Month: March 2015

Bargains – Designer Shoe Sale | Free Delivery | allsole.com & Hotels.com Discount Code | 50% off | hotels.com & Zavvi Voucher Codes | 10% off | zavvi.com & La Redoute Discount Code | 40% off | laredoute.co.uk & Tesco Discount Codes | £15 off | tesco.com & The Hut Discount Code | 70% off | thehut.com

It was extremely windy in the night. Some of our recycle paper flew all over the garden. It’s just a lidless box here to store it in, at least at Acol we had a bag with a cover!

We took Ellie out and met Kerry, the clerk to the parish council, in Elgar’s field, where the allotments are. According to Mal the one on offer is about a quarter size but that suits him. Total cost £13 for the year, starting tomorrow. I envisage a glut of runner beans (love ’em!)  I’m really looking forward to all this fresh veg!

Just one thing….how do people ever have time to be bored when they retire? Our days seem to fly by.

We went to East Kent College where they have a catering department and a Restaurant run by the trainees. We have often said we should go and actually managed it today! We had a nice waiter but he didn’t seem too impressed with the training. It was OK but not particularly cheap. The food was good but not a huge selection. You have to remember this is a training restaurant. They also sell their home made bread, so we bought a walnut and thyme loaf to bring home. I don’t think we would be in a rush to return.

Mal checked our bank account to see if our deposit from Acol had been deposited. It hadn’t. By law, this money should have been entered into the landlords deposit scheme. It had not. Mal had emailed the landlady and she had ignored the mail. Mal told Parklands, the agent we went through, if it had not it was illegal. Their only excuse was “the girl who dealt with you is off today.”   Mal told them he would be taking court proceedings and calling in to see them tomorrow!  How do these people get away with it?

Thought for the Day – “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C S Lewis

Bargain – Kwik Fit MOT | Book Online | 10% off | kwik-fit.com & Matalan Sale Online | 50% off | matalan.co.uk & Warner Leisure Hotels Special Offers 2015 | 50% Discount & Bhs Discount Code | 60% off | Free Delivery | bhs.co.uk &Affordable Car Hire | easycar.com & Dreams Mattress, Dreams Furniture and Dreams Beds Sale

The sun was out and so out for a walk and then I took Mal to his allotment. It’s quite a long way now we have moved. I went to buy a couple of birthday presents and then back to pick Mal up. Both of us could have done with a longer time. I think he has quite a lot to do there. Another day. My cold has developed into a cough, just wish it would disappear.

We have noticed at the side of the field we take Ellie to that there is a small allotment. Mal will still keep the other one going but thought he would phone to see if he could go on a waiting list for one here in Wingham.

He phoned them and they said funnily enough half a plot would come available on 1st April and could we meet her there tomorrow morning!! Mal’s going to be busy. It looks as though I will have plenty of runner beans (my favourite) this year. This one he can walk to.

I have now given up sending parcels through Royal Mail. They just seem to be so expensive. I had to box up one of the birthday presents I bought and I am sending it with Hermes.It’s under a kilo and so will cost £2.78 and I can drop it off at one of their ‘shops’. For an extra 20p they will collect it! It’s also a good idea to use them if you are selling things on Ebay.
Thought for the Day – “You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you need to just breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.” ~ Mandy Hale

Bargains – Homebase Discount Code | 50% off | homebase.co.uk & Cheap Hotel Deal | up to 50% off | laterooms.com &Currys Voucher Codes | 50% off | currys.co.uk & The Shoe Tailor Sale | shoetailor.com & Simply Be Discount Code | 20% off | simplybe.co.uk & Marisota Promo Code | 70% off | marisota.co.uk

Just in case anyone forgot the clocks went forward an hour last night. It means we get up at 6 now instead of 5!

We managed to have a long walk without getting soaked but it did start to rain just as we arrived home. One of the places we now take Ellie to, past the orchards is a field that was donated to the village by the Elgar family, so everyone could enjoy the view of the surrounding villages. It is fenced in so totally safe for dogs to be let off.

I had a voucher for Lidl, spend £50 and you get £10 off.We have no problem spending that,including the deli and the many varieties of beers! So that was where we went and then on to Range as we bought a rotary drier and the stake that came with it was only for concrete, so we had to buy a different one. I think I should have stuck with the tumble drier!

I think Mal and I are running on empty at the moment. More sorting today and finally Mal has decided to put the second king size bed in the spare room together. Just one problem (to start) and that is he can’t remember where he put all the bits and pieces to put it together. I even gave him a box so nothing got lost. He can’t remember where he put the box! Perhaps we had better stop for the day.

I made a nice chicken dish in the evening. Have to make sure we have the cupboards full as the shops aren’t exactly on our door step. Crushed chillies added and frozen basil. yummy! I do like the frozen herbs. They will do until I can grow my own which I did in Cyprus.
Thought for the Day – “Each day I am thankful for nights that turned into mornings, friends that turned into family, dreams that turned into reality and likes that turned into love.” ~ Vladimir Kush

Bargain – Boots Discount Codes | 50% off | boots.com & Select Fashion Voucher Code | 60% off | selectfashion.co.uk &JD Williams Discount Code 20% off at jdwilliams.co.uk & Whittards Voucher Codes | 10% off | whittard.co.uk &The Toy Shop Discount Code | 50% off | thetoyshop.com & Buy Electronic Cigarette UK | Halo Micro Kit – £9.99

We took Ellie out for a long walk and then went to Howletts Zoo and met Lou, Ollie, Oscar and Josie there. We all have season tickets which is a really good idea. Mal and I have done this for so many years, it was even worthwhile when we lived in Cyprus, as long as you visit  at least twice, it is money saved. It is only about 6 miles from where we are now living, which is brilliant.

Next to the gorillas, my favourite is Arina, the Siberian Tiger who we saw the day she was first shown to the public. After only a few weeks her twin brother died. Arina has brittle bone disease and has already had one operation. She is just so pretty.

We took a picnic with us even though it was a little windy. We had a lovely day.

Thought for the Day – “I don’t need a perfect life. I just want to be happy, surrounded by good friends who love me for who I am.”

Bargains – Marks and Spencer Discount Code | 50% off | marksandspencer.com & Valueflora Discount Code | 10% off | valueflora.com & Sainsburys Deals | £15 off Code For First Order & Shearings Coach Holidays Late Deals | shearings.com & Avis Discount Codes | 25% off | avis.co.uk & Amazon Local Deals and Amazon Local Vouchers

We took Ellie out. She was so funny chasing rabbits and then actually sticking her head into their warrens.

Mal and I then went into Canterbury and bought quite a lot of things, including a new sat nav. We also had our lunch out at Chapmans fish restaurant.  We then went for a walk along the river.

The sun was out and it was a really nice spring day.

Thought for the Day – “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” ~ Buddha

Bargains – Kwik Fit MOT | Book Online | 10% off | kwik-fit.com & Argos Kitchen Electrical Sale | 50% off | argos.co.uk &Hobbycraft Discount Code | 50% off | hobbycraft.co.uk & Brantano Voucher Code | 50% off | brantano.co.uk &Dreams Mattress, Dreams Furniture and Dreams Beds Sale & Joules Discount Code | 20% off | joules.com

We don’t have any “proper” internet until tomorrow so I am really struggling  writing my blog in a hurry before it goes offline again. I forgot to say yesterday that when Lou and Rhys arrived they had an enormous joint of gammon. The price marked on it was £52. Rhys said he had been in our local butchers , well actually in the next village, Preston and he bought it for half price. So, on the way over to Acol yesterday we called in. I only went in to buy some chicken breasts, free range (4 pounds for £10) and I ended up coming out with a gammon joint similar to Rhys’s, which he kindly cut into smaller pieces for me, some marmite cheese, organic free range eggs and some pork. The butcher was a very good salesman! Thankfully I just had room in the freezer as we only have a small one. We were going to buy a larger one but now we have nowhere to put it. There are no electrics in either the shed or garage.

I have a very accurate weather forecast for Wingham, which said it was going to rain between 7 and midday today. We were awake early, so we started our walk at 6 and just as we were home at 7, the rain started.  We walked through the orchards at the rear of the wildlife park. Apart from chasing rabbits and ducks, Ellie was fascinated by the tiger! This is a whole new experience for her.

We also have a very friendly postman. So far we are very impressed with this area.

The man came to instal the Sky TV dish. I say “the man”, it was another of Mal’s ex pupils!  We only phoned Sky to see when they were connecting our internet and they offered us a free years TV! Unlike others who may forget after a year, we have a list of things to cancel. We don’t even watch TV that much but for nothing?

The Queen was in Canterbury today unveiling statues at the Cathedral.

Bargains – Boots Discount Codes | 50% off | boots.com & Debenhams Discount Code | 70% off & Blacks Discount Code | 15% off | Free Delivery | blacks.co.uk & Go Outdoors Voucher Code | gooutdoors.co.uk & Screwfix Promo Code | 88% off in Sale | screwfix.com & Activity Superstore Discount Code | 50% off | Free Delivery

We walked Ellie through the orchards and discovered a secure playing field where we can let her off with no fear of chasing any of the hundreds of rabbits. People are so friendly in the village, so Ellie had plenty of other dogs to play with. Back through Wingham and it really isn’t very far to walk, so we will be able to go to the pub and walk back.

We took Lou and Rhys out to lunch at The Anchor, Wingham, just down the road. They have done so much for us this last week. Great pub and we had a good lunch. I had a very good sea bass and the others all had steak. Not a great photo as the sun was shining through the window!

When we were back home we met our neighbour Bonnie and her two young sons who loved Ellie. We only have one neighbour as we are the last house along this end of this single track road.

Later in the afternoon we took Ellie to Minnis Bay, the tide was very high but of course she still wanted a game of ball in the sea.

Next stop was back to the Acol house to meet the landlady for our final house check. Mal wanted to meet her a day early in case there was anything needed doing to get our huge deposit back. We knew there wasn’t as the house was totally spotless and nothing was damaged. Well, she knew she had been a bad landlady and couldn’t look either of us in the eye! She checked absolutely everywhere. Finally Mal asked if everything was OK. She just said yes it is fine. So we will be getting our entire deposit back but neither of us trust her, so Mal recorded the whole conversation!!

Thought for the Day – “7 Rules of Life……

1. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present

2. What others think of you is none of your business

3. Time heals almost everything, give it time.

4. Don’t compare your life to others and don’t judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about

5. Stop thinking too much, it’s alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.

6. No one is on charge of your happiness, except you.

7. Smile. You don’t own all the problems in the world.