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Jul. 4th, 2016 04:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
turpsSome good news. Kayleigh has a house!
Unlike the last one that fell through she actually has the keys for this one and will be paying rent from tomorrow. I'm so happy for her -- and me I have to admit, because finally I can see an end to the endless loop of complaints from mam about Kayleigh's cats, Kayleigh being in the big bedroom, Kayleigh not doing any housework etc.
Last week I went to Blackwell Grange hotel with James, Pauline, Pauline's daughter, SiL and granddaughter. It was only an overnight stay but I very much enjoyed it. Included in the price was tea and cream scone when you first arrived, a two course dinner with a glass of wine and full english breakfast, all of which was delicious. Especially the chicken parmo, which I want to eat again right now.
You may remember me saying how the hotel has a pool and I was worried about wearing my costume in front of people. Well, I did, and went swimming. Though the pool itself was really small and got crowded when more than three people tried to swim. No mention was made about my legs, though Pauline did ask if I wanted her to dry my feet for me before I put on my shoes. But that was covered as strangely, even at my heaviest I've always been able to touch my toes easily.
The only down side was there was no mixed changing room so I could help James get dressed after, which meant he had to crawl along to the public sitting area and wait for me to get dressed and help him put on his leg. Thankfully he left his swimming shorts on and we got fully changed in our hotel room, because otherwise we'd have been stuck. When we were checking out the receptionist asked if things had been fine and we mentioned that, and the manager came over and said someone should have made sure the male changing room was empty so I could nip in and help James, and they'd make sure the leisure people would be told that.
Otherwise all was great, especially as on the night we were there a local school was having their prom so we got to see all the girls dressed up to the nines and the boys in the suits. I don't have many photos but here's a wonky one of me and James in the gazebo.
The day after I went with James to Zizzi's for a leaving do/meal for one of his work mates. There were at least 70 people there and the only one I knew was James, and as it was noisy, and we were sat at long tables in lines it was really hard to talk to anyone, so I mostly sat like a spare part. Plus, we got stung with someone deciding that everyone should put in the same amount to cover the bill. Which is fair enough when you decide that in advance, but not so much when, like us, you only have one course and a diet coke and end up putting in extra money to cover the people who had starters, desserts, and bottles of wine.
On Friday Pauline bought us a a bird bath as a wedding present. It's so lovely and of course, being for the garden is a nod to dad.
Other than that, not much is going on. Corey is back in Newcastle for his cleaning job. Nanna is still the same, James has a new shiny black leg, I'm still swimming loads, and GoT kicked ass to the end.
Oh, and Gleb has left Strictly! Woe. Not a surprise as he has form of doing so, but what am I going to do when I can't watch his pretty face and laugh at his ever inflating ego. No more Gleb specials. I say again. Woe! I'd also say I hoped he'd do a special on celeb Masterchef but that means thinking of Gregg, and just. No!
Unlike the last one that fell through she actually has the keys for this one and will be paying rent from tomorrow. I'm so happy for her -- and me I have to admit, because finally I can see an end to the endless loop of complaints from mam about Kayleigh's cats, Kayleigh being in the big bedroom, Kayleigh not doing any housework etc.
Last week I went to Blackwell Grange hotel with James, Pauline, Pauline's daughter, SiL and granddaughter. It was only an overnight stay but I very much enjoyed it. Included in the price was tea and cream scone when you first arrived, a two course dinner with a glass of wine and full english breakfast, all of which was delicious. Especially the chicken parmo, which I want to eat again right now.
You may remember me saying how the hotel has a pool and I was worried about wearing my costume in front of people. Well, I did, and went swimming. Though the pool itself was really small and got crowded when more than three people tried to swim. No mention was made about my legs, though Pauline did ask if I wanted her to dry my feet for me before I put on my shoes. But that was covered as strangely, even at my heaviest I've always been able to touch my toes easily.
The only down side was there was no mixed changing room so I could help James get dressed after, which meant he had to crawl along to the public sitting area and wait for me to get dressed and help him put on his leg. Thankfully he left his swimming shorts on and we got fully changed in our hotel room, because otherwise we'd have been stuck. When we were checking out the receptionist asked if things had been fine and we mentioned that, and the manager came over and said someone should have made sure the male changing room was empty so I could nip in and help James, and they'd make sure the leisure people would be told that.
Otherwise all was great, especially as on the night we were there a local school was having their prom so we got to see all the girls dressed up to the nines and the boys in the suits. I don't have many photos but here's a wonky one of me and James in the gazebo.
The day after I went with James to Zizzi's for a leaving do/meal for one of his work mates. There were at least 70 people there and the only one I knew was James, and as it was noisy, and we were sat at long tables in lines it was really hard to talk to anyone, so I mostly sat like a spare part. Plus, we got stung with someone deciding that everyone should put in the same amount to cover the bill. Which is fair enough when you decide that in advance, but not so much when, like us, you only have one course and a diet coke and end up putting in extra money to cover the people who had starters, desserts, and bottles of wine.
On Friday Pauline bought us a a bird bath as a wedding present. It's so lovely and of course, being for the garden is a nod to dad.
Other than that, not much is going on. Corey is back in Newcastle for his cleaning job. Nanna is still the same, James has a new shiny black leg, I'm still swimming loads, and GoT kicked ass to the end.
Oh, and Gleb has left Strictly! Woe. Not a surprise as he has form of doing so, but what am I going to do when I can't watch his pretty face and laugh at his ever inflating ego. No more Gleb specials. I say again. Woe! I'd also say I hoped he'd do a special on celeb Masterchef but that means thinking of Gregg, and just. No!
no subject
Date: 2016-07-04 05:48 pm (UTC)The overnight outing sounds like it was lots of fun (even with the wonkiness of the lack of mixed gender changing area).
Ugh, people who decide to split the bill evenly are THE WORST! I find it even more inconsiderate that this wasn't decided beforehand. ESPECIALLY when you and James knew you had spent way less than other people. >:(
Hooray for the bird bath. Aside from being a v. sweet present, I'm sure it'll offer you lots of great entertainment when the birdies sweep in. ^_^
One of these days I do have to write about my GoT feels. #Ohshow
no subject
Date: 2016-07-05 06:05 am (UTC)The overnight outing was great. The thing about the changing situation that got me is that while I don't expect everywhere to have a special room for families/disabled, I do expect some suggestions of how to get around that if needed. But apart from that small thing, it was lovely to get away.
I agree, deciding to split the bill like that is the worst. It meant we ended up paying £50 for our one course and drink, while other couples got three courses and bottles of wine. It just doesn't make sense unless agreed in advance.
I'm looking forward to seeing some bird bathing going on. We already seem to feed all the pidgeons in the area because we put out seed, so I'm sure it'll happen soon.
Ahhh, show! You know I was nervous about the last ep but I didn't need to be at all. And my goodness, I want to be Lady Mormont when I grow up.
no subject
Date: 2016-07-05 07:50 am (UTC)I hate splitting the bill evenly -- it would work if everyone had the same thing, but that's never the case, and ~somehow it's always the people who had the oysters and the filet and the extra bottle of wine who suggest it. ::frowny face::
The bird bath is lovely -- the mice are adorbs!
no subject
Date: 2016-07-05 09:51 am (UTC)Yes! Exactly. I wouldn't have had an issue splitting if people had eaten/drank the same, but some couples easily had double what we should have spent.
The mice are so cute, and there's a frog on the back. It took us ages to actually find the right bird bath. Pauline wanted a stone one that also had some meaning in terms of dad. We've looked a few times, but last week it was like that one was just there waiting for us.
no subject
Date: 2016-07-05 06:41 pm (UTC)Your overnight outing sounds great. I love hotel breakfasts! There's something so wonderfully decadent about having breakfast prepared for you :-) Too bad about the changing situation though. It's somehow not what I would expect from a hotel.
The gazebo pic is so much fun!
Grrr! I hate splitting the bill that way! It's so unfair to everyone who hasn't expensive tastes.
Your bird bath is delightful. I love the mice! I hope you'll get lots of birds enjoying themselves.
no subject
Date: 2016-07-07 01:14 pm (UTC)And go you for doing your thing and going for a swim at the hotel! *\o/*
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Date: 2016-07-10 05:22 pm (UTC)The swim at the pool was excellent. Though man, that pool was small!