Sophie was a little annoyed late last night when the friend she was going to London with called her and asked if they could delay their departure until 1pm as she wanted to go for lunch with her boyfriend. I'd forgotten it was Valentine's Day, to be honest. This year the celebration didn't seem to be so much "in your face" as it's been in previous years. I just think it's a whole commercial rip-off!
Sophie reluctantly agreed to go later even though she was looking forward to having lunch in London and then going shopping before their concert at the O2. It meant we could have a bit of a lie-in and a more leisurely morning before setting off.
Mike went off to Brixworth at 11am and at 12.30pm Sophie and I set off to pick up Laura. I'd heard there was a bad accident on the M1 northbound carriageway and that traffic was slow on the southbound section as well (no doubt people looking at what was happening).
As we drove onto the M1, the signs were warning us of the hold-ups but nothing could have prepared us for the sight of the empty motorway and then seeing the coach and car involved being towed away. The accident had happened at about 7am when a coach carrying some students had hit a stationary car on the hard-shoulder, killing three people inside. Everything on our side of the motorway slowed down as the procession went past and there was literally nothing left of the car. We later found out that a fourth passenger survived but was badly injured and the coach driver had been arrested.
We continued on our way and saw the huge queues that had built up while they shut the motorway. I decided not to go home this way! We made the O2 by 3pm and I dropped Sophie and Laura off at a bus-stop near the Underground station. They were going to see two bands in the evening - You Me At Six and All Time Low but before they went they were going to leave their luggage at Laura's University flat.
I headed home via the Blackwall Tunnel again and stayed on the M11 rather than go back onto the M25. I spent a very pleasant couple of hours listening to the Womens' Hour on Radio 4...I'm certainly getting to that sort of age now where I appreciate interesting articles to listen to!
I arrived home just after Keith who had been to one of his football matches and we waited to hear from Mike. Unfortunately the mobile phone that Keith had lent him was switched off so we were unable to get in touch with him! By 6.30pm I was getting worried as normally he asks to be picked up at about 5pm. We drove over to Brixworth and waited by the library but there was no sign of him. I sent him text messages and we kept on trying to call him but it was still switched off.
In the end we went home to see if he'd called us on the home phone but there were no messages. I decided to try and get hold of him via Facebook and luckily he was online. I sent a very curt message telling him to meet us and we drove back over to Brixworth. I was angry because by now I'd had enough of driving and just wanted to relax!
Mike was apologetic when we picked him up and we delivered him back home and went off to the pub for a very welcome drink! Sue and Paul followed us into the pub as they were having a Valentine's meal. We sat at the bar and had a good chat and it was great to relax and have a laugh after my extremely busy day!
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Friday, 13 February 2015
Ahhh! Friday!
I sound relieved that Friday has arrived but in all honesty I was dreading the weekend as we had three new staff starting and Sophie was off gallivanting in London!
Today wasn't as busy as I'd feared at work and Sophie and I were in early to do the cleaning as our lady who comes in and cleans for us had taken a day's holiday. Keith dropped Mikey off at school and came in to help as well so by the time we opened at 9.30am we were all done. We'd even put the frozen food order away that came in early!
Soph and I managed to get away at 3pm and we went off to Boots to do a bit of shopping. I treated myself to a new make-up bag from Champneys which contained a lovely loofah-type thingy, some body lotion, shower gel and body scrub. The products smelt wonderful!
Afterwards, Sophie treated me to a cup of tea at Costa Coffee and then we headed home as she had to pack for her weekend away. Mike was off in town with his mates so we had a very quiet evening until he came bursting back through the door brandishing a huge Toblerone for all of us!
Today wasn't as busy as I'd feared at work and Sophie and I were in early to do the cleaning as our lady who comes in and cleans for us had taken a day's holiday. Keith dropped Mikey off at school and came in to help as well so by the time we opened at 9.30am we were all done. We'd even put the frozen food order away that came in early!
Soph and I managed to get away at 3pm and we went off to Boots to do a bit of shopping. I treated myself to a new make-up bag from Champneys which contained a lovely loofah-type thingy, some body lotion, shower gel and body scrub. The products smelt wonderful!
Afterwards, Sophie treated me to a cup of tea at Costa Coffee and then we headed home as she had to pack for her weekend away. Mike was off in town with his mates so we had a very quiet evening until he came bursting back through the door brandishing a huge Toblerone for all of us!
Thursday, 12 February 2015
An unexpected treat.
Today wasn't as busy as yesterday, thank goodness, but then it would be like that, wouldn't it? Sophie was in with us today and we didn't need her!
She had a driving lesson at 2pm, though, and Keith and I went off to do the banking and to get dinner from Tesco for tonight. As Sophie had been in a bit of a mood at work (bored) I bought her some treats and a yummy dinner for both of us tonight. Mike was due to be out at a Birthday party and Keith was having a Tesco Finest meal that had been languishing in the freezer so I bought us a meal for two with a bottle of Rose!
My daughter and I were at work until about 5.30pm and then we sped home as Keith wanted me to go with him to take Mikey to the party. We didn't really have any idea of where it was or what time it started as our son was typically vague about important details like that! We discovered it started at 6.45pm (not 6pm as we first thought) and went on until just after 8pm and was at a local Indoor Play Area called Kids Play in Kettering. It meant that by the time we arrived home it would be almost time to leave to get him again so we decided to have a meal at the nearby Trading Post.
Sophie wasn't too keen as she was looking forward to her Tesco Finest meal but we managed to persuade her and after a quick change and a freshen up, we all left. We eventually found the venue (it had been a while since we were there...probably about ten years when Mikey was invited to a party and wouldn't leave our side to go and play!) and he went off by himself, looking for his mates.
We drove the short distance to the pub and found a table. I was tempted by the carvery but decided to go with fish and chips, the same as Keith, in the end. Sophie chose a chicken burger. I was pleasantly surprised with the food. My fish was delicious and the batter well-cooked and crispy and it was certainly better than cooking at home!
We picked Mike up at 8.15, drove home and treated ourselves to a slice of banana cake before bed. Delicious!
She had a driving lesson at 2pm, though, and Keith and I went off to do the banking and to get dinner from Tesco for tonight. As Sophie had been in a bit of a mood at work (bored) I bought her some treats and a yummy dinner for both of us tonight. Mike was due to be out at a Birthday party and Keith was having a Tesco Finest meal that had been languishing in the freezer so I bought us a meal for two with a bottle of Rose!
My daughter and I were at work until about 5.30pm and then we sped home as Keith wanted me to go with him to take Mikey to the party. We didn't really have any idea of where it was or what time it started as our son was typically vague about important details like that! We discovered it started at 6.45pm (not 6pm as we first thought) and went on until just after 8pm and was at a local Indoor Play Area called Kids Play in Kettering. It meant that by the time we arrived home it would be almost time to leave to get him again so we decided to have a meal at the nearby Trading Post.
Sophie wasn't too keen as she was looking forward to her Tesco Finest meal but we managed to persuade her and after a quick change and a freshen up, we all left. We eventually found the venue (it had been a while since we were there...probably about ten years when Mikey was invited to a party and wouldn't leave our side to go and play!) and he went off by himself, looking for his mates.
We drove the short distance to the pub and found a table. I was tempted by the carvery but decided to go with fish and chips, the same as Keith, in the end. Sophie chose a chicken burger. I was pleasantly surprised with the food. My fish was delicious and the batter well-cooked and crispy and it was certainly better than cooking at home!
We picked Mike up at 8.15, drove home and treated ourselves to a slice of banana cake before bed. Delicious!
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
A well-deserved relaxation!
I knew that today was going to be a busy one at work when we had customers queuing to get in at just after 9.30am. Of course, Sophie was due to meet friends at lunchtime so we would be losing her at 11am, just the sort of day when we desperately needed her help!
We waited for the Booker delivery to arrive but I had to take Sophie before it came and we went to pick up her friend Laura from the other side of town. When I got back, the Booker lorry was stranded in a sea of cars and the driver was tearing his hair out as he'd blocked some customers in who wanted to leave!
Keith and I tore about offloading the delivery in between manning Reception as Polly was helping out in the kitchen. The place was heaving with customers and I'd never seen it so busy during the week!
We put all the delivery away and I rushed about clearing tables, washing up and helping Keith on Reception. Just as I was sorting out a party booking I saw a customer go over to Reception and Keith pointed at me. This sort of thing always makes me nervous as there's normally a problem somewhere and today this particular lady was complaining about another customer who'd been rude and aggressive to her blind sister. It turned out that a mum was in the restaurant to get some napkins for her son who'd bumped his nose. Polly asked whose turn it was next and apparently there was a misunderstanding between a blind woman and this customer who'd "apparently" pushed in and been rude.
Just as I was listening to the story unfold, the two women involved came over and started screaming at each other. I tried to calm all three women down but the blind woman was actually the most aggressive one, screaming at the other customer and almost coming to blows! I finally managed to separate them and tried to explain that it was a simple misunderstanding that had obviously got out of hand! The woman with the hurt little boy was crying and I offered to get her a cup of tea but she said she was OK and didn't need anything. Being in the middle of it all, with other customers ogling what was going on, was not pleasant!
Luckily, both parties stayed away from each other for the rest of the afternoon but I was mightily glad when the two sisters left about an hour later! When Sophie returned from her lunch at Pizza Hut I told her what happened and she was mad that she'd missed all the fun!
After work we went to the spa at the gym and had a lovely relaxing session. It was definitely needed after today, let me tell you!
We waited for the Booker delivery to arrive but I had to take Sophie before it came and we went to pick up her friend Laura from the other side of town. When I got back, the Booker lorry was stranded in a sea of cars and the driver was tearing his hair out as he'd blocked some customers in who wanted to leave!
Keith and I tore about offloading the delivery in between manning Reception as Polly was helping out in the kitchen. The place was heaving with customers and I'd never seen it so busy during the week!
We put all the delivery away and I rushed about clearing tables, washing up and helping Keith on Reception. Just as I was sorting out a party booking I saw a customer go over to Reception and Keith pointed at me. This sort of thing always makes me nervous as there's normally a problem somewhere and today this particular lady was complaining about another customer who'd been rude and aggressive to her blind sister. It turned out that a mum was in the restaurant to get some napkins for her son who'd bumped his nose. Polly asked whose turn it was next and apparently there was a misunderstanding between a blind woman and this customer who'd "apparently" pushed in and been rude.
Just as I was listening to the story unfold, the two women involved came over and started screaming at each other. I tried to calm all three women down but the blind woman was actually the most aggressive one, screaming at the other customer and almost coming to blows! I finally managed to separate them and tried to explain that it was a simple misunderstanding that had obviously got out of hand! The woman with the hurt little boy was crying and I offered to get her a cup of tea but she said she was OK and didn't need anything. Being in the middle of it all, with other customers ogling what was going on, was not pleasant!
Luckily, both parties stayed away from each other for the rest of the afternoon but I was mightily glad when the two sisters left about an hour later! When Sophie returned from her lunch at Pizza Hut I told her what happened and she was mad that she'd missed all the fun!
After work we went to the spa at the gym and had a lovely relaxing session. It was definitely needed after today, let me tell you!
Tuesday, 10 February 2015
Girly night in!
Keith and Mike were both out this evening and Sophie and I chose an indulgent dinner for just the two of us, which was a treat after a hard day at work!
We had a Tesco Finest Chicken Kiev with creamy mash and sweetcorn with a glass of wine each and it was lovely! As the men were both out we could sit and watch whatever we wanted on the TV and both cats came and sat with us as well, which was great.
Keith and Mikey returned at about 10pm, both of them cold from being outside (Keith had been to see Sileby Rangers play) but Sophie and I were both chilled out too!
We had a Tesco Finest Chicken Kiev with creamy mash and sweetcorn with a glass of wine each and it was lovely! As the men were both out we could sit and watch whatever we wanted on the TV and both cats came and sat with us as well, which was great.
Keith and Mikey returned at about 10pm, both of them cold from being outside (Keith had been to see Sileby Rangers play) but Sophie and I were both chilled out too!
Monday, 9 February 2015
A cleaning we will go...
It was all hands on deck today and I had both Keith and Sophie in at work with me. While I sorted out the weekend takings Sophie manned the phone and booked several parties. Keith and Ian amused themselves by fitting new bolts to the slides and I went over to the bank and bought us all some lunch.
In the afternoon Keith and I swept up the cigarette butts in the car park and picked up litter. My crows are being a bit silly at the moment and when I put down food in the morning they sit and look at it while a flock of seagulls dive in and gobble it all up. There are far more gulls than crows and I find it very annoying that all the food is eaten by the huge flock. I've taken to just putting a few scraps down and then hiding some more under the trees which seems to be working. I saw our little robin dragging away a piece of chicken skin the other day so he'd managed to find it!
Before we went home (a bit tired) all three of us gave our large inflatable a good clean as the top was very dusty. We kept inflating it and then letting it down so we could reach the top and it looked a lot better when we'd finished!
I had a call from Mike's school to say that he was having pains on the left side of his chest so I had to go and pick him up. As is usual, when he appeared he looked absolutely fine and back at work he played a game of football with Keith in between raiding the chiller cabinet and eating sweets. Ill, he was not!
Sophie and I left after Keith and Mike and stopped to get some diesel before going on to Mum's house and making sure everything was OK. It's been a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine and much milder temperatures (10c at lunchtime) so that was a bonus. Perhaps Spring is on the way?
In the afternoon Keith and I swept up the cigarette butts in the car park and picked up litter. My crows are being a bit silly at the moment and when I put down food in the morning they sit and look at it while a flock of seagulls dive in and gobble it all up. There are far more gulls than crows and I find it very annoying that all the food is eaten by the huge flock. I've taken to just putting a few scraps down and then hiding some more under the trees which seems to be working. I saw our little robin dragging away a piece of chicken skin the other day so he'd managed to find it!
Before we went home (a bit tired) all three of us gave our large inflatable a good clean as the top was very dusty. We kept inflating it and then letting it down so we could reach the top and it looked a lot better when we'd finished!
I had a call from Mike's school to say that he was having pains on the left side of his chest so I had to go and pick him up. As is usual, when he appeared he looked absolutely fine and back at work he played a game of football with Keith in between raiding the chiller cabinet and eating sweets. Ill, he was not!
Sophie and I left after Keith and Mike and stopped to get some diesel before going on to Mum's house and making sure everything was OK. It's been a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine and much milder temperatures (10c at lunchtime) so that was a bonus. Perhaps Spring is on the way?
Sunday, 8 February 2015
An early morning shock...
I awoke to glorious sunshine and just as I was settling down with a cup of coffee and the newspaper at 8am and feeling really happy and relaxed, the phone rang. It was Mikey asking to be picked up...
I ran upstairs to get dressed and told Keith who was still languishing in bed. It certainly didn't need two of us to be disturbed and I told him that I'd get the Sunday papers and buy Mike some breakfast as I was certain he hadn't had anything.
As I was about to leave, the phone rang again and it was an anguished Michael telling me that he'd broken the screen of his iPod again...I couldn't believe what he was saying as we'd only just had it repaired and I hadn't even paid my credit card bill! I was furious but he sounded so contrite that I said we'd sort it out when I picked him up and got into the car.
It was a gorgeous, but very frosty, morning and Mike was waiting for me at the top of his friend's road. He hadn't taken a coat and looked frozen. We went straight to the petrol station where I bought him a bacon and cheese turnover and then we headed home. He constantly apologised for breaking the screen which was completely shattered. I said that there was no way I was paying for it again and that he'd have to cough up the money to get it replaced.
Back home he went straight to bed and stayed there for most of the day. I later found out that he'd told Keith he'd stayed up all night, yet he'd said to me they'd gone to bed at midnight which I found hard to believe!
Sophie was working again so she drove us into work and we had a bit of an argument with a wall which she clipped, scuffing the wing mirrors very slightly... Today she seemed to get very close to parked cars which was a bit alarming and although we seemed to have solved the stalling problem, she needs to be careful of getting too close to the left side of the road. Because of this she went into work a bit subdued which was a shame as she'd felt so good about her driving yesterday.
Keith and I went off to Asda as we'd ordered some school shirts for Mike and they were due to be delivered after 1pm but we hoped they'd be in as we were nearby. Sadly they weren't and just as I said to Keith I'd treat him to a coffee in Waitrose the phone rang and it was Sophie to say she wasn't needed at work after all.
We went to collect her and she drove home again, a little more carefully this time! I suggested she give Jim a good clean as the poor car was covered in mud and salt but she looked at me like I'd said something completely outrageous and flounced off to her room. As it was such a beautiful day I decided to give the little Honda a good clean and while I was rinsing the car down Paul and Sue came over for a chat with Bailey and Archie, their two cockapoos. We chatted for ages in the sun and I learnt lots of gossip! What a great thing the village grapevine is! I learnt that a B&B in the village has been taken over by an Indian lady and her English husband and the lady is planning to put on a "Pop-up Indian restaurant" once a month. My Dad will be pleased!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went off to Beckworth Emporium for a mooch about and a cup of tea but the queue for the cafe was horrendous! We certainly didn't feel like waiting just to have a snack so we left and went to the garden centre near Wootton. They have a Costa Coffee outlet there so Sophie was more than pleased as she ordered a Creamy Cooler (made with soya milk now!).
We had a quick look at the fish and then it was home to a moody Mike and a delicious roast lamb dinner!
I ran upstairs to get dressed and told Keith who was still languishing in bed. It certainly didn't need two of us to be disturbed and I told him that I'd get the Sunday papers and buy Mike some breakfast as I was certain he hadn't had anything.
As I was about to leave, the phone rang again and it was an anguished Michael telling me that he'd broken the screen of his iPod again...I couldn't believe what he was saying as we'd only just had it repaired and I hadn't even paid my credit card bill! I was furious but he sounded so contrite that I said we'd sort it out when I picked him up and got into the car.
It was a gorgeous, but very frosty, morning and Mike was waiting for me at the top of his friend's road. He hadn't taken a coat and looked frozen. We went straight to the petrol station where I bought him a bacon and cheese turnover and then we headed home. He constantly apologised for breaking the screen which was completely shattered. I said that there was no way I was paying for it again and that he'd have to cough up the money to get it replaced.
Back home he went straight to bed and stayed there for most of the day. I later found out that he'd told Keith he'd stayed up all night, yet he'd said to me they'd gone to bed at midnight which I found hard to believe!
Sophie was working again so she drove us into work and we had a bit of an argument with a wall which she clipped, scuffing the wing mirrors very slightly... Today she seemed to get very close to parked cars which was a bit alarming and although we seemed to have solved the stalling problem, she needs to be careful of getting too close to the left side of the road. Because of this she went into work a bit subdued which was a shame as she'd felt so good about her driving yesterday.
Keith and I went off to Asda as we'd ordered some school shirts for Mike and they were due to be delivered after 1pm but we hoped they'd be in as we were nearby. Sadly they weren't and just as I said to Keith I'd treat him to a coffee in Waitrose the phone rang and it was Sophie to say she wasn't needed at work after all.
We went to collect her and she drove home again, a little more carefully this time! I suggested she give Jim a good clean as the poor car was covered in mud and salt but she looked at me like I'd said something completely outrageous and flounced off to her room. As it was such a beautiful day I decided to give the little Honda a good clean and while I was rinsing the car down Paul and Sue came over for a chat with Bailey and Archie, their two cockapoos. We chatted for ages in the sun and I learnt lots of gossip! What a great thing the village grapevine is! I learnt that a B&B in the village has been taken over by an Indian lady and her English husband and the lady is planning to put on a "Pop-up Indian restaurant" once a month. My Dad will be pleased!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went off to Beckworth Emporium for a mooch about and a cup of tea but the queue for the cafe was horrendous! We certainly didn't feel like waiting just to have a snack so we left and went to the garden centre near Wootton. They have a Costa Coffee outlet there so Sophie was more than pleased as she ordered a Creamy Cooler (made with soya milk now!).
We had a quick look at the fish and then it was home to a moody Mike and a delicious roast lamb dinner!
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