After a lovely, very lazy morning, Sophie and I took Mike to work and then went over to The Yards again in Kettering. We were very disappointed to discover that the Retro Union cafe was closed as we'd been looking forward to having lunch there. That sort of set the tone for the afternoon as, after a long trawl through the town to find the Sunday newspapers, we didn't really enjoy our visit to The Yards as much as we did last time.
There is a cafe there, but they only had outside seating and today, being beautifully sunny yet cold, didn't really do it for us! We had a look at the vintage clothes and the American sweets but after a little while we both decided to go and have something to eat at Beckworth.
The ice skating has started there and the rink is now in an area of its own, quite a way apart from the restaurant and garden centre. This means you can no longer watch the skaters as you enjoy something to eat. The queue wasn't too bad and we were soon seated and perusing the menu. As I had had a sausage sandwich for a late breakfast I chose a slice of Black Forest Yule Log which was delicious. Sophie had a cheese and chicken sandwich and we both had large pots of tea.
After we'd eaten we wandered around the Christmas Food Emporium and saw a little robin hopping about under our feet. How fitting was that! I bought some cheese biscuits and chocolate reindeers for Sophie and MIke and then we popped into the Co-op at Moulton before returning home. I wanted to go for a walk but the weather suddenly turned and it became really cloudy so we didn't have the sunset I was hoping for.
We all relaxed for a while before it was time to pick Mike up from Brixworth who fell out with me as he wanted to stay out longer. As we'd been so late home last night, my answer was a firm no!
Sunday, 19 November 2017
Saturday, 18 November 2017
Chinese cock-up!
After dropping Sophie at work this morning, we returned home to a breakfast of bacon and tomatoes, mopped up with bread...my favourite!
The weather has been dull today but stayed dry so after writing some of my novel, I went out into the garden to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise. I had a plant in a wheelbarrow that I had sadly neglected over the summer and as the wheelbarrow didn't have any holes for drainage, the water had become stagnated and the plant had died. I really have not looked after my garden this year...
I removed the plant and then tried to get the soil out but it was really heavy so I managed to transfer the dirt into different pots. Perhaps, once they've dried out a bit I can plant some winter pansies in them.
I saw a little fluttering on the ground and realised our resident robin was watching me intently! He was a beautiful little thing with a flaming red breast and dark, very alert eyes. He stayed with me the whole time I was emptying the wheelbarrow and hopped about finding little worms in the soil. After this chore, I raked up all the leaves that were on the lawn and half-filled our wheelie bin with them. It felt great to be outside after my week of being confined indoors!
Mike and Keith went out in the afternoon so I had a lovely bath and binge-watched Motherland which I'm really enjoying. At 6pm we drove into the village to order a take-away from the van and I met Lisa who was also queuing up to order. We had a chat while we waited...and waited. We had to go and pick Mike up at 6.15pm so in the end we had to go and I said I would call from the car. We sped off and I managed to swap places with Keith in Brixworth and I phoned our order through (eventually...the phone was engaged a lot!).
Sophie had already called to say she was finished so we rushed to get her and then drove back to the village to collect our order. There was another queue of people and our food wasn't ready but I said to Keith that we needed to check it when we picked it up as I had a feeling it would be wrong...
Eventually our name was called and we collected our food. I asked the children to have a look at the boxes in the car but Keith just wanted to get home as by now it was well past 7pm. When I took the food out of the bags and put it in the oven for a little while to keep warm we noticed that our sweet and sour sauce had morphed into a curry sauce and we were a rice short.
We had a drink and watched some of Strictly and then had our dinner, but I discovered that we were two rices short which was extremely annoying. Sophie and I shared a chilli salt chicken which was really salty tonight so I think we'll go elsewhere the next time we decide to have a take-away. It's a real shame as normally the food is very good, but we've noticed a place in Brixworth that might do instead.
After our meal we settled down to watch Cast Away, the whole way through, something I've never done before!
The weather has been dull today but stayed dry so after writing some of my novel, I went out into the garden to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise. I had a plant in a wheelbarrow that I had sadly neglected over the summer and as the wheelbarrow didn't have any holes for drainage, the water had become stagnated and the plant had died. I really have not looked after my garden this year...
I removed the plant and then tried to get the soil out but it was really heavy so I managed to transfer the dirt into different pots. Perhaps, once they've dried out a bit I can plant some winter pansies in them.
I saw a little fluttering on the ground and realised our resident robin was watching me intently! He was a beautiful little thing with a flaming red breast and dark, very alert eyes. He stayed with me the whole time I was emptying the wheelbarrow and hopped about finding little worms in the soil. After this chore, I raked up all the leaves that were on the lawn and half-filled our wheelie bin with them. It felt great to be outside after my week of being confined indoors!
Mike and Keith went out in the afternoon so I had a lovely bath and binge-watched Motherland which I'm really enjoying. At 6pm we drove into the village to order a take-away from the van and I met Lisa who was also queuing up to order. We had a chat while we waited...and waited. We had to go and pick Mike up at 6.15pm so in the end we had to go and I said I would call from the car. We sped off and I managed to swap places with Keith in Brixworth and I phoned our order through (eventually...the phone was engaged a lot!).
Sophie had already called to say she was finished so we rushed to get her and then drove back to the village to collect our order. There was another queue of people and our food wasn't ready but I said to Keith that we needed to check it when we picked it up as I had a feeling it would be wrong...
Eventually our name was called and we collected our food. I asked the children to have a look at the boxes in the car but Keith just wanted to get home as by now it was well past 7pm. When I took the food out of the bags and put it in the oven for a little while to keep warm we noticed that our sweet and sour sauce had morphed into a curry sauce and we were a rice short.
We had a drink and watched some of Strictly and then had our dinner, but I discovered that we were two rices short which was extremely annoying. Sophie and I shared a chilli salt chicken which was really salty tonight so I think we'll go elsewhere the next time we decide to have a take-away. It's a real shame as normally the food is very good, but we've noticed a place in Brixworth that might do instead.
After our meal we settled down to watch Cast Away, the whole way through, something I've never done before!
Friday, 17 November 2017
Bunking off!
I was back at court again at 10am but today we had to drop Mike off at college. I had given him dire warnings not to be late as I had a horror of not being at court at the appointed time! He was very good, though, and we had a great journey in which meant I was early.
We were taken up to the courtroom at 10am only to be told the judge wasn't ready, so we all trooped back downstairs again and waited another hour to be called. We all sat together and it was very social! There's no guarantee I'll be with the same people next week (if I'm even needed) so it was great to have a laugh and a chat.
Our case finished this morning and we were able to go home after lunch. I called Keith and he and Sophie came to meet me. I suppose I could have gone to the after-school club at 3pm but Lisa had already arranged cover so I used the time to do some housework!
Sophie and I went to get Mike in the afternoon and the sunset was beautiful - it looked as if someone had washed the sky with pink and peach paint! We returned home and I called the court answering machine to discover I wasn't needed on Monday. Drat! It's back to work for me then, but I will need to call again on Monday night to see if I'm needed on Tuesday.
Keith walked down to the pub even though I offered him a lift! Perhaps the cold air will do him good!
We were taken up to the courtroom at 10am only to be told the judge wasn't ready, so we all trooped back downstairs again and waited another hour to be called. We all sat together and it was very social! There's no guarantee I'll be with the same people next week (if I'm even needed) so it was great to have a laugh and a chat.
Our case finished this morning and we were able to go home after lunch. I called Keith and he and Sophie came to meet me. I suppose I could have gone to the after-school club at 3pm but Lisa had already arranged cover so I used the time to do some housework!
Sophie and I went to get Mike in the afternoon and the sunset was beautiful - it looked as if someone had washed the sky with pink and peach paint! We returned home and I called the court answering machine to discover I wasn't needed on Monday. Drat! It's back to work for me then, but I will need to call again on Monday night to see if I'm needed on Tuesday.
Keith walked down to the pub even though I offered him a lift! Perhaps the cold air will do him good!
Thursday, 16 November 2017
An afternoon off!
I was back in court today at 10am and on the way in we dropped Sophie off at uni. I arrived at about 9.30am but there were lots of people queuing to get in and with all the security checks it took a while to get through to the jurors' waiting room.
I sat with the people I was serving on the jury with and we managed to have a hot drink before we were called up to the court. After the morning's proceedings we were discharged at 1pm as our Judge had other matters to attend to in the afternoon. This meant that we would return tomorrow to deliberate on the verdict.
I called Keith to come and pick me up after lunch and the earlier lovely weather had turned, so it was cold and rainy! I stood and waited for him by the car park and was pelted with leaves from a nearby tree!
Keith had taken Mike to Brixworth but we went back there as I had some parcels I needed to post. We then returned home where I had a chance to catch up with things I hadn't had time to deal with over the last couple of days. I finally managed to get in touch with Vodafone and cancelled my contract, which was a bit of a shame as I'd been with them since 1997 and the woman I spoke to was very apologetic about the way my queries had been handled last weekend.
We went to pick up Sophie at 5pm and then carried on to Brixworth to get Mike. I drove as Keith was still not feeling 100% and he was a bit sick of all the driving he'd been doing this week, poor thing! Back home we played a couple of games of cards and then had dinner. I cannot believe how fast this week has flown by - it's been very interesting though, and I just hope I'm picked to go on another case next week!
I sat with the people I was serving on the jury with and we managed to have a hot drink before we were called up to the court. After the morning's proceedings we were discharged at 1pm as our Judge had other matters to attend to in the afternoon. This meant that we would return tomorrow to deliberate on the verdict.
I called Keith to come and pick me up after lunch and the earlier lovely weather had turned, so it was cold and rainy! I stood and waited for him by the car park and was pelted with leaves from a nearby tree!
Keith had taken Mike to Brixworth but we went back there as I had some parcels I needed to post. We then returned home where I had a chance to catch up with things I hadn't had time to deal with over the last couple of days. I finally managed to get in touch with Vodafone and cancelled my contract, which was a bit of a shame as I'd been with them since 1997 and the woman I spoke to was very apologetic about the way my queries had been handled last weekend.
We went to pick up Sophie at 5pm and then carried on to Brixworth to get Mike. I drove as Keith was still not feeling 100% and he was a bit sick of all the driving he'd been doing this week, poor thing! Back home we played a couple of games of cards and then had dinner. I cannot believe how fast this week has flown by - it's been very interesting though, and I just hope I'm picked to go on another case next week!
Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Playing the waiting game!
Today I didn't have to be in court until 10am so we had a slightly more relaxing journey in. I arrived and ordered my lunch and sat with a couple of the jurors who had been on the case with me yesterday.
We were in court until about 11am and then we were sent down to a room for deliberation. This is all very strictly controlled and if you are still deliberating over lunch, your meals are sent to the room. We weren't allowed any contact with the outside world and our phones were taken and locked away.
We returned our verdict before lunch and were told that we had to return at 2pm to see if we were needed on another case. I ate lunch with some of the jurors and then we had a four hour wait to see if we were called again. This was the boring bit and although I had downloaded a book sample on my Kindle I had finished it after ten minutes! There's no wifi in the waiting room so we all chatted and went to look at some board games that had been provided. We also helped a woman complete a crossword! I had never sat down for such a long period!
Amazingly, at about 4pm I was picked to be on another case, one that would last for about three days. We finished at almost 5pm and Keith was waiting for me again in the car park. We sped off to Brixworth to pick up Mike and then it was home to Sophie who had waited in for my new phone to be delivered.
I sent texts to both Lisa and Sara to say I wouldn't be at work for the rest of the week and was really rather pleased I'd been picked again! I do find it very interesting!
We had a lovely relaxing evening dining on a delicious curry that Keith had made and watching 90 Day Fiance. I was pleased with my new phone but decided to look at it properly when I have more time!
We were in court until about 11am and then we were sent down to a room for deliberation. This is all very strictly controlled and if you are still deliberating over lunch, your meals are sent to the room. We weren't allowed any contact with the outside world and our phones were taken and locked away.
We returned our verdict before lunch and were told that we had to return at 2pm to see if we were needed on another case. I ate lunch with some of the jurors and then we had a four hour wait to see if we were called again. This was the boring bit and although I had downloaded a book sample on my Kindle I had finished it after ten minutes! There's no wifi in the waiting room so we all chatted and went to look at some board games that had been provided. We also helped a woman complete a crossword! I had never sat down for such a long period!
Amazingly, at about 4pm I was picked to be on another case, one that would last for about three days. We finished at almost 5pm and Keith was waiting for me again in the car park. We sped off to Brixworth to pick up Mike and then it was home to Sophie who had waited in for my new phone to be delivered.
I sent texts to both Lisa and Sara to say I wouldn't be at work for the rest of the week and was really rather pleased I'd been picked again! I do find it very interesting!
We had a lovely relaxing evening dining on a delicious curry that Keith had made and watching 90 Day Fiance. I was pleased with my new phone but decided to look at it properly when I have more time!
Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Jury service!
I was a little nervous this morning and worried about getting to court on time so Keith dropped me off at about 8.45am. I'm glad I asked him to take me as the traffic was horrendous. I used to leave at 8am when I volunteered at the CAB and managed to get into town for about 8.35am so this morning was a particularly bad one!
I had to show my summons letter and we had our bags checked. I, of course, was frisked, as I always am, just like at the airport! Once inside the jurors' waiting room (think small airport departure lounge) we had to show ID and we were given expenses forms and a guide to what to expect.
I sat next to a very nervous lady but I realised most of us newbies were in the same boat and all a bit unsure of what to expect. We went to see a courtroom and then a lady from the catering team explained what happened about lunch and gave us meal vouchers for the ten days. We were also shown a video and then we had to wait. We had a television near us and were told we could change the channel if we wanted. One of the men sitting near us ran through the channels and found the Adult stations! That raised quite a titter, I can tell you! Funnily enough, I was called up with several of the people sitting near me, all of whom were very friendly.
At intervals one of the court officers appeared and read out our names. I was called to a particular court and fifteen of us went to the courtroom. I was chosen and then had to swear an oath and the jurors who weren't picked went back downstairs to see if they were needed on another case.
Obviously, I cannot say what happened in my case, but it was very interesting and although I was nervous to begin with the court staff were excellent. We broke for lunch and then went back until about 4pm but our case wasn't finished so we will be back tomorrow.
I walked to my car with another female juror that I had become friendly with, and Keith met me as I walked to the car park. By now it was dark so I was doubly glad Keith had come to pick me up!
We drove home (Soph and Mike were in the car as well) through extremely heavy traffic and it was bliss to relax after my day. It wasn't tiring in that we had to do physical stuff, more hard work on the brain with the concentrating and taking notes! I found it very interesting and enjoyable, which was a bonus!
I had to show my summons letter and we had our bags checked. I, of course, was frisked, as I always am, just like at the airport! Once inside the jurors' waiting room (think small airport departure lounge) we had to show ID and we were given expenses forms and a guide to what to expect.
I sat next to a very nervous lady but I realised most of us newbies were in the same boat and all a bit unsure of what to expect. We went to see a courtroom and then a lady from the catering team explained what happened about lunch and gave us meal vouchers for the ten days. We were also shown a video and then we had to wait. We had a television near us and were told we could change the channel if we wanted. One of the men sitting near us ran through the channels and found the Adult stations! That raised quite a titter, I can tell you! Funnily enough, I was called up with several of the people sitting near me, all of whom were very friendly.
At intervals one of the court officers appeared and read out our names. I was called to a particular court and fifteen of us went to the courtroom. I was chosen and then had to swear an oath and the jurors who weren't picked went back downstairs to see if they were needed on another case.
Obviously, I cannot say what happened in my case, but it was very interesting and although I was nervous to begin with the court staff were excellent. We broke for lunch and then went back until about 4pm but our case wasn't finished so we will be back tomorrow.
I walked to my car with another female juror that I had become friendly with, and Keith met me as I walked to the car park. By now it was dark so I was doubly glad Keith had come to pick me up!
We drove home (Soph and Mike were in the car as well) through extremely heavy traffic and it was bliss to relax after my day. It wasn't tiring in that we had to do physical stuff, more hard work on the brain with the concentrating and taking notes! I found it very interesting and enjoyable, which was a bonus!
Monday, 13 November 2017
Business as normal.
I was supposed to have started Jury Service today but they didn't have any new cases, so I was told to go in on Tuesday instead. I went to work as usual and mid-morning all of our phone lines went down! The office manager was in (being very loud as normal) and kept barking instructions at Sara to let customers know and to use an old number that had been kept, which was a good thing!
By 2pm it was all back to normal and I went to collect Sophie from work before heading home for a few brief minutes. I had told Lisa I was available on the Monday night and we only had six children in the after-school club, which was a bit disappointing. However, we played cards and Monopoly with them and the time passed very quickly.
I sped home at 6pm for a well-earned drink and at 9pm Sophie and I ventured out with Monty to walk around the estate for a few minutes. I was desperate for a better night's sleep (Keith has a cough at the moment and we were both awake from 2.30am until 5am) and hoped that getting out for a gentle walk would help!
By 2pm it was all back to normal and I went to collect Sophie from work before heading home for a few brief minutes. I had told Lisa I was available on the Monday night and we only had six children in the after-school club, which was a bit disappointing. However, we played cards and Monopoly with them and the time passed very quickly.
I sped home at 6pm for a well-earned drink and at 9pm Sophie and I ventured out with Monty to walk around the estate for a few minutes. I was desperate for a better night's sleep (Keith has a cough at the moment and we were both awake from 2.30am until 5am) and hoped that getting out for a gentle walk would help!
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