I finally escaped today,with heavy showers around I flashed the pass to go to town.An old pal Jeff and his wife Sue were on the bus amongst other idiots I recognised so I sat beside them and caught up on family news.They only live a couple of streets away but they are not walkers due to health problems so they are rarely seen except on the bus going to town or visit one of their children.
I collected my pipe fodder from Morrisons and then headed for B&M to get a few odds and ends.The most important item was tinned hamburgers in onion gravy,I kid you not they are one of my old mothers favourites,marmalade and strawberry jam all for mother.From there I dodged a rain shower and went to the indoor market. A had a browse on the cheese stall and bought some nice crumbly Lancashire cheese and a pork pie for my lunch. Then through to the butchers hall for some lamb pieces suitable for a hotpot.Next to the open plan cafe where I had a coffee and bacon bun which I devoured while sitting people watching.I was joined by Linda,an old school friend who I come across now and again.She bought me another coffee and we settled down to more swapping of news mostly from Linda about school friends etc.Her big news was the trip to see her children in New Zealand, Linda and her hubby are going for Christmas and a family reunion.This is their first trip and the first time they will see two of their grandchildren.
It was time for me to go and we had a nice big friends hug and went our separate ways.I paid for another coffee for her as she awaited her next victim.
I had Cooltrader to visit before the bus home to pick up some of their delicious garden peas,the best I have tasted,I collected a few other bits, bacon,pasta,bread and a pack of Montana chunky chocolate wafers before heading homeward.I had the company of Dot on the bus,not Irish Dot or Dotty Dot just Dot.We have been neighbours for all the 45 years I have lived here,our kids grew up together.With Dot it is an intensive listening experience and you better pay attention because she will suddenly fire a question at you.
I finally landed home over 2½ hours after leaving,that is a mammoth shopping trip for me and as the shopping and bus trip together only takes an hour it seems I spent a lot of time chewing the fat with Linda, as you can tell the shopping was only a small part of it really meeting old friends and catching up on each others news was the highlight.
I have the lamb in the slow cooker with the veg and stock etc so a nice easy dinner to make today.
Time to eat some dead pig wrapped in pastry,catch you soon