Claire has been a very boring girl this week so please don't expect too much of me today in my rounding up of the week blog. Phil will, as usual, give me stick about this but that's nothing new. I'm not sure if his short temperdness is a side affect from the hormone tablets he is taking, who who can tell, but he is certainly highly critical of me these days. Mind you, he's not much fun to be around, most nights, all bar Wednesday night, he is in bed by 7pm and when he is up all he wants to do, is watch 'Homes Under The Hammer. Phil's hormones and me going through the menopause don't really bode for a happy household. Such is life.
This week has been so unremarkable that its a struggle to recall. Phil screwed a piece of wood on to the garage wall where the cabinets fell off, so after Monday's lunch, I got out my paint pot and painted the right side of the wood which is the only bit that will show slightly when the cupboards go back up. Christine came round after work and stayed the night. I hadn't seen her for a while so it was girlie catchup in the kitchen with red wine. She is only two weeks away from her retirement and is counting the days. Lets just hope she enjoys her freedom when it finally comes.
I knew that John & Marie arrived back in the UK on Monday evening after spending 4 and a half months living in their camper-van in Spain. I thought it best that I let them unpack before phoning as there is so much to stuff to sort when you've been away from home for such a long time. Anyway, I phoned on Tuesday morning just to make sure they'd got home safely. Its always nice to speak to them but when Marie picks up I have to tell her all our news and then step dad comes on the line and I have to go through it all over again. In the end I was on the phone for over an hour. They are keen to catch up face-to-face so I will have to set up a day to meet them for lunch in Cambridge.
Sand Dunes in Maspalomas
On Tuesday, having gotten over my disappointment at not getting the keys to the OB flat, I spoke to Phil at lunchtime and we decided to book a holiday. His boss gave him the okay to book a week and I spent most of the day on the internet searching for a good deal. By good, I mean cheap of course. We both decided for weather reasons, we would opt for the Canaries which are always a safe bet. Phil said he hadn't been to Gran Caneria so I centered my search for self catering. I'd seen some cheap deals a couple of weeks back but since then it appears prices have gone up. In the end, I booked a week at the Koala Garden Suites Apartments in Maspolomas for £150 each. With one bag and transfers to hotel, total cost came to £336 which I didn't think was too bad. We fly from Birmingham. The return flight is midday which is great but the outgoing flight is early morning so I've booked us into a hotel the night before. Again, found a great deal, one double bed and 8 days parking for just £59. Now I just can't wait to go.
I had a bit of a panic on Wednesday. The day started well, I was up at 6am and had all the ingredients for my vegetable and chicken curry in the slow cooker by 7. It was a new recipe which required 8 hours cooking so hence the early start. With dinner on, I was in the gym before half eight and was happy contemplating life on the running machine when I suddenly remembered Phil saying that his car was booked on Wednesday at the garage. I jumped of the treadmill, grabbed by handbag and threw a cardigan over my gym gear and drove to Phil's office to get his keys and swap cars. Phil had booked the Freelander into the garage at Whaddon so they could see if they could discover why it was overheating and hopefully fix the problem. When I arrived at the garage there was a queue at the reception. Well its not really a reception, more like a cow shed, anyone that's been to Cowleys will know what I'm talking about. Barbara normally lets Phil borrow the little courtesy KA but she said the only car I could use was her Range Rover. Now, I'm not the most confident driver and was very apprehensive to say the least, especially as she asked if I could drop a couple off in Stony Stratford. They were a nice couple, turned out they own the lighting shop in the high street but I did feel sorry for them having to be driven to work by me. If they were nervous, they didn't show it but I did! I dumped the range rover and keys off at Phil's work and got back my Chevrolet. Then it was back to the gym to finish off, shower and then back home to check on my slow cooker. The curry was okay but not one of our favourites but Phil is so hungry these days he will eat anything.
After lunch I popped over to Westcroft to see Jan. She was looking much better than she did last week although still in a great deal of discomfort. Daniel was at home and he made us both tea whilst we chatted away. Or should I say, I chatted away, sometimes I don't know when to shut up. Poor Jan. Anyway I was telling Jan it was Phil's mum and dads 60th wedding anniversary next week and Jan said that it was also her mum and dads silver wedding anniversary as well. What a coincidence, they were married the day after Phil's mum and dad. I wouldn't have realised it was a special anniversary, had not Phi's mum asked me not to do anything special for their anniversary and not to go putting any adverts in the Melton Mowbray Times. I did this for their 50th and I think they were very embarrassed. Anyway, thank god Phil's mum asked me not to make a fuss because otherwise their 60th would have passed away without being marked. Yes of course I was always going to do something, but for this anniversary I shall be more subtle. Jan has arranged for a special congratulatory anniversary message from the royal palace to be sent to her mum and dad and forwarded me details of the website http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Queenandanniversarymessages/Anniversarymessages.aspx
It took a few phone calls and a bit of hassle but yesterday I gave the details of George & Bets wedding to the registrar and she will contact the Buckingham Palace. I have left it to the very last minute because their special day is only next week but the registrar confirmed that the card will be delivered on the day. Rather than flowers, I have arranged for handmade truffles to be delivered. I have no idea whether they will like the card from the Queen or not but it does show they we (that's the royal 'we') have given some thought and effort into the occasion albeit very last minute.
When I was in Asda the other day I saw that they were selling small suitcases suitable for cabin luggage so I had to get one. I also picked up a couple of new bikinis while I was there, well who could resist at £4 a piece. I am so into holiday mode that I have even packed my suitcase. And yes, I know its a bit premature but I had to make sure that I could get all my stuff in and I could. I am going to get Phil some new things to go away with but because of his weight loss I am going to buy these last minute. Phil has done great this week, after a weight plateau he has lost another 3 pounds. He is working really hard and eagerly jumps on the bike when he gets home from work. He seems to have spent quite a lot of time at the doctors this week. Tuesday he was at the Neath Hill centre to get his feet seen to by the podiatrist. Phil said that she told him that his feet were in fairly good nick and better than some people who don't have diabetes. Also, she said that he wouldn't necessarily qualify for free treatment. I went straight out and brought him a foot file and some cream and will have a go at doing them for him. On Wednesday he had a 5.30 appointment with Louise, his diabetes nurse. She is very pleased with his weight loss. And this afternoon he has back at the doctors to give him his BP readings and based on these, I'm guessing he will come away with BP tablets. I suppose better safe than sorry.
I do feel rather shallow writing about the strifes in my life especially in light of all the recent tragic events happening all over the world. The earthquake in New Zealand was bad and the floods in Oz really upset me, because all though the Jordans were all okay, I know for sure that some of the peope that we met on our travels are sure to have been affected. But the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the media coverage is utterly devasting to watch. I heard on the news that the estimated death toll is expected to exceed 10,000. How the people in Japan must be suffering and I do wonder however will the country recover. It's going to take a long time.
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