Winter Wonderland

Once again this week I have found myself with a reluctance to blog mainly because I haven’t had much newsworthy blog material but I figured seeing as I will be closing this blog off at the end of the month I may as well have a stab.  So here goes.  I went to the gym on Monday morning and then went shopping at the centre in the afternoon.  It was manic which is only to be expected at this time of year.  I still haven’t finished my Christmas shopping so I will be battling the crowds again this week. Hey ho.

I was back at the gym once again on Tuesday morning after going to get fruit at the outdoor market.  Lunch was leftovers and then Rachel, Harriet’s friend, came round to do my hair.  Phil took himself out of the way with various errands that he needed to run.  Rachel did me 2 colours with foil meshes, one blonde and one dark.  She didn’t take much off because I am trying to grow out my basin style cut.  My hair looked better when Rachel had done with me although I think it is going to take a while to grow the length.

The severe frost nearly took my breath away on Wednesday morning and it was such a shame because I was driving down to Suffolk to see step dads partner Marie.  While step dad has been sunning himself in La Manga, Marie has been project managing a kitchen refurbishment in their park home.  I wanted to see the new kitchen and I also wanted to give Marie her Christmas pressie.   I asked Sue if she wanted to come with me as I knew Kay was back from La Manga.  Sue made time in her busy schedule and I got to her house in Newport just before 9am.  I don’t know whether it was because of the frost, but the M1 was static southbound and Newport was clogged up.  We decided to have a quick cuppa to let the rush hour die down before setting off.  I decided to go through Cranfield on the back roads so as to avoid the M1.  I am not sure this was the wisest move because I had to take it slow but at least we weren’t held up and got on the dual carriage way at Moulsoe.

It was a pretty drive to Suffolk as it was so cold the ice hadn’t melted, very picturesque. The A428 was fine and we got to Marie’s house just after half eleven.  I think Marie is pretty knackered after all the upheaval but the new kitchen is looking great.  The space looks twice as big and the revamp has opened up the lounge.  I especially liked her black one and a half bowl sink and mixer tap.  If it were me though I would have probably sorted out the ceiling, walls and flooring before fitting new units but I am sure Marie will have these sorted soon.  I think step dad will have a nice surprise when he gets back from Spain in March.

The original plan was that we would meet Kay at the pub for lunch but Marie was expecting an electrician so she had to stay in.  She made a buffet lunch with hot sausage rolls, sandwiches and mince pies which we had when Kay turned up.   Kay flew back from La Manga on Saturday evening so she could go to her son’s nativity play.  She was also back to take him on a day trip to Lapland.  It was nice to catch up with her and especially for Sue to hear all the La Manga gossip.   I wasn’t too sure what time we would leave but I was worried about driving the entire journey back in the dark and I knew it would be busy at the turn off for Cambridge.  I guess it was about half three by the time we said our goodbyes.

The road was busy and it took 2 and half hours to get home.  Unsure what time we’d get back on Wednesday evening we hadn’t made any firm plans for supper.  In the end we went and got a Chinese takeaway.  Once back at Sue’s, the music was put on, the wine was opened and it was the usual Wednesday night drunken debauchery.  I got a taxi back and was really glad I didn’t have to get up at half past six on Thursday morning like Sue did.  Rather her than me I thought and actually I had a lie in.  I didn’t feel like the gym but instead I persuaded Phil to come with me to the new Primark.  What a mistake this turned out to be as the whole of Milton Keynes had the same idea.  We parked at the Doubletree car-park and walked across.  Phil went upstairs to look at the men’s clothing and I picked up a few things on the ground floor.  However when I saw the length of the queue at the tills, I put it all back.

Lunch on Thursday was at the carvery at Shenley Church End.  Normally we really enjoy the roast dinner here but it wasn’t up to scratch.  Undercooked vegetables and hard potatoes.  Never mind at least it saved cooking. It was a foul day on Friday and when I opened up to the blinds to see the rain I decided against going to the gym.  I did however pop up to the city centre to get some toiletries from Superdrug and a couple of bits from John Lewis.  When I got back to the flat, I had a shower and got ready and we drove to Newport to pick up Sue and Brian.

I saw a Groupon voucher for a 2 course meal for £24.99 at Cameron’s Brasserie in Stony Stratford.  Sue saw it to so we both brought a voucher and arranged a lunch date for last Friday.  The attraction for Cameron’s, aside from the price, was the fact that the chef was one of the finalists from Masterchef.  We all opted for a starter followed by a main.  Phil & Brian had the terrain of pheasant and Sue & I went for the soup. 

The restaurant itself didn‘t have very much ambience; Sue said it felt like a barn conversion but to me it had the feel of a garden centre café.  We were sat by the back door and experienced a cold draught every time a guest came in.  The worst was that it was so noisy that we couldn’t hear each other talk.  The wine was expensive but this is not uncommon and I did think that perhaps we wouldn’t have ordered a second bottle of Chilean Merlot if we didn’t have to wait an hour for the main course to be served.  Sue chose the fish, I had the turkey and Phil & Brian both had spider steak.  The boy’s food was good, nicely presented and tasty by all accounts.  My turkey which was served inside what looked like a roast potato was dry and Sue didn’t eat much of her main.  We had a nice time but I don’t think any of us will be rushing back.  After Cameron’s we went back to Sue’s for mince pies.

I went to the gym on Saturday for a quickie and when I got back we drove over to Overstone to collect the post.  The plan was to stop off at The Maltings in Stoke Goldington on the way back but it didn’t look like it had opened yet so instead we ended up at The Four Pears in Little Houghton www.thefourpears.com It was a pricey, pretentious pub, a little up its own arse and the service was very slow.    Phil’s first choice of main wasn’t available and my fish didn’t taste right.  On the way home we saw that The Maltings was open so could have we kicked ourselves for not checking first.  Saturday afternoon turned out to be a duvet one, on the sofa watching films.

All in all, our weekend was a gentle one. On Sunday I went to the gym leaving Phil working on GAD paperwork and when I got back I cooked roast pork for lunch.   After the winter wonderland weather on Wednesday it was nice to see some warmer temperatures over the weekend.  We didn’t expect to see Joe the carpenter on Friday mainly due to the rain but he phoned on Saturday to see he hadn’t received the wood yet.  But he is hoping to start work on the steps today.  After a quiet week and an even quieter weekend, I don’t think the steps are going to be straight forward.  I rather think it’s the calm before the storm but I don’t really mind, variety is the spice of life and perhaps I shall have something to blog about.