Today has been a much calmer day at work as the sun has shone and it's been warm and dry. After work Keith and I decided to go for a walk over the fields but as we set out the clouds gathered and the sky looked very ominous!
However, after having a chat with Sarah and commiserating with her about Max, we managed to complete our walk without getting wet, despite the huge black clouds over our heads!
Back home we had a quick freshen up and then the three of us walked up to the pub for a couple of drinks. It was extremely pleasant sitting in the window and watching all the comings and goings!
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
All hands on deck!
Although the weather has been dry again today, with only the odd shower, we were very busy so it was all hands on deck over lunchtime to help wash up, clear tables and do a bit of serving. We had a lunchtime party that Sophie looked after so by 4pm we were all ready to go home and relax a bit.
I jumped in the bath when I got home and then did one of my favourite things - lie on the bed with Keith and watch Pointless! It felt very strange to not have to take Mikey to Army Cadets tonight and Sophie and I planned an indulgent girly night in as Keith was off to watch a football match later in the evening. He, sensibly, took a coat with him as the nights are certainly drawing in now and the warm evenings are becoming much chillier.
I'd done a bit more packing this evening and lo and behold! we found the scales that we thought were lost! They'd been in one of our hand luggage bags all along so now we have two scales! Typical!
I made one of Sophie's favourite meals, meatballs with pasta and doughballs, and then we settled down for a marathon viewing of Desperate Housewives. We managed to watch the last of Season 2 and then started on Season 3 but we only have two episodes on our Planner so it might be a quick order to Amazon to fulfill our fix!
I jumped in the bath when I got home and then did one of my favourite things - lie on the bed with Keith and watch Pointless! It felt very strange to not have to take Mikey to Army Cadets tonight and Sophie and I planned an indulgent girly night in as Keith was off to watch a football match later in the evening. He, sensibly, took a coat with him as the nights are certainly drawing in now and the warm evenings are becoming much chillier.
I'd done a bit more packing this evening and lo and behold! we found the scales that we thought were lost! They'd been in one of our hand luggage bags all along so now we have two scales! Typical!
I made one of Sophie's favourite meals, meatballs with pasta and doughballs, and then we settled down for a marathon viewing of Desperate Housewives. We managed to watch the last of Season 2 and then started on Season 3 but we only have two episodes on our Planner so it might be a quick order to Amazon to fulfill our fix!
Monday, 11 August 2014
Manic Monday!
Today has been my Dad's birthday but we had to do the cleaning first thing at work as our cleaner was having a day off - it really should have been my father staying at home and relaxing! After we'd finished he opened his cards and presents and when I went off to the bank I bought him a cake that we all enjoyed in the afternoon with a cup of tea.
Although the weather was dry and sunny first thing, we had a wave of showers in the afternoon that meant we were busy, which was great. We also had two parties in the evening so it was a bit of a late finish for Sophie and me, but the hours are speeding past now and our holiday is getting nearer!
After work we headed home and I took Keith to the pub. As it had been a long and busy day I stayed for one drink and then left him and Dave to their manly chat. Just as I got into the car we heard a clap of thunder and then the heavens opened! I drove home through sheets of rain and stayed in the car for a few minutes until it abated a little!
Although the weather was dry and sunny first thing, we had a wave of showers in the afternoon that meant we were busy, which was great. We also had two parties in the evening so it was a bit of a late finish for Sophie and me, but the hours are speeding past now and our holiday is getting nearer!
After work we headed home and I took Keith to the pub. As it had been a long and busy day I stayed for one drink and then left him and Dave to their manly chat. Just as I got into the car we heard a clap of thunder and then the heavens opened! I drove home through sheets of rain and stayed in the car for a few minutes until it abated a little!
Sunday, 10 August 2014
Here comes Bertha!
There was much talk of Hurricane (or Tropical Storm) Bertha yesterday on the television (especially the sport channels) and whether we would get the forecast high winds and rain that she would bring. This morning when I woke at about 6am the sky was grey but it was very calm so I thought that it was all a bit of a storm (!) in a teacup...
However, after going back to sleep and waking again at 8.30am a very different sort of day presented itself to me! Stair-rods of rain and a dark and stormy sky were the picture from my window and for most of the day, on and off, we've had wet weather and brisk winds. It hasn't been as bad as I expected but the warm and sunny weather we have been experiencing was notably absent today!
We took Sophie to work at 11am and then drove around for a little while (I wanted to see if a certain shop was still open in town...it wasn't) before dropping Mikey off at 12pm. I felt a wee bit emotional as he is away for ten days, but we have been invited to an Open Day before he comes home so at least we'll get to see him then, looking very smart in his uniform, we hope!
Keith wanted to walk around Pitsford - yes, he is a certified lunatic! - so I dropped him off at Brixworth Country Park before heading home to a very quiet house indeed...just me and Archie the cat! I felt as if my little family had been dispersed and it wasn't the most enjoyable of feelings at all!
Just before I went to pick Keith up, I heard a loud rumble of thunder so I got into the car without delay. As I entered the car park I saw my husband walking along looking like a drowned rat and he virtually stripped off before getting into the car! It had rained constantly while he was walking and as soon as we were home I sent him upstairs for a hot bath while I made him a big mug of tea and a sandwich!
Luckily Sophie called me at 3pm as she was ready to come home so I drove to get her, marvelling at the scudding clouds and stormy sky. We'd had a window of sunshine but looking at the weather I don't think the storm had finished with us yet!
In the evening the three of us set off on a "mooch" near Corby. A mooch is when we pick a small area and explore the pubs we find along the way. We had talked about having a meal at The Queen's Arms in Bulwick so we decided to drive to Lyddington first and then work our way to Bulwick to see if it had changed at all since we were last there.
The Old White Hart at Lyddington is in Rutland and it's a pub we've been to several times before, most notably when I was heavily pregnant with Sophie! There was a Hog Roast going on but as we had a curry waiting for us at home, we just had a drink. The pub was pretty and very cosy with a welcoming Landlady and a nice atmosphere. As we sat with our drinks more people turned up and tucked into the hearty hog roasts which looked very good. There was also a "petanque" area which looked interesting!
From Lyddington we drove, via Gretton, to Harringworth and saw the Welland Viaduct which carries trains across the valley. Apparently it's the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain and was completed in 1878. It's very impressive, all the more so as you wouldn't think there would be such a magnificent piece of architecture tucked away in rural England!
The pub at Harringworth is the The White Swan and this had certainly changed since we were last there a good while ago. Again, the pub was quiet and the Landlord was sitting at one of the tables doing paperwork so we had no choice but to sit at the bar. There was some sort of beer festival going on and Keith was almost coerced into having one of the beers out of the barrel in the garden, something he's never keen on as they're always flat!
We'd eaten here before but it was obvious they weren't doing food on Sunday night as the restaurant was empty. We had one drink at this funny little pub and went off to Bulwick via Laxton. It was a gorgeous evening with big billowy clouds in the blue sky and everything looked fresh and green after the recent heavy rains.
We had a major disappointment at Bulwick as the pub had closed at 7pm and we arrived at 7.20pm...I do wonder whether the demise of the British pub has something to do with the hit and miss opening times! Now, I can see a pub just opening at lunchtime on a Sunday, but to close at 7pm? Huh?? Perhaps we should have checked the opening times before we left (and maybe started with this one!) but it can be annoying when there are so many vagaries of trading hours!
Feeling a bit despondent, we headed back towards Corby with the intention of trying a pub in Aldwincle but we ended up on the wrong road and decided to head for our local before going home. But even this was a mistake as our pub was closed! See what I mean about pubs!
However, after going back to sleep and waking again at 8.30am a very different sort of day presented itself to me! Stair-rods of rain and a dark and stormy sky were the picture from my window and for most of the day, on and off, we've had wet weather and brisk winds. It hasn't been as bad as I expected but the warm and sunny weather we have been experiencing was notably absent today!
We took Sophie to work at 11am and then drove around for a little while (I wanted to see if a certain shop was still open in town...it wasn't) before dropping Mikey off at 12pm. I felt a wee bit emotional as he is away for ten days, but we have been invited to an Open Day before he comes home so at least we'll get to see him then, looking very smart in his uniform, we hope!
Keith wanted to walk around Pitsford - yes, he is a certified lunatic! - so I dropped him off at Brixworth Country Park before heading home to a very quiet house indeed...just me and Archie the cat! I felt as if my little family had been dispersed and it wasn't the most enjoyable of feelings at all!
Just before I went to pick Keith up, I heard a loud rumble of thunder so I got into the car without delay. As I entered the car park I saw my husband walking along looking like a drowned rat and he virtually stripped off before getting into the car! It had rained constantly while he was walking and as soon as we were home I sent him upstairs for a hot bath while I made him a big mug of tea and a sandwich!
Luckily Sophie called me at 3pm as she was ready to come home so I drove to get her, marvelling at the scudding clouds and stormy sky. We'd had a window of sunshine but looking at the weather I don't think the storm had finished with us yet!
In the evening the three of us set off on a "mooch" near Corby. A mooch is when we pick a small area and explore the pubs we find along the way. We had talked about having a meal at The Queen's Arms in Bulwick so we decided to drive to Lyddington first and then work our way to Bulwick to see if it had changed at all since we were last there.
The Old White Hart at Lyddington is in Rutland and it's a pub we've been to several times before, most notably when I was heavily pregnant with Sophie! There was a Hog Roast going on but as we had a curry waiting for us at home, we just had a drink. The pub was pretty and very cosy with a welcoming Landlady and a nice atmosphere. As we sat with our drinks more people turned up and tucked into the hearty hog roasts which looked very good. There was also a "petanque" area which looked interesting!
From Lyddington we drove, via Gretton, to Harringworth and saw the Welland Viaduct which carries trains across the valley. Apparently it's the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain and was completed in 1878. It's very impressive, all the more so as you wouldn't think there would be such a magnificent piece of architecture tucked away in rural England!
The pub at Harringworth is the The White Swan and this had certainly changed since we were last there a good while ago. Again, the pub was quiet and the Landlord was sitting at one of the tables doing paperwork so we had no choice but to sit at the bar. There was some sort of beer festival going on and Keith was almost coerced into having one of the beers out of the barrel in the garden, something he's never keen on as they're always flat!
We'd eaten here before but it was obvious they weren't doing food on Sunday night as the restaurant was empty. We had one drink at this funny little pub and went off to Bulwick via Laxton. It was a gorgeous evening with big billowy clouds in the blue sky and everything looked fresh and green after the recent heavy rains.
We had a major disappointment at Bulwick as the pub had closed at 7pm and we arrived at 7.20pm...I do wonder whether the demise of the British pub has something to do with the hit and miss opening times! Now, I can see a pub just opening at lunchtime on a Sunday, but to close at 7pm? Huh?? Perhaps we should have checked the opening times before we left (and maybe started with this one!) but it can be annoying when there are so many vagaries of trading hours!
Feeling a bit despondent, we headed back towards Corby with the intention of trying a pub in Aldwincle but we ended up on the wrong road and decided to head for our local before going home. But even this was a mistake as our pub was closed! See what I mean about pubs!
Saturday, 9 August 2014
Bella, bella!
Last night (Friday) just as I thought my working week was over, the phone rang and it was Polly saying she couldn't set the alarm. The nursery had left a door open which has a contact point embedded in it and Polly was unable to open an entrance door to go and close it. There was no other option but for me to go in with Keith and what a filthy, horrible night it was!
Within half an hour the problem was sorted and we were back home but I did hope that was truly the end of my week at work!
Saturday has seen a lovely, dry and sunny day which is supposed to be the calm before Tropical Storm Bertha hits the UK tomorrow. Sophie was supposed to have been in at work but she wasn't needed so we spent the afternoon doing some shopping and sorting out our membership at the gym. We have both decided to carry on going and Sophie is now on the 18-25 membership scheme which means that although she pays slightly more than she did before, she won't have to pay the full amount for a while yet!
Mum and Dad had given me a £30 Next voucher as a way of saying thank you for all the paperwork I'd been doing recently so we went to the brand new shop on Riverside. They have their own Costa Coffee so we popped there first before looking around the shop. I chose a pair of new sunglasses and a new purse so I was very pleased with my purchases. They have a lovely Home section with some beautiful cushions and furniture - I can see us making a trip back!
I also changed some pounds into dollars so that was exciting! This holiday is rushing up to meet us now and we have less than two weeks to go!
In the evening we all went to Bella Italia on Sixfields as we wanted to treat Mikey to a meal before he goes off to Army Camp tomorrow. It was his choice and despite being disappointed in the restaurant the last time we visited, tonight we had a very good experience indeed. Sophie and I shared a garlic and mozzarella flatbread while Mikey chose meatballs and Keith enjoyed a plate of chicken wings. The food was delicious. For mains, Sophie and I both went for the Pollo Milanese - fillet of chicken covered in crispy breadcrumbs and served with the most tender green beans I'd ever had and a pile of spaghetti. Belissimo!!
Keith had a Marco Polo pizza (with duck and spring onions) while Mikey had a meatball pizza! I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Chardonnay and we finished up with Tiramisu, Pannacotta, ice-cream and the dessert that Mikey had really come for, the Godfather!
Replete and very happy with the service and food Keith drove us back to The White Horse where I treated everyone to a drink before we returned home. The pub was looking very pretty with the little bauble lights lit in the front alcove and it felt cosy and welcoming. A great end to a lovely night!
Within half an hour the problem was sorted and we were back home but I did hope that was truly the end of my week at work!
Saturday has seen a lovely, dry and sunny day which is supposed to be the calm before Tropical Storm Bertha hits the UK tomorrow. Sophie was supposed to have been in at work but she wasn't needed so we spent the afternoon doing some shopping and sorting out our membership at the gym. We have both decided to carry on going and Sophie is now on the 18-25 membership scheme which means that although she pays slightly more than she did before, she won't have to pay the full amount for a while yet!
Mum and Dad had given me a £30 Next voucher as a way of saying thank you for all the paperwork I'd been doing recently so we went to the brand new shop on Riverside. They have their own Costa Coffee so we popped there first before looking around the shop. I chose a pair of new sunglasses and a new purse so I was very pleased with my purchases. They have a lovely Home section with some beautiful cushions and furniture - I can see us making a trip back!
I also changed some pounds into dollars so that was exciting! This holiday is rushing up to meet us now and we have less than two weeks to go!
In the evening we all went to Bella Italia on Sixfields as we wanted to treat Mikey to a meal before he goes off to Army Camp tomorrow. It was his choice and despite being disappointed in the restaurant the last time we visited, tonight we had a very good experience indeed. Sophie and I shared a garlic and mozzarella flatbread while Mikey chose meatballs and Keith enjoyed a plate of chicken wings. The food was delicious. For mains, Sophie and I both went for the Pollo Milanese - fillet of chicken covered in crispy breadcrumbs and served with the most tender green beans I'd ever had and a pile of spaghetti. Belissimo!!
Keith had a Marco Polo pizza (with duck and spring onions) while Mikey had a meatball pizza! I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Chardonnay and we finished up with Tiramisu, Pannacotta, ice-cream and the dessert that Mikey had really come for, the Godfather!
Replete and very happy with the service and food Keith drove us back to The White Horse where I treated everyone to a drink before we returned home. The pub was looking very pretty with the little bauble lights lit in the front alcove and it felt cosy and welcoming. A great end to a lovely night!
Friday, 8 August 2014
R.I.P Max
Sarah sent me a text this morning telling me that Max had taken himself off to his kennel and passed away in his sleep. I think that was the best way the old boy could have gone, to be honest, but it was still very sad and I cried my eyes out thinking about all the good times we'd had and the walks we'd enjoyed.
He was a really special dog to me, more so than any other dog in the neighbourhood and really, any other dog I'd known apart from my Nan's dog Sue, who was an overweight Golden Labrador and who would literally do anything for me, bless her.
We had such a strong bond and I don't know whether it was because I used to walk him around Pitsford every week or whether it was just because he was such a lovely dog,but I'll certainly miss him running down to our house, opening the door and trying to steal the cats' food.
Here are some photos of him taken over the years:
He was a really special dog to me, more so than any other dog in the neighbourhood and really, any other dog I'd known apart from my Nan's dog Sue, who was an overweight Golden Labrador and who would literally do anything for me, bless her.
We had such a strong bond and I don't know whether it was because I used to walk him around Pitsford every week or whether it was just because he was such a lovely dog,but I'll certainly miss him running down to our house, opening the door and trying to steal the cats' food.
Here are some photos of him taken over the years:
Thursday, 7 August 2014
They're off!
At long last Sophie had her braces removed today and she couldn't have been happier! When we arrived at the dentist's the Receptionist initially said that her appointment had been cancelled which made me see red, especially as we'd raced to the bank and Tesco before hurtling over the road like mad things to ensure we got there on time!
However, the appointments had been mixed up and Sophie was told she was booked in to have her braces removed! The Orthodontist took them off and then made casts of her teeth so he could fit the retainer next week.
We sped back to work but we certainly weren't as busy as I thought we'd be so after lunch we popped to Jones's where I bought some toiletries for the holiday. From Jones's we drove to Boots and then it was back to work and time to go home, which was a relief as it's been another hot and sultry day and I was longing to get home and have a shower!
We had to take Mikey's luggage to the Barracks in town for 7pm and we'd decided to extend our trip out and treat the children to dinner at The Lamplighter pub. Mikey was on strict instructions to drop off his case and Bergen without delay as he had been muttering about having a meeting which would last half an hour!
Luckily within five minutes he was all done and we went off to the pub which was very quiet. Keith tried a new beer called Apollo (he wasn't sure where the brewery was) which he enjoyed while I treated myself to a small bottle of Leffe.
We had a great night with very good food - nachos and garlic bread to start followed by fish (Keith), Beef Madras pie (Mikey), Cajun Chicken burger (Sophie) and a BBQ burger for me. The food was delicious!
However, the appointments had been mixed up and Sophie was told she was booked in to have her braces removed! The Orthodontist took them off and then made casts of her teeth so he could fit the retainer next week.
We sped back to work but we certainly weren't as busy as I thought we'd be so after lunch we popped to Jones's where I bought some toiletries for the holiday. From Jones's we drove to Boots and then it was back to work and time to go home, which was a relief as it's been another hot and sultry day and I was longing to get home and have a shower!
We had to take Mikey's luggage to the Barracks in town for 7pm and we'd decided to extend our trip out and treat the children to dinner at The Lamplighter pub. Mikey was on strict instructions to drop off his case and Bergen without delay as he had been muttering about having a meeting which would last half an hour!
Luckily within five minutes he was all done and we went off to the pub which was very quiet. Keith tried a new beer called Apollo (he wasn't sure where the brewery was) which he enjoyed while I treated myself to a small bottle of Leffe.
We had a great night with very good food - nachos and garlic bread to start followed by fish (Keith), Beef Madras pie (Mikey), Cajun Chicken burger (Sophie) and a BBQ burger for me. The food was delicious!
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