Sophie had a long day at uni today and was there from 9am until 5pm. This meant that Keith had to take Mike while I drove Sophie. The traffic was manic, as usual!
When we both arrived home Keith and I decided to go for a walk to get some fresh air and exercise. We went off into the village and down the track to the nature reserve. Today I saw a little deer running off into the woods, his little white tail bobbing! We also saw lots of noisy pheasants and the odd squirrel.
It was a lovely walk and very peaceful. We extended the walk a little by going into Walgrave and walking home that way so we were out for over an hour and a half. Back home we had breakfast and then I settled down to do some work on my counselling course which I'm finding quite difficult again.
We had two pick-ups in the afternoon - Mike at 3pm and Sophie at 5.30pm so it was great to get home and open a bottle of wine. Keith drove himself to the pub tonight as he's not drinking so Sophie and I were able to have a couple of glasses of wine before dinner. Bliss!
Friday, 7 October 2016
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Two new little friends
Today has been a busy day with a lot of driving about! I think it's something we're going to have to get used to again!
We dropped Mike off at college and then sped over to Kettering to do our shopping before returning home where Sophie was getting ready for uni. She wanted to call into Nationwide before she started so we left almost immediately, went to the building society and dropped her off.
Back home it was time for a quick lunch and then I had a gardening stint with Sue at the lovely house in Brixworth. She picked me up and today I took my new rake attachment and a lethal looking tool for getting weeds out of cracks in paving slabs. She took one look and decided not to upset me!
I started off by raking all the leaves off the drive and I kept seeing a little creature flitting about near me. It turned out to be a beautiful little robin who seemed content to fly around me and watch what I was doing. He then sat in one of the trees singing to us for the rest of the time we were there! He was so sweet! As well as the robin we also had the house cat keep us company and follow us everywhere we went! He loved a scratch of his ears and a stroke and it was great to have him with us.
The two hours went by very quickly and when we finished I asked Sue in for a cup of tea. We had a good natter about neighbourly matters and Keith and Mike returned from college. At least I was spared that trip!
We collected Sophie from uni at 6pm as today is her late day and returned home to make Chicken Kiev for dinner. We watched the latest episode of the Hairy Bikers' Chicken and Egg and very good it was too! The chicken Kiev was great as well!
We dropped Mike off at college and then sped over to Kettering to do our shopping before returning home where Sophie was getting ready for uni. She wanted to call into Nationwide before she started so we left almost immediately, went to the building society and dropped her off.
Back home it was time for a quick lunch and then I had a gardening stint with Sue at the lovely house in Brixworth. She picked me up and today I took my new rake attachment and a lethal looking tool for getting weeds out of cracks in paving slabs. She took one look and decided not to upset me!
I started off by raking all the leaves off the drive and I kept seeing a little creature flitting about near me. It turned out to be a beautiful little robin who seemed content to fly around me and watch what I was doing. He then sat in one of the trees singing to us for the rest of the time we were there! He was so sweet! As well as the robin we also had the house cat keep us company and follow us everywhere we went! He loved a scratch of his ears and a stroke and it was great to have him with us.
The two hours went by very quickly and when we finished I asked Sue in for a cup of tea. We had a good natter about neighbourly matters and Keith and Mike returned from college. At least I was spared that trip!
We collected Sophie from uni at 6pm as today is her late day and returned home to make Chicken Kiev for dinner. We watched the latest episode of the Hairy Bikers' Chicken and Egg and very good it was too! The chicken Kiev was great as well!
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Success!
I was supposed to have someone else working with me at the Citizen's Advice Bureau today, a lady called Linda, but she never turned up, so I was on my own again. Not that I minded! I was able to collect my badge from the main office so at least the security guards let me in a little early today so I was ahead of the game!
We had a few hiccups to start with as Gill couldn't get onto her laptop and the internet went down, but by 10am everything was fine and we had a steady stream of clients. The new thing is that we shut for an hour from 12pm-1pm so it means we can have a break but I'm not sure I agree with this. After lunch Priya and Gill went to a meeting so I had two new advisors with me. We weren't that busy and I was able to leave at just after 3pm, which was a bonus!
Keith had already picked up Mike from college so it was straight home for me and a cup of tea in the conservatory with Sophie. We have had good news on the B&Q front today and they have repaid the money they owed us for the work that wasn't done. They have also promised us a £50 voucher which is great news. Success at long last!
I had an email from one of the managers of the One Stop shop in Mawsley but they trotted out the line about the law and weren't really that apologetic. I did reply and say that there was a difference between following the law and using common sense but as yet I haven't had a reply!
We had a few hiccups to start with as Gill couldn't get onto her laptop and the internet went down, but by 10am everything was fine and we had a steady stream of clients. The new thing is that we shut for an hour from 12pm-1pm so it means we can have a break but I'm not sure I agree with this. After lunch Priya and Gill went to a meeting so I had two new advisors with me. We weren't that busy and I was able to leave at just after 3pm, which was a bonus!
Keith had already picked up Mike from college so it was straight home for me and a cup of tea in the conservatory with Sophie. We have had good news on the B&Q front today and they have repaid the money they owed us for the work that wasn't done. They have also promised us a £50 voucher which is great news. Success at long last!
I had an email from one of the managers of the One Stop shop in Mawsley but they trotted out the line about the law and weren't really that apologetic. I did reply and say that there was a difference between following the law and using common sense but as yet I haven't had a reply!
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Absolutely seething!
We took Sophie to uni at 10am this morning and then I dropped Keith off at Pitsford so he could go for a walk. I drove on to Mum's as she had asked me to go around and help her with some computer stuff.
It's been another beautiful day today with plenty of sunshine and clear skies. I keep forgetting it's October as it feels more like early September! Mum made us a coffee and I helped her with her Microsoft account and various other little niggles. I was with her until 1pm and then it was off home for a quick sandwich before we took Mike over to Brixworth. I suppose we should have made him wait an hour as we had to go back and pick Sophie up at 3pm but he had made arrangements with his friends to meet. I thought that Monday and Tuesday were his study days?!
Sophie had a doctor's appointment at 3.30pm so we just had time to make it after picking her up. I met an old friend in the waiting room and we had a chat about old times. She was married to Keith's mate Dave who he sees in the pub on a Friday night so we caught up with our news and what some of our old friends have been up to. She couldn't believe how much Sophie had grown!
Driving home after the doctor's was lovely as the weather was really beautiful and we decided to sit in the garden with the cat. Although the breeze was a little chilly, when the sun was full on us it was gorgeous.
Keith went to pick Mike up from Brixworth at 6.30pm and I started thinking about our dinner of Jerk Chicken Pasta. Mike was an honorary member of the girls' night in club tonight as Keith was out to watch a game of football. Sophie had saved the last drops of Tequila for a cocktail and I was half-way through making it when I realised that the full carton of orange juice we'd bought yesterday had all gone! Sophie was furious and called Mike to ask him to buy some before they came home. He retorted that neither he nor Keith had any money on them so Sophie and I were forced to drive to the One Stop Shop in Mawsley, which was a total pain!
While we were in there, I thought how nice it would be to have a cocktail myself and spotted a half bottle of vodka behind the counter. I then saw a miniature bottle of Tequila and asked Sophie if she'd like it to top up her cocktail. She agreed so I asked the woman serving for both bottles. The woman then demanded to see Sophie's ID as she'd overheard me talking. As Sophie had had no intention of buying alcohol (and neither had I) she didn't have anything on her. I was speechless...I was clearly over 18 but because I'd made the mistake of asking Sophie whether she wanted the Tequila and my daughter (who does NOT look under 18) hadn't got her driving licence with her, the woman refused to sell me the alcohol.
I argued with her and said that I would just take the Vodka, but she still refused. I felt humiliated, especially as there was a long queue of people waiting and hearing every word that was said. I stormed out, absolutely seething with anger that the both of us, perfectly entitled to have a drink, were being denied that right.
Back home Mike had found some money to buy the orange juice so really the whole journey had been a waste of time! I wish he had let us know! We told him and Keith about what happened and my husband was astonished. Needless to say I left feedback on the One Stop's website asking for someone to contact me. I also left a Google review as well, just to make me feel a bit better! I won't ever be using that shop again and from now on I'll take my custom to the Co-ops in Brixworth and Broughton!
How dinner turned out to be OK, I'll never know because I stayed angry for most of the evening! I did calm down a bit later on when Sophie and I watched Sideways and enjoyed the last of the Californian red!
It's been another beautiful day today with plenty of sunshine and clear skies. I keep forgetting it's October as it feels more like early September! Mum made us a coffee and I helped her with her Microsoft account and various other little niggles. I was with her until 1pm and then it was off home for a quick sandwich before we took Mike over to Brixworth. I suppose we should have made him wait an hour as we had to go back and pick Sophie up at 3pm but he had made arrangements with his friends to meet. I thought that Monday and Tuesday were his study days?!
Sophie had a doctor's appointment at 3.30pm so we just had time to make it after picking her up. I met an old friend in the waiting room and we had a chat about old times. She was married to Keith's mate Dave who he sees in the pub on a Friday night so we caught up with our news and what some of our old friends have been up to. She couldn't believe how much Sophie had grown!
Driving home after the doctor's was lovely as the weather was really beautiful and we decided to sit in the garden with the cat. Although the breeze was a little chilly, when the sun was full on us it was gorgeous.
Keith went to pick Mike up from Brixworth at 6.30pm and I started thinking about our dinner of Jerk Chicken Pasta. Mike was an honorary member of the girls' night in club tonight as Keith was out to watch a game of football. Sophie had saved the last drops of Tequila for a cocktail and I was half-way through making it when I realised that the full carton of orange juice we'd bought yesterday had all gone! Sophie was furious and called Mike to ask him to buy some before they came home. He retorted that neither he nor Keith had any money on them so Sophie and I were forced to drive to the One Stop Shop in Mawsley, which was a total pain!
While we were in there, I thought how nice it would be to have a cocktail myself and spotted a half bottle of vodka behind the counter. I then saw a miniature bottle of Tequila and asked Sophie if she'd like it to top up her cocktail. She agreed so I asked the woman serving for both bottles. The woman then demanded to see Sophie's ID as she'd overheard me talking. As Sophie had had no intention of buying alcohol (and neither had I) she didn't have anything on her. I was speechless...I was clearly over 18 but because I'd made the mistake of asking Sophie whether she wanted the Tequila and my daughter (who does NOT look under 18) hadn't got her driving licence with her, the woman refused to sell me the alcohol.
I argued with her and said that I would just take the Vodka, but she still refused. I felt humiliated, especially as there was a long queue of people waiting and hearing every word that was said. I stormed out, absolutely seething with anger that the both of us, perfectly entitled to have a drink, were being denied that right.
Back home Mike had found some money to buy the orange juice so really the whole journey had been a waste of time! I wish he had let us know! We told him and Keith about what happened and my husband was astonished. Needless to say I left feedback on the One Stop's website asking for someone to contact me. I also left a Google review as well, just to make me feel a bit better! I won't ever be using that shop again and from now on I'll take my custom to the Co-ops in Brixworth and Broughton!
How dinner turned out to be OK, I'll never know because I stayed angry for most of the evening! I did calm down a bit later on when Sophie and I watched Sideways and enjoyed the last of the Californian red!
Monday, 3 October 2016
A new term
There was a bit of a muck-up this morning and plans sent awry! Sophie was in at uni at 12.30pm today, but only for an hour and a half, so we had planned to drop her off and do the rest of the week's shopping in Aldi. However, the friend she was meeting early cried off at the last minute so she decided to brave the supermarket with us instead!
It didn't take us long to buy groceries for the next couple of days and it was far too early to take Sophie to uni so we all went home, which meant that I had to go back out again with her at midday with nothing to do for two hours!
I dropped her off and decided to go and get some diesel at the Tesco garage next to the Weston Favell Centre but the place was packed with no parking spaces at all. I needed to buy some pasta for Sophie's Jerk Chicken tomorrow but I had to give up on going to get diesel and going into Tesco because the place was so busy.
I eventually went to Waitrose at Kingsthorpe and bought myself a sandwich in there to eat in the car. It's been a gorgeous day today with lots of sunshine and blue skies so it was very pleasant sitting in the car, reading my Kindle and having lunch.
After Sophie had finished at uni we went down to Riverside as she needed to take a short back that she'd bought in Next yesterday. As she was now very hungry, she went to buy a McDonald's before we went in and I have to confess to nicking a couple of chips!
Keith didn't go to the pub in the evening as he is off alcohol for the whole of October, and possibly November as well. This didn't stop Sophie and I enjoying a delicious Californian red!
It didn't take us long to buy groceries for the next couple of days and it was far too early to take Sophie to uni so we all went home, which meant that I had to go back out again with her at midday with nothing to do for two hours!
I dropped her off and decided to go and get some diesel at the Tesco garage next to the Weston Favell Centre but the place was packed with no parking spaces at all. I needed to buy some pasta for Sophie's Jerk Chicken tomorrow but I had to give up on going to get diesel and going into Tesco because the place was so busy.
I eventually went to Waitrose at Kingsthorpe and bought myself a sandwich in there to eat in the car. It's been a gorgeous day today with lots of sunshine and blue skies so it was very pleasant sitting in the car, reading my Kindle and having lunch.
After Sophie had finished at uni we went down to Riverside as she needed to take a short back that she'd bought in Next yesterday. As she was now very hungry, she went to buy a McDonald's before we went in and I have to confess to nicking a couple of chips!
Keith didn't go to the pub in the evening as he is off alcohol for the whole of October, and possibly November as well. This didn't stop Sophie and I enjoying a delicious Californian red!
Sunday, 2 October 2016
A beautiful, autumnal walk
We weren't up quite so early this morning but we did all manage (Keith, Sophie and me) to get out for a lovely refreshing walk at just after 9am. It was a gorgeous morning with a clear blue sky and lovely sunshine.
It was definitely chilly and I seriously wondered whether I should have taken a fleece! We walked into the village and then along the single track road. We didn't see any cows today but there was a field of bullocks who were just as inquisitive. I think their mums were in a barn and mooed at us as we went past!
Back home it was time for breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast, and after a shower Sophie and I went off to Riverside as we wanted to visit Next. We treated ourselves to a Flat White in Costa and I bought three hooks for the bathroom in chrome - J & K. I think they will look good on the bathroom door to hang our dressing gowns!
I took some photos of the en-suite today, after I gave it a good clean!
Sophie treated herself to some perfume and a little plate to hold her jewellery and then it home to bake a Pear Upside Down cake. We had a bowl of ripe pears that everybody was ignoring and I was determined not to throw them away!
Sophie was off out in the evening to her open-air cinema event at uni and her friend Hannah had said she would cook dinner - Shepherd's Pie! Sophie has never been a fan but it'll be interesting to see how she liked it!
It was definitely chilly and I seriously wondered whether I should have taken a fleece! We walked into the village and then along the single track road. We didn't see any cows today but there was a field of bullocks who were just as inquisitive. I think their mums were in a barn and mooed at us as we went past!
Back home it was time for breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast, and after a shower Sophie and I went off to Riverside as we wanted to visit Next. We treated ourselves to a Flat White in Costa and I bought three hooks for the bathroom in chrome - J & K. I think they will look good on the bathroom door to hang our dressing gowns!
I took some photos of the en-suite today, after I gave it a good clean!
Sophie treated herself to some perfume and a little plate to hold her jewellery and then it home to bake a Pear Upside Down cake. We had a bowl of ripe pears that everybody was ignoring and I was determined not to throw them away!
Sophie was off out in the evening to her open-air cinema event at uni and her friend Hannah had said she would cook dinner - Shepherd's Pie! Sophie has never been a fan but it'll be interesting to see how she liked it!
Saturday, 1 October 2016
Season of spiders...
Today started off really beautifully with a mist over the fields and a promise of sunshine and blue skies. Keith and I were up at 6.30am for some reason so I was able to catch up on some recorded programmes with a cup of strong coffee. Perfect!
Sophie awoke at 7.30am as she has work today and by the time we left to take her, the lovely weather had disappeared to be replaced with grey skies. How quickly the weather can change in this country! Once we'd dropped her off we drove over to my Mum's house to have a coffee and to take her one of my home-made candles. I helped my parents with a couple of computer problems and then it was home to do some housework.
I reluctantly gave the kitchen a good clean while Keith ironed. Mike came home and then asked to go back out again this evening to stay with a friend. It was no problem as Keith was out this afternoon to see his team, Sileby, play and said he would drop him off on his way.
I finished the kitchen, hoovered the rest of downstairs and when Keith and Mike departed I settled down with a cup of tea to watch an old 70s film - Smokey and the Bandit. It was very enjoyable! Half way through I went and wallowed in the bath and when Keith came home he watched the ending with me.
We picked Sophie up at 6.30pm and the car park was packed with cars...it turns out that somebody had double-booked a private hire which was why there were so many people waiting to go in! At least that was one thing we never did when we were in charge!
After dinner, Sophie called Monty in for some treats and sat on the (clean) kitchen floor with him. I was standing at the sink when she gave a blood-curdling scream. There was a spider running across the floor towards her! Monty stood and looked at it and both Sophie and I ran for cover until it disappeared under the cupboard next to the cooker. It was huge!
Sophie awoke at 7.30am as she has work today and by the time we left to take her, the lovely weather had disappeared to be replaced with grey skies. How quickly the weather can change in this country! Once we'd dropped her off we drove over to my Mum's house to have a coffee and to take her one of my home-made candles. I helped my parents with a couple of computer problems and then it was home to do some housework.
I reluctantly gave the kitchen a good clean while Keith ironed. Mike came home and then asked to go back out again this evening to stay with a friend. It was no problem as Keith was out this afternoon to see his team, Sileby, play and said he would drop him off on his way.
I finished the kitchen, hoovered the rest of downstairs and when Keith and Mike departed I settled down with a cup of tea to watch an old 70s film - Smokey and the Bandit. It was very enjoyable! Half way through I went and wallowed in the bath and when Keith came home he watched the ending with me.
We picked Sophie up at 6.30pm and the car park was packed with cars...it turns out that somebody had double-booked a private hire which was why there were so many people waiting to go in! At least that was one thing we never did when we were in charge!
After dinner, Sophie called Monty in for some treats and sat on the (clean) kitchen floor with him. I was standing at the sink when she gave a blood-curdling scream. There was a spider running across the floor towards her! Monty stood and looked at it and both Sophie and I ran for cover until it disappeared under the cupboard next to the cooker. It was huge!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)