Bed, Bath and Beyond ...

Evening!

Now dark and getting colder as we got deeper and deeper into the countryside of the Mendip Hills I was certainly ready to relax a little after being stuck in the driving seat for the last four-hours. The property itself was slightly difficult to find, especially in the blackness of the now early winters eve, but once found was easily located throughout our stay. On arrival we pulled over and called our host who promptly came running down the dirt track just as we pulled in. As lovely as ever, she told us to follow her young son down on the bicycle to where we would call home for the next few days. Trundling the country lanes to The Cabin, the owners had already lit the real log burning fire so on entering the humble abode it was toasty warm in comparison to the wet and windy chill that threatened our trip. 

The Cabin itself compromised of a simple hallway and corridor with doors leading to the other rooms. A small "Snug" with a small sofa bed, poof / beanbag and a wall map was classed as the second bedroom and next door a large double bedroom with full length mirrored wardrobes and plenty of space for a cot or a chair at one end. Across the way from the "Snug" was the bathroom, equipped with a large shower and plenty of storage options as well as the normal bathroom items. Other end of the hallway was the kitchen come diner come lounge area where the stove was burning away nicely and the kettle was on. Everything was cosy and well equipped especially the kitchen. There was milk waiting in the fridge for us on arrival which was especially appreciated since we had forgotten this on our travels down. Although the sofa and arm chair were a tad on the small side and slightly dated we could not begrudge the owners just on this. Within moments of leaving I had suggested to Mr. Warehouse that had a hot tub been present the owners could well have charged double the £180-odd it was to stay there and would maybe have a few more bookings. It would certainly be an additional benefit and luxury I would have been delighted with. 

Settling in Mr. Warehouse and I unpacked the car and made our way to bed after long days at work and a tiresome drive of a Wednesday evening. Waking on the following morning though was a certainly a lovely experience. With the aches and pains setting in from my personal training session the day before I was glad that I awoke to hearing Mr. Warehouse and Pup playing chase outside in the paddock. Listening to them run up the wooden steps to the front door I awaited the thud of paws and feet into the bedroom for my favourite people to bundle me on our new bed. 

On finishing breakfast we bid farewell to our pooch as we headed out for our spa day in Bath. Now this is probably one of the most pricey things I have bought or paid for in a while and for £150.00 I really did hope that our afternoon at the UK's only Thermal spa - Thermae Spa Bath. What did I get for that sort of money you ask? Well firstly it was a half early Christmas present and half anniversary present for myself and also Mr. Warehouse too so the seventy-five quid price tag per person didn't seem too harsh on the wallet, not when you consider the four-floors of relaxation and renew including a sauna, two steam rooms, solarium, ice chamber, rain showers, Minerva pool, jacuzzi's, whirlpools and the pièce de résistance  A roof top heated and lit pool overlooking the city and cathedral. Beautiful as that was I was also looking forward to the Thermae Treat spa package including a Reviver Back Massage, a Facial and a Head massage, To be fair, for the price that I paid (well for the price that I put on my credit card ... ) I think it was worth it. I loved the smell of the place and I can still catch a scent in my makeup brushes even this morning. Would I go again?! Definitely! However I would of course liked to have made it a full day of relaxing and more treatments to spread throughout the day, broken up with trips to the sauna and dips in the pools. 

A walk through the Christmas Markets made me more happier at the content than that of York's disappointment last year. There was so much more, stalls and huts everywhere and down every nook or cranny there was even more. And after a relaxing Friday at The Cabin taking the pooch for a long woodland walk and cuddling up on the sofa for a session of crap telly and food bought from a local butchers in the town of Wells, Mr. Warehouse and I had returned to the Christmas Markets of Bath City Center in order to spend out our last full day in style. Mulled Wine, Warmed Cider, samples aplenty and tasty things everywhere I was certainly super impressed with the amount of produce and products on offer from the huts and stalls. So much more than any other UK based Christmas Market I had visited before, be it York, Birmingham, London or more local. As the (fake) snow fell from the night sky I was certainly disappointed to be leaving as despite ticking the Roman Baths off the tourist hot-spots list, there was still a fair amount of things I wanted to see and do including the Pulteney Bridge in the daytime (walked along it at night, although Mr. Warehouse was tired and becoming increasingly hangry by the moment). Taking long walks with my Beau and Puppy in the Jane Austen inspiring Prior Parks and gardens, Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole (although mainly for the cheese I must admit). All of this and more including trips to nearby Bristol, Weston-Super-Mare and other towns and villages in turn means Mr. Warehouse and I will just have to return. I suppose we best check out how that Thermae Spa is doing as well, you know, just to check. But I cant get holiday blues just yet since in less than seventy-two hours I will be in the wonderful winter wonderland of Prague. Here's hoping its not too chilly ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Rub-A-Dub-Dub in my little Hot-Tub!

Hiya, 

So it would seem that with less than 100-days to go until myself and Mr. Warehouse Jet off on holiday to Sunny Tenerife I am thoroughly looking forward to the fact that I can lay on the beach drinking cocktails and eat out for every meal. Anyone who knows me will know that holidays are exactly what I want to do in my spare time and with any spare cash, and whilst I have switched jobs in the last year it would appear that money is still an issue when it comes to holidaying. 

Normally it would happen that Miss Tweedle-Dee, Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I organise a holiday during the summer months and Mr. Warehouse and I just have to make do in trying to get away at some other point throughout the year. But this year is different, for I am not really able to afford more than one holiday this year especially a big one. With my living expenses increasing after passing my test and getting a car, even with the change in career and more money coming in, I am envious and a tad jealous of my work colleagues that are able to Jet off to far away countries like the Caribbean and Mexico for annual holidays more than just once a year. But I suppose in retrospect if I was still living at home and had little outgoings then I also would be travelling the world. Who knows maybe I would be one of those pretentious posh kids from a middle class military background family that would swan off to Africa or somewhere out in Asia on some sort of gap Year from university in order to "find myself", 

Anyway, for some odd reason this year it seems like much more of a struggle to save the money for spending on Mr Warehouse and my first beach holiday abroad. if I'm honest with myself I slightly regret the fact that we did not book somewhere a little bit more upper class. For Mr Warehouse I am sure that it will be amazing even if we were living in a Mud Hut for a week since his last holiday abroad to a beach resort was his brother's stag do a few years ago. They have been married for over 4-years I think and have a little boy who this weekend, just turned three, I honestly don't know what I would do if I couldn't go on holiday every year - I think I would go insane! Mind you I always class a holiday as something outside of your normal environment. A breakaway to an English seaside resort - Holiday! Visiting family in Southern Ireland - Holiday! Going to see your best friend in Basingstoke for the weekend - OK certainly not a holiday but definitely a break away from the norm. 

Looking back on it now, I am slightly regretful at the fact that Miss Tweedle-Dee, Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I never booked anywhere to go away abroad just me and them. But it was their decision that this year we would scrap the summer holiday all in aid of a hot tub weekend, with champagne on ice and lots of giggles and laughter to be had all of it set in the beauty that is the old English country-side. Set in woodland slap-bang in between Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft; Laxfield Lodges with a hot tub and Scenic outdoor views is certainly going to take the edge off not being able to be on a beach with the besties!

I shouldn't say too much as this time next week I will have a lot to say about what my weekend entailed and look forward to telling you all about one of the last and final time we will all be together. 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx