Waiting about!

The weather reverted back to blustery and wet today, and Keith and I went to do the shopping in Kettering. We went to Aldi first and I had a good wander along the central aisles looking at the bargains! We then drove to Tesco, but on the way, stopped to get diesel at the garage. Yesterday they didn't have any diesel, and we needed to get some as we're driving down to Southampton on Sunday.

Keith put some in my car, and then we waited for about ten minutes for the idiot in front to put fuel in his car, and then go and pay. I had no option but to sit and wait and I was fuming! I would have been mortified to keep someone waiting so long!

In Tesco, we had just entered the store when the fire alarms went off! We were told to go outside and wait, but it was freezing cold so we decided to abandon the trip and go home. I was taking Mum out this afternoon, so I said we'd go to the Weston Favell Centre and get the rest of the shopping in the Tesco there.

Back home we put the shopping away as best we could amidst all the dush sheets and paint pots, and I tried on my new boots, which have come at the right time, now the weather is on the change! I then did a test and went to pick Mum up at 2pm. 

We headed over to the Weston Favell Centre and had a cup of tea and a sandwich first in The Lounge. We then popped into Tesco where I did the rest of my shopping while Mum treated herself to some new make-up and a jumper.

On the way home, she showed me the letter she'd received from Nationwide and it wasn't the new card I'd been expecting! It was a whole sheaf of bank statements and a letter so I've asked her to call the number tomorrow to try and sort it out. They wouldn't talk to me anyway, but she might have a chance with them if my Dad is with her.

I dropped Mum off and it was almost 6pm by the time I got home. The painting is finished now and we are very pleased with how it looks. I wasn't sure about the pink wall at first, but it's growing on me! We love the blue doors and I said it's been decades since I lived in a house with coloured doors!

Parkgate!

Keith and I took Sophie to work this morning, and as we were early, popped to Cafe 900 for a coffee. I also indulged in a sausage bap that was delicious! The weather had improved overnight and the sun was shining out of a beautiful blue sky. Gorgeous!

After dropping Sophie at work, we drove to Halfords on Riverside and managed to bag the last jerry can in the store! We also bought a spout so we could put it into Sophie's tank! From there we drove to the Tesco garage at Weston Favell and we were able to put about a gallon's worth of petrol into it. 

Back home we put the petrol in Sophie's car, and then gingerly drove over to Tesco at Kettering. The needle had barely registered the gallon at all, so she must have been really low coming home last night! We managed to fill her tank, and then we drove the car back down to her office and left it in the car park for her. Neither of us fancied driving down to Brackmills in the rush hour this evening!

Apart from getting petrol for Sophie, we didn't have any other plans, so we went on the hunt for pewter handles for the doors in the kitchen. We tried Wickes, and then Homebase, but they didn't have any we liked. Keith was now getting a bit peckish so we popped to Next for a coffee and a toasted sandwich for him.

We made one last attempt to find what we wanted at a small ironmongery store on Moulton Park and then went to Brixworth to pick up a parcel and try the tiny shop there. We realised that we would have to buy them online. So much for shopping locally!

Back home I decided to plant the rest of my bulbs, and while I was on my knees in the front garden I saw Sue, my erstwhile neighbour and good friend. I hadn't seen her for a while, and she was about to take the doggies for a short walk. She was intrigued about a Mexican standoff on the road around our estate, so we went to investigate! Two cars were nose to nose, blocking the road and the driver of one of the cars was sitting in the driver's seat. He got out as we approached, and we asked what was going on? He said that he was driving to his house when the road was blocked by a courier driver who had just left the car in the middle of the road. He'd asked the courier to back up and reverse, but he'd refused. Apparently, that was almost two hours ago and the courier had disappeared!

We had a chat and then returned home. Personally, I think the resident was being a little silly about the whole thing! I said goodbye to Sue and resumed planting my daffodil bulbs, and about fifteen minutes later saw the resident drive past, so he must have come to his senses!

Keith and I pottered about in the garden after I'd planted the bulbs, and we managed to dislodge some apples from our tree. We hope to make an apple crumble with them over the weekend! It was a beautiful afternoon with plenty of Autumnal sunshine. I put some bulbs in a couple of empty pots and that was all of them planted! Roll on the Spring!

Sophie was out this evening, having dinner with a friend in Yardley Hastings, so it was just Keith and me eating. He wanted to see Spectre again (he said he didn't remember any of the film) and as No Time To Die is being released - finally! - tomorrow, we thought it would be a good idea. I grilled two gammon steaks and cooked some oven chips and peas, while he fried a couple of eggs, and we ate in the kitchen. The meal was delicious - this oven is such an improvement on our old one!

Running on fumes!

I followed Sophie to the garage at Moulton this morning, to try and get some petrol, but they didn't have any at all. Our next stop was the Tesco garage at Weston Favell, but they were closed. Sophie had just enough to get her to work and home again, so I said we would try and sort it out this evening. This situation is getting ridiculous!

I arrived home to find Keith emptying out the kitchen again, in readiness for David, who arrived promptly at 8am. I fled into the shower and then left for work at 9am. There was no point in hanging around! I went to the garage at Moulton to find they still didn't have petrol, but I bought a ticket for the carwash and a coffee and pastry for my breakfast.

Unfortunately, the carwash wasn't working (a bonus as it poured with rain later in the day) so I went straight to work. Jo was back and feeling better, and my shift passed quickly as I had a lot of things to do to keep me busy!

When I arrived home at 4.30pm, David was putting all of the dust sheets away, and I was very pleased with the progress so far. I just can't wait to see the doors painted! I hoovered the kitchen floor after he'd gone and tidied up. Once that was done I tried to contact Mike about his tax code. A letter had arrived from HMRC, and it looks very much like he's on the wrong tax code. I logged onto the website but halfway through the conversation with him, I received a panicked call from Sophie to say that she was stuck in traffic on the A43, and the car was registering no more miles of petrol in the tank. I told her to drive as steadily as she could home, and we would sort it out.

Understandably, she was stressed when she arrived home and wanted to go out there and then to get petrol, but there was no way we were taking her car. And definitely not in rush hour in the pouring rain! We said that we would take her to work in the morning, buy a jerry can and then fill her car up. She disappeared upstairs for a while, and then came down to say she wasn't worried about it anymore, safe in the knowledge we would sort it for her!

Dinner tonight was Jerk Chicken Pasta for Sophie and me, as we thought Keith would be at the football. It was as delicious as ever, and Keith contented himself with a beef sandwich! He's mad! The weather had turned really nasty outside, so we decided to test the new heating plinth in the kitchen. It worked beautifully and the room was lovely and cosy!

We get decorated!

The beautiful weather of yesterday disappeared this morning, to be replaced with wind and rain! Horrible! Which reminds me... here are the names for the 2021-2022 storms:

Arwen

Barra

Corrie

Dudley 

Eunice

Franklin

Gladys

Herman

Imani

Jack

Kim 

Logan

Meabh

Nasim

Olwen

Pol

Ruby

Sean

Tineke

Vergil

Willemien

Sophie was up early to go to the gym, and as she was going out of the door, she spotted something scuttling up the drive. My first reaction was to scream as I thought it was the rat, but it was a hedgehog. We'd closed the door so we didn't see where it went... the garage or the garden?

I busied myself with emptying out the kitchen and giving the cloakroom a clean before David, the painter arrived at 8am. I put some food down for our birds who I feel I've been neglecting recently. I saw the robin hopping about, and then a squirrel! It's brilliant we have so much wildlife in the garden!

The rain and wind stopped before I went to work, and when I emerged from the office at 4pm the sun was shining. It had been a bit of an emotional day as Jo had returned from holiday without her Mum, who was still in Crete with Covid.

On the way home, Sophie tried to get some petrol at Moulton but there wasn't any. It's not funny anymore - she has about 60 miles worth of fuel in her car, so we'll have to go out early tomorrow to see if anywhere is open.

I cooked a curry for dinner tonight but we didn't sit in the kitchen. All of the cupboards are swathed in plastic sheeting to protect them from the paint so it didn't have our usual vibe!

Don't panic!

Keith and I went out first thing this morning to see if we could find a garage that was open so we could get some diesel. I had a quarter of a tank and, although I could probably get to Milton Keynes with that, it would have left me almost empty.

Both the Tesco and the Morrison's garages were closed, so we made one last attempt by going to Asda in Kettering. Thankfully, this was open, there was diesel, and the queue was manageable. I recognised the woman taking payments, and we both realised we knew each other from the nursery I used to run with my parents!

Back home we spent the morning doing housework, Keith emptied the fridge freezer in readiness for the painter coming tomorrow, and I did several loads of washing. It's amazing how it builds up after just one day of not doing any! As it had turned into a beautiful morning, I was able to get it all on the line so it smelt lovely!

Sophie kept me in touch with what she was doing and said she would be arriving in Milton Keynes at about 3pm. She was getting the train from Barking station where Zain had dropped her off. She'd had a great weekend and had enjoyed the boxing match despite Anthony Joshua losing!

Keith and I gave ourselves plenty of time to get to Milton Keynes. We saw two garages on the way and both of them were rammed with cars queuing to get fuel. It's madness. We took the scenic route and drove through Roade, and it seemed a much better way to go as the station is near the A5.

After a short wait, Sophie emerged into the sunlight and we returned home. The queues at one of the garages were even worse and the line stretched all the way onto the dual carriageway! I just hope Sophie can get some petrol in the next couple of days as there's now the danger of the garages running out completely.

Before going home we called into the Subway on Brackmills and treated ourselves to a wrap. I was feeling very peckish and it was just what I fancied! We also bought a couple of cookies and enjoyed them at home with a drink.

The evening was spent playing Scrabble (I beat Sophie for once!) and then cards. Dinner tonight was roast beef and this was the first time we'd cooked a joint in the new oven. Keith made Yorkshire puddings and they were perfect - beautifully risen and crispy. The new oven seems to cook food much better than our previous old one and the meal was delicious, despite Keith having a bit of a stress! Calm down!

A day at the races!

So, Sophie was off to London this morning, and Keith and I were going to the races at Market Rasen. We left home at 10.30, and we were very bemused to see people queuing at all the petrol stations on the way, to get fuel. There has been panic buying because of the shortage of drivers delivering to the petrol stations, and some garages have been closed as they've run out. We are living in a mad world at the moment... Tomorrow, Sophie can't get a train back to Northampton because of striking workers, so we will have to pick her up from Milton Keynes instead.

We dropped her off, and on the way to the M1, tried to get hold of a Racing Post and some cash. We stopped at one garage on the A45 and they had no diesel, not that we needed any. We had over half a tank, but I knew we would need some for tomorrow, so it was a bit of a worry.

The weather today has been very overcast and grey with thick lumpy clouds. But it was muggy as well! Next week is set to become more Autumnal with temperatures dipping below the average. I have to say I'm pleased!

We followed Google maps to Market Rasen, travelling on the M1 and then the A46. We've found with Sat Navs in the past, that they have a fetish for narrow country roads, and Google Maps was no exception. A few miles from the racecourse she directed us onto a deserted narrow road that ran through flat fields, and I wondered where on earth she was taking us!

It turned out that there had been slow traffic on the A46 so this was a way around it! We continued on, and then just before we arrived, she sent us through a housing estate! When we got to the racecourse, there were loads of cars and coaches so we had managed to avoid all that traffic!

To be honest, Keith and I, for some reason, didn't think it was going to be that busy, but the place was jammed full of people and there was a long queue to get in. There was a weird combination of people wearing very dressed-up clothes (a lot of women were wearing fascinators in place of hats) and the usual scruffs. Unfortunately, though, there was a lot of pale and wobbly flesh on display, and I don't mean mine!

I flirted with the idea of doing a Tote Placepot bet, but it looked a bit confusing, so I stayed with the bookies. I had picked out all my horses at home and was going to stick with them no matter what I read in the Racing Post. In the first, my choice was Mulberry Hill. Keith chose Dazzling Glory, but Haseefah won, a horse I had looked at as well. Mine came second.

In the second race, I chose Scots Gold as the horse I'd already picked, Sacre Pierre, was a non-runner. Keith had a bet on Whyzzat, but Addosh won. Mine came second again...

We mostly stayed by the parade ring, so we stood the whole time we were there. I was glad I was wearing flat shoes! I enjoyed an ice cream, but we'd taken some Keith-made sausage rolls with us, which we'd eaten in the car so we weren't hungry. 

In the third race, I placed a bet on Regaby while Keith went for Vinnie's Getaway. However, Railway Muice won, pushing his way to the front at the last minute! Our horses came nowhere!

By now we were feeling a little dispirited and said that if we had no luck in the next race, we'd go home early. We weren't going to stay to the end anyway, and one of the horses I'd picked, Near Kettering, was a non-runner which was disappointing. In the fourth, Keith chose Buster Thomas and I placed a bet on Flamboyant Joyaux. It was a good race, and Keith won £55! Mine was nowhere again so I was glad I hadn't done the Tote Placepot!

Buoyed up by the win, we stayed for the 4.30pm race and I blew £10 on an each-way bet on Pawpaw, which was rated highly by one of the pundits in the paper. Keith chose Valentino Dancer and for most of the way around the course, they were neck and neck! Unfortunately, for me, Pawpaw came last but Keith won another £45 for his horse! It would have been brilliant if my horse had come second!

We left the crowds behind and walked back to the car. Luckily, hardly anyone else was leaving and we were able to make it out without any problems. The exit was along a very narrow wooded road so I dread to think what it would be like later when everyone was going home!

Scots Gold, my second bet

The jockeys going out to meet the trainers and owners

The crowds

We wound our way through flat farmland, and pretty villages until we picked up the A46 again. As Keith had had a couple of wins, we decided to find a pub for a meal on the way home. We opted to go onto the A1 after Lincoln, rather than the A46, which is fast but a bit boring! At Stamford, we would link up with our very own A43 so I suggested The Queens Head at Bulwick.

By the time we reached the pub, it was well past 6.30pm and we were dismayed to find it closed. What had happened? This was a pub featured in the little book we'd found in Southwell and they were raving about the food! We sat in the empty car park and I googled pubs nearby. The Hatton Arms at Gretton came up so we made our way there, driving along tiny country lanes with the sun in our eyes, so at times we could hardly see! In the distance, we could see what looked like a huge sports arena and it seemed so strange to see it in the middle of nowhere! Like it had been dumped!

Gretton is a very pretty village and it has two pubs - The Hatton Arms and The Blue Bell. We drove past The Blue Bell and found The Hatton Arms tucked down a narrow street. There were only two other cars in the car park, and we feared at first this was closed as well!

Inside we ordered our drinks and enquired about a table, to be told they were full... There were empty tables in the bar area and when we left the tables in the restaurant hadn't been set up for dining. Keith said the landlady didn't like the look of us!

We went instead to The Blue Bell and although I ordered half a pint of Guinness, I received a pint! We dithered over which table to sit at, eventually choosing one right in the middle of the bar area and sat down. As I sat down I did something with my foot, sending Keith's entire pint everywhere! It was all over the table, all over me and all over the floor! I was so embarrassed!

The pub was only doing pizzas, and as I was covered in beer and smelling like a brewery, we fled. We drove back to Kettering, called at The Trading Post for fish and chips and went home. By now, we were both very hungry and I was tired from all the driving and the drama!

Needless to say we had an early night!

Birthday celebrations

We face-timed Mike this morning, so he could see Keith opening his birthday present - the gorgeous aftershave that he'd insisted on buying. He seemed very happy, and we saw the kittens again who looked delightful.

I was hoping for a quiet end to the working week, but it wasn't to be. I walked in to find Kathy on the point of leaving, as her husband had to go to hospital in Oxford this morning. That meant that I was on the phones with Sheila, so any plans to catch up with other work had to be put on hold. I struggled all morning and by the end of my shift, I still hadn't processed some invoices that had been sent through. 

I sped home at 4pm and mooched about until Sophie arrived. Keith then opened the rest of his presents - casual clothes to lounge around in at home, as well as a new book, and he also opened his cards. I ran him down to the pub and returned home to have one small glass of wine with Sophie. We watched most of the latest episode of Grand Designs and chatted. Sophie still felt tired from the two days she spent away and wasn't really looking forward to going to London tomorrow. She and Zain have tickets to see Anthony Joshua on Saturday night, and they're staying overnight in a hotel. I said we could look forward to a quieter Sunday and a game of Scrabble!

At 7.30pm we went to the pub to have dinner with Keith. Sadly, the place was almost deserted, which was very worrying. We took our seats in the restaurant and there was only one other couple dining. There was a small group of men having a drink, and that was it. Not good for a Friday night.

We ordered starters - breaded mushrooms with a garlic dip for Sophie and me, and whitebait for Keith. For our main courses, I had pork belly, Sophie had Hunter's Chicken and Keith went for his usual of cod and chips. However, he was sorely disappointed. His fish looked like it had come out of a box and certainly not battered by hand as it usually does. My pork belly was huge (I gave some away to Keith and Sophie) but it was tasteless. We were all dismayed by the food as normally it's very good. What has gone wrong? Ian looked ill and worn out so not the best of evenings for a birthday celebration!

We were all done by 9pm and there was only one other man in the pub. I fear very much that we could lose our village pub if things don't improve. It would be a huge shame as we have been going there since 1989!