Sunday 29 April 2012

Classy Sunday lunch

Was minding my own business on this wet and cold Sunday morning while Darren was wheeling and dealing on eBay.
He had got in touch with some guy in Essex about a bike and if he wanted it we had to dash down there with cash as he is leaving the country tomorrow!!
Stopped for lunch at Newport Pagnall Burger King and here is Darren enjoying the view and his dinner.
I really can't recommend NP as a lunching destination. It was freezing cold, quite dirty and rundown and we had to walk across the drafty bridge to get to BK as all they had on our side was KFC, which I can't stand.
Collected the bike and just got home after a nine hour roundtrip.  Not sure if it was a good buy or not yet!

Friday 27 April 2012

What a nana!

Went to Arnold tonight to celebrate Linda leaving the Halifax after 35 ish years! (I only managed 18.)
Darren and I had only just bought a drink  and was chatting to Linda at the bar when Daz realised his phone had been stolen out of his jacket pocket.
He had to dash home to cancel it, while I phoned and left an abusive message for the thief, telling him there was a tracker on the phone and I knew where he was and would be coming to get him.
It must have done the trick as when Darren arrived home he found that someone had got there before him and put the phone on charge.
Linda was really worried about him, more than I was, and was so relieved when she heard all was well.
Here she is with Janet in a rather poor photo as the flash wouldn't fire.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Team Jamaica - flowery makeover part one

I have been quite jealous of Darren lately as he has been chopping and changing bits on his bike and I feel like joining in.
I always thought a plain black bike was a bit boring, so a few years ago I half heartedly customised mine with some green and yellow electrical tape and called it 'team Jamaica' in honour of Usain Bolt.
Today I have completed stage one of my latest plan and have bought some plastic flowers, which handily have bendy wire stems, and have attached them to my basket.
I need to do some speed and bump tests to make sure the flowers stay put, but at least they are waterproof.
I am waiting for stage two to arrive in the post.
Daz and I have entered a Peak Challenge 47 mile race next month with some of his fit mates from work and I am hoping to sprint past them at the finish!

Sunday 22 April 2012

Our next home?

Just trying our latest home out for size.
It's a bit on the compact side, but it fits in the bike panniers so is suitably mobile.
Would really have loved to have gone somewhere with it this weekend, but the weather was too dodgy, and fortunately, we still have a real home to live in.
Also we only have one sleeping bag so it would have been just too cosy.

Saturday 21 April 2012

St George was busy today

Ran slowly round the 5k parkrun course this morning with Ellie after a few weeks absence due to overdoing it last time and getting injured.
Got overtaken by a Lycra clad St George, although there was no sign of a dragon, or his horse.
Walked round to The Trip to Jerusalem pub this afternoon and came across him again, this time in a much more generous outfit. And, as I overheard someone say 'sitting on his bobbo'.

Friday 20 April 2012

Congratulations Gillian!

Well done Gillian - you are the winner of the competition to guess where we will be moving next! In fact you were the only entrant and you must have spent ages  thinking of an original answer, but your home town is as good a guess as any other.
Had a little bit of a setback today as we were planning on moving to our house behind Broadmarsh Centre if our sale goes through quickly, but the tenant is not now moving out.
Slightly concerned we could be homeless, but no need to panic yet.
Must just mention the endless rain this week as it's doing wonders for the garden.
See you for that drink soon Gillian.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Paperwork panic

Tax return arrived in the post last Friday and for the first time ever I opened the envelope before about the middle of August.
In fact, I am pleased to announce the following - tax return - tick.
That's tick as in completed, not as in tock.
This could also be the most boring blog ever, but then we move on to the missing paperwork that's needed for the house sale by our solicitor.
I was shocked to find it wasn't in the file where it was supposed to be so I had a complete panic as it is almost irreplaceable. Was just gearing up to rip the house apart in a frantic search when I found it, sitting quietly on a shelf in the spare bedroom, just minding it's own business.
No more admin related posts in future - I promise.

Sunday 15 April 2012

Declan's Christening

Little Declan had his christening today at St Stephens Church in Sneinton.
There was some confusion as apparently it is Catholic one week and Church of England the next.
No one seemed really sure which week it was and the priest/vicar said 'Catholic' during the service, but Hayley told me 'Church of England.'
We had been warned if it was Catholic it could be a really long service, but it was actually a speedy 15 minutes.
Hayley looked lovely and summery in a pale blue frock even though it was a freezing day, and Declan looked dapper in a matching waistcoat and tie.
Nice do afterwards in the pub and Jay's family made us really welcome.


Thursday 12 April 2012

FW: Wot no thunderstorm?








About an hour ago there was a huge thunder crash and as my mum would say 'it's looking black over Bills mothers'.
To be really accurate, it was looking black over our friend Peters house, and we never knew who Bill was anyway, never mind his mum.
Ran around getting all the washing in, but no rain.
Oh well, that's April for you.


Wednesday 11 April 2012

Virtual house hunting

Hypothetically, if our flat sale goes through, then where should we move to next?
Can't remember what life was like without rightmove, googlemaps and streetview.
How about the top floor flat of a castle in Oxford, or what about a large cupboard in central London?
Want to get to Bath eventually, but what about one last detour on the way there.
Answers on a postcard, or maybe as a Comment.
The nearest correct answer wins a share of a bottle of wine in the new location!

Sunday 8 April 2012

Ministry of Silly Walks

New favourite uncle Darren on the way to the restaurant with Sky and Mia.
For some reason they couldn't just walk there, they had to run most of the way and also have a competition to see who could take the biggest steps.
Fortunately, the girls are only four and five so they aren't taller than Daz yet, and he just pipped them to it.
They are also pretty good at hopping, star jumps and forward rolls!

Saturday 7 April 2012

Wedding anniversary

14 glorious years today - spent a lovely evening with Susan and Paul in Oxford.
Tried to make up for missing Orange Wednesday by doing Saturday Cinema. Watched Le Havre which was an unusual French language film that ended very unexpectedly.
We were surprised to be suddenly out on the pavement, and then went straight for dinner at a French bistro where we were served by a waiter with a strong French accent.
It happened so quickly it almost felt as if the film had come to life and we were now part of it. Quite surreal.
Nice meal in a fancy part of Oxford and then sat on the front row of the top deck of the bus on the way home.

Friday 6 April 2012

Wot no greenhouse

Managed to dismantle the greenhouse in three hours, which is much quicker than it went up.
Actually Darren did most of the work and I mainly got in his way, but it was teamwork - sort of.
Btw - Orange Wednesday was a washout this week as we spent too much time eating pizza and arrived at the cinema casually cutting it fine, only to find there was one seat left.

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Snow on the greenhouse roof

I have cunningly combined two potentially boring subjects, possibly to make one stunningly dull blog today.
However, I like my greenhouse and it has never featured before.
Also, the weather has changed amazingly in just one week - that's England for you - but you can't tell its snowing as it has hardly settled and the camera hasn't picked up the flakes.
We are dismantling the greenhouse over Easter and it is going into storage while we decide where to live, so I won't be growing weird coloured tomatoes and peppers in it this year.

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Next Halifax reunion

"Please come out tonight or you will miss some very exciting news" texted Mandy last week.
What could it be? A baby, or early retirement, or a lottery win???
No, it was the chance to see Jayne who had come over from New Zealand.
Took some photos and she is in the middle of the first one.
Great to see you Jayne, and of course all of the other regulars. xx

Sunday 1 April 2012

Chips, chips, chips and chips

Margs and Dave have just left after a lovely weekend, but we managed to feed them chips at home (with fish) Friday night, chips with a burger Sat lunch, chips on the squash club bar Sat night and me and Daz had lamb burger with chips for Sunday lunch.  They both showed a bit of restraint and had a roast dinner instead.
Just left the pub and found a very apt advertising hoarding.