Approaching the end of an era...

I have given my notice in at the Citizens Advice Bureau and have told them my last day will be the 26 July. I feel a bit sad but the time is right to go and I will need to have every day free when I return from my holiday and go and look for work!

Tina, one of the managers, came over mid-morning and gave us some cream cakes as it's Volunteer Week. They were delicious after my sandwich at lunchtime! We had a steady day but I was very conscious of the time as I had to go to a quick training session at 3pm on debt. Gill was our only adviser this afternoon and of course, as we neared the finish time, we had an influx of people wanting advice. I had to turn several people away, which was a shame.

As soon as we were all finished and locked up I sped off and saw Tina again for the quick training session. As part of our standards we have to have all done some training on what to do with clients who are in debt and even though I'm not an adviser, I need to know what to do if we cannot see someone who is facing hardship.

Today has been lovely weather (on the whole) and the sun was shining when I left the town. Sophie was at work and had asked me to call in for a cup of tea, which was lovely. I had a chat with Maureen and Polly and then went home to sit with Keith on the sofa again until it was time to return to collect Sophie at 6.30pm.

We had a curry for dinner and it started raining again...more is on the way, apparently!

Rain, rain, rain...

If I thought the weather yesterday was horrible, I wasn't prepared for the wind and rain we experienced today!

I arrived early at work, at the same time as another staff member and while he stood and stared at the computer for a good ten minutes, I did all the opening up, including dragging our heavy sign across the carpark and onto the path next to the main road. When I got back to the store I resembled a drowned rat as my hair was soaking and my fleece was wet through. How any man could have let me do that I'll never know, and unfortunately my opinion of him went even lower than it already was!

Today was another day of putting more boxes of wine out onto display and trying to fit them into the already crowded aisles. We did have some lovely customers come in, though, which brightened my day and by the time I went home the sun was trying to come out a little bit!

I went home and sat with Keith on the sofa until it was time to go and collect Sophie from work. She went in at 2pm and was doing the afternoon shift. Luckily today I have felt a lot better than yesterday so it may have been me just getting cold and wet in Market Harborough.

I felt a lot more lively than I did yesterday evening so we watched the last three episodes of Public Enemy back to back and it was a brilliant ending, and one I certainly hadn't seen coming. This is the second Belgian drama we've enjoyed - last year's The Outlaws was excellent - and I was really quite sad that it had finished!

Wiped out!

The weather today has been terrible again, with almost constant wind and rain. Sophie had a driving lesson this morning but instead of the two hours she had booked she was only out for an hour. She paid for a block of ten hours and the instructor has told her to book her theory test as she should be ready to book her actual driving test when we come back from our holiday.

We had planned on going to Market Harborough, and against my better judgement we went, despite the atrocious weather. Luckily in the town it was still dry but after having a milkshake in Caffe Nero, the clouds gathered and it started raining in earnest.

We went into Waterstones and Boots and then called it a day as I felt really cold and achy. We returned home and I put on my lovely fluffy onesie that Keith had bought me for Christmas and some soft, thick socks to keep me warm. My tummy hurt again and I wondered whether it had been lifting and sorting out the boxes of wine yesterday?

We spent the afternoon doing very little and I fell asleep a couple of times on the sofa. I just couludn't get warm and really should have gone and had a long hot bath. I felt really horrible! Keith and Sophie made dinner of Enchiladas and then it was an early night for me!

A hard day's work...

I have to admit to not being that keen on going into work today, especially as the weather was beautiful and all my family were at home!

It was hard work, though, and the time did go fairly quickly as we had to try and put away as much stock as we could from three pallets, which meant carrying boxes of wine about and moving the existing display to fit them in. First of all, though, we carried out the weekly check on the delivery van and it made me realise I never do that on my own car!

It was a very quiet morning without that many customers, but of course, as soon as we sat down to eat some lunch, everyone came in! The previously beautiful weather turned at lunchtime and we had an afternoon of heavy showers, with a really hard downpour when we left at 5pm. Shereen gave me half a bottle of fizz to take home which went down very well when I got home and we sat in the conservatory playing cards before dinner!

After a supper of cold meats and salad (my favourite) we watched the Ariana Grande concert from Manchester. Of course, it was all the more poignant after last night's events in London in which seven people died. These are very dark days indeed at the moment. It will be interesting to see what happens next Thursday, when the country goes out to vote!

Shocking news...

Sophie and I were both working today so I dropped her off and continued into town. Unfortunately, Mike has lost his job at the pub which is a real shame as we thought he was getting on well and his wages were certainly going to come in useful for him when we go on holiday! I was hoping that his manager would have a change of heart and send him a text to come in, but no...he is now unemployed again.

Work was OK but we weren't that busy, despite the sunny weather. However, when the customers did come in they tended to spend a fair amount of money on wine! I left at just after 4pm as one of the other members of staff was out doing a delivery and it would have meant Shereen being left on her own. I drove home and relaxed on the sofa with Keith and read the day's papers until it was time to go and collect Sophie from work.

We had a delicious beef casserole for dinner and settled down to watch our latest TV series, the Belgian Public Enemy, which is proving to be very intriguing. It makes me wish I was fluent in French again as I was at school. Perhaps this can be a project for the winter?

Just before going to bed we realised there had been yet another terrorist attack in London and that it had only just happened, so the news was very sketchy. How much more can we take of this?

Back to work.

Keith and Sophie went for a walk this morning, and just as I was making myself some breakfast, Mike called to ask me to pick him up from Brixworth. I sped over there, a little worried about the time as I was at work today and needed to leave by 9.15am! Luckily, he was waiting for me, so we returned home, I finished my breakfast and set off for work.

Work was fairly quiet today and Lou, who works in another branch, came in to cover for the manager who is still absent.  We got on very well and at lunchtime I popped over to the nearby Subway to get us lunch. Typically, just as we were about to tuck in, we had an influx of customers, one of whom wandered about for a good twenty minutes before leaving empty-handed!

Just before I was due to leave, Sophie sent me a text asking me to collect her from work as she was able to finish early. I was only too happy to oblige! It was great to drive home and look forward to an evening of relaxation, although this was tempered slightly by the thought that I was at work on Saturday and Sunday this week...never mind!

I took Keith to the pub this evening as it was pouring with rain and went home to catch up on some TV with Sophie. We had decided to have fish and chips for dinner and after picking Keith up we drove to Broughton where the place was packed as usual and car parking spaces were at a premium. Keith and Sophie went in to get our supper and I amused myself by watching all the comings and goings around me. I wonder if the residents get fed up of all the cars trying to park when they visit the very popular Co-op and fish shop? I know I wouldn't want to live nearby!

Gorgeous weather!

Today has been another gorgeous day with what I call a "Florida sky" and plenty of warmth and sunshine.

Keith, Sophie and I went for a walk first thing and did about three and a half miles. It was a glorious morning and it felt lovely to be out. As soon as we returned we all showered and after dropping Mike off in Brixworth, we took Sophie to work.

I had the day off today so I accompanied Keith to do the shopping and by lunchtime we were back and putting it all away. Sophie called to say that she wasn't really needed at work and could we pick her up at 2pm? She said there were eight members of staff in! If we had been in charge we would have had three at the most!

We returned home and I called my Mum to see if she was in and we popped around with a cake for a cup of tea. My Dad was still out flying so we had a delicious cup of tea and a slice of Belgian chocolate cake over a good chat!

We took the slow road home and sat in the garden for a little while with Monty who was very pleased to see us. It was the kind of evening that called out for a cold beer, some crisps and a game of cards!