Kings Cross platform 4
On Thursday I headed off to London to make use of my prize from Charlie and Ivy, two tickets to the Country Living Christmas Fair in London. It seems that when I travel on my own trains behave, but when Mick is with me we can expect delays of at least an hour! This does however mean that we get a refund, but not today Mick had a shift at Sainsburys.
Andrew (my brother) and Josh (my nephew) were at home when I arrived at Victoria Park, Jac arrived a while later. We had a lovely evening catching up on our news and consuming a rather lovely joint of pork. Our huge wadge of post was handed over, which I sorted through once everyone had headed off to bed. Two thirds of it ends up straight in the recycling bin, the rest was important.
Right Finn, left Ziggy
Friday morning I was woken by Finn and Ziggy, the two cats, insisting that I move over and give them the majority of the sofa bed, I’d done a good job warming it up for them, but they’d take over now. It being Children in Need day Josh got dressed into pyjamas and a dressing gown to head to school. Jac and I jumped on the bus and headed to the Business Design Centre in Islington.
Stalls going on for miles and miles
Charlie and Ivy Mayonnaise
The exhibition hall is huge and it was really hard to decide where to start. In the end we decided to head to the food section and find Adam on the Charlie and Ivy stall. A few things caught our eye on the way, but the pull towards the food stopped us from dordelling too much. Everywhere was packed full of people with bulging bags and it took quite a while to be able to try samples of goods. We said hello to Adam and after a chat, a few purchases and selecting my prize we moved on to try other cheeses, hams, chocolates, pickles on other stalls, I refrained from the gin samples unlike my sister in law!
Jac got pulled in at one stall where she assisted in demonstrating a face lifting product, she wasn’t convinced, neither was I really. Our bags were becoming heavy with edible treats and presents for Christmas, so we meandered our way around the craft stalls half heartedly. Cashmere wraps and ponchos seem to be THE thing this year along with wrist warmers. A sheepskin stall had some fantastic red gloves which I tried, but the increased size of my little finger meant that try as I might no size would fit over my stumpy digit. No mittens on offer meant no sale.
Raised bed with head
Wardrobes with…head
Andrew has been busy creating a really cool bedroom for Josh. His bedroom has always felt a little like a spare bedroom that he camped in, until now! A desk down one side, a raised bunk above a spare double bed that comes out of the wall and plenty of cupboard space. Josh is very lucky, Andrew was still waiting for Dad to put the door handles on his bedroom cupboards at the age of 51!
Large wardrobe … with Josh
Shelving with long desk and Josh!
In the evening I headed over to Balham to see my old school friend Morag. Despite us chatting nonstop for five hours over a couple of bottles of wine, we only just got round to the school roll call of news as I was heading out the door for the tube.
The first Ziggy Homes house, with Finn watching over it
Saturday morning I was pounced on several times by fat boy Finn, breakfast was obviously too late in being served for his liking and I was the nearest human galley slave! After our breakfast we drove to Plaistow to see the finished house that my brother has been working on for the last year. A very nice property should anyone require to rent a 2/3 bedroom end terraced house within walking distance of Crossrail when it’s open.
The train back north ran on time and returned me to a slightly soggy Newark, Lillian was waiting all cosy with the stove glowing to welcome me home. Mick soon followed after doing his Saturday stint on the conveyor at Sainsburys. It’s been nice to see everyone, but it’s lovely to be back home.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 4 buses, 6 tubes, 3 mini dippers, 4 presents, 2 many people! 5 hours girlie chat, 0 water in the Hertford Union Canal, 1 house ready to go, 10 colours from 1 bulb, 27 Mog books sold, 1 lucky boy Josh.
NB Lillyanne 