture, so we weren't much help, either!

Mooney came in and had the same treatment, with the same results! He refused to come near us and ran off! I wish I could make them understand that it's for their benefit!

Irritations!

I had a real "ugh" feeling when Sophie woke me at 6:00am, but I know for a fact that Friday will come around again very quickly!

I took myself to work and chatted with Sara, who had returned after a couple of days off last week. We both believe that the emails are finally slowing down now, and today was the first day that we would really be able to tell how busy the phones would be, as the children are (mostly) back at school.

Nicola was exceptionally noisy today, and I really had a hard time working with the background of hacking coughs, sniffs, sneezing and loud yawns. As she now sits just behind me, the irritation was immense. Thankfully, I could use my loop earplugs to block out a lot of the noise, but why not just use a tissue? She's an adult woman, for heaven's sake, not a toddler! It was bliss to leave at 4:00pm and escape to the quiet of my car!

Keith had prepared dinner tonight and chopped up all the vegetables for the bubble and squeak. We cooked the Yorkshire puddings separately, and he carved the chicken. Before we ate, we played cards with our new Ypres playing cards. They are different to the ones we normally use, with V for Jacks, D for Queens and R for Kings. The aces are also marked as "1"!

After dinner, Keith and I indulged in a new episode of The Capture from series 3, which ended last night. It looks very promising!

Busy Sunday!

After coffee and a Wordle-off, I tackled a job I'd been meaning to do for ages - sort out our bed linen and store it all in a chest of drawers we have in the bedroom, rather than in the bed divan drawers where it is now. I hadn't got a clue what bed linen we had, so I sorted it all out and then transferred it to the chest of drawers, where it's more easily accessible. Several photograph albums took the place of the linen, as I don't get those out every week!

I found these two loose photos:

Mum and I - I'm about 19

Mum and I on a boat trip in Spain - I'm 12

Once this job had been done and I'd hoovered upstairs, we put the curtains back in the living room. While we were doing this, Sophie was preparing the vegetables for lunch. She'd asked if we could have roast chicken today, and Keith was more than happy to agree. Me, not so much!

Putting the curtains back wasn't as much of a chore as I'd imagined, and they smelt lovely from the laundry detergent! By about 12pm, everything was prepared, and the chicken went into the oven, stuffed with a lemon! Sophie cracked open a bottle of Cremant d'Alsace, and we had a pre-lunch aperitif. Now this, I did enjoy!

We sat down to eat at 3:00pm after a lot of hard work in the kitchen, and we all contributed. As well as the roast chicken, we had roast spuds, red cabbage, Brussels and bacon, roast parsnips, cauliflower and broccoli cheese, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings and bacon-wrapped chipolatas. Phew! The meal was delicious, and there was enough for squeaky bubble tomorrow and the other half of the chicken.

After clearing away, washing up and loading the dishwasher, Sophie and I relaxed in the conservatory with Mooney. We read our books and revelled in the warm sunshine streaming through the windows. Bliss! We even nodded off at one point. I loved looking up to see the fluffy, white clouds lazily drifting past.

In the evening, we watched Beyond Paradise, and it was a great end to a busy weekend! Back to work tomorrow!

Curtain catastrophe!

I went with Sophie to the gym this morning and sat in the car while she did a half-hour run. She had promised me a smoothie when she came out, and it was delicious. Virgin have introduced an incentive so that if she goes four times in a week, she gets a free drink, either a hot drink or a smoothie. It's certainly making her attend almost every day! She chooses a peanut butter smoothie, and I can understand why she goes now!

We returned home, and we noticed that the living room curtain pole was leaning at a weird angle! I had pulled on the curtain yesterday, and must have pulled the bracket away from the wall. We took the curtains down, and Keith had to drill new holes and attach the brackets again. It wasn't really what I wanted to do! This, of course, made me have a look at the curtains, which needed washing, and I hoovered the area above the curtains, which was cobwebby, and then I noticed how shabby the two lampshades were! One small thing leads on to many other jobs!

I had asked Sophie to make Mary Berry's panang chicken for dinner, so she prepared all the vegetables and the chicken while I helped Keith, who was balanced precariously on a ladder and drilling holes. With the curtains down, the whole room felt so exposed!

In the afternoon, Sophie and I went over to Tesco, and I bought my Mum some toiletries and chocolates, and we both bought our wine for an upcoming Wine Night next Saturday. We were given instructions to choose a wine with an off-putting label. I chose an Australian wine called "Greasy Fingers"... yuk! Sophie chose a Sauvignon Blanc with Gary Barlow's name emblazoned on it! I also bought a bottle of Grenadine to use in a cocktail tonight.

We visited Mum for an hour, and she was delighted with her toiletries and chocs. It was then home to relax for a little while until cocktail hour! Sophie made us both vodka blushes, from the novel and film, Rosemary's Baby. She added some egg white to the mix, and the result was delicious! We played cards before Sophie cooked dinner, and it was as good as always, with enough left for lunches on Monday.

Our viewing choice this evening was an Indie film called Martha Marcy May Marlene, about a young woman who escapes a sinister cult, and finds it difficult to go back to normal life when she reconnects with her sister. Keith wasn't impressed, so he sat on the computer, but Sophie and I enjoyed it, even if the ending was a little abrupt!

The end of another week!

Sara was off again today, but Kathy arrived before 9:00am, so I had some company! I had another busy day, dealing with annoying emails, which now seem to be mostly about refunds! It never ends...

It was lovely to escape at 4:00pm and join Keith in the car park. It was great to look forward to a quiet weekend with not a lot planned. Hooray! I love Friday nights!

Keith went to the pub this evening, and Sophie and I opened her bottle of Taittinger Champagne. Although we love the Aldi Champagne, you can certainly taste the difference! We nibbled on the mini cheeses we'd bought in France, cracksters, and watched Race Across the World. Sometimes I wish Friday nights could go on forever!

Keith had made himself celery and Stilton soup, so he had that for dinner, while Sophie and I tucked into quiche and pizza with salad and potato wedges. We watched a hilarious episode of Have I Got News For You (there's a lot to talk about at the moment!) and then an episode of Alan and Amanda renovating two houses in Sicily, which they bought for 1 euro each! We can dream!

On my lonesome

I was all on my own at work today, until Nicola came in at about 9:00am. I could hear our lovely cleaner moving about, but this office is much more isolated than our old one, when people were always popping in and out.

I cleared a lot of emails and then tackled the moan report for March, just for the sites we were keeping. It took me a lot less time to do! At 2pm, I hurtled off home, said a quick hello to Keith and then went to see my Mum, taking some chocolates that I'd bought in France.

She seemed OK today, and we sat and looked at old photos on my phone until I left at about 4:00pm. While I'd been visiting Mum, the weather had changed, and a chilly wind was blowing. The sky turned dark, and I was convinced we'd have rain, but the clouds moved on. How different from yesterday! 

One of the photographs I'd looked at was a Martini glass, so I asked Sophie to make me one tonight. She used up the last of our Number 3 Gin, and the drink was just what I had fancied. I cooked dinner tonight, a very simple chicken and chipolata traybake with lots of vegetables and cous cous. Delicious!

After dinner, Keith and I watched the last episode of series 2 of The Capture. The third series is on now and finishes on Sunday. It's been very enjoyable!

Getting jobs done!

I waved Sophie off to the gym this morning and had a little lie-in before enjoying a coffee. There were two jobs I had to get done today: get the VW cleaned as it was filthy, and replace the rear windscreen wiper, which has been annoying both of us for weeks!

Keith went shopping, but before he went, he ordered a new wiper on Amazon for delivery today! I pootled about, catching up with jobs and trying to stay cool. Today is supposed to be the warmest of the year so far, with some parts of the UK hitting 24 °C! Phew! It was a beautiful day, and warm and sunny, but it's best not to get complacent; it can all change again soon!

We decided to take the VW through the carwash in Market Harborough, and it emerged gleaming once we had travelled through the automated system. We drove home, and I had a lovely hot shower and did some foot care to round off the afternoon. 

Before Sophie arrived home, I did a little searching on the internet for a family I'd known when I was about five or six. They were from the US, and the father worked on a US air base in Upper Heyford on the Northamptonshire/Oxfordshire border. Why they came to live very close to us is a mystery, when there were other towns - Bicester, Brackley, Towcester - much nearer. It was my first taste of US living, and I vividly remember the barbecues they used to have, my first sip of 7Up and visiting the base where everything was strange and new. I did a search, but I didn't get anything at all, so it may be a challenge!

Back to reality!

I waved Sophie off to the gym this morning, and after a quick coffee, got ready and left for work at 7:00am. It was just Sara and me in the office until Jo and Angela came in, and we set to work and tackled all the emails that had arrived over the last four days.

Predictably, the phones went mad at 10:00am, and I would estimate 75% of them were about swimming at one of the centres we no longer run. All I kept hearing Angela and Jo say was, "I'm sorry, we don't run those centres anymore." Customers had been Googling the number and coming up with ours, as Everyone Active doesn't have a central contact centre.

At 4:00pm, we walked out of the building into bright sunshine, and when I got to the car, I couldn't find my phone... What is wrong with me at the moment? I knew I'd put it in the pocket of my cardigan, but I couldn't find it. I went all the way back to the office to see if I'd left it on my desk, but it wasn't there either! Back at the car, I found it in one of the pockets of my cardigan after all. This comes hot on the heels of a) losing my purse on Friday, b) losing two chargers for my phone and laptop on Sunday, only to find they were in one of the overnight bags, which I'd searched twice, and c) leaving my handbag behind yesterday. I am a little worried!

I had a frustrating journey home, bit Keith's head off when he asked for help with something, and then felt guilty! Oh dear! I need to go back to France!

We had an easy supper of cold meats, salad and new potatoes and watched two episodes of The Capture. Let's hope tomorrow is more pleasant!

Bagless and footsore in Oxford - the celebrations continue!

I was up at 6:45am, enjoying a coffee and putting the first wash into the machine. I also tidied the kitchen and put some more stuff away. We took so much baggage with us for just three days!

The rest of the family gradually woke up, and I unpacked the small suitcases we'd taken with us and sorted out yet more washing. This was to be Keith's job today, as Sophie and I were going to Oxford and having afternoon tea at The Randolph Hotel as a birthday treat.

We left at about 10:30am and took Olive to give the poor VW a rest today! The traffic was heavy around the Towcester roadworks, and we queued to get onto the A34 going into Oxford. It was a beautiful day, and we were looking forward to a coffee at Gail's, cocktails in The Morse Bar, and then afternoon tea in the Drawing Room.  

We parked at the usual Park and Ride car park, and when I leaned in to get my handbag from the back seat, it wasn't there... I realised that I'd left it in the VW when I'd moved the car out of the way. I was shocked I'd left it at home, and then worried that someone would see it when Keith went to Tesco to do a shop. We couldn't get hold of Keith, so I just had to hope it was in the car! It felt weird and horrible to have no bag, no purse and no phone (unsually, I'd put my phone into my bag rather than keep it between the two front seats). It meant Sophie had to pay for everything, which I felt terrible about.

We jumped straight onto a bus and alighted one stop earlier than usual to walk to Gail's, which is tucked down a quiet side street. The enticing array of delicious foods made our mouths water, and we chose a ham and cheese croissant, two different baked custard tarts, an iced matcha and a flat white.

We sat outside in the sun, and it was lovely. I'd worn a short-sleeved dress, but I'd donned a pair of heeled boots to wear with it, and they weren't that comfortable! The decision proved to be a real problem today! Sophie disappeared inside to get us more drinks, and I emptied a plate of crumbs from the croissant onto the pavement for the pigeons who were pecking about. They ate everything, and a couple more arrived, which was a bit alarming as I had visions of flocks of pigeons descending! However, they pecked away and cleared up all the crumbs, and then one flew onto my shoulder! I jumped and brushed it off and was then worried it had pooed on me! That would just about have made my day! Sophie wasn't around to witness it, but I did feel as if the pigeon was saying thank you!

After our drinks, we bought a block of cheese in a branch of the Jericho Cheese Company, and then had a good look around a wine shop. The owner asked if we needed any help, but we just wanted to look, which I think annoyed him. What is it with men running wine shops? (apart from Duncan, of course!) I complimented him on the range of wines and spirits he offered, but he just grunted at me!

We ended up buying two bottles of wine - a Vouvray and a German Pinot Noir - and walked up to the main thoroughfare to visit an Oxfam bookshop and another that was selling brand new books for as little as £5. Of course, Sophie bought two!

We made the decision to go to the Morse bar for a drink as I didn't fancy walking all the way to Waterstones, or even visiting the Ashmolean with my sore feet! We took our usual seats in the bar, and I had a good look at the menu. I chose a Gin-based cocktail while Sophie opted for a French Martini. We sat and sipped our drinks and did a fair amount of people watching! At one point, a huge crowd of people arrived to check in but they were dealt with efficiently and quickly by the receptionists.

It was heaven to sit and relax and chat, and at 3:30pm, we walked to The Drawing Room for our afternoon tea booking. We sat by the window at a table that soon proved to be too small for the amount of crockery and food it needed to accommodate!

Sophie chose Earl Grey tea, while I went for classic English Breakfast. We were served:

Sandwiches:

Smoked salmon and creme fraiche 

Cucumber, cream cheese, cumin and mint 

Curried egg and rocket

Savouries: 

Apple and sage sausage roll 

Mushroom quiche tart with pickled onion

Plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and jam

Carrot, spelt and cinnamon cake

Cherry Bakewell tart

Raspberry eclair

The pots of tea were huge and made with leaves rather than bags. We opted for a glass each of Nyetimber sparkling wine, and it was delicious!

I had mentioned on the booking that it was Sophie's birthday, and they brought her out another eclair on a decorated plate. What a lovely touch!

When I first saw the array of food, it didn't look like a lot, but boy, did it fill us up! We had to have a couple of rests to digest the food, but we ended up taking home the two scones and the carrot cake in a beautiful, dark blue box. Phew!

The Drawing Room was a lovely place to indulge in the afternoon tea, and apart from a few minutes of a crying baby, it was peaceful and quiet. We could have stayed forever!

However, the time was getting on, so Sophie paid the bill (she had no choice), and we reluctantly went out into the crowds. We waited along with queues of people for the bus and had to sit upstairs. Our bus driver drove extremely slowly back to The Pear Tree park and ride, and stopped many, many times on the way. I felt like we were driving through glue!

Back at the car, we headed back the way we had travelled this morning, and the traffic around Towcester wasn't too bad. We arrived home at about 7:00pm, and I was finally reunited with my bag and phone. No messages, of course, but that was a good thing!

We spent the evening chatting at the kitchen island, and then it was ten minutes of University Challenge before an early night. Back to work tomorrow!