Life's A Beach!

Good Evening, 

So here Mr. Warehouse and I are after a lovely long weekend, knackered and tired but thoroughly happy with this Bank Holiday Weekend's activities gone by. With a work colleagues beautiful wedding on Friday night in the bag, Mr Warehouse and I were well and truly excited for our mini-break to Great Yarmouth. Situated on the Norfolk coast Great Yarmouth was a fabulous choice for us as it was only two hours drive or so from home and nicely nestled between the cold North sea and the good old British Norfolk Broads, we imagined that we would have plenty to do not just spend all day on the beach walking the shore or in the arcades playing the slot machines. 

Arriving at our hotel I must say was not the most glamorous of stays that Mr. Warehouse and I have ever had, however was nice and plenty for what we needed. It was the first bed and breakfast that the bae and I had stayed in with a dog but I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting the room to be a lot smaller and more cramped for the three of us. Now this isn't to say that it was a large room by any standards and the decor could have definitely done with an update from at least the last decade, but as I explained to Mr Warehouse on the way back from dinner last night have you really stayed at a B&B by the sea if the room's don't look like a gaudy replica of your grandma's spare bedroom. In all fairness though the hotel was everything that we needed; Free Wi-Fi, Free breakfast and even free parking. 

After checking in and getting they keys on Saturday afternoon we decided to head down to the seafront for our pooch's first outing to the beach. Running onto the golden sand's, she was more than excited and I can honestly say that it brought a tear to my eye to know just how close both of us came to losing her only a few months ago. I did think at one point throughout that whole ordeal that we would never even get to this point where Mr. Warehouse and I would be able to see her run and frolic amongst the sand dunes without a care in the world. My thoughts turned to the day of her operation to have her Pyometra removed and how sickeningly worried we both were for our dog. Thankfully though Pup pulled through and we were all here on the beach having lots of fun throwing stones into the ocean and seeing which one of us would get splashed by the waves first. I am sure that it is not, but I imagine that this is what parenthood feels like - Chasing each other along the shore and making sure that there are plenty of memories being created and enjoying every precious moment there is, laughing all the way. 

After the exhausting fun by the sea Mr. Warehouse, the dog and I headed up the promenade towards the main town centre to enjoy some of the sights and smells at the seaside had to bring us. Stopping for some hot doughnuts and drinks, I reflected on how much fun I was having already and we had hardly spent a penny. Feet thoroughly painful I suggested going back to the hotel before maybe heading out again for some dinner just the two of us, but I will be honest by the time I got back my feet were so painful that I would have had to have a wheelchair in order to go out for dinner and so I got a delivery in of Chinese whilst Mr. Warehouse and I kicked back for a relaxing evening in front of the telly albeit a smaller one we were used to. 

Sunday was definitely the day for the adults, no doggies allowed. Although apparently taking your dog into the arcades was not as taboo as Mr. Warehouse and I once thought. Don't get me wrong it was weird not having the dog with us, she is essentially an extension of ourselves however it was nice having a day all to myself with Mr Warehouse. Almost like having a night off from the kids, it was as if we were having our first date again; Eating ice cream, messing around in the Amusement'S and going on fairground rides together. Suffice to say that it is days like this where I fall more and more in love with my dearest boyfriend. Even if he does push me under the spray of the log flume to get soaked. 

Waking up this morning I was sad to know that this was the last time I would be by the sea for at least the next few months, only difference being that next time it will be in a much warmer climate and without the dog. Scoffing down our fried breakfast and packing everything in the car to go home, I drove my little family down to the seafront for the last and final time, indulging ourselves in our favourite seaside activities such as playing on the 2p games in the arcades and amusements, running along the beach chasing each other over the sand dunes.

Mr. Warehouse and I finished off our little trip with the pooch in true British style by eating fish and chips by the cold and grey sea front and watching the shore lap against the wet sand. It was in this moment that I noticed something dark and long in the water. Whatever it was it looked as if it was moving and as I yelled at Mr. Warehouse to look out to sea in order to confirm my sighting we both were shocked as the head turned to look at us dead in the face as if he heard us talking about him. It looked as if it was a seal in fact I'm almost certain of it. A dark grey figure with an almost dog-like head took one look in our direction and proceeded to swim away. Knowing that no-one would believe either me or the boyfriend if we said we saw seals off the coast of Great Yarmouth, all of us began to chase along the shore to see if we could get a better picture of this mysterious animal. Again the canine-appearing creature decided to raise its head again above the choppy, green sea to have a look again towards land  before diving deeper, not to resurface again before we headed back to the car. 

What a wonderful way to end such a fabulous weekend, and all for a relatively modest budget of under £100 each. A cheap B&B, a penny jar full with odds and sods from purses and wallets over the last few months and the drive to get up and do something more than just sitting and catch up on telly or sleep of a bank holiday weekend in blightly. OK, granted it was certainly not the best weather in fact I would have probably liked it a bit warmer but it didn't rain and as long as you plan for rain and have any ideas of what you may do up your sleeve for if it does everything will be just fine. Wonder where our next adventure will be ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Breaking Down Over Breakdowns!

Bonjour, 

So after last weekend's fun and frolicking I felt as though I needed a weekend at home in my flat. With washing piling up alongside the washing up and numerous household chores to do I knew that although I should probably make some time to see my granddad, especially after recent events last weekend. 

And after a cosy Friday night and all day Saturday days lounging around on the sofa and watching crap telly with Mr. Warehouse I decided to get off me' bum and meet the Tweedle's in Bedford town centre for some Coffee and Cake. As all four of us pottered round town we became bored with window shopping and Mr. Warehouse lead us all to a wonderful little Ice-Cream Parlour in one of the many back streets and alley ways. Upon entering The Gallones Ice Cream Emporium I felt a huge pressure from all the wonderful flavours. From Salted Caramel to Blueberry Muffin I was overwhelmed by flavours, toppings and sauces not to mention the waffles and crepes. So when making my choice I felt it was only right to kick off the five-week countdown to mine and Mr. Warehouse's holiday to Lyon with a crepe, sprinkled with toffee fudge pieces, drizzled in warm caramel sauce, squirted two cream-puff flowers and blobbed two big scoops of ice-cream; One Tiramisu and the other Espresso Choc-Chip all topping a warm and folded crepe. Haha, if that isn't food porn I don't know what is! 

After indulging ourselves more than we should do before a weigh in the following morning I suggested given the fact it was raining something horrible, that we all go back to my place and warm up with some hot chocolate and a good old Disney Film. All in agreement we set off and bundled into Miss Tweedle-Dumb's little blue car. After switching on the engine and pulling off as normal there was a massive "Clunk". Stopping the car, we all got out and looked around the car. Had we blown a tyre? Had we just ran over an empty bottle that had popped? Had we hit something? Nothing seemed to be amiss, until that is Mr. Warehouse found a piece of metal in the shape of a horseshoe left in the lonely car parking space we had just vacated. Theorising that it had just come off the car there was nothing left to do but to give the little motor a thorough whizz round the multi-story. Realising that there was now a clunky, tick noise coming from the front axle every time the car turned left or right I had said that the best thing to do would be drive it back to mine, park it up and call breakdown. 

Chucking it down with rain we finally arrived at my abode and whilst my besties fretted over how they would get home and what the state of the driver would be who would come to recover them, Mr. Warehouse scaled the car for any other further damage and generally tried to look as manly as can be, which is not exactly hard given his stature. Finally admitting defeat we all scrambled inside and up the four flights of stairs to my penthouse apartment. Offering everyone teas and coffees and generally everything to warm us all up and lift our moods. Calling the breakdown company, Miss Tweedle-Dumb was told it would take anywhere between ninty-minutes and two-hours for someone to come and rescue them. Fortunately they weren't stranded on the roadside of the A6 in the pouring rain. happy for their company for a few more hours than expected we settled in for natter and some crappy background TV. But as the hours past there was still no pick up. Calling numerous times I could see Mr. Warehouse giving me the eyes as if to say he was wasting away, but with my friends almost on the brink of going home to their own dinners I put off cooking mine and Mr. Warehouse's just yet. That was until gone seven in the evening, more than three hours after Miss Tweedle-Dumb called the RAC Breakdown people. 

After much persuasion from Miss Tweedle-Dumb and Miss Tweedle-Dee I decided to start cooking, asking them both constantly if they were hungry or cold or thirsty. I wanted them, like everyone who visits me at home to feel happy and content and comfortable, even if the situation is made worse by silly corporate giants with no human empathy. Soon enough the boredom kicked in and after the usual thing my friends and I do to pass the time culminating in rummaging through my sex toys, reading extracts of my teenage diaries and playing Pictionary as well as the obvious - Dancing round mops like were in Magic Mike XXL which we recently went to go and see (Absolutely incredible! Take a spare pair of knickers, you will need it after this film! Everyone must get up right now and go and see it. Man, women, dog, chicken, lamp-post, you all need to enrich your lives by seeing Channing Tatum getting down and dirty to a song that sings about the cookie monster!). 

Finally after much minute using, argument infusing, stress taking, call-centre-shouting, and near-to-tear spilling hours (nine to be precise) my little Tweedles were off home. All of our evenings wasted to some extent. But I suppose on a lighter note, we all got to spend some QT with each other and out of all of this my dear friend Miss Tweedle-Dumb can now get lots of compensation for the horrendous way she was treated and as a warning to those whom find themselves under a motorway lamp reading this in the rain as you too have broken down somewhere cold, rainy and wet - Don't buy breakdown cover with the RAC!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx