Playing hooky

We played hooky yesterday. Instead of our usual routine - & we knew at least one friend was hoping to see us at the golf club – we went off to Fleetwood & Freeport (a discount shopping centre).

On Tuesday night the Fox had slow-cooked a meal – a sausage braise. In the morning I’d peeled some spuds. As the Wednesday went on, the sun increasingly shone. We’d been intending to try Freeport ever since some friends had said how good it was. Our trip out last week to the hospital & meal at Conder Green had made us realise we ought to have more spontaneous hooky days. So the braise went in the fridge. The potatoes would keep in water until today, & we were off.

The sun soon disappeared but it stayed dry. We managed to get a few things we’ve been wanting for a while.

The Fox has got a breathable waterproof mac that will fit in a small pouch – convenient for carrying around on holiday on days when he doesn’t really want to wear a coat.

We also bought a mid-size rucksack. It is difficult pulling two suitcases as well as pushing a wheelchair when we go on holiday. Hopefully this will make it easier. We’re also thinking for shorter holidays it may be an easier alternative to a suitcase. We’ll see how it goes.

Above all, we’re pleased to have found what look like some decent pans. For years we had cast iron ones. However, after his stroke the Fox found these pans too heavy to lift easily. So we bought a new set. This set has lasted very poorly. They are so lightweight & unbalanced they slide off the hobs if they are not put on dead centre. The frying pan landed on the floor the first time we used it & was knocked out of shape. Hopefully the new set will be better. They are a bit heavier but not as heavy as cast iron. We just bought a set of 4 pans. We rarely need more than that. After all there’s only the two of us to cook for.

After the shop we stopped at St Michael’s on Wyre for a meal – chicken forestiere for us both. We were nervous ordering it, remembering being tempted once to some gammon by the accompanying mushrooms to discover just one small mushroom on the plate. The chicken turned out delicious. It was tender & moist. The sauce was creamy & garlicky with plenty of mushrooms. Even the green beans had flavour. The Fox got distracted by the pictures of St Michael’s when it was flooded by Storm Desmond last year. The village was under water for quite a while. On our way through Lancaster we had been struck by a restaurant that was only just re-opening after repair from flooding due to the same storm.

This morning I’m off out to introduce our gardener to a friend who is seeking a gardener. Hopefully they will suit each other. Our gardener specialises in working for disabled & elderly people only. She has little time for people who are just too lazy to look after their gardens - experience has taught her it often means she spends the first hour clearing away toys, litter & dog poo. Our friend is in her 80s so she qualifies. I hope it works out for them both.