. . . . Ricks Extra Long Summer . . . .: Home?? Smeg, rain, family, pub, food and not buying a car!!

T-75 and my first day in Skegness. I suffered a little from jet-lag, waking up at about 5am, but getting back to sleep and eventually waking up just before noon. Then, after a little bit of breakfast me, my mum and dad went out to Louth – a market town a few miles up the road, where my mum had a Doctors appointment. But before the Dr's we had a cup of tea in a local Café and I took a walk around town to see the market place and the church, which is located on a tight junction just around the corner from the centre if town. Its a nice enough little town and some things made me smile. Like, the sprouts that are for same at the fruit and veg shop – still attached to the plant!

We went to the Doctors, but the car park was 'CRAZY'!!!' - (It was busy), so I ended up sat in the car waiting for a space while mum and dad went into see the Doctor. I eventually got a space and then went to join them, spending the next hour playing with my new phone while I waited.

There was a lovely sunset as we left, so I got a photo of it on my new phone and then we went home, before going into town later on for a Chip Shop dinner. All in all a nice relaxed day at home.

I want one!!

Not a bad sunset

Louth church

T-74 and today I went out with my mum and dad to drop off their old car and pick up the new one. The new one is a smart little Suzuki, with comfortable hard seats and much better than the old one. Then we went into town, to get the new car taxed and do a bit of shopping, plus we stopped at a café for coffee and some lunch, which was nice. After that they went home and I spent an hour looking around Skeg, to see what had changed since I have been away. The answer – not a lot. There is still a big hole on the Grand Parade, where the fire destroyed the old building 5 years ago. The beach was empty, but was picturesque too on a lovely sunny afternoon. I even managed to get some good jump photos with the Jolly Fisherman and Skegness' famous clock-tower in the background, before wandering back home.

At home my mum had made a shepherds pie (With at least 5 shepherds in, as it was massive and I saved a serving in the freezer for next time I am here) before I relaxed for the evening.

Old car

New car

from the new camera phone

from my actual camera

jump smeg

T-73 and I was still in Skegness. Today was taken up mostly by having a lie in until nearly 1pm, while I listened to mum having her hair done in the kitchen. Then after a spot of lunch, we all piled into my dads new car and drove towards Peterborough, where I was being picked up by my big brother Gareth. It took an hour and 40 minutes to get there, driving through shitty rainy weather, which spoilt any view there was to see. We got there though just 2 minutes after Gareth had arrived himself. After a chat I swapped cars, said goodbye to my parents for a few weeks and we drove off towards Northampton, chatting in the way about my travels, family and what’s been happening at home since I have been away. We also picked up Tracey and then headed home for a beer and dinner. Its really strange being back here again, as this was the last place I stayed before the long summer began just over 500 days ago. I hoping to get myself a car for the next few weeks and get settled back into normal life!!

Chavs at the job centre - note the lovebites on her neck - classy!

yay!!

rain on the way to northampton - clocktower with only one hand!

rain

T-72 – Saturday. After looking through the auto trader website and finding a few decent looking cars, me and my brother Gareth were up early and out to have a look at some of them. The 1^st car was in a garage and when we arrived the garage was just opening, but the car was not there. It turned out that someone was using it as a run around while their own car was being repaired. I left my number and was promised a phone call when the car returned. We tried another garage and were told that all the cars we were looking for were in a different location, so we headed to a 3^rd garage, where we still couldn’t find any of the cars we were looking for except for one of them that was up on a ramp getting repaired!

Next we headed into Northampton again, where we had arranged to see a good looking car at 10am. But when we arrived we had to call the owner to get let in through his front gates. After being let in the owner came outside limping. He told us to have a good look around the car and then disappeared back into his house. We looked around and found out that the car was a repaired write off and didn’t have any real paperwork! Bugar. We took it for a drive anyway and it was OK, but not worth the hassle with the paperwork. It was time to go home for breakfast and to pick up Tracey, before going back out to look at more cars. We saw a reasonably nice Peugeot 206, but when we took it for a drive it pulled a lot to the left, plus the central locking didn’t work and the clutch was on its way out. There was a nice RX8, but it didn’t have any MOT or tax and on closer inspection also had a few dodgy areas.

brothers down the pub - cool!

dont know!?

more beers!!

We gave up and went into town to do a little bit of shopping and were just on our way home when my phone rang. It was the 1^st garage with news that the 1^st car was back in the garage, so we went back to see it. We took it for a drive and it seemed OK, but had stained seats and paint peeling off the front bumper as well as a damaged fog light. It was just too scruffy and a little too old, so that too was left. I have now decided that it may me fate that I haven’t found a car that suits me, so I will use trains, bus' and hire cars over my stay, unless something else turns up.

When we arrived back at home, my other brother Chris had turned up with my Nephew James, so we all headed out to The Lumbertubs, the local pub where we spent the evening having a good dinner and a few beers while we caught up. It was great to be in a proper pub for the first time in ages and a thoroughly good night out, although I don’t remember the end!

This morning, after a good lie in we did a weekly shop in Tesco where I enjoyed a Sausage, baked bean and cheese pasty from Greggs for my breakfast – God, it was good after 16 months!! We also saw a bloke that looked just like Peter from family guy!!

Then we spent the afternoon watching Super Sunday on Sky– an afternoon of live football. First Man City against Spurs and then United against arsenal. Dinner was a beautiful roast chicken with all loads of veg, before a quiet evening doing nowt!! Its good to be back in UK!!