Spice up your life!

The choice of my lead photograph may seem a little random but all will become clear a little further on, I promise.  As always, it’s not so easy posting a whole weeks’ worth but I’ll give it a go.  Hear goes. Last Monday Phil got up early and drove to Melton to see mum and dad.  He wanted to go early so he could be there when the social services turned up. Phil had made an appointment for a representative to come and fill out the care allowance forms to see if mum and dad were entitled to any money.  We didn’t think they would be entitled because of their savings and sure enough, they didn’t qualify for a bean but if you don’t ask, you don’t get.  It wasn’t a wasted visit because the social services lady thinks they might be entitled to receive incapacity benefit.

I, on the other hand, had a rather indulgent Monday.  I met up with Billy & Harriet at David Lloyd and Harriet & I signed up for a 2 week membership for only 10 quid.  Phil couldn’t believe I was trying out DL again after we fell out with them so spectacularly a few years ago.  But I was curious to see if the club was as nice as I remembered; besides 10 quid is peanuts and I can never resist a bargain.

Once signed up, I did a short stint in the gym.  The layout has changed since I last went and I have to say the gym equipment is not as good as DW.  Sure they have more machines but quantity is not always quality.     I joined Harriet in the pool and Billy had to leave early to go to work.  

After a shower and change, I treated HH to lunch at The Barge.  This turned out to be a bad choice.  I hadn’t been to this pub in ages and I was disappointed.  The menu was not very exciting and the dishes were expensive.  Harriet opted for the Hunters chicken and I was boring and went for the fish and chips.  I have to say my fish was delicious but Harriet’s dish was bland, it didn’t help that it was served with a hair but we couldn’t rule out that it was one of Harriet’s so we didn’t complain.  Harriet & I went our separate ways after lunch and the rest of my day was uneventful.

On Tuesday, I went back to David Lloyd and managed a fairly good workout even and afterwards I donned my cosie and had a rather exhilarating swim in the outside pool.  And that’s the thing that DL has over most clubs in MK, the pools.  The indoor pool is a good size and its fabulous being able to swim outside in the winter months.  I recognised a few of the members and I see there are still a few yummy mummies and the tennis tribe that still go.  I won’t be signing up though; being able to swim a few lengths in the cold weather just doesn’t warrant the inflated membership fee. Nope, it’s DW all the way for me.

We had homemade chilli and rice for lunch and then drove to Overtone, picking up our post from the Manor on the way to the site.  We’ had just gone over the roundabout by the A45 when we witnessed a police chase, it was most exciting; Phil drove very fast trying to catch up behind the police car so we could see the outcome but in the end we lost them.  That’s the first police chase I have witnessed and amazing that it should happen in the leafy lanes of Overstone.

I was surprised to find both caravans in fairly good nick but then I remembered I had given both of them a very thorough clean before we locked them up.  There were no sign of dampness which was good.  I did give both vans a hoover and we had a chat to our neighbours Vikki & Dennis next door.  They are both nice people and have been very helpful to us since we arrived.  Phil wasn’t in the mood to linger at the caravan so we didn’t stay long.

On Wednesday, Phil picked up Steve early, then they picked up the hire van and drove to High Wycombe to pick up a sofa and an armchair that Phil had found on the internet.  They were a real bargain and looked just like the photographs on the web.  Phil took Steve for lunch at the Manor and then they returned the van.  Thanks Steve for giving up your time and of course for your help.  Certainly saved my back!

Actually I would have gone with Phil but I’d already arranged to go to London with Sue.  We’d booked to see Viva Forever and had got a deal which included a room at the Travel Lodge in Covent Garden and tickets at Piccadilly Theatre.  I could say that I don’t know how we decided to book this particular show, but I won’t lie, it was after a Wednesday session with wine and seemed like a good idea at the time!

The train ride down went like clockwork and we got to our Travel Lodge at 2pm.  They wouldn’t let us check in so we decided to have a drink at the bar.  Big mistake.  We ordered two glasses of Merlot with the intention of only having the one each, when the barmen plonked the bottle on the bar and said if you buy 2 glasses you get the whole bottle.  Oh dear.  We hadn’t even finished our first glass when Sue’s mobile went off and it was the care home to say that the hospital had called to say that the CAT scan her dad had had the week before had shown a lump on his shoulder.  This was a biggie because they’d found a shadow on his lung which they were certain was lung cancer and the lump on Bill’s shoulder is most probably the cancer spreading to his bone.  Unfortunately, Sue knows a thing or two about cancer because of Alan and her dad’s confusion suggests the cancer has spread to her dad’s brain.

So sad; we downed the wine, chucked our bags in our room on the second floor and headed to Covent Garden.  Covent Garden was buzzing and I’d quite forgotten how much I liked it. We walked the square, stopping off to look at various stalls and to listen to some of the music.  It was great but we only had an hour and a half before we had to head back for a quick change.  No rest for the wicked because I’d booked a table at Cotes in the West End.  Our meal was good which was just as well, because only haven eaten a pork pie all day, we were starving.

We thought we’d got loads of time to get to the theatre in Piccadilly Circus but not so, we struggled to find the theatre and everybody we asked, kept pointing us in different directions.  

EVENTUALLY we found the theatre, just giving us barely time to have a wee and grab a drink.  

Our seats weren’t great but they weren’t expensive so we couldn’t really complain.  Now, I don’t really know whether to write this next bit because it makes me out (& Sue) to look like fools, but I must be honest.  How niave where we to think that Viva Forever would actually have the real ‘Spice Girl’s in.  Oh no, can’t believe I have just confessed to that.  But what is worse, is that I’d totally got my wires crossed.  I’d read that the person that produced ‘Mama Mia’ also produced ‘Viva Forever’ which is the reason I wanted to see it but for some weird reason, I thought that the show was about the Spice Girl’s raise to fame.  Wrong.  Wrong on so many levels.

Because we were expecting something else, we both totally didn’t get the first half. Instead we spent the first half trying to work out which Spice girl was which.  Talk about missing the plot, we even got told off from a bloke in front for talking.   Talk about messy.  We sat through the second half, sang along with the songs and finished the evening with a drink in ‘The Punch & Judy’ in Covent Garden. Unfortunately the P&J was dead as a dodo. We stayed for the one and then went back to crash at the hotel.

The plan on Thursday morning was to shop till we dropped, but it was raining, we were tired and hung-over so we pigged out on a full English breakfast, read for a bit in the room and then got the tube back to Euston.  We were lucky and caught the Manchester train and were back in MK by lunchtime. Phil picked us up and took Sue back home.  I felt like chilling out when I got back to the flat but no chance because I had to finish off our end-of-year accounts.  A few hours later and they were done, they were surprisingly easy this year which makes me feel like I have missed something.

It was an early start on Friday and we were on the road and on our way to Maidenhead to see Rashmi, our accountant.  The roads weren’t too busy, I suppose because it was half term.  We were early so we sent to the petrol station for a Costa coffee and a sausage bap.  Naughty but nice.  Rashmi was in good spirits and we enjoyed hearing about his recent trip to Goa.  The meeting went well, Rashmi filed our P35 and gave us our P60’s.  No doubt there will be some queries when he actually gets to vet the accounts but we came away happy.

On Friday night we walked to The Ship Ashore in Willen to meet up with Cameron & Pauline and Sue & Brian.  We were there for a meal to celebrate Cameron’s birthday the day before. Aside from the breakfast bap, I hadn’t eaten very much but come dinner and I just wasn’t hungry so I just had some breads, some of Sue’s mushrooms and a cheese board.  It was a nice evening but not late one which was just as well because I had to drive the following day.

I left the flat before 8am on Saturday and got to Melton by half nine only to find Phil’s mum in a real flap.  The carer was there and they hadn’t even had their breakfast.  Apparently the carers had been coming in early and disturbing their breakfast so mum had decided to do breakfast after the carers had been.  George was much the same, sleeping most of the time but very confused when awake.  But it was mum I was concerned about; caring for dad has taken its toll, her arthritis has flared up and sciatica has kicked off.  She winced in pain with every step she took and it was very sad to see.  Thankfully she did let me do jobs. I stripped the bed, remade the bed, did 2 washes, got everything dry on the line and did all the ironing. I helped with lunch, cleaned the windows, went through the post and hovered all through. After I left I knocked on Joan’s door to drop off a card.  She invited me in and it gave me a chance to thank her for all her help with mum and dad.  I got home after 5pm and Saturday night was Cracker recordings and a fairly early night.

It was so nice to see the sun and blue skies yesterday.  I went to the gym, did some domestics and Jan & Steve picked us up at 1pm.  Jan had booked a curry and a pint Groupon deal at the rugby club near Westcroft.  We had a drink at Jan & Steve’s house before walking to the rugby club.  It was a nice if not a little muddy walk to the club, such a lovely day.  It was only 4 quid a head for a curry and a drink so we didn’t have any high expectations, but do you know what, the curry was really good.  We had a few drinks and then a few more back at Jan & Steve’s.  I am not sure what time the taxi got us back to the flat but judging my head, I think a good time was had by all. Thanks guys!

This blog has gone on and on and I really most sign off and get on.  Phil sees the consultant at 12.50 pm @ MK General so it’s a big day and I really do need to get my head together.