Over a coffee, we booked our Eurostar to Brussels and Antwerp for November, and a ferry for Christmas in France. It's wonderful to have something to look forward to, and I just hope we'll be taking the VW with us! No doubt, I will hear about the repairs next week, and I'm praying the car won't be written off.
Sophie and I set off in Olive at about 11am, and Jeeves took us on a tortuous route to get to Weedon as one of the roads was closed. We ended up on a narrow road, full of potholes, and I was dreading damaging one of Olive's tyres. The accident last week has really shaken me up, and although I know it won't knock my confidence, I am driving a little more nervously, which isn't a good idea!
When we arrived at Weedon Bec, we were surprised to see so many cars parked. This hub of independent retail outlets has obviously become more popular! We parked a little distance from the antique and vintage shop and made for the bookshop and café on the first floor.
The place was busy, and there were stacks and piles of books everywhere! Sophie ordered us two teas, and we shared a Biscoff brownie. Even our table had a pile of books on it, and we could hardly move for the tomes everywhere!
I had the feeling that the shop had become very popular and the staff were unable to cope. Our cups of tea were almost forgotten, and the two young girls behind the counter looked a bit stressed! As we sat and enjoyed our drinks and the brownie, we suddenly smelt a horrible odour. I only hope it was the dog opposite and not the man sitting behind us, but it was awful. It then happened again, so we hurriedly finished our drinks and went to look at the books.
Sophie and I are definitely in the minority at the moment in that we don't take a dog with us. Virtually everyone had some sort of mutt in tow, whether they were just browsing or having a drink and snack in the café. Can't these dogs be left alone for a couple of hours? I'm really not keen on having them everywhere we go!
We had a look at the books, but they were just piled up everywhere, haphazardly and without any organisation. I itched to put them in order!
I think maybe it's time to stop accepting donations and sell the books you have before taking on any more!
We felt so overwhelmed by the books that we left and went downstairs to look at the antiques. However, even here it was chaotic, and there was a horrible, suffocating smell in the shop. We've never experienced this before during our visits, and we've always had an enjoyable time. I don't think the vibes were right, and apologies for the moaning! It may be a while before we venture back!
From Weedon Bec, we drove to the Heart of the Shires shopping village and had a look around before our lunch booking at 1:30pm. We noticed a new garden centre, another little courtyard of shops and some changes to the existing retail outlets. Neither of us was tempted by anything, even though I was on the lookout for a new Gin class.
What had once been Darlington's and then The 1867 was now simply The Tea Room, and we were shown to a table off the main rooms. We chose a chicken, bacon and cheese toastie (me) and a Club Sandwich (Sophie) with a glass of white wine. At first, we didn't think we'd be served quickly, but that proved wrong, and we were soon tucking into our sandwiches and wine. Even the two tables in the small ante-room had dogs with them!
Outside, the previously good weather turned, and rain began to pelt down! We paid the bill (our wine was on the house as it had arrived after we started eating... we didn't argue!) and ran to the car, getting soaked in the process!
Before heading home, we called into an Asda Express shop to buy some wine for tonight. We have lots of bottles of red but none of white (well, ones that are suitable for weekday drinking!), so I bought a bottle of white Burgundy and my lunch for tomorrow.
Back home, it was time to relax and read before Sophie put the finishing touches to a Mulligatawny soup she'd made. I enjoyed a Russian film called Compartment No. 6, which was lovely and was a collaboration between Russia, Finland, Estonia and Europe. It was a moving and wonderful film, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
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