It's very quiet at The Sidings now. Lindsey and Ian have taken their camel collecting expedition on to Abu Dhabi. You would, of course, expect them to have very much more success collecting camels in Abu Dhabi than in England, but in fact they did quite well here. They found shelf loads of them in Hamleys!
We had a fairly quiet Wednesday, which was Lindsey and Ian's last full day with us. The Builder, alas, was at work, but Lindsey, Ian and I trundled to The Nettle for lunch. Menus were proffered promptly. But this time there was no electricity. Someone was trimming trees up the road, close to a power line, so the power to the village had been turned off. Very romantic eating at lunchtime by candlelight and a little natural light through the window. Fortunately, they cook with gas! We all went to Gill and Peter's place in the evening for a lovely dinner. They've had a utility room added where once there was a small concrete courtyard with washing line. It's very nice. Claire was there as, of course, was Alex. He's just turned 13. Or so they say. Everyone knows, of course, that Alex is only about 2, just as Freyja is only 15, no matter what Facebook tells me. We had a lovely evening with good food, good wine and good conversation. And left much later than I had expected to.
Ian asked, as we were driving along, where he could buy a bottle of good wine on the way home. It was quite late. The only place I could think of was the rather large, 24 hour Tesco as you approach Chesterfield (and which is shortly to be replaced by an even larger Tesco, which is being built on the other side of the roundabout, along with another few shops and a new football stadium). We acquired two bottles of nice wine, for Ian wished to share a bottle of nice red with The Builder before they left, went home and drank them. And went to bed exceptionally late, given that The Builder had to leave for work at 7 in the morning.
Everyone was up to farewell him when he left at 7 the next morning. Then Lindsey and Ian packed. And packed again. And we went to Sheffield to meet Freyja for lunch, which we had at a really nice little deli on Abbeydale Road. It was a tiny snippet of Lygon Street close to the centre of Sheffield. Must go again. And the weather was nice enough for us to sit outside at a table in the sunshine. Which is just as well - for there were no available tables inside. We had a mosey about in the shops up near her place, which are very cute. Must have a longer mosey when there is more time. Then we came home. Lindsey and I made a last broad bean dash to the allotment. For her. I hope not for me! And then a limo came to take them to the airport.
About 20 minutes before the limo was due, Lindsey started to move bags out into the driveway. There is almost no petty crime in Tupton, but there is no point inviting trouble by leaving suitcases and backpacks unattended at the end of the driveway, so I went out to keep an eye on them. Marlo came out too. And sat firmly on my foot!! It was clear he had no intention of letting me go to wherever the bags were going. The car pulled up and the driver and Lindsey began packing all the bags in. Marlo jumped up onto the wall, and watched intently, miaowing at them from time to time. While Ian and Lindsey were talking to the driver about whether or not they would be flying with Etihad (very, very delayed) or Emirates (not delayed and where the driver thought Etihad had transfered their booking), Marlo kept bashing at them with his head. As they drove away, he sat on my shoulders and miaowed mournfully. And when I brought him inside he sat by the back door, peering out and crying. I had to pacify him with kitty treats. It can't have been that he didn't want me to go. I obviously wasn't intending to go. I was waving. I don't think he wanted them to go either.
We had a lovely piece of fillet steak for dinner last night. Came with my cow box from Chatsworth. But I prepared far, far too many chips, mushroom and onions, and vegetables for two people. It is amazing how quickly you get used to cooking for four, or six or eight, especially when you think how much we have eaten out lately. The Builder had to have the leftovers for lunch.
It's a long weekend this weekend. Apart from helping Freyja to move some stuff on Monday afternoon, we have no real plans
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