We ended the week on a quieter note as the half term finishes today and I can hardly believe we only have seven and a half weeks until the children break up for the long summer holidays. I have been trying to get our Funzone playscheme set up for the summer (on the computer) as some parents have already started to enquire! I find it also very hard to believe that today is the last day of May - what a month it's been!
Mike was back at work today and I picked him up at 3pm and then dashed home to collect Keith. I had a parcel to send back for Sophie and couldn't face going to the Weston Favell Centre on such a busy day so we went to the post office in Brixworth instead. This turned out to be a mistake as I queued for ages both in the post office and in the Co-op when I went to buy a newspaper...I do wonder how much time I've wasted standing in queues!
Mike went out in the evening and Keith walked down to the pub so Sophie and I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay and watched the film Sideways set near Solvang. It's somewhere Sophie and I have our eye on for a future trip!
As always, the film was brilliant and we carried on watching it after we'd had dinner. Keith had started a curry and Sophie had finished it and the food was delicious! Yippeee! It's Friday!
Friday, 31 May 2019
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Trials and tribulations.
Mike went out last night and assured us that he would be home at a decent time as he had work the next morning but when Sophie went in to wake him up he wasn't there... I checked my phone and found a text he'd sent me at 5am to say he messaged his boss to say he was going to be late but the man had given him the day off! I hope he wasn't telling porky pies!
This is because Mike was paid on Tuesday so now he has some money in the bank...I just hope we don't have this situation every week as Wednesday is Student Night in town and the drinks are cheap. On the topic of being paid, he still doesn't have his payslip even though we have urged him to get it as we have no idea whether he's paying the right amount of tax or not. He won't listen to us though, which annoys me because Keith and I do have some experience of payroll and tax!
When I finished my shift at 3pm, Mike was in the car with Keith and he knew I was annoyed with him. He seems to think he has limitless holiday and again, doesn't realise that his annual leave is on a pro-rata basis as his contract only lasts until October. Kids!
Today has been grey and overcast but we're due a mini-heatwave on Saturday!
This is because Mike was paid on Tuesday so now he has some money in the bank...I just hope we don't have this situation every week as Wednesday is Student Night in town and the drinks are cheap. On the topic of being paid, he still doesn't have his payslip even though we have urged him to get it as we have no idea whether he's paying the right amount of tax or not. He won't listen to us though, which annoys me because Keith and I do have some experience of payroll and tax!
When I finished my shift at 3pm, Mike was in the car with Keith and he knew I was annoyed with him. He seems to think he has limitless holiday and again, doesn't realise that his annual leave is on a pro-rata basis as his contract only lasts until October. Kids!
Today has been grey and overcast but we're due a mini-heatwave on Saturday!
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Mooching about...
This morning, Matt from the plumbing showroom in Market Harborough came around to measure up our bathroom and give us a quote for a new bath, sink, loo and radiator. We are a bit constricted by a shelf that runs the length of the room and which houses pipes so we couldn't have the wall mounted loo that I wanted. Nor for that matter, a P or L shaped bath...Never mind!
After he'd gone we popped to Tesco and then called in to see Mum and Dad. I said to Keith that we really must try and organise something for a Wednesday because we're being bogged down with boring chores and it would be good, with the arrival of summer, to go and do something interesting instead!
The weather has been disappointing, though, and today has been overcast and chilly. When we returned home I put a colour on my hair as it badly needed it and mooched about until it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
We did sit and play cards in the evening but it's back to work tomorrow and I expect it'll be just as busy!
After he'd gone we popped to Tesco and then called in to see Mum and Dad. I said to Keith that we really must try and organise something for a Wednesday because we're being bogged down with boring chores and it would be good, with the arrival of summer, to go and do something interesting instead!
The weather has been disappointing, though, and today has been overcast and chilly. When we returned home I put a colour on my hair as it badly needed it and mooched about until it was time to go and pick Mike up from work.
We did sit and play cards in the evening but it's back to work tomorrow and I expect it'll be just as busy!
Tuesday, 28 May 2019
An evening treat!
I took Mike to work this morning to give Keith a break and went in straight away as I knew I had lots of work ahead of me. I was doing the Box Office returns as well as any orders that came in...oh, and answering the phones!
I was working with Jo and we had a pleasant start to day but that lulled us into a false sense of security...after about 9.30am the phones went mad and stayed that way for the rest of our shift! I wished I could have stayed on longer as I had invoices to sort out, but my replacement was champing at the bit to get into my seat so I had to go at 2pm.
I then had an hour and a half to wait for Mike and I managed to grab a parking space by the park where I read my book and napped. I'm sure my time could have been used better, so I might suggest to Keith that we use this hour to do some shopping and get what we need for Monday when he goes on a Thursday. It poured with rain periodically which was probably why I was able to find a space! It's half term in the UK at the moment so very busy everywhere.
We had a very pleasant evening as Sophie and I had booked to go to the Northampton Filmhouse to see Destination Wedding starring Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Mike and Keith went for a drink while we enjoyed the film, which was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. Just the two main actors had speaking parts and the film reminded me very much of Sideways. It was set in San Luis Obispo as well, which is in the central part of California, so that was lovely, and the wedding of the title was situated in a vineyard, which brought back some nice memories!
When we came out, Mike said he and Keith had just ordered a drink so we met them in The Old Bank before going on to Akasaka for a delicious meal. I started with Tempura King prawns followed by sweet and spicy chicken with rice. Keith and Sophie had their usual Katsu curry while Mike enjoyed his spicy chicken Ramen. It was scrumptious and made a lovely end to a somewhat hectic day!
I was working with Jo and we had a pleasant start to day but that lulled us into a false sense of security...after about 9.30am the phones went mad and stayed that way for the rest of our shift! I wished I could have stayed on longer as I had invoices to sort out, but my replacement was champing at the bit to get into my seat so I had to go at 2pm.
I then had an hour and a half to wait for Mike and I managed to grab a parking space by the park where I read my book and napped. I'm sure my time could have been used better, so I might suggest to Keith that we use this hour to do some shopping and get what we need for Monday when he goes on a Thursday. It poured with rain periodically which was probably why I was able to find a space! It's half term in the UK at the moment so very busy everywhere.
We had a very pleasant evening as Sophie and I had booked to go to the Northampton Filmhouse to see Destination Wedding starring Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Mike and Keith went for a drink while we enjoyed the film, which was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. Just the two main actors had speaking parts and the film reminded me very much of Sideways. It was set in San Luis Obispo as well, which is in the central part of California, so that was lovely, and the wedding of the title was situated in a vineyard, which brought back some nice memories!
When we came out, Mike said he and Keith had just ordered a drink so we met them in The Old Bank before going on to Akasaka for a delicious meal. I started with Tempura King prawns followed by sweet and spicy chicken with rice. Keith and Sophie had their usual Katsu curry while Mike enjoyed his spicy chicken Ramen. It was scrumptious and made a lovely end to a somewhat hectic day!
Monday, 27 May 2019
Bank Holiday Monday
It was lovely having today as holiday and it was bliss to have a lazy start to the week. The weather was supposed to be good today, but half way through washing my car the heavens opened! I gave it ten minutes until the shower had passed and then went back out and finished cleaning it.
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Homesense, but before going in we had a coffee at Starbucks. The place was absolutely packed with people and the queue for the drive-thru was mind boggling! Are all of us really that addicted to caffeine?
I chose a sandwich as a late lunch but I'd finished it by the time Sophie brought my coffee over. The queue was horrendous! I chatted with Sophie and said that when I was her age we had never heard of Starbucks or Costa but now they seem to be taking over every corner of our towns and cities! (I have since discovered that Costa is now owned by Coca Cola so no wonder they are everywhere!)
We wandered around Homesense as Sophie was looking for gifts for her friend, Laura, but nothing inspired us so we decided to head home. The old BHS store has now been taken over by The Range which looked full of tat when we peered in through the window! It is good that the space is now occupied, though, as it was horrible seeing the place so empty.
We had planned on sitting in the garden when we got home but the wave of showers put paid to that! We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and played cards in the evening while our chilli cooked in the oven. After dinner, the rain became torrential and the sky darkened. It looks very much like we're having April showers in May!
In the afternoon Sophie and I went to Homesense, but before going in we had a coffee at Starbucks. The place was absolutely packed with people and the queue for the drive-thru was mind boggling! Are all of us really that addicted to caffeine?
I chose a sandwich as a late lunch but I'd finished it by the time Sophie brought my coffee over. The queue was horrendous! I chatted with Sophie and said that when I was her age we had never heard of Starbucks or Costa but now they seem to be taking over every corner of our towns and cities! (I have since discovered that Costa is now owned by Coca Cola so no wonder they are everywhere!)
We wandered around Homesense as Sophie was looking for gifts for her friend, Laura, but nothing inspired us so we decided to head home. The old BHS store has now been taken over by The Range which looked full of tat when we peered in through the window! It is good that the space is now occupied, though, as it was horrible seeing the place so empty.
We had planned on sitting in the garden when we got home but the wave of showers put paid to that! We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and played cards in the evening while our chilli cooked in the oven. After dinner, the rain became torrential and the sky darkened. It looks very much like we're having April showers in May!
Sunday, 26 May 2019
Niggling annoyances...
Today has been one of those days when things have been out of "sync" if that makes sense...Keith and I bickered a lot this morning as I nearly ran him over in the car when I was trying to get out of the way of a car behind me (just as he opened the door to get in), and then I stepped on his toe when we visited Mum and Dad after shopping in Tesco... it wasn't a brilliant start to the day!
Yesterday we had tree surgeons at the house opposite for most of the day and I was a bit sad that they'd taken a tree down that we could see from our front window. All the birds used to sit in it but now it's gone. The noise from the chainsaws and the shredding machine was tremendous and it was a bit annoying seeing as it was a Bank Holiday weekend! They were back again this morning at 9.30am and started it all up again! We now have new neighbours in this particular house but we haven't seen them or spoken to them yet.
I'd sorted all of our recycling out yesterday with the aim of taking it all to Milton Keynes today and Sophie offered to drive. I suggested we go on the M1 as she hasn't yet driven on a motorway, and as there is a 50mph speed limit at the moment because of roadworks, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity for her to use it for the first time today.
It was only when we were driving past the house where we take the recycling that I realised we'd left it all at home... I mean, really? I am such a twit! It was the only reason to be going to Milton Keynes in the first place!
We parked in the usual multi-storey and went straight to John Lewis to have a bite to eat. I fancied their soup which has always been delicious in the past but today it was lukewarm and tasteless. Oh dear! Sophie had a baguette and wasn't that impressed with it, either!
We had a look around the shops but didn't linger. Before leaving we popped into M&S and we treated our selves to a lovely bottle of Californian wine to go with our Coq au Vin this evening. Keith and I had bought a couple of bottles of wine in Tesco this morning but the Barefoot Zinfandel I'd picked out wasn't very good!
Back home it was bliss to watch the last episode of Big Little Lies (the next series is coming out on the 10 June, yippee!) and sip the delicious wine!
Yesterday we had tree surgeons at the house opposite for most of the day and I was a bit sad that they'd taken a tree down that we could see from our front window. All the birds used to sit in it but now it's gone. The noise from the chainsaws and the shredding machine was tremendous and it was a bit annoying seeing as it was a Bank Holiday weekend! They were back again this morning at 9.30am and started it all up again! We now have new neighbours in this particular house but we haven't seen them or spoken to them yet.
I'd sorted all of our recycling out yesterday with the aim of taking it all to Milton Keynes today and Sophie offered to drive. I suggested we go on the M1 as she hasn't yet driven on a motorway, and as there is a 50mph speed limit at the moment because of roadworks, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity for her to use it for the first time today.
It was only when we were driving past the house where we take the recycling that I realised we'd left it all at home... I mean, really? I am such a twit! It was the only reason to be going to Milton Keynes in the first place!
We parked in the usual multi-storey and went straight to John Lewis to have a bite to eat. I fancied their soup which has always been delicious in the past but today it was lukewarm and tasteless. Oh dear! Sophie had a baguette and wasn't that impressed with it, either!
We had a look around the shops but didn't linger. Before leaving we popped into M&S and we treated our selves to a lovely bottle of Californian wine to go with our Coq au Vin this evening. Keith and I had bought a couple of bottles of wine in Tesco this morning but the Barefoot Zinfandel I'd picked out wasn't very good!
Back home it was bliss to watch the last episode of Big Little Lies (the next series is coming out on the 10 June, yippee!) and sip the delicious wine!
Saturday, 25 May 2019
Bank Holiday weekend!
Friday was a quiet, uneventful day and things were back to normal on the work front. I took Mike to work and had a busy shift myself, but at 2pm I was free to go home as my son was off to see some friends. It was a real bonus getting home at 2.30pm!
When Sophie returned from work we went down into town to pick him up and then we had half an hour of relaxation before preparing dinner. We opened a bottle of French sparkling wine to celebrate the forthcoming long weekend!
Saturday was spent at home catching up with things and making the most of the beautiful weather. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be cooler and showery so it was lovely to mooch about and spend some time sitting in the garden soaking up the sunshine.
At the moment the garden is alive with baby starlings shrieking to be fed and we have been visited by Rooky, the magpies and several Jackdaws as they look for food, no doubt to feed their babies as well. As soon as we put food down it disappears! I really think May is the loveliest month as everything is green and new and you can almost see things growing!
Keith made a delicious beef pie for dinner and Sophie and I opened the bottle of Merlot we bought at the Hans Fahden winery. It was stunningly delicious, and so it should be for $28! I was just worried that it wouldn't live up to our expectations, but it did.
We watched Eurovision in the evening, which we had recorded last week but we only made it through to Madonna's weird appearance on the show...I have no idea what it was all about!
When Sophie returned from work we went down into town to pick him up and then we had half an hour of relaxation before preparing dinner. We opened a bottle of French sparkling wine to celebrate the forthcoming long weekend!
Saturday was spent at home catching up with things and making the most of the beautiful weather. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be cooler and showery so it was lovely to mooch about and spend some time sitting in the garden soaking up the sunshine.
At the moment the garden is alive with baby starlings shrieking to be fed and we have been visited by Rooky, the magpies and several Jackdaws as they look for food, no doubt to feed their babies as well. As soon as we put food down it disappears! I really think May is the loveliest month as everything is green and new and you can almost see things growing!
Keith made a delicious beef pie for dinner and Sophie and I opened the bottle of Merlot we bought at the Hans Fahden winery. It was stunningly delicious, and so it should be for $28! I was just worried that it wouldn't live up to our expectations, but it did.
We watched Eurovision in the evening, which we had recorded last week but we only made it through to Madonna's weird appearance on the show...I have no idea what it was all about!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)