Walking in the Shadows

Random musings from Warwickshire on life in general... Things that make me laugh, make me cry, things that wind me up beyond all endurance - and everything in between.

Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Returning from an escape - Part II…

Well, I’ve done my unpacking – it was more a case of getting the washing out of the case so that Mum doesn’t spend ages wondering what is clean and what needs washing from the trip.

After we’d been to York on Wednesday, we headed south (ok – I got it wrong with the Satnav, and took a slight detour), but eventually ended up on the right route – the A1M south, with the intention of linking up with the main M1.

That was something that really surprised me. Compared with the idiots on the motorways in this area, the driving standard was incredible – as there were very few people doing over the 70mph limit… Normally, if you’re doing 70mph on the M1 in this area, you’re in the inside lane (lane 1) with the HGVs chasing you. I suspect that this is due to rigorous enforcement of the speed limits by the motorway police patrols.

Once off the motorway (and Mum had finished cursing me for the fact that I had chosen Darth Vader as the Satnav voice, which comes out with such gems as “I sense an exit approaching” and “You have reached your destination – but you are not a Jedi yet”), the Satnav took me the most obscure route possible to the Premier Inn, but we managed get there…

And once I had done so, I did wonder if I’d gotten the right place, as it looked totally different to the image on the website. It was the right one, and I will admit to having second thoughts about the accommodation, but pushed them to the back of my mind.

We got checked in, and headed to the room, where I promptly flopped onto the bed with my book (Hannibal by Robert Harris – the book that the film is based on and is infinitely more scary), and started to chill out…

Or at least I did until the noise of a train shattered the peace that I was trying to establish. Cursing as I clambered off the bed, I went to the window, and spotted that the main East Coast railway line was about 1/3rd of a mile away from us, and appeared to be on the same level as our room (which was on the first floor.)

Not a good sign, and I should have realised that things weren’t going to improve. We’d booked dinner in the restaurant / bar of the hotel, and when we got seated, it was freezing cold. As Mum remarked “what bright spark puts the A/C on in the middle of November?” and we weren’t the only ones to object…

Dinner itself wasn’t much to write about (it was tasty, and filled a gap to a point) and I was only too glad to crawl into my pit… Until the noise from the bar (which kicked out at midnight) woke me up. I don’t know if it was the smokers having their final nicotine fix before they went to bed, but they didn’t endear themselves to either me or Mum.

But the best was yet to come. As per normal, my alarm went off at 07:00 (I’m beginning to really dislike the James Blunt Song “You’re Beautiful” but that’s only because it’s my alarm clock tone!) and I staggered out of bed to grab a shower.

Or so the plan was. Mum had already tried the hot water in the basin, and it was non-existent. So, I called the reception, and they sent someone up to sort it. Fine. Not. We were told that if we left it about 30 mins, then there should be hot water, as everyone was using the showers at the same time, meaning that there was no spare hot water.

To say I was unimpressed was an understatement, and Mum and I both went down for breakfast, hoping that there would be hot water when we got back. There was – just about, and the pair of us were muttering very darkly about it, and both agreed that this was probably the worst Premier Inn that we had ever stayed in.

However, it was very convent for Meadowhall (see http://www.meadowhall.co.uk/)and we managed to get parked very easily. Almost too easily if I’m honest, and we soon found the reason why. The place didn’t open until 10:00, and we were about an hour too early. Thank god for Costa Coffee which was open, and allowed the pair of us to plot our movements around the centre.

It’s a bit of a weird set up, and although it’s on two levels, very few shops had both levels taken, meaning that if you wanted to go to the upper level, you had to either find an escalator or fight your way into a lift (or risk being toppled on the stairs.)

On the whole, I would say that it’s reminiscent of Merry Hill, and yes, there were some interesting individual shops, but if I’m brutally honest, I wouldn’t make a special trip to go up there.

The Thursday night was just as bad as the previous night, and again, it was a case of no hot water, despite the fact that I decided to treat myself to an extra half hour in bed. But not that I was able to sleep, again due to the damned noise. And yet again, there was no hot water, and this was about 08:30!

Mum and I did something that we’ve never had cause to do in the whole time that we’ve used Premier Inn – we invoked the “Goodnight Guarantee” for both nights, as the pair of us were exhausted. Mum was worried about me driving but I knew as soon as I was out of that grotty place, and heading for home I would feel 100% better.

As I type this, yes, I am tired, but I know that I’ll feel better once I have crawled into my own bed, and had the joyful sound that is Wrennie Hendrix (that’s what I call our resident wren – I swear the little sod has a Stratocaster and power amp that it uses to serenade the garden) waking me up tomorrow morning.

Ah well, time to call this quits – I’ve got to be up early tomorrow morning – there appears to be no rest for the horrible..

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Returning from an escape- Part I…

Well, I’m back from my break in York and Sheffield. As per normal, I’ll split this into two posts, otherwise a single post will be way too long and complicated.

Mum and I left home at 05:55 on Monday, with the rain hammering down. The idea was to get through the bottleneck at Derby, as I refused to use the M1. Not because I am afraid of motorways, far from it. It’s more a case of preserving my driving license and helping the fuel economy on the car (and given the weather conditions, the spray on the motorway would have been horrendous to drive in).

So, it wasn’t a bad run and we were through Derby and well en-route when we decided to stop for breakfast (think we were near Alfreton). So, we stopped at the Little Chef. Ok – not a problem there, but Mum and I were the only ones in the restaurant. Considering it was attached to a Travel Lodge, the guests didn’t seem to be showing any inclination to eat there.

Mind you, I guess that I can see the reason why. A breakfast at the Premier Inn group that I tend to stay in will cost £7.95 for the Premier Breakfast, which is everything that is on offer, from croissants to a full cooked breakfast and everything in between, with drinks included in the price. However, a breakfast at the Little Chef would be about £10 (or more), as you would have to buy the breakfast and drinks of your choice individually.

Aside from that, I appreciated the break as driving in the rain wasn’t pleasant – mainly because it was dark until about 07:30 (I loathe the switch back to GMT – the only benefit that I can see is the fact that I get an extra hour in bed the day or rather night that the clocks go back).

Then it was back on track, again avoiding the motorway, and to be honest, there wasn’t much to look at (or stop off for) on the way up to York…  Or at least not until I spotted a sign that said “York Designer Village"

That was it. The perfect place to stop and have a break from driving, as I was getting bored with driving, and Mum was starting to suffer from “numb bum” syndrome. So, we parked and headed into the outlet.

To call it a designer outlet was somewhat misleading. Yes, there were a few designer outlets there (think one of them was Armani, and another was L K Bennett) but most of them were the usual run of the mill high street shops – places like Next and Marks & Spencer spring to mind immediately, with a few others mixed in with them.

Lunch was nothing too special – it was a jacket potato (ok – mine had chicken tikka as the filling) but it did the job, and allowed us to get back on the road to the Premier Inn that I had booked for the first part of our trip.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, and we managed to locate the Premier Inn without much hassle.

The approach to the hotel was somewhat disconcerting, but once I’d gotten over the fact that it was almost a single track road to get past the pub that the hotel was behind, it was nice and easy to park.

The hotel itself was very well appointed – just what I’ve come to expect from Premier inn, and although the bathroom was a slightly odd layout, (the bathroom door was placed so that the toilet area could be closed off from the main bathroom) it was just what I wanted. Apart from the fact that there was a shower cubical instead of a bath.

Ok – that did take some getting used to, as it didn’t allow as much movement space as I am accustomed to, but once I was used it, it was nice and easy to use, with plenty of hot water.

Dinner was at the Dormouse, which was part of the Vintage Inn group – not one that I know much about (although I think there is a pub that I’ve been to with my beloved that is part of the same group – I’ll have to ask him) and to say that I was spoilt for choice was an understatement.

Good beer (think things like Black Sheep and Sharps Doombar on draught) and the food menu was very good as well. To say that I was stuffed after my choice was an understatement (but I think that the pint of Doombar helped as well!)

The following morning, after breakfast Mum and I headed into York, using the Park and Ride (think it was the Rawston Lane one – I can recall that it was the Green line though) The weather was vile, and I have to admit, York is rather reminiscent of a rabbit warren – and is hardly compact when it comes to shopping. It’s ok I guess if you know your way around the city, but as I haven’t been to York for about 20 years or so, things have changed an awful lot.

As the weather was so vile (think heavy rain and very cold wind) Mum and I spent most of our time dodging in and out of the various shops. The one I was pleased to find was Culppeper – there was one in Leamington many years ago, but it closed and has been replaced by some perfume shop or other…

Aside from that, there were quite a few individual shops, that ranged from really interesting (things like the Whisky Shop on Coppergate) to the run of the mill (like Marks and Spencer)

As the weather was so vile, I skipped my trip to see York Minster, as I was cold and tired – I think the early start on Monday had knocked the living daylights out of me, so it was a cold walk back to the bus stop. Thankfully, we didn’t have too long to wait, and we were soon back in the room at the hotel (and I have to admit that I was soon asleep!)

The following day (Wednesday) we headed back into York, as I was determined to go around the Minster. Again, it wasn’t very pleasant weather, but at least it wasn’t raining – just blasted cold. As Mum didn’t fancy going around the Minster, we agreed to meet in the Costa coffee shop that was near (ok – opposite) the park and ride bus stop.

So, off I scampered to the Minster- only to discover the entrance had been changed, and was in a different location. But that was soon overcome, and I entered the Minster. The memories came flooding back, as the last time I was there was with Dad, and I remember being awestruck even then.

I spent a shorter time there than I would have really liked, but as I was supposed to be heading to our next stop, it meant I couldn’t spend as long as I would have liked (plus I didn’t have my camera with me – something for which I am kicking myself for) but as I was going to be going to Sheffield Meadowhall I didn’t really want to have to leave the camera in the car…

Ah well, time to call this quits – I’m supposed to be unpacking – not blogging.

Back later with the details about the Sheffield leg of the trip…


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Another year older.

Well, another birthday has been (and almost gone), and allegedly as you get older, you’re supposed to feel wiser. I certainly haven’t, so I think that myth has, in the infamous words of the MythBuster team “been well and truly busted”.

Today started on a surprising note for me. My alarm had gone off at 07:25, and I was doing my best to ignore it, when my phone rang. Now normally, I would ignore it, and go back to sleep.

But not for this call, because it was my beloved. The fact that he’d taken the time to call me (ok, it was 07:30) really started the day off with a smile. He sang “happy birthday” to me, and said that when we met up, he would give me my birthday hug when he saw me, but that he was sending me virtual hugs all day.

It was then time for me to crawl out of my pit and get ready for work, but I have to admit that it was with real reluctance that I got up as I was nice and warm in bed! As I had agreed to have my presents when I came home, as it would have meant a mad rush for me this morning, and I really cannot face that sort of thing!

Once into the playpen, it was quiet, and there were no decorations on my desk! Not that I am complaining – far from it. Mind you – this could be due to the fact that I have a habit of leaving my desk in such a way that it is almost impossible to decorate it without removing stuff that I need.

My beloved was true to form, and kept sending me silly pictures on my e-mail:




I have to admit, they had the desired effect and made me gin like the proverbial village idiot all day.

Once the working day was over, I escaped home and much to my amusement, Mum had left my presents on the sofa, along with my card. I opened the card, and it promptly started playing the theme to Shaun the Sheep! My presents were silly bits – the best one being a bottle of Captain Morgan’s spiced rum.



To be honest, it was a nice, gentle day, but as I type this, I can feel my eyes getting heavy, and I am ready to crawl into my pit, so I guess this is time to call this entry quits and head for bed.

Back tomorrow if I get the chance…


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Flu jabs and Banbury..

Where do I start with this post? Apart from yelling OUCH every time I try to move my arms. The reason for this yell, is because I’ve had the ‘flu jabs. Yes – I got stuck in both arms – the swine flu in the right arm and the standard flu strains in the left arm. They didn’t hurt (much) when I had them this morning, but as I’m sitting here at my computer, my left arm is screaming, and the right one is whimpering.

By all accounts, I should have had the swine flu jab last year, but I was too cowardly to have it, so thought I’d better get it sorted out as this nasty flu is kicking about this year – allegedly. I personally think that it’s because the government had a load of vaccine left over last year as the supposed pandemic didn’t materialise, so they’re looking for suckers to get stabbed this year.

So, I was duly stabbed in both arms, and as I didn’t feel too bad, went down to Banbury with Mum. Not a problem there, until we got into BHS… There was a strange scent in the air, and as I wasn’t feeling too good, my stomach started to rebel.

Needless to say, I made a swift exit, and headed straight into my favourite shop – Waterstones. I was looking for the next books in a series that I have been reading (Rachel Vincent’s Were Cat series). I struck gold, and got the next three books, much to my delight.

Then it was off to the West Cornwall Pasty Company. This is the company that Dad and I used to go to every time we were in Banbury, as the pasties are very tasty (and are perfect for me taking into the office for lunch).

Once the pasties had been duly purchased, Mum and I then went in search of something rather exotic – knitting patterns. Now most people wouldn’t consider this a problem but for me, trying to find a pattern that I am happy to have on a jersey is rather awkward, as I don’t like anything too fancy. Thankfully, Mum and I managed to find three patterns that she can adapt (they’re Aran wool patterns and I itch like I have fleas).

Then the rest of the time was just wandering around Banbury town centre – until I spotted a new bookshop. It was a real mixed bag – part bookshop, part stationers, and I found something that I have searched high and low for. Pink Parker Quink cartridges for my fountain pen.

The reason? Ever since I was a junior school, I have used a fountain pen, and when I am doing some types of paperwork in the office, I want something that is going to stand out – hence the pink ink.

We then took a leisurely walk towards the Castle Quay centre, and then headed to Debenhams for a coffee and a sandwich, as I was hungry (and my arms were hurting). Thankfully, the pain killers kicked in fairly fast, and the rest of the day was a blur – mainly because I fell asleep this afternoon. Even as I type this, I am still tired but I know damned well if I go back to sleep, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’m starting to get hungry.

Back when I get the chance…



Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Preparing for another Bank Holiday…

Well, it’s the last day in the playpen for a few days, and I can’t say that I'm going to miss this place.

To say that I am getting to the stage where I need a break is an understatement. I'm heartily sick of the office politics and back stabbing that goes on, and the sooner it gets to 17:00, the better I'm going to feel.

Aside from the stupidity that seems to have become embedded, I'm looking forward to the bank holiday for another reason. I'm seeing my beloved tomorrow (he’s working in the morning, so that means I get to go shopping on my own – more on that in a minute) and am spending some time with Mum.

Tomorrow promises to be great fun, as it will be just about four weeks since I have seen my beloved, and to be honest, I have really missed him. Yes, I know I talk to him on the ‘phone everyday, but to me, that’s not the same as seeing him.

So, because I'm not seeing him until the afternoon, I'm making the most of the time on my own, and am going into Milton Keynes shopping. I’m after a few bits and pieces. Meaning that it’s a trip to La Senza (the bone in my favourite underwired bra broke yesterday, so I’m not happy about that) and I want to go and get a few other bits and pieces whilst I’m down there.

Sunday? Well that’s a day spent with Mum doing various bits & pieces to get ready for our escape at the end of June, and Monday? Well, I’m aiming to head to Leicester with Mum for a look around..

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be working, not blogging!

Back when I get chance (most likely Tuesday)

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Bank holiday blues

This is the first May bank holiday for about four years that I have spent at home. Normally, I’m with my beloved, visiting Brooklands for Auto Italia, but this year… Well circumstances have conspired to keep me in Warwickshire for once.

Not that I’m objecting – too much anyway, as it means that I avoid the birch pollen that always seems to make me so dratted ill every time I go down there. Ok – this year I would have known what the problem was (my asthma) and how to control it – in theory.

So, to make up for this, I decided to take Mum out. Or should that be we decided that we would go up to the Peak Shopping Village. Yes – this was for my own selfish motives (I’m looking for a new pair of black leather clogs, as I’ve kicked the living daylights out of my black nubuck ones!) Plus, it was a chance to get out of the area, and try to chill out.

We arrived ok (even though one part of the route was closed – thank god for Mum being able to read a map) and got parked with relative ease.

The first stop was a small bag store, which stocked a few pieces of Kipling. And that was where I found the bag that I had been considering. It was exactly what I had been looking for – the only problem was that the store didn’t have the colour I wanted (Wild Blue). Sod's law that – and I guess I should have realised that would set part of the tone for the day.



Ok – that’s a tad unfair. I struck out on the search for the perfect clog (plenty of nubuck, but no leather ones that I liked) but I was successful in Cotton Traders.

I’d been searching for a particular type of rugby shirt – it’s got a granddad style collar, and I’d not been able to find any. Well, this time I struck gold, and got two, as they are perfect for casual wear, without looking too casual – almost a smart casual I guess…

After that, we decided to head for a coffee in the little coffee shop. It’s quite depressing at times (not to mention expensive) and it wasn’t helped by some woman who’s laugh (Ok – cackle) would have put most witches to shame. But, it was a chance to sit down and talk about the next part of our travels, as Mum was (and still is) looking for a pair of shoes.

We decided to head to Masson Mill – just outside Matlock Bath. That’s a place that I really enjoy driving though, simply because the traffic is normally hell, meaning that I get the chance to have a good look at the bikes that had congregated. Normally, you get everything from little Vespa scooters to Harley Davidson motorbikes that cost more than the 207 – and have more bling on them than a US rapper.

This time, it was a real disappointment. Plenty of Vauxhall Corsas that had been modified in a vain attempt to make them look better (as you can tell, I’m not a fan of the Corsa) and a few run of the mill Japanese sports bikes, but nothing that had me wishing for heavier traffic so I could have a lingering look.

We got to Masson Mill, and pulled into the car park, only to be greeted with a sign that said that parking fees now applied. Ok – I can understand why, as it is within easy walking distance of Matlock Bath.

Mum and I paid, and I was directed to the best parking space for me (it was on the second floor). Not a problem and I parked ok, but I will admit to muttering about the placement of the steel support girders that made it a very cautious swing into the space.

We then headed into the mill, and had a wander around – which lasted all of about 15 minutes, with both Mum and myself saying that it wasn’t worth the parking fee and that we would strike this one off the list of places that we stopped at.

Getting out of the parking space was great fun. Not. Simply because of the way that I had taken the car into the space, it meant that I had very little room to swing the nose / front end of the car out, as I had a blasted great Lexus 4x4 parked beside me.

So, Mum was a real trooper, and helped me back out of the space by guiding me at the back and then carefully walking around the front end to make sure that I could start the turn without damaging my car.

Getting out was not a problem (thank god for a good throttle response in the 207) and it was time to head towards home, and think about stopping somewhere for lunch. Our usual stop, where we’re in the area, is a pub at Ambergate, called the Hurt Arms.

The food there isn’t bad at all, and it was one of the few times that I was cursing the fact that I was driving. Why? Because they had a speciality beer that was flavoured with passion fruit of all things.

Ok – I know I could have let Mum drive, but I prefer her to do the map reading for me, as that is not one of my strong points (I suspect that this may be an inherited trait from Dad, as he couldn’t read a map either – and he was a Queen’s Scout!)

So we stopped again at Belper, and yet again, that was a failure for the pair of us. But in all honesty, I wasn’t too worried, as it had given my car a good run, which is what it needed, as it tends to get short runs during the week, with me going to work.

Yesterday (Sunday), it was a case of heading to Bicester Shopping village. This place has delusions of grandeur, and to be honest, I would have thought it would have been better placed near Chester. But I digress.

The reason that we had decided to go (ok – the only reason) we decided to go was because there is a Kipling outlet shop down there. Ok – I know the stock is about a year out of date (if you’re bothered by such things) but it means that you can get some really good deals on bags down there.

I managed to get myself a new wash bag (it’s about time I had a decent one to travel with) and Mum managed to get a little handbag as well. After that, we decided to have a look around.


If you want designer labels - and I’m talking things like Ralph Lauren, Jimmy Choo (more on that in a minute) and Versace, then this is the place for you. However, I am not really a fan of designer labels - ok – I admit that my perfume is usually Dior, but that’s because I’ve worn their fragrances for more years that I am going to admit to.

Mum spotted the Jimmy Choo shop (yes – he of the super expensive shoes that everyone raves about) and dragged me in. Dragged being the operative word here. Simply because I loathe high heels (I can’t walk in the dratted things – give me a nice comfortable pair of loafers any day) and I honestly can’t see what all the fuss is about. From what I could see, they were extremely narrow, and overpriced. But, as I said, not my choice of shoe.

But there was further torture to come. Ugg have a shop down at Bicester as well, and again, I don’t see the appeal of the things. They look, well, ugly. As for the practicality – that was non-existent as far as I could see.

Simply because they are designed for Australian winters, which are cold and dry, not like the UK winters that are cold and bloody wet. Meaning that if you wear these bug ugly things out without waterproofing them, you have just ruined a pair of £200 plus boots.

So after we left (and thanked our lucky stars that we had gotten down there for opening time, as the queues for the car park were back to the A41) we stopped at the Bicester garden centre.

Now I’ve passed this numerous times on my travels, and have never thought to stop there. Ok, it’s a Wyevale garden centre, but there are quite a few shops there as well – including Lakeland and Cotton Traders.

This was far more to my liking than the blasted designer outlet (even if there was a Laura Ashley shop – not somewhat I had any intention of going near), and Mum and I were quite impressed. However, the garden centre wasn’t brilliant, and we both agreed that the only time that it would be worth going to would be if we had gone to the shopping village just up the road. So read for that, we won’t be back for about another six months at least.

Now onto today. Mum and I were at a loss to think of somewhere to go, and as we were linking up with Carole and her daughters, we decided that we would meet them down at Milton Keynes. The original idea had been to go to Worcester, but as the weather wasn’t good, we opted for Milton Keynes (at least that’s under cover!)

Mum and I got down there for about 10:30, only to see all the spaces at the front (nearest the shopping centre) all parked up. We were wondering if we would get a space to park, when I spotted Amber waving her arms, standing in a space that was just perfect for us.

So, Mum parked, and we got out, and were promptly cuddled by both girls, who seemed delighted to see both Mum and myself. I asked Carole what time the centre opening times were (they’re stuck on the entrance doors) and she told us that it was 11:00. All I could think was that I would be really miffed if I’d been paying £1.20 per hour only to discover that most of the shops didn’t open until 11am.

We headed to Burger King as our usual breakfast stop is in BHS – which wasn’t open and Amber and Elian were almost chewing Mum’s walking stick, as they’d not had breakfast according to Carole, as they wanted to have a bacon roll.

That wasn’t too bad, and we had a wander around various shops with Amber and Elian running interference for Mum (by making sure that people had to walk around them and Mum) instead of the other way around.

As per normal, we stopped in Waterstones (ok – Costa coffee) for a while, and I left Mum and Carole talking whilst I headed to my favourite shop – Lush. Simply because I’d run out of a couple of bits (and wanted a lump of conditioner to take on holiday) and the girls weren’t going to miss out on a trip to Lush without their Mum. Little monsters, the pair of them.

I got my Vanishing Cream (it’s a really good moisturiser that suits my weird skin) as well as my lump of conditioner. The girls got a few bits (think it was bath stuff – bath bombs and bubble bars) – mostly for Carole as a present, and I think it was a thank you gift for bringing them to Milton Keynes for once.

So it was back to Waterstones. I’d spotted a couple of books that I wanted – they were on a three for two offer, and as I knew that Mum had picked one up on the same offer, I thought it would be perfect. Only for Amber and Elian to disappear into the children’s’ section.

This was somewhat daunting for me, as I never venture into that area under normal circumstances. But I needn’t have worried. They’d spotted three books that they wanted – on the same offer as mine, and had gone to get them.

So we rejoined the rest of our party, and we finished off our drinks. Mine was a large vanilla latte, which Amber had designs on. I had to threaten to make her walk home before she would leave my coffee alone, and that only worked until she pointed out that Carole wouldn’t be so unkind to her. But, she did leave my coffee alone – I think it was the threat from her mother that she wouldn’t buy the books that the two of them had picked out.

It was then time to move and we headed to Debenhams. Now normally I avoid this store like the plague, as the cosmetic department stinks with the mixture of perfumes that seem to be squirted into the air.

This time, I was actually looking for a price of a perfume – Dior’s Dolce Vita. That was fine, until some pushy sales assistant started recommending the latest perfume from Dior – think it was Miss Dior Cherie (or something like that). She finally got the message that I wasn’t interested, when Amber asked if that was the one that smelt like toilet cleaner on me. Nice child, but it had the desired effect!

We then headed back to the car, where both Mum and I were treated to another cuddle from the girls, and we headed for home.

As I type this I am quietly mulling over this bank holiday. Ok – I haven’t seen my beloved, so I am a bit flat (ok – very flat) but spending time with Mum has been really nice – as we don’t really spend that much time together during the week, simply because I am not very sociable when I come home from work. All I want to do is chill out and ignore the world.

Ah well, I guess I should call this quits – I need to do some ironing so that I’ve got something to wear for the playpen tomorrow.

Back when I get chance…

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Stratford, Shakespeare, Silverstone and a shattered dream

This weekend has been such a rollercoaster of emotion, I'm not sure quite where to start, so I guess I’ll start with Saturday – that seems the logical place to start.

Saturday, I’d agreed to meet my beloved after he’d finished work, which suited me fine, as it meant that I could go shopping without Mum being with me – I wanted to go shopping without her being with me. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy shopping with Mum, it’s just that it makes life rather difficult for me if I want to get her something that she doesn’t know about.

In this case, it was trying to get the last little bits of Mum’s birthday present (I wanted to get the new Meat Loaf album – Hang Cool Teddy Bear) as well as getting a birthday card for her.


So, I decided to head into Stratford-upon-Avon. Not a problem, as I was using the park and ride that drops you off in the centre of town (just at the top end of Wood Street.) Or at least is does normally. However, because Friday was Shakespeare’s birthday, the town council decided to close the centre of the town off to traffic and have a parade, and cause mayhem.

Because of this, the revised drop off point was the back of Marks and Spencer – the bottom of Bridge Street (and well away from where I wanted to be!) Thankfully, it wasn’t too much of a hardship to cut through M & S, and out onto the main shopping street.

Where I was confronted with barriers blocking my exit across the road, and more police (or more accurately community support officers) than I had seen since the Bulldog Bash swung into the area last year.

Thankfully, the light controlled pedestrian crossings were accessible, meaning that I could go into Clinton Cards to get the first of my requirements – Mum’s birthday card.

That was relatively simple, and I found one that wasn’t sickly sweet or too offensive (and didn’t cost a fortune either!) As I got to the pay desk, I noticed a sign saying that it was cash only (again, not a problem – I’d got the cash to pay). It turned out that there was a problem with the card machine, and the sales assistant was really apologetic about it. I wasn’t worried, and thought no more of it until I went into my favourite shop – Lush.

I will admit, I only went in to get two items Running to the Embassy



and the solid serum bar that I use as a night time skin treatment Saving Face


At least that was the plan. I ended up buying a shower gel as well – Butterball. It’s a really nice scent (one that I’ve become quite keen on, since I first tried it in Chester and thought that it was too sweet for my liking – amazing what a second sniff can do!)

So, I decided to pay with plastic. Or at least I did until the machine refused my card. I was mortified, as I knew that I had been paid, and had plenty of money in my account. But, it was only a short walk to the bank, so I was quite happy to pay in cash, and go to the cashpoint to replace what I had spent.

Just as I was about to leave, another customer tried her card (think it was a different bank to mine) and had the same result. It then dawned on me that it may be linked to the same issue that Clinton cards were having with their card reader. So, that put my mind at rest, and allowed me to continue my wanderings.

I was somewhat surprised when I realised that one shop that had been in Stratford for years (I bought a Beswick Thelwell there many years ago) had closed, leaving a rather forlorn looking empty shop.

There were plenty of people in fancy dress, and I was trying to work out what was going on… It turned out that there was a parade to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday the first Saturday after the 23rd of April – which was Friday. Hence the reason for the town centre being closed off and people walking about in fancy dress.

The first part of the parade wasn’t too bad – it was the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers. Now normally I wouldn’t object, but it sounded like they were playing Colonel Bogey!

The parade itself I didn’t stick around for – I was getting fed up with people bumping into me with their huge backpacks and cameras (and generally getting in my way!)

So, it was time to fight my way back though the hoards (most of whom seemed to have no manners at all) and get back to the bus stop. As I approached, I saw the bus departing, meaning that I had to wait for the next one (which was practically empty, apart from one other passenger who was intent on grumping about practically everything that the town council had or hadn’t done.)

As I’d got time to kill, I decided to take the scenic route to Banbury, and took the car down some very nice country roads (which have stupid 50mph speed limits on them!)

I got to the Green Man (where I’d arranged to meet my beloved) and he arrived shortly after I did (ok – about 2 min after me!) I decided to treat him to a pint, as it had been a bit of a rough week for him and I was determined to help him relax.

We sat in the sunshine talking about the things that mattered to the pair of us, and as he wanted to go to Silverstone Harley Davidson, I said that I would drive to give him a break, as he was suffering from eye strain (staring at a computer screen too long!)

The trip was quite good, and I managed to get a teddy bear (Ok – it’s a polar bear with a black and white Santa hat on saying Harley Holidays, and it’s holding a candy cane)


I also got a bright (and I mean bright) yellow T-shirt with the words See Me Now (Ok - the one in the picture is orange...)




We headed back to the Green Man, and sat talking about the various bits and pieces, and tried to decide where to go for dinner. We ended up going to the diner just off the A43 – Buddies.

As it was my treat, my beloved decided to have the foot long hot dog. Me? I opted for the Tennessee Chicken, which suited me down to the ground. When the food arrived, I was amazed at the size of the hot dog, and began to wonder if my beloved had bitten off more than he could chew…

I needn’t have worried. He managed to finish it off, and looked like a contented man, albeit a rather stuffed one.

We parted on really good terms as per normal, as he was falling asleep (I'm not surprised after that hot dog!) and made me promise that I would let him know that I was home ok. I got a really good run home, and was back just before 21:30…

Sunday was a different kettle of fish altogether. Gianni (my vet) had managed to find a couple of horses that he thought I might be interested in. I will admit that I wasn’t too keen on the idea, bit was of the opinion “what the hell” and decided to go along with him and Mum.

It was a disaster. I didn’t click with either of the horses (in fact the one little b’stard tried to take a lump out of me) and the breeder? Well, he left an awful lot to be desired, and it resulted in me telling him where he could go and shove himself for all I cared.

On the way back (after we’d stopped for a really nice lunch at a pub en-route – can’t recall the name for the life of me) I managed to get the agreement from both Gianni and Mum that they would leave the search for a while, as all it was doing was upsetting me and causing more hassle than it was really worth.

If I get my way, I’ll start looking sometime in the New Year – that way, well meaning people will take the hint and leave me the hell alone. I know that they mean well, and I do appreciate the time and effort that has been put into the search, but it really isn’t doing me any favours.

Trying to explain to people that I will know when the horse is right for me isn’t easy, but as my beloved said, I would know when I had found the perfect horse. And I get the feeling that it may involve me going back to Norfolk…

Ah well, I guess that I should call this quits – I'm supposed to be working, not blogging.

Back tomorrow, if I get the chance….

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Fire up the mower – it’s time to annoy the neighbours

Well, it was the first mowing of the season yesterday. And much to my amazement (and Mum’s) the mower started first time. It’s a bit of a beast (it’s got a 21 inch cutting deck) and can almost drag me off my feet.

Mum hates it – she maintains that it always refuses to start for her, whereas I get on with it really well – even if it can be a pain to manoeuvre at times. But, despite that, it does a really good job on the grass – and made cutting the lawn painless - just annoying for the neighbours as I had to restart the mower several times, mainly because I needed to empty the grass box, and I couldn’t keep the mower running whilst I did so.

Aside from that, it was good to be out in the garden, and I didn’t wheeze too badly. But this could have been due to the fact that I was wearing a fume mask to keep out the nasty pollen. I must have looked a right idiot, but as it worked, I really didn’t care.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’m supposed to be working.

Back later if I get the chance…

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Trying to get back in the saddle, and other issues...

Well this weekend has been somewhat of a surprise. I went down to Milton Keynes with Mum on Saturday, and as per normal, started the trip in Marks & Spencer. Mum had seen a pair of trousers that she was quite taken with, and was looking for them. Now normally, this is a recipe for disaster, as very often the store hasn’t got the size that she is looking for, or if the size is available, it’s a revolting colour that Mum won’t wear.

But the shopping gods must have been smiling on us, as Mum not only got the trousers that she’d been looking at, but a pair of jeans as well. This is almost unheard of for Mum – it’s normally me that manages things like that.

So, it was then on to another store, and another success for Mum – she manage to get a really pretty t-shirt, and it didn’t cost a fortune! After that, it was just a case of wandering around, as there were only a couple of places that I wanted to go to – one was John Lewis (I’m still trying to find the perfume by Balmain – Ambergris).

Now I would have thought that John Lewis would have been the sort of store to stock the more “unusual” fragrances, as it prides itself on being slightly more above the herd that places like Debenhams.

I was less than impressed when I got a glazed look in response to my enquiry about Ambergris (the one guy didn’t even know who Balmain was), and was told that “we have lots of other nice perfumes available.” That’s fine if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but if you’re looking for a specific perfume, don’t tell someone about something totally different!

So, muttering darkly about the lack of common sense that was displayed, it was then off to our usual coffee stop – Costa Coffee in Waterstones. Again, Waterstones was something of a let down for Mum – she was looking for the Nick Ferrari book - The World and London According to Nick Ferrari. Me? I was looking for holiday reading (Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel being one of the titles I was looking for.)

Unfortunately, Waterstones let the pair of down, simply because Wolf Hall was on three for two (not a problem there), but there were no other books that I wanted to get as well as Wolf Hall.

Then, we decided to call it quits, as Mum was starting to get tired (and her back was pulling) and headed to the supermarket. Now this was more successful than Waterstones, as I managed to get Wolf Hall and a two in one by Kathy Reichs – both of which will be going on holiday with me.

Now onto today. Since I lost my beloved horse, Heart of Flame, my friends have been doing their bit to make me smile, and more to the point, encourage me to go and look for another horse. This has been something I have been reluctant to do, as I am still tying to come to terms with Flame’s untimely death. However, this was a deal that was done between Rachel and Mum, the idea being that if they sprung it on me, I couldn’t wriggle out.

Needless to say, the first I knew of this was when Rachel called me on Friday night, asking me if I’d still got my body armour and hat. I said that I had, and she left it at that, sot saying anymore until the end of the call when she dropped her little bomb on me. She’d arranged for me to go and see a two year-old thoroughbred, who was the sister of her horse, Tequila Sunrise.

I will admit to being speechless (and missed the chance to try and escape from this commitment).

So, this morning, I found myself in the back of Rachel’s car, heading to the wilds of Worcestershire, with my riding hat, body armour & riding boots in the boot of the car, as I didn’t know what to expect.

We arrived at this ordinary looking house (I honestly don’t know what I was expecting – a mansion I think!) and were greeted warmly by the breeder. He was a typical country gent, complete with the battered green Barbour coat, corduroy trousers, green wellington boots and this was capped off by a battered flat cap of indeterminate colour.

I looked over the paddocks, and there were quite a few young horses grazing, but one that really caught my eye. She was a black filly, and just seemed to have something about her that just seemed to speak to me...

She came bounding over (a bit like an over enthusiastic kid) and stood patiently whilst I made a fuss of her. I turned my back, and she wandered off to graze. Whilst we were talking, I felt this warm breath on my neck, and the little filly had come over to see me, and was resting her head on my shoulder!

I gave her a gentle (if absent minded) scratch, and was rewarded with horse dribble on my shoulder. I haven’t bought her (yet) because I am waiting for my vet to go and check her over – he may well pick up on something that I miss, meaning that I will have needless vets’ bills and heartache in the future.

Ah well, I guess I should call this quits – I need to get some bits and pieces sorted out before I return to the playpen.

Back tomorrow if I get the chance…

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Back from Chester

Well, I’m back home, and as I type this, I am struggling to keep my eyes open. Why? Because I drove back from Chester this afternoon, (ok, it’s only 105 miles, but it seems a heck of a lot further!) and I didn’t sleep very well last night. Ok – Friday night I crashed out – but that was because I’d been on the go since 06:00 Friday morning, and I’d spent about four hours walking around Cheshire Oaks Shopping Outlet.

Friday wasn’t too bad – I expected to get drenched (at least that was the weather forecast) and so Mum and I spent the time dodging into various stores. Our first proper stop was the Marks &Spencer outlet where I managed to get some bits and pieces, and discovered the reason why I’d not seen the stock in the “regular” M&S stores. It turns out that they (M&S) have some stock specially made for the outlet stores, meaning that if you want a particular item in a certain pattern / colour, then you have to travel to one of these dratted outlet stores, which is a bit of a pain, as the nearest shop that I know of is in Mansfield.

Aside from that, Cheshire Oaks was quite good for me (yes – I visited the Cadbury’s Shop again) and also managed to get a couple of bits from La Senza, for less than the price of one item. But the real achievement for me was being able to get some Revlon eye shadow for £3.00. Now I know people will be thinking that this must have been an old colour, hence the reason for it being so cheap. Well, as this shop was a Revlon group outlet, it meant that it was current stock. So I was more than happy to get that, especially as it is £7.99 on the high street.

Then it was to our overnight stopping point – the Premier Inn attached to the Twirl of Hay (think it’s listed as Chester south-east). I know I was not impressed with this restaurant/ bar the last time I visited Chester, but this time, things seemed to be a lot better. The menu seemed slightly better and I don’t know if it was my imagination, but the seating seemed more spacious. But this could have been due to the change of table shape – round instead of square, meaning that there was more space for diners.

After dinner, it was a case of heading back to the room (which was comfortable and clean – what I’ve come to expect from the Premier Inns whenever I’ve stayed at them) and sorting out the plans for the following day.

As per normal, Mum and I went to breakfast at 08:00, with the idea being that we would get the bits from the room that we wanted (things like my camera and my car keys) after breakfast. Breakfast itself was good – the staff couldn’t do enough to help Mum and myself. However, the family from Hell shattered our peace. Ok – let me be more specific. The mother from Hell.

They weren’t sitting on the table next to us originally, but the selfish cow decided to move them to the table next to us, and then proceeded to spend the next 30 + minutes berating her youngest child. I felt sorry for the poor little mite – she (the mother) was nagging her to eat the apple from the fruit salad. I could fully sympathise with the child – the apple was tasteless, and sour – and if I thought that, then God alone knows what that poor kid thought. Then she started berating the child for not drinking her milk – the child wanted to drink water. Ok – I can understand if the kid had been demanding Coca-Cola, but I couldn’t see what the problem was, as the kid had a bowl of cereal with milk already.

Needless to say, Mum and I didn’t linger over breakfast – more because we had plans to get into Chester than the family on the table next to us (but they didn’t really help). Once we’d got the bits from our room (ok – make that once I’d got the bits from our room – I wanted my camera and other bits that went with it) we then headed for the Park & Ride (think it’s the Broughton one).

We got into Chester, and I started taking photographs. The first one was the clock on the city wall (think it’s East gate) as I’ve always been fascinated by this imposing clock (and it’s one of the things that really sticks in my mind about Chester)



It was just a case of wandering around, and seeing what was what. I will say one thing about Chester – it’s not somewhere that I would make a specific shopping trip, as there are very few chain stores – but that’s not something that I am too unhappy about, as it makes for a more interesting trip. Again, I went to the Royal Perfumery, and admittedly I didn’t find the perfume that I was looking for this time (it’s the “new” Balmain perfume – Ambergris (according to the very helpful young lady in the store, it was launched in 2008.)

We then had a walk around and as it was getting towards lunch time, we decided to find somewhere for lunch. Again, we found a really good pub – the Victoria, which is located on Watergate Row North.

Apparently, this is the oldest pub in Chester (I only know this because I bought a postcard showing the historic pubs in Chester – it’s listed as the Chester heritage pub crawl – but apparently most of the pubs on this postcard are now closed). Despite this, the food was really good, as was the service and Mum and I really enjoyed the peace and quiet – not to mention the sit down.

After lunch, we started exploring again, and we came across a fascinating shop – the Cartoon Gallery, which is located on Watergate Row South (see The Cartoon Gallery Ltd) There were several prints that had me giggling, and both Mum and I agreed that we wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face if we worked there.


After that, we headed towards the Cathedral (I’d been promising myself that I would go this time, hence the reason for the camera being with me). Mum didn’t fancy walking around with me, and we agreed that I would meet her at a coffee shop nearby, and off I went.


The Cathedral charges an admission of £5.00, this is to help maintain the building, as well as provide funds for the heating and lighting of the building. As I walked in, I heard people complaining about this charge, and to be honest, I couldn’t see the issue with it, as Coventry Cathedral does the same thing.

The first thing that I noticed as I entered the Cathedral, was the stained glass panels on the left hand side.




Then, going through the doors into the main body of the Cathedral, there were the most amazing mosaic panels, depicting figures from the Old Testament.




The rest of the Cathederal was something special, and I think that the best thing I can do is let the photographs do the talking (I’ll try to put some details where I can)



This picture was painted on caterpiller silk!








After I’d been around the Cathederal, I went to join Mum, and head back to the park and ride bus stop. Or at least that was the plan… I’d been after a couple of bits in my favourite store (Lush) and as it was en-route, I said that I would stop in there to get the bits that I wanted.

The staff were real stars, and I managed to get everything that I’d wanted, (including the new serum bar, Saving Face) and met several people that I’d been chatting to on the Lush Forum, and even found out some information on why one of my favourite products was being discontinued.

It was then time to get the park and ride bus back. This was like a rugby scrum (without the discipline) but me being a very cheeky brat managed to get a seat for Mum, as she was really suffering with her back (think she managed to sleep awkwardly on Friday night), so that meant that she was able to sit down for the short trip back to the park and ride.

We got back to the car, and as today is Easter Sunday, I thought it was advisable to refuel the car, as I wasn’t sure if the petrol station at Sainsbury’s was going to be open today (as it turned out, it was, but it would have been just my luck for it to have been closed).

I have to admit, I was really pleased, as the car took just under 15 litres of petrol, meaning that I’d got a range on the fuel tank of over 440miles! Not bad for a 1.6 120bph automatic…

Saturday night wasn’t too bad, apart from the inconsiderate idiots in the Premier Inn (but that was nothing that the staff could assist with – short of banging on doors at 08:00 this morning.)

There was one plus side though this morning – the family from hell were no-where near us, and the lad who served us was horrified as apparently, kids are not allowed in the area where Mum and I had chosen to sit.

After breakfast, we headed back to the room, and as the Malaysian Grand Prix started at 09:00, I was able to watch the race from start to finish, and then get the little bit of packing done and we were able to get on the road back home.

As it is Easter Sunday, we weren’t sure if there would be anything open en-route, due to the Sunday trading laws. However, we were lucky as the antiques centre near Bridgemere Garden World was open (we think that they got around the rules because it was individuals trading under one roof, so it wasn’t one large shop (or barn) that was being used).

It was really busy, and both Mum and I were of the opinion that people were so used to being able to go shopping on a Sunday, that they were desperate for something to do, hence the reason why there were so many people there.

Ah well, I guess I should call this quits – I’ve got stuff to do, including sorting the car out (I’m out of screen wash!)

Back when I get the chance…


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

The weekend, and other rants

I apologise now – this post will be full of ranting, as quite a few things riled me over this weekend (and on the way into work if I’m honest!)

The weekend started ok – Mum and I headed for Milton Keynes (we had been planning to go to the Peak Shopping village, but as the weather was rotten, we decided against that option) we got parked, again, no problems and started shopping.

Mum was looking for a lightweight jacket, something slightly heavier than her rain coat and lighter than her fleece. Now you would have thought that it would have been an easy job. Not a chance. The coats that were available were either revolting colours (bright orange, anyone?) or had a hood on them (I think Mum’s comment was along the lines of “I’m not looking like a bloody pixy!”)

Aside from that, it wasn’t too bad until we got to Waterstones. Now I’m a great bookworm (I read most things within reason – just not Mills & Boon or anything by Barbara Cartland – I draw the line there!) and was starting the hunt for holiday reading. I know I’ve got three months, but the sooner I start, the better.

So, I was able to find the one book I was really interested in – Wolf Hall – on the Waterstones 3 for 2 offer… Could I find any others? Could I hell. So it wasn’t worth me getting the one book (think it’s about £7.99) without getting something else to go with it.

Then it was into Lush. As per normal, the staff in there were superstars, and were only too happy to reassure me about the “disappearance” of one my favourite products – Heavenly Bodies (it’s a divine chocolate smelling soft soap, that works miracles on my skin in the shower).

So, it was then into Debenhams. Which was like a rugby scrum (ok – a scrum without the discipline) and sales people (whom I am guessing are on commission) squirting revolting perfumes into the air. And people wonder why I dislike going in there?

Needless to say, it wasn’t very good, and I wasn’t too impressed with the stock that I saw. It was either very expensive (things that were priced £59 and above, when they looked worth about £9) or it was totally impractical.

So, we headed back to the car, and went food shopping. Not bad, but the Tesco was a bit of a mess layout wise (in my opinion anyway) but the cider was on offer (as the prices have risen 10% above inflation as of midnight last night) it was worth me buying some!

Sunday wasn’t too bad (apart from the fact that we moved onto BST – meaning I lost an hour in bed!) – I watched the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, before heading out to Evesham.

As Mum had somehow managed to pull a muscle in her back, I drove. Now normally, this isn’t a problem. The problem arose when I got onto the single carriageway. Simply because there was a cycle race in progress. I mean, what idiot allows a cycle race on a major road? Ok – I admit it was a Sunday, but the A46 is not a pleasant road, simply because of the amount of heavy goods vehicles that use it.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the damned race then went down the duel carriageway (which has a speed limit of 70mph) towards Evesham, and they (the cyclists) were so intent on their damned racing, that they were taking no notice of any other traffic around them – including cars that wanted to turn at an island that they were using as their personal bend, to sling them back up the other side of the carriageway towards Stratford-Upon-Avon.

I muttered several things about the parentage of the idiot that allowed the road to be used for this race, and said that I would be amazed if someone wasn’t seriously hurt. Well, one of these days, I’ll listen to my instincts… Whilst I was in the garden centre, I heard a helicopter, very fast and very low. When I came out of the garden centre, I looked across towards the A46… And saw the Midlands Air Ambulance hovering, looking for a place to land.

So, as I went to exit onto the island that the cyclists had been merrily whizzing around (totally oblivious to the traffic around them) I saw that the police had blocked the northbound (the one heading towards Stratford) and were just moving the cones to allow a fast response paramedic access to the road.

I guess that one (or possibly more) had encountered some traffic, with nasty results. Don’t get me wrong, I know that in a collision, a cyclist will inevitably come off worst, but these cyclists were the type that I call Lycra Louts – the ones that are totally single minded about their race, and be damned to anything (or anyone) that uses the same piece of road.

So that meant that I had to use an alternative route home. Not a problem as I find the A46 boring (not to mention bad for the fuel economy on the car and equally bad for my driving licence!) The road wasn’t too bad, and I guessed that the police were sending people back to the motorway, if they wanted to get to Stratford. However, those of us with local knowledge used to old road and avoided the massive detour the accident had forced onto the traffic.

Now onto today’s rant. As I was heading into work, it started to rain. Ok – this is the UK in spring, and you accept things like this. I was always told that you used dipped headlights, to allow other road users to see you. I ended up losing count of the number of people that had either no light on at all, or pea bulbs that masquerade as sidelights.

Add into that, you had the “I’ve got 5 mins to get to work” brigade, and driving is not fun, especially when you seem to spend more time watching your rear-view mirror, trying to make sure that the prat behind you doesn’t rear-end you because it’s too damned close to stop!

Ah well, enough ranting for now – I guess I should think about doing some w*rk, but I’ve got severe TNFI, and it’s only Monday… But I guess this could be something to do with the fact that I’m only w*rking (or should that be attending) 3 ½ days this week, due to Easter and me having Thursday afternoon off…

Back later, if I get the chance.


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

Trying to get back to normal…

And I failed. Miserably. I’d promised my God-Daughter (Amber) and her sister (Elian) that I would take them down to Milton Keynes to do some shopping – Ok – to allow them to get their Mum (Carole) a Mother’s Day present. The reason that they asked me, was because it was easier if I was with them, as every time they went shopping, Carole was with them.

Ok – I can sympathise with that – I used to have the same trouble as a kid (but Dad used to be a real help to me – he would keep Mum out of the way whilst I got the card!)

So, despite the fact that I was still in shock after the death of my beloved horse, I went to pick the pair of them up at the ungodly hour of 07:15 yesterday morning. Mum was with me, and we got the child seats into the back of my car, and the four of us headed to Milton Keynes.

We arrived ok, and the first stop was Marks and Spencer. Mum had given up trying to find a wrap, but Amber (bless the little monster) had spotted one, and pointed it out to Mum for me. Result? Mum bought it and a couple of lightweight jerseys that Elian had found for her.

So, that meant that I had to head back to the car with the shopping, as I didn’t want to be loaded down with shopping, as well as trying to keep an eye on the girls and making sure that Mum was ok.

I didn’t object, as that gave me a few minutes peace and quiet to call my beloved, and let him know that I was reasonably ok, and that I would see him later. I put the bits and pieces in the boot of the car, and re-joined Mum and the little monsters.

We stopped in a couple of shops, and by this time, Amber and Elian were starting to get hungry, and kept asking if we were stopping for breakfast. That was the idea, as Mum was getting tired and could do with a break.

After breakfast, I went into Boots to try and get my prescriptions sorted out (one for my asthma inhaler, and the other for my epi-pen). That caused fun and games, as there had been a flood (or so I was told) meaning that I couldn’t get the epi-pen sorted out.

Amber was disgusted, and walked back to Mum, loudly announcing that “Boots are useless – they can’t even sort out Auntie Karen’s prescription.” That made me grin, and I told Mum the reason that I had been given, and that I would try my luck at Superdrug, which also had a dispensing pharmacy.

However, none of us realised that there was a problem with part of the precinct in Milton Keynes (I think there was a fire that did some damage to part of the roadway / market area). This meant that we had to back track though TK Maxx and BHS. Fortunately, there were seats where Mum and Amber could perch – Elian decided that it was her turn to make sure that I got my prescription sorted out.

Again – misfortune seemed to strike. The pharmacist was a real gentleman, but was unable to assist as they only had one epi-pen in stock – the reason being the dratted things have such a short shelf life (and only dratted pests like me need them) they tended not to keep more than one in stock.

Ok – I can accept that – I admit I am a dammed nuisance when it comes to my nut allergy – but it’s one of those things that I can’t change. So, it was back on route, and Amber and Elian were determined to go to two places – Waterstones and Lush.

First stop was Waterstones – or more precisely Costa Coffee. Amber was her normal self, and bagged a really good table. Some silly female had the nerve to tell Amber to move, as she wanted the table. Not a wise move, as Amber stood her ground, politely pointed out that she had already taken the table and that she wasn’t going to move, as her Auntie wasn’t going to get knocked sitting at this table.

At this point, Mum arrived with both Elian and me, and Amber proudly called us to the table. Once Mum was seated comfortable, Amber joined her sister and myself in the queue, and made her decision about a drink – which turned out to be a huge hot chocolate. Elian opted for a Sprite, and I got myself an iced vanilla latte, and got Mum a Coke Zero.

Once we’d had a break (and Amber had demolished her hot chocolate) we had a look around Waterstones, and then headed to Lush. Mum elected to wait outside on the seats near by (she finds the smell in the shop over powering, and enjoys watching to see if anyone buys any shoes in the shop next to Lush – to her knowledge, no-one ever has!) So, the three of us went in.

Now Lush has launched a new product – a skin tint that you mix with your favourite moisturiser to make a tinted moisturiser. So, whilst I was getting that sorted out (I had no idea which one I needed – other than I knew it would be a light one – whether it was the light pink or the light yellow I didn’t know) the little monsters were up to something.

The first I knew of it, was when Amber demanded that I opened up the bag that I was carrying, as they had got something that they needed to put in to it. So, I bent down, and was told that they had bought me two bath bombs (Blackberry Bomb) and a bubble bar slice (the Comforter) as they said I needed cheering up.

That was it. I lost it. I couldn’t help it, and the two kids cuddled me and wiped away the tears that had escaped. Amber asked if I was wearing waterproof mascara, as there were no black trails, and smiled when I said I hadn’t bothered with mascara that morning.

I made my purchases (the skin tint was light pink in the end) and I bought a couple of other bits as well as helping Amber and Elian sort out Carole’s Mother’s Day present.

We then headed for home and I dropped off the little monsters (and help them hide Carole’s present with Rachel’s help) and then I headed for home, and spoke to Gianni (my vet) about the results of the post mortem on Flame.

It turned out that Flame had a heart defect that could have killed her at any time. This caused more than a few tears, and I was glad that I had a few hours before I hit the road again to head to the Green Man where I was meeting my beloved.

I got to the Green Man about 17:30, and as I had beaten my beloved there, I sat in the car listening to the England vs. Ireland rugby match from Twickenham. And lost it, as Gianni’s words finally started to sink in. I didn’t even see my beloved pull up along side me in the car park, and the first time I realised that he was there was when I heard him call me.

I left my car (and the rugby match – it was level pegging at that point) and joined him in his car. Which is where I promptly dissolved into tears, again. I didn’t realise just how badly Flame’s death had hit me until then, and how much my beloved’s support really meant to me.

He said that if I ever needed him again, then I was to call, and no matter how often I told him that I was ok, he said he would ignore me and head straight up to see me at home. That just made me cry even more, and I realised that I had found probably the one person in my life that I could truly rely on.

Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one


Don’t get me wrong – my friends and my family have been wonderful to me since my loss, but it’s only really been my beloved who has allowed me to fall apart and not make it seem like he’s standing in judgement on me.

We parted just after 20:00, as I was falling asleep. This is no reflection on my beloved – it’s just that I’ve not been able to sleep the past couple of nights. He made me promise that I would let him know that I was home ok, and that I would drive carefully.

Ok – no problem with that. I decided to head straight for the M40, as this would force me to concentrate on my driving as there were other road users to be aware of (and I stood less chance of encountering a deer and doing some serious damage to my car).

The problem arose when my natural competitive streak appeared whilst I was driving down the A43 to the motorway. I had some little fool in an underpowered Vauxhall Corsa try and out run me (after he’d nearly blinded me with his damned headlights as he overtook me, and then seemed to try to take the nose of the car off when he cut back into the lane in front of me.) Needless to say, I engaged sports mode on the car, and the Peugeot took off like I’d shoved a rocket up the tail pipe.

It took a couple of miles before he realised that he didn’t stand a chance against me, and dropped back rather rapidly. Mind you – I’m not really surprised – the car hit about 80mph, and I still had plenty more left to go…

That’s what you get when you try and play with a deceptively powerful car – which mine is. All it says on the back end is 207. That means it could be anything from the 1.4 to the little horror that mine is…

I got home about 21:20, and sent a message to my beloved to let him know that I was home ok, as I had promised him that I would do so. I knew that he’d been worried about me driving, so I did my best to put his mind at rest.

As for today? Well, it’s been a quiet day – I went into Leamington to pick up my new contact lenses, and just have a quiet wander around. It was quite good in its way – I managed to get two films on DVD that I’d been looking for – one was Snakes on a Plane (yes, I’ve finally bought it!) and the other was Snake Eyes, with Nicholas Cage and Gary Sinese.

I’ve tried to watch it (Snake Eyes) several times, but it’s always been on at some daft time at night, and I’ve usually fallen asleep with the TV on. So, this time, I’m hoping that I’m going to be able to watch it without falling asleep.

Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I want to grab a bath before diner.

Back tomorrow, if I get the chance.

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

“Jail Break” (Or Getting Mum out of the fleapit)

Well, as I type this, Mum is at home, and out of that fleapit of a hospital. The discharge process was a farce, and to be honest, I am glad to have Mum back home. Don’t get me wrong – I know she needed the operation, and am glad that it has been done, but the standards were…. Scarily lax.

The gel dispenser that I’d reported being empty yesterday was still empty, and I walked in with one of the office minions that seemed to be based on the ward. She walked straight in to her office, ignoring the notices about using this gel, even though the damned dispenser was on the wall by the door of the office!

If you needed a wheelchair to get a patient out, there were none available on the ward, and it was a case of “go find one yourself”. I did – and I was lucky, because there were only three left!

Thankfully, I was able to park in the drop off area, and go and wheel Mum out to the car (she managed to get in with relative ease – could be something to do with all the practise that she has had!)

Now all we have to do is make sure that the district nurse turns up tomorrow, as Mum needs to have the dressing on her wounds changed daily – but if I'm honest, I don’t hold out much hope…

Guess I should call this quits – I need to get some sleep.

Back when I get the chance…


Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most