Random Fun

Ok, So tuesdays are generally quiet days for me (actually of late, all days have been quiet days for me...) But yesterday I had to go and check out one of our other physio practices in a small country town called East Bridgford...


It was a hot, near cloudless, beautiful day (such as has been rare this summer) So, after the suggestion of a random adventure was agreed on we decided to drive a little further into the country to another beautiful wee town called Newark Upon Trent... We had been once before (we biked that time - NB if planning to go, it is much easier to get there by car or train than bike... Especially in the blisteringly hot sun...)



Newark is known for it's run down castle on the waterfront beside the river Trent... It has loads of Chic wee shops as well as all the standard british high street ones, loads of cool cafe's and restaurants, and great parks close to the city centre.


We parked up and went for a stroll in the sun, taking Abbey with us (of course!) in her borrowed travel cot/stroller. Main mission was to try and find her a sun hat, which we were partially successful with, getting another horridly oversized sunhat for her wee noggin which fits neatly over her entire head covering her eyes and nose. At least we can see if she's smiling or not.

Found some classic sunglasses (for Abbey) in Monsoon but Mez wouldn't let me buy them... last time I take her shopping! (not!). It was with weary legs and parched throats that we three decided to look for a garden bar/cafe, settling on Zizzi which had a beaut wee outdoor area to sit in the sun and wile

I've started reading Crime and Punishment (Dostoevsky) which is a great summer book (thus far), Mez is working through The Contented Baby Book (Gina Ford) and so we sat and chilled and read and chatted away... We hadn't really intended on staying a long time but they were such comfy seats, the weather was so pleasant, the company splendid etc etc, so a Peroni and a Lemonade with some bread appetizers was soon followed by mains and we eventually decided at around 7.30 that as the sun was beginning to set, it was probably time to head home...


So we strolled back to the car, pausing briefly to gaze into a bike store window at an Abbey trailer that was discounted to a mere 120 pounds and looked super comfy... And then continued our meandering back towards the car. Only to find the car park locked for the night!!! D'oh.


T'shirts and shorts and a summer dress for wee Abbey are no clothes for roughing it for the night, and besides we had no more spare nappies, so we wandered to a local and exceedingly brightly lit supermarket to get some more nappies, and to find out where some accomodation was. The woman in the supermarket was supremely helpful not to mention inquisitive about our wee lady, who pouted and stretched to look cute at all the right moments... Half an hour's walk out of the town was all that separated us from the rest found at the local Travelodge, So with the sun shrinking lazily into a corner of the sky, we walked, no trudged was more like it (by now) towards our final goal. Perhaps a mixture of trudging and scampering... for with the setting sun the temperature was growing cool and our summer attire was no longer feeling quite so appropriate.

There appeared before us a most marvellous sight after just 20 minutes brisk walk. Two triumphant golden arches standing before us, like a beacon, heralding the way to goodness. But the Travelodge (situated behind McDonalds) told a tale we'd read about somewhere in some book. 'Sorry, there's no room at the inn!' Despondent, we looked at each other with a growing sense of alarm... But the last train has now left for Nottingham and we have nowhere to rest our heads!?


So we decided to rough it and sleep in the park. After a dejected amble back to the centre of town, we found a park bench and watched the sun set, taking with it our hopes. It was cold. Bitterly cold, and the night was long. Like this story, or a Mariah Carey song playing on repeat on your little sisters CD player.





In an alternative ending, the lady at the Travelodge booked us a room at another Hotel, as well as a taxi to get there, and finally we found a place to rest our three heads.
And so ends this latest adventure.


Ill-Fitting sunhat 4 Pounds
Dinner 29 Pounds
Bed and Breakfast 75 Pounds
Parking over 24 hours 3 Pounds
The Memories ... Priceless


My Thanks to the helpful lady at the Supermarket, and the Travelodge, Staff at Zizzi for keeping us there, all the random strangers who commented on our beautiful daughter, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Homer (Simpson) and Mastercard for inspiration.