Winter Wonderland

Well, I am ashamed to say that I have had a very indulgent weekend and no gym visits for 4 days on the trot. On Friday I went to bed very early, like half seven and was in the wide awake club at 3.30am on Saturday morning.  I got up and read in front of the fire then when Phil stirred I went back to bed with my book and a whole chocolate orange which I polished off; I didn’t get up until 9am.   If the chocolate wasn’t bad enough, I let Phil persuade me into having egg and chips cooked in his latest gadget and whilst I am loathed to admit it, they were rather yummy.  Not greasy but I do wonder how many calories were in them. I did debate whether to go to DW in Northampton but I heard on the radio that Saturday was busiest shopping day of the whole year.  Traffic in the town centre is bad anyway so I decided against.

This was probably a good job because just as I got out of the shower, I answered a call on my mobile and it was Steve saying that he and Mads would be round in twenty minutes. Now we were expecting them but not until the afternoon; it was a mad dash to get dressed and tidy up the caravan because even though I’d been awake since the early hours, I had been taking it easy. It was good to see Steve & Mads and we caught up over coffee and mince pies and exchanged presents.  They loved the caravan and I can see them being frequent visitors next year when the weather improves.  They have invited us over for Christmas Day but we can’t join them as we have want to cook for Phil’s mum and dad but they also invited us over on Boxing Day so we will probably see them then, although I didn’t commit.  I can’t seem to commit to anything this Christmas, I don’t know why but my gut instincts are telling me to keep my options open.

Sue had invited me over for a girlie night with her sister-in-law Anne so I drove over to Newport before it got dark, leaving Phil home alone. He wasn’t a happy chappie because he doesn’t like to miss out, but sorry Phil, it was girls only. We went for a meal at Bella Pasta in the theatre district.   Every man, kid and his dog were out in town and it was busy.  The food was so so, I didn’t have a starter or a pudding but I did enjoy my spaghetti carbonara even though there was rather a lot of it.  When the meal was over, we had a detour around Green Park to look at OTT Christmas lights and then it was back to Sue’s for some Sirocco dancing in Sue’s conservatory.  Thankfully we didn’t get out the wooden spoons and use them as microphones as I don’t think Anne would have been too impressed.  I’m not sure what Anne made of me as I’m not everyone’s cup of tea but that aside, I had a pleasant evening and it made a change from staying in and watching the telly. I stayed over at Sue’s because I just don’t do night driving; I’m bad enough in the daylight! 

We were all up fairly early and there was a hard frost on the ground which meant a lot of scraping of my car.  Before I left, it actually started to snow but only lightly. I drove off with every intention of going to DW for a run. Honestly I did, I’d even changed into my Lycra  but when I stopped off at Harriet’s flat in Caldecotte to pick up post, I thought I’d better phone Phil to check out the weather conditions at Overstone.  The deal was that he’d text me when he was awake but I didn’t get any text.  Anyway, he said that he had sent one and that it was snowing heavily at home and he’d prefer me to go straight home, which I duly did. Not only do I not do night driving but I don’t do snow either.   I can see a lot of eating and drinking over the next couple of weeks so I need to make sure I get a workout every day this week.  The only day DW is closed is Christmas Day so I should be fine.  The drive back home was fine until I got on to the A45, where upon entering the ring road, I was hit by a blizzard of snow.  I took it easy though and it was okay although the back road to camp was horrible. What a relief to get home safely. 

We had new neighbours move into the cul-de-sac on Friday.  A removal van turned up followed by several cars which then had to reverse out because there is absolutely no where to park.  Unfortunately I couldn’t get a good view point to see who was actually moving in but I did notice that the park manager was there on Saturday morning so I wonder if they had problems with their caravan.  I thought me and Phil were crazy moving here in October but moving here mid December is definitely madness.  Mind you, the new neighbour’s caravan is brand spanking new and will have double glazing and central heating for sure.  First is was house envy and now its caravan envy.  What is happening to me?

Although I have stayed in the caravan all by myself, it was a first for Phil on Saturday night.  I did wonder how he would get on but he was happy as a pig in shit as he got the remote all to himself and could watch whatever he liked on telly.  That said though, he was pleased to see me when I walked through the door.  Phil said the bedroom was freezing when he woke up at 5am and he missed his hot water bottle – me!   Even with all the heaters on that our fuse box can withstand, it was cold and I had to force myself to take a shower.  Phil and I don’t do presents but first thing this morning, I am going out and I am going buy 2 more oil filled radiators.  I know we’re only here for another month but I feel that we are going to need them.   It will be my present to myself

Yesterday I went on the internet and looked at the Overstone Golf Club, http://www.overstonepark.com/ and with a quick discussion with Phil, we decided to go there for the carvery lunch. The website looked good but we were rather disappointed.  On arrival, it wasn’t as flash as it looked on line, I was particularly interested in the health club but it was under par (get the pun) and the carvery wasn’t on.  We could have had lunch in the terrace club house, but to be honest that looked rather naff so we were quickly out of the door.  Bit of shame really but for me, another been and seen and another bit of a disappointment with this part of the world.  Why do I get the feeling that I don’t belong here?  I am adjusting quite well to the caravanning-gipsy- way of life but I just don’t fit into Northamptonshire.  Believe me, I am trying hard, really I am. 

In the end, we did the usual and went for the Sunday roast at the clubhouse which is becoming rather a habit.  I don’t mind, I love a good Sunday roast and it saves me cooking. Trouble is I don’t really like the clubhouse; don’t get me wrong, I like Paul the bar manager and his wife Jo who is the cook and the waitress Elaine is sweet, but it’s just not me. It’s not Clairabella. If Phil asks me one more time whether I want to play Bingo, I swear I will swing for him.  I’ve tried it, and whilst I love the get-away holiday-come-hide-away-from-the world feeling of the caravan even in freezing temperatures, it’s just not me.  I miss MK and I miss my friends.  The fact that I hate the drive to and fro and the anxiousness of the A45 and the gut feeling that I am going to have another perilous car accident at any moment doesn’t help. 

The weather was cold and wintery and we had thought about a walk to the shop but after the Overstone Golf Club disappointment we jus went back to the van.  I hardly think I have done very much over the weekend to warrant a blog but hey ho, old habits and all that.  I most probably won’t be on the blog until Friday but Phil is penning a blog, summing up The Naked Bloggers in 2011 which he will publish on Wednesday.  He won’t give me a preview because he hasn’t finished his entry but I shall look forward to seeing what he has to say for himself.  Whatever it is, at least it will give everyone a break from my boring daily, depressing, dribble.