Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ Splendid Mothers Day weekend
So busy all the time, hardly time to update here. Busy day again today right through, but work has gone well and I've done all my jobs:
- made the tea for tonight, penne arrabiata
- booked T2 into breakfast club and arranged for Grandpa to collect him
- fixed a suspicious tap in the kitchen1
- actually contacted some builders about our dodgy ceiling
... and so a few minutes to update here. I mean, I haven't done all my jobs, but I did some.
Friday I took a half day so as to get away quickly. Picked T2 up after school and drove up the station. Met Clare and T1 there, we left the school bags in the car which Clare drove home and the boys and I were racing up to London. Clare had to work all weekend, and indeed all week.
We swapped trains quickly, tube to Waterloo and there was a train in. We were there for the train half an hour earlier than we'd thought, so would get to our destination faster. But no time hanging about at Waterloo so not much time to get food. Got some fruit and veges from M&S rather than pasties. Standing room only on this train, so although our whole journey from Folkestone to Havant was less than three hours, having to stand for some of it made the last bit feel slower. Went to Havant as it's often where we go back from, thought it would save time. Thought it was actually where we were having dinner on Sunday too, but turns out I was wrong.
Got the boys a McDonalds on the way back to Mum and Dad's house! Mum insisted on feeding them, I thought we'd had enough with the fruit and the veges. I have never been through a drive through before. I don't recommend it, I did not eat there. Nice evening after that, just sitting and relaxing.
Saturday morning parkrun, but Fareham instead of my usual. First bit of exercise for two weeks. I ran there, which was fine, though lots of confusing roadworks round there even diverting the pavement for me. Running there was fine, the run itself was the usual slow congested start. Lots of mud and puddles but at least not raining. My knees started twingeing towards the end so I had to slow right down, and was two minutes slower than my previous one.
Fareham parkrun results for event #352. Your time was 00:26:35.
Congratulations on completing your 149th parkrun and your 8th at Fareham parkrun today. You finished in 53rd2 place out of a field of 181 parkrunners. You were the 45th male3 and came 9th in your age category VM50-54. Take a look at this week's full set of results on our website. Your PB at Fareham parkrun remains 00:21:31. Congratulations on your fastest time this year4.
From parkrun to Port Solent for a look in Snow And Rock there and bought nothing for me but a nice jumper for T1. Shopping vicariously, it's nearly as good5. Then to Fareham and got some more bits for the boys and some sweets, which they were pleased with. Home for a late lunch of soup, and then more relaxing before heading out.
Mum gave me a lift to Fareham and to the awesome West Street Ale House to meet a couple of friends, and I'm glad they agreed with my plan of an Umami burger. You can get local takeaways and take them into the micropub. At least I think that is OK. I stuck with the same real ale as it was good, did not vary it. We left when that closed and I got a taxi home, so another sensible night.
Next day's meal at Number 73 Bar And Kitchen6 was really good. We were in Waterlooville, which I thought was basically Havant, but apperently not. Waterlooville is much nicer. Food was a lovelly roast dinner with the family, organised by Kez for Mum, and we had kind of gatecrashed it. But really good to all get together and the food was great.
We headed home from there, got a lift to Petersfield rather than Havant as apparently it's much of a muchness, though further on the journey for us. Major disruption so got a rail replacement coach to Guildford, then some quick hops7 and home in a better time than expected. Still probably four hours though.
Home to watch Gladiators with Clare and open her Mothers Day wine.
There is free energy again tomorrow8, three hours of it, so that's time to dry all the washing from the weekend. AND put all my devices on charge ready to go to London the next day... I need to be in London for two days this week, so might even stay over inbetween, I have not fully decided yet. Will save some money, if I properly rough it in a hostel. That could be an adventure.
I could have used this twenty minutes to go for a walk I suppose, but it's not very nice out again.
Light cloud and a gentle breeze, 6 - 11℃.
- Yeah, thought I had, by just oiling it, but it's sticking again.
- This is much higher up the rankings than usual, but in a smaller field of runners.
- They've still not changed this.
- My fastest time at Fareham this year. My only time at Fareham.
- Oh it was nearly as good until I just found the same jumper significantly cheaper on the spyder.com website...
- Not Number 73 off the TV in the 1980s, and not the 73 bus to Stoke Newington that I used to write about a lot.
- Not that sort of hops, but I have renewed my Hythe Hops subscription.
- Join Octopus Energy here and we both earn money.