We had a great journey down to Dartford, stopping at South Mimms on the way for a much needed coffee and to buy some flowers from Waitrose. It had been a fair time since I'd driven on the M25 and I was amazed to see the roadworks were still there! When will they be finished?
Once at Dartford we drove to the crematorium and found the areas in the Garden of Remembrance where both Nans were buried. There were lots of other flowers (and even Christmas and Birthday cards) from people who were remembering loved ones and I suppose it's comforting to go along and leave little mementos for family members who've passed on. On the way back to the M25 we drove to the road where Mum and Dad used to live, to show Sophie, but she wasn't really interested! She's no fan of Dartford, I'm afraid!
Once past Rochester we stopped again for tea and sandwiches at Medway Services on the M2. By now it was getting dark and a bit murky so we pushed on and arrived in Dover just after it was properly dark. I'd booked two rooms at a different Premier Inn to the one we normally use so I had a bit of difficulty finding the entrance! We ended up going past a beautifully lit Dover Castle and almost into the town before I turned around and found the way into the car park! The hotel itself is on the main dual carriageway into the port and is separated from its pub and restaurant by a footpath, but it looked as if it had recently been refurbished and the windows were double glazed so the traffic noise wasn't too bad.
We checked in and then spent a very relaxing couple of hours staying in our rooms. I had a lovely hot bath and then snuggled down to watch Neighbours! At 7pm we all met in Reception and walked the short distance to the pub. The footpath was well-lit but I wouldn't have wanted to walk along it if I was on my own as one side was a thick forest and a bit creepy!
The pub was very busy with early diners but we had a relaxing drink in the bar as we'd booked a table for 8pm. Originally I'd planned on going to one of the nearby villages for a drink at one of the pubs, as we'd done in the summer, but it was really foggy outside and it seemed silly to venture out in the murk when we had a perfectly good pub on our doorstep!
We had a great meal (prawn cocktail and fish and chips for me!) and another round of drinks, but by 9pm we were all ready to head back to our rooms and get an early night. We turned the TV on and discovered that the film Trading Places was on and I couldn't resist watching it until almost 11pm as I find it so funny!
Friday, 13 December 2013
Away for a while...
Mum, Dad, Sophie and I are off to Kent today as it would have been Nan's 94th Birthday and we are going to put some flowers on the ground where her ashes were scattered. We're then off down to Dover to stay overnight before taking an early ferry tomorrow to France where we're planning to drive to Arras and have lunch there. There's a Christmas market taking place in the town so we're looking forward to doing some shopping and having lunch.
I'm hoping the weather will stay dry and that it's not too windy, although I have heard it might be stormy tomorrow night!
I'm hoping the weather will stay dry and that it's not too windy, although I have heard it might be stormy tomorrow night!
Thursday, 12 December 2013
More painting!
I spent all of today finishing off the party room as we are off to Kent tomorrow and then over to France for the day on Saturday. It was hard work as I'm never very keen on balancing at the top of ladders (and the wall was very high!) but I was so pleased with how it looked when I eventually finished.
After work Sophie and I went off to the nail salon and then it was a fairly early finish to the day to get home and start packing for our couple of days away. While dinner was cooking I managed to watch about an hour of Dr Zhivago and I enjoyed it very much. It's such a lovely film and Julie Christie is so beautiful in it. A new top arrived in the post for me today that may well do for my evening with the girls - it's a very pretty ivory top with black embroidery in the middle and looks vaguely Russian!
After work Sophie and I went off to the nail salon and then it was a fairly early finish to the day to get home and start packing for our couple of days away. While dinner was cooking I managed to watch about an hour of Dr Zhivago and I enjoyed it very much. It's such a lovely film and Julie Christie is so beautiful in it. A new top arrived in the post for me today that may well do for my evening with the girls - it's a very pretty ivory top with black embroidery in the middle and looks vaguely Russian!
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Getting ready!
Keith came into work work with me today and we managed to get a lot done, on the Christmas front anyway! I finally decided to buy Mum and Dad a hamper, but didn't like any of the ones on offer from the likes of John Lewis or M&S so I logged onto Tesco and ordered loads of goodies from their Finest range to be delivered on Sunday at work! I managed to buy so much more food with the budget I had and Polly has very kindly offered to give me one of her baskets and make it up for me.
In the afternoon we nipped to Jones's and I bought a tablecloth and lots of bits for my Come Dine With me evening which I was pleased with. I'm hoping it'll be a great success and the DVD of Dr Zhivago is winging its way to me at the moment so I can watch it and glean more inspiration!
After work Sophie and I went off to the gym and I certainly made up for my sloth on Monday! I worked hard and finished my session wallowing in the warm waters of the jacuzzi. Just what was needed on a cold, foggy evening!
In the afternoon we nipped to Jones's and I bought a tablecloth and lots of bits for my Come Dine With me evening which I was pleased with. I'm hoping it'll be a great success and the DVD of Dr Zhivago is winging its way to me at the moment so I can watch it and glean more inspiration!
After work Sophie and I went off to the gym and I certainly made up for my sloth on Monday! I worked hard and finished my session wallowing in the warm waters of the jacuzzi. Just what was needed on a cold, foggy evening!
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
More busy-ness!
If I thought yesterday was hectic, today has been even more so! Two weeks and it will be Christmas Eve! Help!
I managed to get lots done at work today and at midday Keith drove in to drop off his car so I could take him to The Britannia pub in Northampton as he was meeting his ex-workmates for his annual knees-up. I left him, there and drove back to work to do yet more jobs before it was time to pick up the kids from school. I just had a feeling that Mikey would forget...and he did. Sophie had to go all the way back to school to find him and when they arrived back at the car both of them were in a foul mood, with Mikey particularly upset.
Back at work I fed them both and at 5.30pm we battled our way through the traffic (again!) to go back and pick Keith up. It would have been great to have stayed for a drink, especially as one of the wives had brought her gorgeous dog in with her! He was only 10 months old but was really lively and friendly and I could easily have taken him home with me! He reminded me of a young Max.
I managed to prise Keith away from the pub and we set off again, with the traffic even worse than ever. By the time we got home, Mikey had just half an hour to get changed into his Army uniform and then we were back out to Brixworth! My poor car is certainly clocking up the miles this week!
Luckily I had a window of calm before it was time to pick him up again and with Keith watching the football upstairs, Sophie and I were able to indulge in a few of our favourite recorded programmes and relax for a while!
I managed to get lots done at work today and at midday Keith drove in to drop off his car so I could take him to The Britannia pub in Northampton as he was meeting his ex-workmates for his annual knees-up. I left him, there and drove back to work to do yet more jobs before it was time to pick up the kids from school. I just had a feeling that Mikey would forget...and he did. Sophie had to go all the way back to school to find him and when they arrived back at the car both of them were in a foul mood, with Mikey particularly upset.
Back at work I fed them both and at 5.30pm we battled our way through the traffic (again!) to go back and pick Keith up. It would have been great to have stayed for a drink, especially as one of the wives had brought her gorgeous dog in with her! He was only 10 months old but was really lively and friendly and I could easily have taken him home with me! He reminded me of a young Max.
I managed to prise Keith away from the pub and we set off again, with the traffic even worse than ever. By the time we got home, Mikey had just half an hour to get changed into his Army uniform and then we were back out to Brixworth! My poor car is certainly clocking up the miles this week!
Luckily I had a window of calm before it was time to pick him up again and with Keith watching the football upstairs, Sophie and I were able to indulge in a few of our favourite recorded programmes and relax for a while!
Monday, 9 December 2013
Wimping out!
Today has been very busy, and I finally got around to painting one of the party rooms. It's not until I start painting that I realise how much I hate doing it!
So I was up and down a ladder all afternoon and when it came time to go to the gym, the energy levels were falling rapidly! When we got up to the changing rooms I suggested to Sophie that we just go down to the spa to relax...so we did! How lazy!
We had a lovely time soaking up the warmth of the steam room, the sauna and the jacuzzi then it was a battle through the rush-hour traffic to get home. On the way I called into the car-wash and gave the car a good clean as I was fed up with being covered in dirt every time I opened the boot!
Eventually, when we got home (I've never seen the traffic so bad) I sat with Keith in the conservatory and we had a couple of games of cards (he thrashed me so I refused to play any more) with a glass of wine! An indulgent end to a hectic day!
So I was up and down a ladder all afternoon and when it came time to go to the gym, the energy levels were falling rapidly! When we got up to the changing rooms I suggested to Sophie that we just go down to the spa to relax...so we did! How lazy!
We had a lovely time soaking up the warmth of the steam room, the sauna and the jacuzzi then it was a battle through the rush-hour traffic to get home. On the way I called into the car-wash and gave the car a good clean as I was fed up with being covered in dirt every time I opened the boot!
Eventually, when we got home (I've never seen the traffic so bad) I sat with Keith in the conservatory and we had a couple of games of cards (he thrashed me so I refused to play any more) with a glass of wine! An indulgent end to a hectic day!
Sunday, 8 December 2013
Sunny Sunday
This morning, after calling in to see Mum and Dad on the way back from getting the Sunday papers, we put up the icicle lights along the front of the house. I think our decorations are done now as anything else would be overkill!
I had a quick shower and then Sophie and I went off to Beckworth Emporium to have a look for...wait for it...buckwheat flour! But they didn't have any! The place was very busy indeed as the ice skating is in full swing and I had to park in a part of the car park I'd never been in before!
The food part was heaving with people and the restaurant was exceptionally busy but we decided to have a bite to eat and we were seated straight away. I enjoyed some absolutely delicious stuffed mushrooms served with salad while Sophie just had a cake as she was going home to leftover Chinese takeway. The waitresses kept bringing out plates laden with roast beef and enormous Yorkshire puddings so a lot of people were indulging in Sunday lunch. I don't blame them!
We had to get back home for 2pm as we had arranged to go and help Mum and Dad put the caravan to bed for the winter where it's parked just outside the village of Sibbertoft. Mikey came with us as he's now taller than all of us and I thought he would come in useful with hoisting the heavy cover over the top of the caravan. It was a beautiful winter afternoon with bluey/grey skies and a weak winter sun bathing everything in its cold light.
After a couple of failed attempts we had the cover on and secured and we took a different route home from Sibbertoft, driving through Kelmarsh to make quite sure there wasn't a pub there and then finding ourselves in Harrington.
Back home I decided to make some bread using the flour and yeast I'd bought at Beckworth ages ago. When I finished (ten minutes of kneading is a long time!) I sat in the conservatory and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. With the twinkling tree lights reflected in the glass it was truly gorgeous!
I had a quick shower and then Sophie and I went off to Beckworth Emporium to have a look for...wait for it...buckwheat flour! But they didn't have any! The place was very busy indeed as the ice skating is in full swing and I had to park in a part of the car park I'd never been in before!
The food part was heaving with people and the restaurant was exceptionally busy but we decided to have a bite to eat and we were seated straight away. I enjoyed some absolutely delicious stuffed mushrooms served with salad while Sophie just had a cake as she was going home to leftover Chinese takeway. The waitresses kept bringing out plates laden with roast beef and enormous Yorkshire puddings so a lot of people were indulging in Sunday lunch. I don't blame them!
We had to get back home for 2pm as we had arranged to go and help Mum and Dad put the caravan to bed for the winter where it's parked just outside the village of Sibbertoft. Mikey came with us as he's now taller than all of us and I thought he would come in useful with hoisting the heavy cover over the top of the caravan. It was a beautiful winter afternoon with bluey/grey skies and a weak winter sun bathing everything in its cold light.
After a couple of failed attempts we had the cover on and secured and we took a different route home from Sibbertoft, driving through Kelmarsh to make quite sure there wasn't a pub there and then finding ourselves in Harrington.
Back home I decided to make some bread using the flour and yeast I'd bought at Beckworth ages ago. When I finished (ten minutes of kneading is a long time!) I sat in the conservatory and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. With the twinkling tree lights reflected in the glass it was truly gorgeous!
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