Monday 2 April 2012

A Weekend with an escape, chance meeting, bargains, markets and love

Workroom Play List:

Nickelback ~ Here and Now Album

Happy Monday to all of you out there..How was your weekend? Ours was busy but fun and it started on Friday afternoon. We planned our regular trip to the local library to drop off books which we did but then I seemed to come away with 10 more..lol. But when we got into the car we just kept driving until we had fled our town and headed off to the nearest larger town for some bargain hunting. I was feeling dreadful but the feeling of freedom was heavenly and once we got there I didn't really achieve much as the pain took over very quickly but it was more about being out of the house and out of our town.

Saturday was different to our normal days as it's usually family day and the house is filled with little ones running around playing and the big kids trying to keep up..lol. But my sister and the little ones were at a friend's birthday party so we had a free day. The weather was beautiful so we headed out and over to the city in search of rye bread and sandals..lol. We had a lovely surprise of bumping into friends at a shop and then passed a pleasant hour or so in a coffee shop with them. Then we were away our local health food store to pick up a few items and then on to our friends D & B for a cuppa and catch up..all of which sounds rather mundane written down but the weather was great, the shopping a success, time with friends was much needed and the feeling of being more than a sick person...priceless.

This sign made us howl with laughter...lol
I love children and have no problem with being in a room full of them and watching them riotously play...but I know a few people who this sign would be a deadly serious threat! lol.

Saturday night was a very bad night for me and I spent most of it being very, very ill so when the alarm went off I was already feeling grim.

But Sunday, it was the Farmers Market and we had arranged to have a pootle around with my Mum so I dragged myself together and off we went. The sun was shining brightly which was great because last month it was pouring with rain. There were the usual meat stalls which I always give a wide berth..naturally. But there was a great food stall that was selling Chickpea & Coriander Felafel's, Veg Samosas and Veg Pakoras and they were all homemade. It wasn't a hot stall and everything was on trays to be bagged up so we purchased some of the felafel's and a samosa which I had for my evening meal..they were divine! And I hope they are they are there next month. Another stall we purchased from was a Maple Syrup stall..it's really expensive to by here and the tiniest bottle can cost £5 and it isn't the best grade either. So it's definitely a luxury product. Mapley Foods www.mapleyfoods.com were selling grade three bottles of maple syrup..quite sizeable for £5..and it was delicious. They also sold maple teas, liqueurs and various other maple related foods. A good find indeed...

My Mum is and always will be a fudge junkie and found the best fudge stall and she quickly purchased a slab (small!) of Coffee and Walnut and munched it as we walked around the market. The mmmmm's were quite funny to hear..apparently it was mind blowingly good. lol. We go to this market because we can usually pick up fantastic organic greens and awesome veggies but alas our stall wasn't there this time. But we did pick up a fantastic dark rye loaf from one of the many bread stalls. My Love stood in line for a crepe with maple syrup as a mid morning snack and treat..lol. We were then onto the craft section of the market...and although a lot of the stalls were busy and the goods were lovely and a lot of hard work went into the products..it left me cold this time. It just wasn't the kind of craft products I really like..if that makes sense? lol

We had lost Mum at one point and as we were walking back to the car she suddenly grabbed me and pulled me over to a stall I had missed on our way round. It was a photo stall...does my Mum know me or what? lol It had very beautiful photos varying from flowers and nature to wedding samples..the photographer was a very talented woman called Anna McKenzie from annamckenziephotography.co.uk but sadly you couldn't talk to her because she had a rather overbearing husband stood next to her the entire time..which was rather sad as I thought her work was brilliant and would have liked to tell her. My Mum grabbed my hand and brought my attention to an mounted A4 black and white photograph of Loch Lomond..."This was the one I wanted to show you...it's just so you!" she said as she placed it into my hand. Now this very beautiful and atmospheric picture was a shot taken over the lake with storm clouds bearing down from above, magnificent mountains in the distance and it's taken from the lakeside. (Trying not to take that..it's so you the wrong way..Ahem! ) lol. But she was right..the photo was going home with me and going up in my office. It was a very reasonable £4 too...So it's now sat on a shelf in my workroom awaiting a frame.

I was completely wiped out by the time we sat back down in the car but I had had a lovely time and it was great to spend time with my Mum. We then decamped to a coffee shop for much needed refreshments. An hour later we dropped my Mum off to get herself ready for an afternoon Easter Egg hunt with my sister and the little ones..lol.

We then enjoyed a movie afternoon watching an interesting movie called Last Night with Kiera Knightly and Eva Mendes starring and I enjoyed my first bowl of natural air popped popcorn in ages.

Sadly the weekend ended with My Love having a very bad reaction to something and was laid low watching 24 to keep sane. Docs today...here we come..

I am sorry about the lack of photo evidence of this weekend and there were many times when I could've kicked myself..like at the country park where the Farmers Market is held..the beautiful carvings that have been made into old tree stumps..Next time..promise. And I shall share the 'Stormy' photo with you when I'm feeling a little better.

Thanks for stopping by...I hope your Monday is being kind to you?

~R~