Easter Bank Holiday Edition

Sunday 24 Mar

Hannah came over for Sunday lunch and told us a bit about her new job but spent most of the time looking at the photos on the memory card that you sent us.

Before I forget, I have done the guarantor thingy for the house in Bristol.

It was freezing outside so it was another Sunday in front of the box.  I've got a new game for the ipad - Real Racing 3 - its very good.

I wish the weather would warm up.  Mum got me this year's veggy seeds for Xmas, but its no good planting them yet because the temperature is just too cold.  Every time I look at the garden from the kitchen window I realise there is more to do to tidy it up

Monday 25 Mar

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and double Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.  This cold weather seems to be having an effect on shop takings, its easy to understand that people don't want to go wandering around town when its freezing.  Normal Monday routine, Mum did weekly shopping after work, sausage and mash for tea!

Tuesday 26 Mar

Another cold day, we had all the heaters on in the shop and we all had trouble keeping warm!  I thought it was global warming not global freezing!  

Had a call from Birdshill Nursing home asking me if it was possible to get Granddad a bus pass.  I have contacted Poole Borough Council but these things are not as easy as they first may seem.  They need him to go into their offices in person to apply - you can already see that this causes a problem.  I am waiting for them to call me back with a solution.

Wednesday 27 Mar

A really good day in the shop, loads of people collecting and paying which was nice.

As we were leaving for home it was snowing, not heavily but snowing all the same - it's nearly April for Christ's sake!

Thursday 28 Mar

There was still a dusting of snow this morning but it didn't last too long.

You must be getting bored of me complaining about the cold weather so I won't mention it again until the first BBQ of the year.

Another good day in the shop takings wise.

Good Friday 29 Mar

Me and Nev along with Maria and Louisa (who from now on will be called Doris!) were going to do the annual stock take today but for some unexplained reason Doris couldn't come into work.  Last year, because she needed the extra money she couldn't get in early enough!,  so the stock check has been cancelled.  I expect Me and Nev will do it on Saturday whilst we are open.

I thought I might do a bit in the garden as I have a day off .  I cleared the cat poop from the raised veg beds. Bloody animals are using the beds as toilets!  Not Rhubarb I hasten to add, I think all the local cats have scared the old feller off.  Next doors ginger cat and Rhubes seem to tolerate each other now but there is a new big black cat on the block who seems to dominate the area.
Hannah came round after work and stayed for tea.  I dropped her off back at the flat at about 10pm.  She seems to be settling into her job.

Saturday 30 Mar

Another good day in the shop takings wise and we managed to get the majority of the stock take done too.

Mum had fish and chips for tea and I had Chinese.  I can now look forward to 2 days off as Monday is also a bank holiday, Yippee

Back in Harness Edition

Monday 18 Mar

Heavy frost this morning but the sun was out so I didn't need to scrape the car windows.  

Nothing exceptional happened at work.

Mum did the weekly shopping.

Hannah started her new job, she seemed to enjoy it.  She and Matt stayed overnight, they are travelling to Liverpool tomorrow.  Not bad is it?  Start a new job one day and then go on 2 days holiday!!!

Tuesday 19 Mar

Won £2.00 on an on-line scratch card - which was the sum total of the excitement for today!

Wednesday 20 Mar - Saturday 23 Mar

Heck, I'm sorry, I've not done any blogging this week.  Needless to say nothing much has been happening.  The weather is absolutely crap.  They've had heavy snow falls in the north of the country and floods (yes again) in the South West.  We've been ok here in Taunton but Devon and Cornwall have been hit pretty bad.

This time last year we were in the middle of a mini heat wave with the temperature in the 20s!!  There has to be something in the global warming thingy.

So, I think we'll put this one down for the week and promise to be more newsy next week.

Fuerteventura Holiday Edition

Wednesday 6 Mar

I got up at 04:30, Mum didn't bother going to bed.  Andrew arrived at 05:30 to take us to the airport, for once we were both ready on time.  Hannah got up to see us off.

Uneventful drive to Bristol, check-in went smoothly, boarding went smoothly, plane was not delayed and we took off at 08:30 and landed at Fuerteventura on time at 12:20. We flew by EasyJet. I know it's been quite a few years since we last went but neither Mum or me recognised the airport in any respect.

We found the rep for the transfer to the hotel and were directed to bus stop D1 where we duly waited.......and waited..............and waited some more until over an hour had elapsed, where upon I went back into the arrivals hall to find out what was occurring.  Typically just as I was talking to the rep, the bus turned up!
We were the last to be dropped off and so we had a bit of a tour around Corralejo whilst everyone else on the bus was delivered to their resorts.  First impressions of the Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort was very positive.  Reception was very efficient and friendly and so we were booked in within a few minutes and off to see our room dump our bags and go in search of a bite to eat as we hadn't eaten since about 0700 and it was now 1630.
A bit of a wander round to get our bearings and to see what was what and where, back to the room to unpack and after dinner we went to the Plaza Bar to sample the local brew.

Thursday 7 Mar

After breakfast we went to collect some beach towels (20 Euros deposit each) then spent the day by the "Quiet Pool", reading and snoozing and although I was sat in the shade I still managed to get burnt!

The view from our room

Went to the Asian restaurant for dinner, it was ok, a help yourself buffet, Mum liked the noodles, the highlight being deep fried ice cream for dessert.

Friday 8 Mar

Took a stroll to the local market.  We were not very impressed.  It might have been because it was out of season but there really wasn't much there.  Africans and Brits selling tat but we did buy a couple of things.  Strolled back to the hotel in time for a beer and lunch.  Spent the afternoon at the quiet pool.  The skies became overcast and we thought we might get some rain but none came.

Spent the evening at the Plaza Bar and had a caricature picture done of us both.  You'll have to wait until you get home to see it, we think its great and it made us both laugh.

Saturday 9 Mar

The Quiet Pool

Woke up to overcast skies but thankfully they didn't last so we wandered down to the beach and watched the "oldest wind surfer" in town launch into the waves. Spent the rest of the day at the quiet pool and had dinner at the El Molino Resaurant which served Spanish Tapas.  It was OK but the staff seemed a bit off and not very friendly.

Mother's Day Sunday 10 Mar

Hannah gave me a card from both you and her, before we left,  to give to Mum, which was nice.  The sun was shining so sat by the quiet pool in the shade but because it felt chilly(?) we both moved into the sun!

I discovered how to get internet on the phone and so in the afternoon I Face Timed Hannah and we had a good old chat.  However, I didn't realise that I had used 3 times my daily data allowance! Oops!

My forehead started to peel badly.

The Quiet Pool Cat

Either we are getting used to the temperature or it is getting cooler in the evening but either way we spent the evening in the lobby bar where we met a Welsh couple from the Rhonda Valley, Colin and June.  Colin only had one leg, the other one being false but he didn't let it get him down.  June said he had lost it in an accident but didn't explain any further so we didn't push it.

Monday 11 Mar

Was woken up by a txt arriving from O2 telling me that if I go over my data allowance again they will remove me from O2 travel and I will have to pay the standard European charge.  Slap on the wrist for me then!

Another day by the pool reading and snoozing.  Both me and Mum finished our books today.

Entrance to the main restaurant

There is a cat that lives by the quiet pool and today we found him fast asleep on a sun bed!

Mum is having some severe reaction to what we think are mosquito bites.  She has one on her arm which is particularly nasty.

Me taking a picture of Mum taking a picture

Mum got a keyring engraved with a photo of you and Han - it looks really good, something else for you to see when you get home.

Tuesday 12 Mar

Took a taxi into town this morning for a bit of retail therapy and a stroll along the sea front.  I saw my yacht had been safely moored in the marina!  I think we managed to get a little Gizzit for everybody.  

Spent the afternoon by the pool, our last chance before leaving to catch some rays.

The email arrived giving details of our departure, so that sort of confirmed it was our last day.

Spent the evening in the lobby bar with the Taffs.  The All Inclusive was supposed to end at 11pm but the very nice chap behind the bar brought us out drinks on the house at about 1130pm.  So a nice end to the holiday.

Wednesday 13 Mar

We travelled home.  The trip went very smoothly with nothing of note happening.

It was a lovely break allowing us to recharge our batteries ready for whatever this year throws at us.

Hannah Moves into her New Flat Edition

Monday 25 Feb to Saturday 03 Mar

The moving day.  Certainly one to remember.  It all started when the letting agent arrived late.  The girls signed and initialled all the relevant documents.  So we follow the lady to read the electric meter, she opens the cupboard to be confronted with several meters and admitted she didn't know which one was for the flat. Trying to be helpful I suggested that it might be the one that was clearly marked 2nd Floor Flat.  But she was not convinced and took a photo so she could check it out back at the office????
Then we went to find and have a look at the garage.  The letting agent thought it was number 2B but the key wouldn't fit - but she said she would check it out back at the office.
We started ferrying Hannah's stuff to the flat.  The letting agent phoned back saying the garage was definitely number 2B and the key was new and so just needed a bit of jiggling.  So we went to have a jiggle to discover that the key didn't fit the lock at all - but it did fit the lock to garage number 2A.  For some reason the letting agent didn't want to come back and read the meter!
So I went back to work and Mum stayed with the girls to help out and offer motherly advice.
After work myself and Nev returned to the flat to put Hannah's new bed together and ferry a few of the heavier bits like the TV.  We returned to find that Mum and the girls had discovered that there was no water in the taps and so they had called the water board and because it was out of hours they couldn't get hold of the letting agents but had managed to contact the Landlord.  The man from the waterboard said there was no problem with the supply to the house so there must be a stop cock turned off somewhere.  But he did deliver a load of bottled water to keep the girls going.  The Landlord found the stop cock (after much searching) in the flat below.  He turned it on and lo there was water.  After congrats all round we all went to have a look around the flat below Han's.   When we got back Nev discovered that Han's kitchen was flooded!
So back down stairs, turn off the stop cock, mop up the flood.  The water was pouring out of the pipe that would feed the washing machine, the tap on it did not work.  Luckily we discovered another isolating valve further back along the pipe work and so we stopped that.  Back downstairs to turn the stop cock back on.  The second valve was holding and so at last the girls had water to the flat but not to the kitchen cold tap.  The Landlord said he would arrange for a plumber to call the next day to rectify the fault.  (he was true to his word a plumber did arrive the very next day and fix it).
Myself and Nev then set about putting together Hannah's new bed, which went smoothly (thankfully).  Then it was back to our house to collect the TV and Fred the Ted.
Han treated us all to a MacDonald's for supper and Mum and me got home about 10:30.  Certainly was a day to remember.
On Tuesday we popped in again to deliver a couple of items of furniture from the flat above the shop that no one wanted, but would come in handy for Han and Chan until they find something else.
Popped in again on Thursday evening to put together a flat packed chest of drawers that Han had delivered to Wyatts Field.  They delivered at 7.30am!!  Good old Argos!!  Didn't manage to get it all done so am having to go to the flat again, probably on Saturday.
Back to the flat on Saturday to finish off the chest of drawers.  Meant to get a few phots of the place but I forgot,  but I expect Han will put some on FB eventually, if she hasn't already.
So, the girls are settling into the flat and Mum and me are trying to get used to it being just us in the house alone.  It seems a little strange.  Han is moving back in next week to house sit and look after Rhubarb whilst we are in Fuerteventura.
Guess what the next edition is going to be called?