Weekender

 

Gaggh can't believe it. Was just leaving yesterday when letter arrived. I have been caught speeding. I am so careful about speeding, especially when in built up areas. 

It was last week when I was lost in Southampton. That's it for me. The place is my nemesis and I refuse to drive there ever again.

I was going 37 in a 30 zone. That means I thought it was a 40 zone and was keeping well under what I thought was limit. Will let you know more when I do. Massively pissed off.

I mentioned we were just leaving. We are away for family weekend. Quite a big one actually. Probably the last one when we all share a room.

Son is 16 in September so no longer classed as a kid. Plus, to be fair, it feels odd him sharing now he is so grown up. Also our ad hoc luxury weekends have always been done on Tesco vouchers. Where £10 of tesco vouchers = £30 of hotels.com vouchers. But that's now changed to £20. 

It doesn't mean we will not still go away but it may be a couple of years or different because full price with 2 rooms is a much more considered purchase. Suddenly if you are spending £1,000 instead of £100 there are many more worthwhile things to do. Plus I don't think son wants to be stuck with us either. Which I get!

Anyway we are staying at Langstone Quays on Hayling Island. We chose it because it has come up in searches over the years but always been second place.

Now we are here, it is nice but doesn't feel as luxury as it should. The room is lovely and huge, the staff are amazing. They even put coffee machine on for me early because family still asleep. That was a dream actually. 

However, when we arrived the corridors were unhoovered, there were trays of food outside rooms and boxes piled in the corridor. We didn't surprise them early. This was 16:00. 

On the first evening we wandered over to the Kings Head pub. A lovely meal, but all deep fried. I can feel the spots brewing already. 

Hayling is lovely. It was husband's granny's fav place in world. We have been before with our old dog. Many years ago. Dog leapt into the silt and we had a long drive home with a stinking dog who had turned from white to black with silt. 

It sounds like I am moaning. I am not. It's a beautiful place and a treat to go away somewhere with a reasonably short journey from home.

I spent much of the weekend in the pool. That was a treat. Pre pandemic I used to be a waterbaby. Then we got dog. The time I spent in the pool is now spent walking dog. I was impressed that i could still do my traditional very slow 40 lengths. I have always been slowest in the pool. But slow and steady wins the race.

Unfortunately slow and steady also annoys the sprinter swimmers. However there didn't seem to he any sprinters this weekend. 

Overall it was a good stay and there were enough good moments foe happy memories and enough bad moments for us not to be devastated it may be our last trip like that.

Once Home we unpacked and dog was delivered back by a friend. Life back to normal is also a nice place to be.