As you may remember me telling you, we’ve had a week off, and very welcome it is too. It’s been lovely to unwind, do nothing and actually go out!
On Tuesday we went to The Range where Jane’s been wanting to go for ages to stock up on bits and bobs for her house building. Not with bricks and mortar, in case you think she’s decided to build a house herself! She’s been making cottages and beach huts from driftwood for our online shop.
We eventually got there and a lovely day it was too. It’s always nicer when you go out into the sunshine, it makes the journey more enjoyable. Blackpool was very busy and bustling which was nice to see. You could hear the cash tills ringing!
Your life in your hands
So, we got there, and with me in my chair off we went. Kevin started pushing me when we got inside the shop. I had to do some of my pointing – right and left and yelling out not to hit anything – which he nearly did several times. Like driving me straight at a structural beam! It’s like taking your life in your hands I can tell you. Jane soon took over as it was clear that Kevin was a novice at wheelchair steering. Oh he’s got a lot to learn methinks!
The shop looked strange when we got to the far end where all the craft stuff is that Jane wanted. It was obvious that the back wall had gone missing from the black plastic sheet. Hammering, sawing and drills were going off behind it. It seemed to make the shop look smaller, but she coped having a look for all the things she needed.
Kevin and Derek had wandered off by then with the trolley, as they wanted to look at what they wanted. My knee was getting so piled up that it looked as if no one was in the chair. Just in time Kevin came back to rescue me, so I could put what was piled up on me into the trolley. All you could see was the pair of legs poking out under the pile of bits and bobs!
It’s handy really, Jane can see what’s on top shelves and I can see the bottom shelves, so we don’t miss the things we want. After buying all sorts of things that we needed after over a year incarceration, we went back to the car to go home.
It was lovely to be out and about in the sun, and the shop was quiet which we were glad of. The dogs were so pleased to see us as when we got back. They haven’t been left alone for over a year. I think they were even more pleased that someone had turned up to feed them!
A Week Off and Another Day Out
Eh we know how to live, we do. On Wednesday of a week off we went to the big Blackpool Sainsbury’s. Not to shop for food but Jane wanted to have a look at their clothes. She’s been busy sorting wardrobes out, due to her getting a bit more ‘plump’ shall I say.
Over the years we have had some nice things from their Tu clothes range and yesterday was no exception. She managed to get what she wanted more or less. We were a bit put out to see that the changing rooms aren’t open. And, there were notices all over, saying ‘do not try on clothes or footwear in the shop’.
There is a thirty day return policy so if things don’t fit you aren’t stuck with them. But how daft does that seem? People are touching everything else in the shop. The only thing I bought in clothes was a lovely white t-shirt with pink flamingos on it. It fits perfectly and the quality is excellent, along with the price.
Back to Blackpool
However, Jane had a failure with a couple of things that have to go back. Hubby got two pairs of lightweight trousers, again the one’s he’s had before are very good. One pair fit him and another exactly the same size didn’t, so they’ll have to go back too. Oh dear, what a shame. We’ll have to go back to Blackpool!
That won’t be too much of a burden as Jane and I haven’t done any proper shopping for over a year. It didn’t seem too bad in Sainsbury’s. Everyone was wearing masks and the ones that tried to get in without them were met by staff saying it was a no-no. And quite right too, we all know the rules so obey them please. Otherwise that’s how these things spread – and it is doing seemingly.
After a while, Derek went to sit down as he has painful feet. We have wondered if you can get stackable wheelchairs. Like the pushchairs for children when they have two young ones. The drawback would be that whoever was pushing us wouldn’t be able to see over the top. So maybe the answer to that would be a crash helmet. Can’t you just imagine it!
Cake for tea
As we walked through the shop, the fresh fish, meat and cheese counters were all closed, presumably because of covid. We carried on walking and Jane was getting more and more wound up, in case the patisserie we closed. We always buy something naughty when we go there.
I thought she was going to cheer when she saw it was open! But alas alack, it was gone mid afternoon so there wasn’t much left. Her favourite fresh cream meringue wasn’t anywhere to be seen. At least she didn’t paddy on the shop floor for one. Although even when she was very young she never had tantrums in shops, thank goodness.
Hubby and I weren’t let down as I got my fresh raspberry and lemon tart – delicious and tangy. He got his mixed fruit tart, so he was happy. Jane had Black Forest gateau and a cream scone to share half-and-half with Kevin, so we weren’t too let down.
No cards, no cash
An announcement came over the tannoy that some cards weren’t being accepted so we had visions of putting all the shopping back! Kevin went off to see if our bank card was acceptable. Apparently card provider ingenico had been having problems nationally and it was slow but working, so that was a relief. At one time we carried cash, but not so much now that everyone wants you to pay by card. Just shows how we all rely on the internet and computers!
We got back to the car and reliable Kevin made our day. He pushed the trolley back to the boot and ceremoniously put all the bags of shopping on the back seat. Why, you may ask, when there were four of us to go in the car? Well, he was only preparing to put the trolley in the boot!
What does he want with a trolley?
Well, as you can imagine, we were in screams of laughter. Very red faced, he realised what he’d done and began taking the shopping back to the boot from the back seat. I think he must have been thinking about folding the chair up and instead was going to try to put the trolley in the boot. At least he didn’t try to fold me up and put me in the boot!
Where hubby and Kevin were going to sit I don’t know, or why he wanted to take a shopping trolley home is a mystery to us. But in spite of that diversion, we got home for tea much to the relief of my dogs. What we’ll be doing during the rest a week off I’m not sure, but it is nice to have a bit of freedom again.
Other blogs you might be interested in:
- You couldn’t make it up!
- Stolen Plants
- Normal Bank Holiday Weeks are Back
- My Latest Stupid Adventure…
- What a funny week
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