A Nice Day Out.

Keith and I had a plan to head off to Northampton on the bus, so no fires were lit, dog was walked, mog and dog were fed and then we locked the boat up and wandered to the bus stop opposite the post office to catch the number 96 bus, little did we know that the journey would take us across country and in all the journey took us one and a half hours as we passed through West Haddon, Long Buckby and past Althrop House, the home where Princess Diana grew up. I like most people had seen the photographs of the main gate on the news, but we got to see it for ourselves as the bus sped past. The house was not in view, from the road but I know it is an impressive place. On our journey I could not help but think we were going incredibly fast, but then again I am used to going at a snails pace, what did impress me was the fact that as the bus filled up, gentlemen were giving up their seats to the ladies getting on the bus, it is so nice to see that such practices still survive.

We arrived at Northampton bus station and then walked into the Grosvenor Centre where we had a coffee in the cafe before heading off to start shopping, as we walked along the pavement a taxi drew up and who should get out but Michael and Geraldine, who own the Cheese Boat, now who would have thought we would have met up with them like that, but we did. We stood on the pavement and had a wonderful natter, catching up on all ours and their news. We may see them when we head towards Gayton Junction, because they are in dry dock at the moment having their engine worked. It was wonderful to see them and all to soon we said our “Goodbyes”, because we all had shopping to be done. We went off to find Maplin’s where we picked up a few items Keith wanted. Back in the town it was time for lunch, so we went into Jenny’s cafe for a traditional English breakfast, which was really very scrummy and set us both up for the rest of the day. Just down from the cafe is St. Peters Walk, where I got my hair cut for £9.90, it was the same place I went to in September, but there was a different lady cutting hair. There was already a young gentleman in the chair and another gentleman before me, so I sat down and waited my turn whilst Keith went off to do some shopping, I have to say listening to her chat with the young man in the chair, I was dismayed to hear she felt it was absolutely fine for her to chat on her phone whilst driving. Apparently she had to go on a course having been caught by the police at traffic lights chatting on her phone. She was heard to say the course was a waste of time and boring and she did not see the problem with her chatting on her mobile phone whilst at the lights. This was not the first time she had been caught either. It saddens me that she has very little regard for the law or life itself. I bet she would not feel the same way if she had lost a loved one due to someone talking on their phone whilst driving and they caused an accident. It does get me very annoyed that these people think they are above the law. Having had my hair trimmed, Keith and I went off to finish our shopping before heading back to the bus station to catch the bus back to Crick. The journey only took half an hour back, as we did not go up hill and down dale this time.

Whilst I walked back to the boat with our shopping, Keith headed off to Crick Marina to collect our parcel from Kuranda which should have been delivered, because Keith received a text saying the time it would be deliveredand between what times, but when he went to the office, he was told they had sent it back because they did not know who we were, this is despite the fact that we had gone round to the marina with our details and to inform them that a parcel from Kuranda would be arriving for us, which they said was fine, grrrrrrrrrrrr sometimes I do wonder if people ever listen. So back at the boat Keith had to ring Kuranda and ask them to arrange the delivery again, because he had tried to ring the courier company and the number given did not work. Oh I just love it when things work ;0). So here’s hoping the new battery monitor and shunt arrive.