Me on Monday - overcooked

It was a day out with Dad, day out together, three loads of washing, knitting my way through a DVD sort of a weekend. Having been trapped at home by the car while Mr M was on a week's holiday. Long story about renewing a wheel-bearing that became replacing the wishbone and fitting two new tyres. Such a good job we have used the garage for years and trust them.

We got the car back on Thursday afternoon so we were able to keep our date with Father-in-Law. We went to Wyndcliff Court Sculpture Garden, which is up above St Arvans, just outside Chepstow. I saw several sculptures that I would be happy to have in my garden when I can afford them. Fabulous life-size and extremely real looking Foxglove that I would love to own.
The Teepee pole made me smile and if I had a big enough garden I would have that too.

The two Mr M's took their time and paused for a rest in the summer house. From there you can see most of the garden and out across the Wye Valley to England.

We had a cuppa in their cafe and I had a bread roll because I forgot to eat breakfast. The coffee was so weak it came out of the cafetiere waving a white flag of surrender. I am told the tea was lovely.

We then headed up the A48, pausing at Jo's cafe for lunch and then on to Kilpeck Church to show  Mr M senior the grotesques - if ever you get the chance to be in that part of Herefordshire then you must visit. I mean we live in Newport and yet it is one place we try to take all our visitors at some point.

On Saturday we intended to go to Farm Foods to restock the freezer. I don't know about you but that sort of shopping exhausts me and we tend to put it off until we are reduced to a few loose peas rolling around the bottom of the freezer and just the odd sausage looking forlorn in the meat basket. We haven't quite reached that point yet but it is close.

Anyway we went to the Pumping Station, an antiques and collectibles place on Penarth Road in Cardiff and bought the hall stand I fell in love with last week. I had decided that if it was still there it was meant to be mine so I used some of my Christmas money of F-i-L to buy it. We carried on along the road and went to Barry - not the Island this time, we stopped in Morrisons for a loo stop and to buy some credit for Mr M's phone as he realised he had 16p left on it from the £20 he put on there when I was in hospital last June - last of the big spenders eh?
Then we headed along the coast road and decided to go to St Donats Art Centre.
Don't waste your time bothering with it. We didn't realise it was part of the Atlantic College complex and, therefore, part of the University of Wales. You have to park quite a walk away from it and the only place that shows the opening times is a small notice right by the door 10am-4pm Monday to Friday. I mean, why do they have a big brown sign on the main road and yet you have to get there and park and walk right up to the darned door to find it shut. We won't be going again.
We then looked at the time and it was nearly lunch time so we stopped at the Horseshoe Inn in Marcross and had a really delicious lunch. I had plaice and chips and Mr M had faggots and peas and mash. He said the mash was perfect because it was thick enough to be able to mix in his gravy and not get dinner medals down his chest. They also served a delicious cup of coffee.

We headed north after lunch and came home via lots of welsh places, avoiding the Rhondda - not because we don't like it but because we wanted to head slightly more easterly. We called in at Mr Ms cousin's house. Just to give a little moral support as they are coping with a parent with dementia. then into Morrisons in Risca for some essentials and home. I put the beef into the slow cooker and left it to cook for Sunday
We sleazed on Sunday. Mr M alternated between the TV and the computer and I did three loads of washing. Having youngest son back home means I get to wash uniforms again, isn't that exciting? Actually it is kind of nice. I like having him around even though his shifts are dead wierd as he leaves the house anytime between 11pm and 1am to go and drive his big articulated truck full of frozen foods. He does his own ironing and cleans his room and keeps the bathroom tidy, what more can a mother ask.

My Hall stand has just been delivered so I am off to photograph it and I will show you the pictures tomorrow