New Life in the Channel Island of Jersey
April 14th….
Hi There - this is my very first blog entry! As you know we are moving to Jersey for 6 to 9 months on a little adventure! Firstly, today we took daughter Emma to the station in Haywards Heath to meet her boyfriend Adam who are up to goodness knows what today - best not to ask I say! Did a rather large shop in Sainsbury's and bought a ton of vegetarian food for the freezer for Emma to eat. Stupidly bought lots of cleaning products should James (our son) and Emma feel the urge to do any cleaning whilst we are in Jersey! Yeah right! I know they won't bother so I have asked Teresa from over the road to clean for them! They will think there is a little cleaning fairy somewhere doing all the chores but actually they probably won't even notice! Or perhaps Emma will think it's her ghost... no that's silly it only terrorises her! Came back home, painted the entrance hall walls and one kitchen wall - the one where people miss the bin! Cooked a horrid curry for dinner and James made us feel sick with a squidgy chocolate refrigerator square he made earlier. I wish I hadn't have eaten it - feeling rather squidgy myself now! Now relaxing con una botella de vino tinto - muy bien! Our move to Jersey is on Tuesday so like a real 'Mother Hen' I am flapping around! Trying to clean up a bit for my cleaner to clean - hmmm. Flight details are in place for Tuesday at 3.50 p.m. Gatwick, British Airways to Jersey. Pomme D'Or hotel is booked for 1 night only - wonder what we will do for the rest of the 6-9 months! I shall be house-hunting once I know how much of a budget we will have! You can't buy property on Jersey unless you have at least £10 million to invest on the island. Of course we have a lot more than that but we have decided it would be best to rent a place for such a short time! Ha-ha!
April 15th….
Saturday... ahh... James woke up in a stress after not being able to find his dvd of 'Supersize Me' last night - kept him awake all night apparently. He was in a foul mood (very unusual for James actually) and took himself off to pick his parcel up from the sorting office - he was charged £7.50 for a parcel that was a smidge over the customs limit - 35p over! Anyway, he's happy again now because he is cooking pizza's for him and his friend Rob who is coming over this afternoon.
Cleaned out the bunnies shed this morning and picked up the lino off the floor because Bambi bunny seems to like the taste of it! She is not happy now and is sulking with me because of the lino being lifted and the fact that her shed is now clean instead of the disgusting state she seems to prefer! She now has a lot more room to run around on wet days, not that it stops her running around the garden anyway - she loves the rain!
Gave the kitchen wall another coat of paint so all my painting is now finished! Then had to go up the post office and post bride and groom figures. Poor Claire (Emma's boss) had to work because Emma is not well today.
Drove to Hassocks to pick up the menagerie's supply of food, hay, cat litter etc. - hopefully enough to last the animals a good while. Probably longer than I think if James and Emma forget to feed or clean them all!
Looks like our planned walk for this afternoon may be off as it is spitting. We'll have a bottle of wine instead.
Jessica over the road's birthday she is 11 today... Happy Birthday Jessie. Shall take her card and present over in a moment. Emma was supposed to help Teresa take photo's and organise the kids but.... she can't. Better go over before the party starts although the new trampoline may not get used - still spitting.
No walk today, rained the rest of the afternoon evening.
Michael cooked his lovely fried chicken with breadcrumbs, basil and lemon. We had salad and jacket potato. Strawberries for desert. Delicious.
No computer - bad - no connection so did lots of Sudoku and even went to sleep doing puzzles in my head!
April 16th - Easter Sunday
Happy Easter everyone! Had chocolate for breakfast followed by cereal! I feel sick! James bought us a 'Hotel Chocolate' egg to share - it's very heavy and very tasty. The milk chocolate half of the egg is 68% chocolate content - it's soooo rich! Even for me!
James and Michael both had haircuts by yours truly - doesn't take too long these days! Shhh... I didn't say that!
Going to Terry and Margaret's this afternoon for one of Margaret's lovely banquets! She is a brilliant cook and we love her food. So a very eaty day today.
Julie is going to drive Michael's Cougar to see if she wants to buy it from him. We don't need his car it's too big for Jersey. I will probably take my car over to Jersey at some point as it's just the right size and topless!
We had a lovely tea at Terry and Margaret's - as usual Margaret excelled herself. We ate far too much and Terry as usual wound all the kids up as you can tell from the photograph!
Julie went for a test drive in Michael's Cougar and of course loved it and I sorted out her insurance on the internet for her. James upgraded her computer. She is about to move house so no doubt he will have to set it all up again very soon!
April 17th - Monday
Today was spent cleaning the house, bathrooms, washing floors, cleaning out the fishpond - always a mucky job!
Went to Haywards Heath station to get a refund on Michael's monthly train ticket - they offered him £13.50 for a months ticket of just 5 days old!!! Pathetic! He told them to stuff it and will ask Barclays for a refund instead! James had to buy a new car park ticket for the station so he drove us there as Michael is now car-less and mine's a two seater! Could've stuffed one of the kids in the boot - they had the choice of boot or run behind! Neither sounded tempting enough.
Did some ironing and tonight I guess we'll be packing.
April 18th - Tuesday
Arrived in Jersey last night - very quick flight and horribly bumpy landing!
Got to the hotel and changed rooms about 5 times! It's a big family room we have now but it's still noisy! The air-conditioning unit is outside all the rooms - so they are all noisy!
Had a lovely meal out and booked to go again on Monday night when there is going to be a Spanish guitarist lady there. Should be good! Looking forward to that.
Wednesday April 19th…
Spent half the bloody morning trying to connect to the internet here without success - so I am typing this into a word document and when I can figure it all out I will transfer onto my blog page.
Aaargghhh! I hate being beaten!
I am going to give up and go into town for a wander and I will try and connect later on. I hate losing!
I managed to check my e-mails then got bored so came away and went into town.
Checked out a lot of estate agents for rental properties. Not much on their books in any of them at the moment. Typical!
Did some shopping and bought some lunch - huge baguette at the market with chicken and walnuts - very odd and very cheap £1.55 and it was massive! Michael phoned to say he was coming back to the hotel to say a quick hello. He swigged down a cuppa tea and then had to go back to work. Apparently he can't leave tonight until quite late because they have a problem and he has to be in on a telephone call at 6 p.m. Bum! More hours on my own!
Still at least I am chatting with my daughter after just putting on my computer in the room by chance - hoping to get some sort of signal there - didn't expect to be able to but I did! Hooooorrrrraaayyyyyy!
I will have to go and top up my mobile phone in a moment as it's already depleted!
Last night, we thought we’d take a hhhuuuugggge loooonnnngggg walk to the Chinese Restaurant we always used to take the kids when they were little. Emma taught me how to use chopsticks when she was about 5 years old - how embarrassing! My feet were killing me as I’d been walking about St Helier all day long, going in and out of estate agents offices!
Eventually we arrived at the Restaurant only to find it had closed down! Aaarrrghhh! We were hungry and tired and my feet had blisters! Then it started to spit so we crossed over the road and flagged down a taxi (eventually) and he took us to a restaurant near the Grand Hotel for a lovely meal. Not quite as good as the night before but nevertheless tasty and about a third of the price of last night‘s meal - not that we‘re paying!
We were totally exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel and slept not too badly. Although the air conditioners still buzzed and hummed and then in the mornings it starts up again at 5.30 a.m. and it really does sound like an aeroplane landing on us or in some kind of trouble at least.
Thursday April 20th …
Again the internet is at a very low signal so I shall type this out as a word document and pop on later when everyone else is bored of using the internet and there might be a stronger signal.
Very tired today although didn’t sleep too badly. I think Michael slept worse as his snoring wasn’t quite as raucous as it normally is!
We had a nice breakfast - it is very fresh and always looks good. Today we had fruit and then a vegetarian cooked breakfast. Very nice!
Michael didn’t have to be in quite so early this morning which was nice and so we stayed in bed until quarter to 8.
We went to look at an apartment this morning and it was lovely so hopefully will be checking out of the hotel soon. Depending on what the bank says. It’s half the price of an hotel room and we get a lounge, brand new kitchen with a washing machine, cooker with everything you could want, separate bedroom and bathroom - so a lot more like a home. This will be a temporary place whilst we are looking for a house or apartment depending on what we decide we would like in the end - if our licence to live here hurry’s up! Our licence could take up to 4 weeks to be approved by The Jersey States. Hope it's not like Spain where 4 weeks runs into 4 months!
I went around the shops in St Helier and bought Michael a black belt (not the judo type) - he’d only packed brown belts. Hope he likes it. Also went into one of the posh department stores De Gruchy today for a wander. The belts, by the way, were £68 each! Needless to say Marks is a lot cheaper and of course you get a discount because it is tax free! Snotty sales assistants in De Gruchy too - I bought some of my Yves St. Laurent concealer and the girl behind the counter was the biggest snob I have ever come across - I bit my tongue - very surprisingly! She wanted me to buy her concealer (well the one she was promoting) La Prairie or something - anyhow she couldn’t just sell me one as they came in two’s for double the price so I stuck with what I always use - Yves St. Laurent, is by far, a less a superior product apparently! Silly old bat! Been there, seen it, done it, darling - don’t fool me!
I also bought 2 Toblerone’s because they were half price in W H Smith’s. A real bargain - I like bargains even if they make you fat! Yummy - chocolate. Bought Michael’s Mum a 2007 Jersey Calendar which I thought she might like - bit nicer than a boring postcard I thought. I will also send some photographs at a later date.
The maid is now here and so I will sit downstairs for a while. Kept coming up and down to see if she'd finished but.... we were obviously too messy and dirty - she took forever. I kept coming up and down the lift and stairs all 5 floors! Eventually at 1 p.m. she'd finished... opened the door to find Michael standing in there! He'd missed me on the way up or down in the lift or stairs! He'd already eaten and had to be back at work! Blast!
Still he had found out that we will be moving into the apartment (temporary one) on Saturday! It's lovely! Very pleased about that and we will have loads of space now and be able to wash out our grubby clothes!
Fun and games this afternoon. Popped out for a sandwich and found the Jersey Telecom Shop - there are no mobile phone shops on Jersey.... Just Jersey Telecom who obviously have a little goldmine going on there!!! So bought a Jersey Telecom Sim Card!
Walked back to the hotel and ate my cheese roll - you have to be quick on Jersey... lesson learned, get your roll early in the morning otherwise there's nothing left at 2p.m. Soooo then put my new sim card in my mobile and then discovered my mobile is locked by poxy Virgin!!!
Marched back up to Jersey Telecom... couldn't help… but “I could buy a new phone” - yeah right! So phoned Virgin and they reluctantly said they would send the number to my home address - uhuh - no way - I ain't there dummies! So they said they would e-mail me the number but it would take a week!!!!! Arrrrghhhh!!!!! Why can't you just tell me the poxy number - idiots! Different department - can't upset them even if it inconveniences a customer in the process! Not going back to Virgin if we ever come back to the UK!
My feet are killing me yet again!
On the plus side went into Woolies and bought TWO new (well old) c.d.'s of Jack Johnson for Michael as a surprise for when he finishes work! Spoilt him today, new belt and 2 c.d.'s - but I know he will appreciate them all!
Tonight we are going to eat just across the road at the harbour - there is a band playing and we are going to watch them - or come back to the hotel quickly depending on what they are like! Hope they are good.
Had a very filling carvery in the hotel which was really good and fresh. We ate too much! Just for a change!
Went over the road to the Rock Bar to see band play - still don't know what they are called. There were about 6 people in there and after about 15 minutes the band decided to play. They were okay but each song sounded like the previous one! We left at half time - everyone else left after or during the first song!
April 21st - Friday…
Today - Friday - ahhh the weekend is near. Michael will be glad of the rest although not sure how much of one he'll get tomorrow as we are moving into a temporary apartment.
Went to estate agents to book a couple of viewings for two apartments in St. Helier for Monday at 6p.m. Don't think they are entirely suitable - especially as Michael bought home the details of a lovely house yesterday in Sion, St John.
Went to the town today and bought a pair of sandals as it's hot today and I was roasting around the town.
Bought two chicken and sweetcorn baguettes from the market today so lets hope Michael comes back to the hotel today for his lunch and we don't miss each other again!
He made it back to the hotel! Just a quick lunch and a couple of phone calls to different agents for houses to view this weekend.
Found some Polymer Clay today so I'm a happy bunny! Shall now be able to finish all my summer bride and grooms off. Hope the shop can replenish quickly!
Got my mobile phone unlocked today paid £20 to a weird guy in an even weirder shop - full of knives and guns and Jackie Chan posters. Put my Jersey Telecom simcard in and it's sooo much cheaper than Virgin!
Went to the market again and took a couple of photo's in there and a couple of the outside of the hotel. Take a peek.
Caught a bus (yes I said a bus - first one for about 20 years) to St. Aubin's Harbour to a restaurant called China Dynasty - yes a Chinese restaurant seeing as we didn't eat at the one the night before last! Shouldn't have wasted the bank's money it was okayish - rather below average. Got taxi back to hotel - early night as we have a hectic day tomorrow.
22nd April….
Saturday - Moved out of Pomme D'Or hotel and hired car for the weekend. We wanted a Ka but got a diesel Focus instead. Too big for me! Never mind.
Checked in and unpacked in our temporary apartment which is absolutely lovely! More room for us to spread out. Hopefully will be quiet - haven't seen anyone except the caretaker!
Drove to the Jersey Pottery and had a walk and Michael took some photo's there. Nothing has changed! Drove to Rozel Bay and we booked a table for tomorrow lunchtime at Chateau La Chaire. We had been there with James and Emma a very long time ago and we loved it. I remember we sat in the conservatory and had a lovely meal and an American couple came in and sat on the table next to us. Gave us a bit of an odd look. Then as we were leaving they said that they were a little worried about sitting next to us as we had children but they wanted to say how very well behaved and quiet they had been and how nice and polite they were. Always nice to hear.
To eat in the evening there it is almost £30 per person but for a four course Sunday Lunch it is £15.50 - so I hope the menu is as good as the receptionist showed us for last Sunday. It looked scrummy!
We drove around to St. John where the house we are to look at tomorrow is. Very pretty little village.
Then we went to Greenhills Country House and Hotel for a sandwich - Michael had a bagel with smoked salmon and lemon crème fraiche - with salad and a ton of black pepper kettle chips. I had big fat prawns with mairie rose sauce and salad and kettle chips again. We also pigged out on the beautiful olives and cheesy bickies on the table! Had a glass of red wine, Michael a gin and tonic - which he seems to be drinking a lot of lately!
We had to meet an agent at 2 p.m. to view a brand new apartment block on the island located at one side of The Grand Hotel and overlooking Elizabeth Castle. It was to say the least stunningly, beautiful and wonderful! We looked at 2 there - one is on the end which would be better for noise - this one had a larger lounge but no balcony and the biggest huge rounded front window in existence! The sun was streaming in and already it was making the apartment hot! The second apartment had a big balcony instead of the big window and was beautifully furnished to the highest expense I'm sure! It was gorgeous! Having the balcony was better but made the lounge smaller - which isn't a problem at all and shaded the lounge from the sun. Fabulous but we are keeping an open mind. The agent is trying to get the owner to reduce the rent - because it's furnished he wants a lot more than the other apartments. Not really a problem as there are 2 others unfurnished with balconies. The neighbour from the second apartment got all excited when he came out his door as he thought we were moving in! I think there are only about 3 apartments so far with residents in them! Hope he’s not going to be a pain if we move there - shan’t answer the door if he is!
Anyway, went shopping for food in Marks and Spencer (there are now 3 on the island) and then into the Co-Op for the odd bits we need - cereal, beer, wine etc!
Came back to apartment for a rest and to wash out Michael's shirts and our underwear in the washing machine. Got another bundle of jeans etc to do tomorrow.
Going to Michael's favourite restaurant tonight. Zanzibar. This is located at St. Brelades Bay a beautiful area of Jersey. One of our favourites and many 'locals' and visitors alike.
Zanzibar was nice we had a drink to start I had grapefruit juice and Michael had yet another gin and tonic (ginebra y tonica en Espanol) and had a good meal there…. we shared a starter of tempura prawns with wasabi and avocado dip (strange). Don't like wasabi it spoilt the avocado for me. We both had chicken with Parma ham (no ham for me) with wild mushroom jus, mash with mixed vegetables. I made Michael have a desert of coconut and lime leaf crème brulee with chocolate sauce (I never eat desert even though I am a chocoholic). He liked it - I had a taste but as I am not a desert eater - thought it was just so-so. Nice bottle of Tortoishell Bay Australian wine - lovely! I drove home and did a damn fine job if I may say! Night night.
Sunday 23rdApril…
Took a drive out to Red Houses - weird name for a village but there is a Marks and Spencer there open for food on Sunday. Had a quick look but the one in town is much better.
Went to Corbiere lighthouse for a wander and a few photo's. After went to see an apartment there but didn't like it... a little shabby after the one we saw yesterday. Nothing wrong with it, had we not seen West Park Apartments (our favourite) in St. Helier.
We had a lovely meal at Chateau la Chaire lunchtime - it was £15.50 for 4 courses and they were big courses and it was scrummy!!! Shan't need to eat again today. I even ate a desert… my stomach is getting bigger and I can fit one in now - arrgghhh!!!
Also looked at a house this afternoon which I think I told you about with the jacuzzi bath. It's very, very nice but Michael and I sort of couldn't put our finger on what it was we didn't like. We haven’t discounted it completely but I think we both loved West Park, the brand new apartment, soooo much and it would mean being right in town together! Which would be nice but we're not sure if it would be noisy or not... we may just have to take a chance on that. It was just soooo beaaauuuutttiiiifffullll. Well the house is our second favourite so far. We are going to look at another two apartments tomorrow evening.
Took the hire car back and Michael wants to get some throat sweets coz his throat is tickly and he coughed and snored all night! Church bells went off from 7.30 this morning just behind our apartment and I was ready to KILL!!! They didn't just ding - they rang constantly!!! Just to make sure you go to church... Well, we won, coz we didn't go, so there!!!
Decided to go for a drive to St. Brelade's Bay and have a walk. Took a couple of nice photo's there and decided to drive to the next bay where the oldest pub in Jersey is located The Smugglers Inn dated 1700's but there was a dog in the doorway and I wouldn't go in! So we drove up the hill to The Old Portelet Inn dated 1660. We had a drink and then Michael started coughing because of the smoke - so we drove back to St. Helier to drop off the hire car. We walked back up to our apartment and then Michael realised he'd given them the apartment key instead of the car key!!!! Aaarggghhhh!!! So drew some money out and then flagged down a taxi! Got to car hire place and the guy in the garage was expecting us! Smack the smirk off his face! No he was really nice. Taxi drove us back to apartment and now we are going to relax for an hour or so before going to bed - hopefully for a better night's sleep!
Monday 24th April ….
First day on my own today in the apartment. It's a lot nicer to have an apartment and I have 'stuff' to do all boring but at least I can do the washing and ironing and have space to walk about!
Michael is coming back here for lunch today - so I will make a chicken sandwich and a cuppa tea!
Maid turned up just as I'd finished cleaning the apartment and toilet etc. typical! I thought she was coming in on Wednesday! Well, she did a better job than me! Cow! I will mess it up completely for Wednesday!
Will go to the town as I have a few bits and pieces to buy for the apartment and Michael wants some folders. Hope I remember, my memory goes blank when I get to town! It's only a short walk to the town approximately 2-3 minutes so easy.
Bought Michael a new bag for work, some deo. and talc. Also bought a printer so I can print off some photo's for Michael's Mum and print off this blog rubbish!
Michael managed to whizz home for some lunch and then back to work for him. I used to take an hour break when I worked... yeah I know that was a 100 years ago! He has to go to London in a couple of weeks so we are going to postpone our trip home this weekend until then. We will then have an extra day on the 'mainland'. I am beginning to sound like a local now. Tourists are also a pain hee-hee now I am sounding like a local! Even got asked directions twice now and I knew the answer!!!
I am uploading some photo's we took last night which are gorgeous. We both love St. Brelade's Bay.
Went out again after lunch and bought some paper for our new printer! Also bought a kiddies rolling pin from the Pound shop and an umbrella because I forgot mine - yes it cost a £1! Bargain! I’m sad!
Have to view some apartments tonight including our favourite again. Also it is our Spanish guitar evening can't wait! Will take the camera I think.
Had a lovely meal and the guitarist was a very sweet, not a Spanish lady but a young girl from Newcastle! We like this restaurant (Doran’s) it’s very pretty and the food is good although they did forget Michael’s potato’s. Michael had another Gin and Tonic but I again had a Bailey’s. Also shared a bottle of Californian wine which was very nice. We will cut down on the alcohol from tomorrow as we will be eating in more (with sensible size portions).
Long chat with Emma when we got back to the apartment, on the internet about her rabbit Bambi and her naughty escapades in next door's garden. Poor Emma has run out of bricks to shove down Bambi's tunnels! Blimey, she is a pain but she is having fun - well until Mr. Fox gets her! Emma is going to block her in the old guinea pig runs instead when she is at Uni. Best of luck! She is the world’s best at escaping!
***Tuesday our Second Week***
25th April 2006.…
I got up at 7.37 a.m. I knew the exact time because Jason one of Michael's work colleagues from Canary Wharf phoned! Arrghhh! Michael was in the shower and I was looking forward to a lie-in - no chance. I got up and made a jug of coffee instead to try and wake myself up. Could not sleep last night and I don't think Michael did either.
Michael left before 8 a.m. but at least it's not 5 a.m. like London! His office is about a 5 or 6 minute walk away - probably less actually. It has scaffolding up at the moment but it's a beautiful building underneath. I will take a photo when the scaffolding comes down.
I have a couple of bits including vegetables to buy today from the market in town. Light rain is forecast for this afternoon, so I will go out this morning. The weather forecasts keep threatening rain but it doesn't really come. Maybe they'll be right today and I could always try out my £1 umbrella from the One Pound Shop! Exciting stuff!
I plan to cook tonight - what a novelty! I will do a roast dinner I think. Mmmm. Just one course - we have been eating very rich food with too many courses! Maybe now we have an apartment to cook in we can cut down on the eating front.
Went to town and there were no newspapers - I was a little earlier than usual going in but there was a little bit of fog last night which I think delayed the incoming early morning flight bring the newspapers over from the mainland. They are not printed on the island they bring them over with the post on an early morning freight flight.
Did a little shopping picked up some eggs…. interesting… I found a box containing 4 eggs - no two weren’t missing, it’s a box of 4! Cute!
Michael came back for lunch we had chicken salad and some lovely bread I bought from this market earlier. T’was lovely. Michael phoned the agent to see if we could go to see West Park apartments again and I went and picked up the keys when Michael had gone back to work. Must remember to drop them off again in the morning. Bought a Pyrex dish to cook roasties in tonight…. The one in the apartment is gigantic but it will be a useful size for us when we move to our house or apartment.
Was going to make a topper this afternoon but I must be brain dead, I forgot to pick up ‘flesh’ coloured clay! Or perhaps they didn’t have any. Well that’ll give me something to look for tomorrow morning.
The rain never arrived here today and the forecast for right up to Sunday is sunshine! Yippeee!
So, chatted to Emma briefly on the phone this afternoon and then Jodie on-line which was nice. Always nice to chat.
Bit of an odd lazy day really… I will now cook our roast dinner but no Yorkshire puddings for us because I haven’t got a dish small enough to make any in. Couldn’t find a dish cheap enough in town that I would use when we move either. Still might save an inch on the ever expanding waistline! Sorry this blog is sooo boring!!!
On the ‘local’ news tonight there was a story about a huuugggeeee cabin cruiser moored for the next month called ‘Catwalk’. So, being nosey, we went to investigate it as it’s moored just across the road from our apartment. Apparently it cost £8million to build and they showed internal pictures of it. Wow, it makes the lovely apartment look shabby!!! Hee-hee! I was too embarrassed to take a photograph of it as you had to get real close to take a picture. Fab!
Went to view apartments this evening. Still wonderfully gorgeously beautiful! The agent gave us the wrong entrance key so we had to go through a different entrance (via the wrong key) and gain access to the underground car park and then up the lift into the right block! Phew! Made it!
Came back and ate chocolate and Michael opened cheap bottle of wine I had bought in the co-op earlier.
I like that co-op you can serve yourself and a machine tells you what to do and then tells you off when you do something wrong or need a bottle of wine 'verified'. You can pay by cash, credit card or debit card. It takes a bit longer than the check-out girl but people don't seem to use this system very much and it saves queueing! It's fun - saddo!
26th April - Mid-Week
I think it rained during the night the ground outside the apartment is wet and I think I woke briefly to hear it too. Anyway, it’s not raining now. It’s supposed to be a beautiful day later but it’s a dull start.
It’s going to be one of those days I think…. Firstly, I received an e-mail from one of my customers to say the bride and groom, 2 dogs and horse arrived minus two dogs tails (which I did say would happen) and also the horses head is broken off (yeah right)! These things are bomb proof in their thick state but dogs tails I can accept and as mentioned expected and warned to get the superglue handy! This was a last minute order and they gave me the wrong details due to the woman apparently being in hospital (even though she e-mailed me from her hospital bed)! I made to their specifications but apparently the groom told me the wrong colour for the dress - wally! As I’d already sent this out I couldn’t do anything about as we moved to Jersey the day I posted this! Little suspicious me thinks - however I sent an e-mail to say yes, told you to get the superglue handy and just stick it back together. I know they are telling porkies about the horses head! They are now being difficult because the dress is the wrong colour. Oh well - I feel a negative feedback on eBay - still it is my first and I shall fight it and would definitely win to get my status back! C’est la Vie as the locals say!
Then went to take the keys back to the apartment - good news on that front, the owner has agreed to reduce the rent from £2,200 per month to £1800 per month! Then Clair telephoned the States of Jersey to find out how long our ‘J’ Cat. Licence will be and they said they haven’t received an application! Arrgghhh! Thought it was too good to be true! Anyway phoned Michael and he’s chasing it up - so let you know later.
Went to craft shop and managed to get some ‘flesh’ coloured clay. So that’s a bit of good news at least I can now start my toppers.
No papers again today - don’t know why - no fog last night - I will get one later.
Now I have a gripe…. Just for a change! What is it with Jersey still have £1 NOTES! They are the most stupid useless denomination in the world! I hate them. Every time I get rid of a bundle - someone gives me more. I HATE THEM!!!
Right I’m calm again now…. No I’m not! The maid hasn’t been in today and cleaned this pit! The manager here has obviously given me the wrong days! So I came back to the apartment and had to make the beds, clean the bathroom and put the towels in the tumble dryer! Oh well, it doesn’t take long. I will try and be in a better mood this afternoon.
Weather has improved, as promised and is extremely warm and sunny/cloudy. Flung all the windows open - phew!
Made tuna salad for Michael and myself for lunch and then walked to town with him. I wanted to get a newspaper…. Still no newspapers. Michael had asked at work why I couldn’t get one and they told him there was fog at Gatwick and the flight was cancelled. So still no newspaper.
Started making a bride and she looks good - she is a sitting down one which is a lot more effort. I got to her hair and then thought oh poop I haven’t got a garlic press… so I went into town for the 3rd time today and bought one. Also saw a man walking with a newspaper so nipped in W H Smith and bought a Sun. I’m happy now… I need my fix of daily doom and gloom it somehow makes me happy!
Bride is in the oven! She looks lovely so far with blonde spiky hair.
Chicken pie from Marks and mash with veggies. Bought some more carrots this morning from the market they are just the best carrots I have ever tasted!
Weather is a bit odd today mostly cloudy with a few breaks but not a lot. Very warm though.
Had dinner went for a walk up the hill from the apartments which is the other side of St. Helier marina looking down onto it. I took some photo’s of the Condor Ferry and Condor Fast Ferry which were just arriving on the high tide. Took some pictures of these one takes 9 hours the other 3 and a half - when you see the photo’s you will see which does which! By the time I’d taken the photo’s and walked up to the top of the hill the Fast Ferry had left the harbour again! The tides are just soooo quick here. Be warned when visiting it’s a very dangerous place to walk on any of the sandy beaches here as the tide surrounds you and you are then trapped completely!!!T
We walked around to St. Clements Bay - through the horrible part and back towards the town. We looked in some shop windows and then came back to the apartment. I am walking my socks off living here! Still I do need the exercise for sure!
April 27th Thursday…
Well this week is going quickly! Quite overcast this morning but by 10.30 the sun was shining and really quite warm. Got up at 9 a.m. today as I was very tired, slept until 5 a.m. or thereabouts and that was it. So made Michael some coffee and went back to bed… still didn’t sleep though.
Got up, ready and walked into town. Booked a hair appointment for tomorrow afternoon 3.45 I think at Toni and Guy. Better be a good haircut for 40 Quid! They haven’t got much to cut after all!
Went to the market and bought some Jersey tomatoes so hope they’re good - the look lovely. Also bought some bread for lunch but I went to a different shop at the market today and bought some walnut bread. Mmmm I am nuts about nuts!
Went to Marks and Spencer and bought some more food for the apartment and I forgot to pick up some leeks as I am making a leek and potato soup for lunch.
Came back to the apartment and the maid hasn’t been in again today - presume the twice weekly service is on a Monday and Friday then… we’ll see! Put the lights on in the kitchen and blew the whole apartment. I can’t find the Manager Sue anywhere so I will leave it until later. At least the cooker is working for our soup.
Before I forget - newspapers on time today obviously no fog either here or in Gatwick!
Well, the maid turned up at 12.15 so I guess it’s Monday’s and Thursday’s she comes. I went out at let her get on with our already spotlessly clean apartment! At least we have fresh towels and she left another set too.
Met Michael from work at lunchtime as I got kicked out of the apartment anyway.
Maid had finished and so we ate the leek and potato soup I had made earlier along with the lovely walnut bread from the market.
I made a groom to go with the bride topper I made yesterday. Not too bad but not the best shhh don’t tell the happy couple that though!
I will make a fish and prawn pie tonight for dinner. I have loads of mashed potato left from last night as I can’t seem to cook for two - still cooking for four people! Saves me peeling any more potatoes tonight!
Going to go for a walk tonight - not sure where because although it’s sunny I had to shut the windows because it’s very breezy.
Gripe of the day… don’t like the tap water here - it’s got so much chlorine in it… so must remember to buy a bottle of water tonight.
Fish pie was good. Went for a walk around the town again. Noisy neighbour last night with t.v. on loud and cheering on the football or some sport. Pain in the butt.
April 28th Friday!
Dull start again but the forecast is sunshine and cloud.
Went to town ealier today and the papers were in! Bliss! Went around the market but didn’t buy anything today.
Decided to go to Marks as it is a bank holiday weekend and thought better stock up on supplies!
Came back did some washing and then tumbling and some ironing.
Made a chicken salad with coleslaw and some lovely olive ciabatta roles.
Watched ‘Loose Women’ on t.v. and did a couple of Sudoku puzzles and then went back to town to have my hair cut at Toni and Guys.
Shaun my new hairdresser who costs £40 more than Julie was great, chatty and had very sharp scissors! The shapest scissors in the world I think! He also gave me a head massage which was great. Nice guy, thought he was gay but he has two tiny children. The cut is superb and very sharp. Although I wanted long hair…. he didn’t give me it! Not going back there!
No, it’s great.
Michael came home from a busy day and meetings with some very angry bankers (yes I did say bankers) but they have gone back to the mainland happy little bunnies. So, he’s managed to achieve one heck of a lot since being over here and Barclays are pleased with what he has achieved in his short time there so far. He has had to fire a couple of people already and 2 more on their way I think! He is trying to get lovely Jason over from the mainland who was working for him there. He is a lovely young man who Michael thinks the world of and is a very hard worker, quick learner and really nice - are rare combination these days! Who knows we may marry him off if he comes over too!
We went out for a nice meal tonight in a cheapie Italian restaurant just up the road from our apartment. It was very nice but quite smoky in there - there was a party of young girls - most of them smoking unfortunately.
Had a lovely walk along the seafront and then back through the town to the apartment.
We are now going to have a sit down - no doubt I shall do a couple of Sudoku and then off to bed - hoping the rest of the apartment have gone off to the mainland for the long weekend! We can only hope!
Nighty night night.
Saturday 29th April - A sunny day today….
A late night last night with our noisy guests staying. Complained this morning to Sue the apartments manager. She made me laugh because she said “yes but they are not like you and I”. Meaning they were a bunch of rednecks! She was very good and said she’d put a note under their door and tell them to talk quietly and no noise after say 12 a.m. We’ll see!
Today we picked up the hire car and then drove to Checkers at Red Houses (yes it’s a village called Red Houses). Checkers as it’s called is a supermarket here which is Waitrose really. There are loads of Checkers Express dotted all over the island. They are generally very good.
I don’t know how two people can spend so much money on food especially as I have been getting bits every day from either Marks or the Co-Op (Grande Marche) as they are out here.
We unpacked the food shopping and parked the car free in Barclays car park! Handy! Then made some lunch (tuna baguette) which Michael then dropped all over the floor! So I had a chicken roll instead which is fine.
We drove to Longueville Manor a beautiful hotel that we have never been able to afford to stay at over the years of coming to Jersey. It is in a stunning setting and gorgeous inside. We had a look at the restaurant menu and decided to book a table for my birthday on the 14th May. Yes I know it’s my birthday is on the 13th May but… Saturday there is loads to do and so we thought Sunday lunch would be better (and cheaper)! Actually no, it’s dearer to eat Sunday lunchtime than Saturday lunchtime. Going by today… nobody eats on a Saturday lunchtime!
We drove through the middle of the island to meet up with an agent taking us around an apartment in Gorey. Gorey is one of the most beautiful parts of the island but I knew the apartment would be too far out and from the internet pictures - grim! I was right as usual! Grim old place, right up the top of a hill with fantastic views - stunning views - freshly painted over the top of the previous 100 years paint underneath! The kitchen was about 1980’s we’d decided and disgusting bathroom with a cloakroom even more disgusting! Not seen bleach in years! It is in a very quiet location set down a little lane just wide enough for one car but it’s two way traffic! Michael just managed to reverse the car into the garage without knocking down the wall and I was scared it was going to ruin the paintwork on the hire company’s brand new to the fleet Fiesta! As you can tell I wasn’t too keen on this place!
We had a lovely walk along Gorey harbour and the pretty esplanade. Michael took some beautiful photographs of Mont Orgueil Castle. It has just had three and a quarter million pounds spent on it but we couldn’t from the outside see that it has ever changed. Perhaps the money has been spent inside. It is such a beautiful castle.
Then drove to Ransom’s Garden Centre a short drive away. We wanted a cup of tea and went into the little café there. We had to share a scone with Jersey Cream, butter and jam. It was ok - not brilliant. We also had a pot of Assam tea. £6.05 - very expensive!!! We had seen on the menu that you can have a ‘Jersey Black Butter’ for an extra £1.25 to add to your scone. I had to know what this was. The young girl waitresses didn’t have a clue but they let me smell it as they had one open in the fridge…. Is all I knew at the time was that it was in fact black and it smelt of cinnamon. Something I really don’t like! I had to know what it was and have just looked it up on the internet. I might actually like it as it has liquorice in it - I love the stuff with a passion!!! So this is what the internet has to say about Jersey Black Butter…
Jersey Black Butter 227g. Experience the real flavour of Jersey with genuine Jersey Black Butter. Hand Made Black Butter is made from a traditional recipe in open pans using no artificial additives and the following genuine ingredients: Apples, Cider, Lemons, Treacle, Sugar and Liquorice. Mixed Spice and Cinnamon are added at intervals. When making Black Butter is vital that the butter does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn so turns are taken to stir the mixture for a total of 30 hours. It is then tested to see whether it is ready by dropping a dollop on to a saucer and then attempting to lift it with the back of a wooden spoon. When finished the preserve is potted and ready to use as the perfect complement in the mornings with hot buttered toast and warm croissants or with afternoon tea with fresh scones and cream. Our preserve is absolutely delicious with desserts, such as: - Bread & Butter Pudding - Apple Crumble- Steamed sticky pudding - Vanilla Ice Cream
Then drove to Sion, St John to look at the outside of the rental house we like and timed the drive back to town - it was 9 ½ minutes going slowly and getting stopped at 2 sets of traffic lights. Pretty good!
Also stopped at B&Q to see what was in it. Pretty boring usual DIY stuff there was also a furniture/electrical store there. Very expensive and pretty naff really.
Came home Michael decided to cook fish with creamy fennel. I don’t think we’re going out tonight at Miss Congeniality 2 is on the t.v. So will drink a bottle of wine and just chill.
I sound very negative but today was enjoyable and it’s nice to be able to get out of St. Helier even if we do love it here.
30th April Sunday
We got up late had a bit of a lie in. Lovely.
We decided to take the hire car and do some real Jersey exploring today -as tourists. We started off going through the middle of the island - we had never really done that before and came across some beautiful big houses dotted about here and there.
Our first stop was at the Windmill Pub - we’d been there before and remember it was pretty and just wanted a snack there but it is now a beautiful restaurant a proper restaurant. It was gorgeous and very modern. We didn’t actually eat in there as mentioned we just wanted a snack. Attached to the restaurant is a jewellery studio for the world renowned designer and jewellery maker Catherine Best. It’s a wonderful place to visit with designer prices to match. Michael insisted on buying me my birthday present there. He chose a beautiful diamond and sapphire 18ct gold ring. The sales assistant Jenny, oddly enough I’d met before… she is an estate agent by week and at the weekend works in the jewellery studio as a sales assistant. I got quite chatty with her in the estate agency and she remembered me and we all got chatting again. She has an apartment in Murcia, Spain and an apartment at The Waterfront here in St. Helier. So needless to say she has to work 7 days a week to pay for them! Once met never forgetten as she is a large lady with red and pink hair and very bubbly to go with it! We talked apartments etc. and then she said “you do know there is a wedding ring to go with that ring“… uh oh! So not only have I got a new engagement ring but a new wedding ring too! Michael wanted me to wear it there and then but I insisted she wrapped it and I have put the prettily wrapped present in the safe at our apartment. Michael can give it to me as my birthday present properly on the right day! Otherwise he will go and buy something else for me too!!!
I am going back when Michael isn’t around shhhhh big secret - as the designers there take on commissions, I want to get Michael a silver or white gold pair of cufflinks made with diamonds in for his birthday in August. All the jewellery is made entirely by hand without the aid of moulds like mass produced jewellery. Each piece is individual. There are some stunning pieces of jewellery there. Beautiful!
Jenny then sent us on to the Snow Goose gift and tea rooms for a snack. It was very good.
We then went on to the Jersey Pearl. This is now located in the old Jersey Goldsmith building on the Bay of St. Ouens. It’s fabulous and well worth a visit. They also have a tearoom but we didn’t!
Then we went across the road to The Chateau shopping centre which is neither a Chateau or a shopping centre! We were not impressed. It has a jewellery shop, Jersey wool shop, gift shop and not a lot else. We didn’t stay long.
The we drove to the new location for the Jersey Goldsmiths, Lion Park in St. Lawrence. Again, very impressed! It’s huge and there are some very nice items in there and they also do commissions - so I will have to pick carefully - price will be a major factor!
I was very impressed at the back of the Goldsmith they have a section for liquid gold/silver making. I have always wanted to do this and very nearly went on a course for this. We had a long chat to the guy there and he has invited me along for a lesson to see if I would like to do the whole course. It isn’t cheap but he said if I am good enough he would sell ‘my work’ in the shop or there is a Harbourfront Exhibition hall in St. Helier and I could take my own work there and they could sell it for me - quite successfully if I were to produce unique and good quality work, apparently. So we’ll see. I am definitely going to give it a go this time! Don’t hold your breath but I will have fun!
Took a slow drive back behind a bus but on this island you cannot drive fast anyway, the roads are very narrow! It’s a much slower pace of life and you have no choice but to ‘go with the flow‘.
Came back to the apartment and Michael has just put some jacket spuds in the oven and I am going to make a bowl of salad and have Chicken Kiev to go with it. Yummy!
Tonight we are going to St. Brelade’s again - we love it there and are going to look at the Golf Club there - we will go for a drink and check out the menu Jenny had earlier recommended. Always food, foood, fooooood!
Hi There - this is my very first blog entry! As you know we are moving to Jersey for 6 to 9 months on a little adventure! Firstly, today we took daughter Emma to the station in Haywards Heath to meet her boyfriend Adam who are up to goodness knows what today - best not to ask I say! Did a rather large shop in Sainsbury's and bought a ton of vegetarian food for the freezer for Emma to eat. Stupidly bought lots of cleaning products should James (our son) and Emma feel the urge to do any cleaning whilst we are in Jersey! Yeah right! I know they won't bother so I have asked Teresa from over the road to clean for them! They will think there is a little cleaning fairy somewhere doing all the chores but actually they probably won't even notice! Or perhaps Emma will think it's her ghost... no that's silly it only terrorises her! Came back home, painted the entrance hall walls and one kitchen wall - the one where people miss the bin! Cooked a horrid curry for dinner and James made us feel sick with a squidgy chocolate refrigerator square he made earlier. I wish I hadn't have eaten it - feeling rather squidgy myself now! Now relaxing con una botella de vino tinto - muy bien! Our move to Jersey is on Tuesday so like a real 'Mother Hen' I am flapping around! Trying to clean up a bit for my cleaner to clean - hmmm. Flight details are in place for Tuesday at 3.50 p.m. Gatwick, British Airways to Jersey. Pomme D'Or hotel is booked for 1 night only - wonder what we will do for the rest of the 6-9 months! I shall be house-hunting once I know how much of a budget we will have! You can't buy property on Jersey unless you have at least £10 million to invest on the island. Of course we have a lot more than that but we have decided it would be best to rent a place for such a short time! Ha-ha!
April 15th….
Saturday... ahh... James woke up in a stress after not being able to find his dvd of 'Supersize Me' last night - kept him awake all night apparently. He was in a foul mood (very unusual for James actually) and took himself off to pick his parcel up from the sorting office - he was charged £7.50 for a parcel that was a smidge over the customs limit - 35p over! Anyway, he's happy again now because he is cooking pizza's for him and his friend Rob who is coming over this afternoon.
Cleaned out the bunnies shed this morning and picked up the lino off the floor because Bambi bunny seems to like the taste of it! She is not happy now and is sulking with me because of the lino being lifted and the fact that her shed is now clean instead of the disgusting state she seems to prefer! She now has a lot more room to run around on wet days, not that it stops her running around the garden anyway - she loves the rain!
Gave the kitchen wall another coat of paint so all my painting is now finished! Then had to go up the post office and post bride and groom figures. Poor Claire (Emma's boss) had to work because Emma is not well today.
Drove to Hassocks to pick up the menagerie's supply of food, hay, cat litter etc. - hopefully enough to last the animals a good while. Probably longer than I think if James and Emma forget to feed or clean them all!
Looks like our planned walk for this afternoon may be off as it is spitting. We'll have a bottle of wine instead.
Jessica over the road's birthday she is 11 today... Happy Birthday Jessie. Shall take her card and present over in a moment. Emma was supposed to help Teresa take photo's and organise the kids but.... she can't. Better go over before the party starts although the new trampoline may not get used - still spitting.
No walk today, rained the rest of the afternoon evening.
Michael cooked his lovely fried chicken with breadcrumbs, basil and lemon. We had salad and jacket potato. Strawberries for desert. Delicious.
No computer - bad - no connection so did lots of Sudoku and even went to sleep doing puzzles in my head!
April 16th - Easter Sunday
Happy Easter everyone! Had chocolate for breakfast followed by cereal! I feel sick! James bought us a 'Hotel Chocolate' egg to share - it's very heavy and very tasty. The milk chocolate half of the egg is 68% chocolate content - it's soooo rich! Even for me!
James and Michael both had haircuts by yours truly - doesn't take too long these days! Shhh... I didn't say that!
Going to Terry and Margaret's this afternoon for one of Margaret's lovely banquets! She is a brilliant cook and we love her food. So a very eaty day today.
Julie is going to drive Michael's Cougar to see if she wants to buy it from him. We don't need his car it's too big for Jersey. I will probably take my car over to Jersey at some point as it's just the right size and topless!
We had a lovely tea at Terry and Margaret's - as usual Margaret excelled herself. We ate far too much and Terry as usual wound all the kids up as you can tell from the photograph!
Julie went for a test drive in Michael's Cougar and of course loved it and I sorted out her insurance on the internet for her. James upgraded her computer. She is about to move house so no doubt he will have to set it all up again very soon!
April 17th - Monday
Today was spent cleaning the house, bathrooms, washing floors, cleaning out the fishpond - always a mucky job!
Went to Haywards Heath station to get a refund on Michael's monthly train ticket - they offered him £13.50 for a months ticket of just 5 days old!!! Pathetic! He told them to stuff it and will ask Barclays for a refund instead! James had to buy a new car park ticket for the station so he drove us there as Michael is now car-less and mine's a two seater! Could've stuffed one of the kids in the boot - they had the choice of boot or run behind! Neither sounded tempting enough.
Did some ironing and tonight I guess we'll be packing.
April 18th - Tuesday
Arrived in Jersey last night - very quick flight and horribly bumpy landing!
Got to the hotel and changed rooms about 5 times! It's a big family room we have now but it's still noisy! The air-conditioning unit is outside all the rooms - so they are all noisy!
Had a lovely meal out and booked to go again on Monday night when there is going to be a Spanish guitarist lady there. Should be good! Looking forward to that.
Wednesday April 19th…
Spent half the bloody morning trying to connect to the internet here without success - so I am typing this into a word document and when I can figure it all out I will transfer onto my blog page.
Aaargghhh! I hate being beaten!
I am going to give up and go into town for a wander and I will try and connect later on. I hate losing!
I managed to check my e-mails then got bored so came away and went into town.
Checked out a lot of estate agents for rental properties. Not much on their books in any of them at the moment. Typical!
Did some shopping and bought some lunch - huge baguette at the market with chicken and walnuts - very odd and very cheap £1.55 and it was massive! Michael phoned to say he was coming back to the hotel to say a quick hello. He swigged down a cuppa tea and then had to go back to work. Apparently he can't leave tonight until quite late because they have a problem and he has to be in on a telephone call at 6 p.m. Bum! More hours on my own!
Still at least I am chatting with my daughter after just putting on my computer in the room by chance - hoping to get some sort of signal there - didn't expect to be able to but I did! Hooooorrrrraaayyyyyy!
I will have to go and top up my mobile phone in a moment as it's already depleted!
Last night, we thought we’d take a hhhuuuugggge loooonnnngggg walk to the Chinese Restaurant we always used to take the kids when they were little. Emma taught me how to use chopsticks when she was about 5 years old - how embarrassing! My feet were killing me as I’d been walking about St Helier all day long, going in and out of estate agents offices!
Eventually we arrived at the Restaurant only to find it had closed down! Aaarrrghhh! We were hungry and tired and my feet had blisters! Then it started to spit so we crossed over the road and flagged down a taxi (eventually) and he took us to a restaurant near the Grand Hotel for a lovely meal. Not quite as good as the night before but nevertheless tasty and about a third of the price of last night‘s meal - not that we‘re paying!
We were totally exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel and slept not too badly. Although the air conditioners still buzzed and hummed and then in the mornings it starts up again at 5.30 a.m. and it really does sound like an aeroplane landing on us or in some kind of trouble at least.
Thursday April 20th …
Again the internet is at a very low signal so I shall type this out as a word document and pop on later when everyone else is bored of using the internet and there might be a stronger signal.
Very tired today although didn’t sleep too badly. I think Michael slept worse as his snoring wasn’t quite as raucous as it normally is!
We had a nice breakfast - it is very fresh and always looks good. Today we had fruit and then a vegetarian cooked breakfast. Very nice!
Michael didn’t have to be in quite so early this morning which was nice and so we stayed in bed until quarter to 8.
We went to look at an apartment this morning and it was lovely so hopefully will be checking out of the hotel soon. Depending on what the bank says. It’s half the price of an hotel room and we get a lounge, brand new kitchen with a washing machine, cooker with everything you could want, separate bedroom and bathroom - so a lot more like a home. This will be a temporary place whilst we are looking for a house or apartment depending on what we decide we would like in the end - if our licence to live here hurry’s up! Our licence could take up to 4 weeks to be approved by The Jersey States. Hope it's not like Spain where 4 weeks runs into 4 months!
I went around the shops in St Helier and bought Michael a black belt (not the judo type) - he’d only packed brown belts. Hope he likes it. Also went into one of the posh department stores De Gruchy today for a wander. The belts, by the way, were £68 each! Needless to say Marks is a lot cheaper and of course you get a discount because it is tax free! Snotty sales assistants in De Gruchy too - I bought some of my Yves St. Laurent concealer and the girl behind the counter was the biggest snob I have ever come across - I bit my tongue - very surprisingly! She wanted me to buy her concealer (well the one she was promoting) La Prairie or something - anyhow she couldn’t just sell me one as they came in two’s for double the price so I stuck with what I always use - Yves St. Laurent, is by far, a less a superior product apparently! Silly old bat! Been there, seen it, done it, darling - don’t fool me!
I also bought 2 Toblerone’s because they were half price in W H Smith’s. A real bargain - I like bargains even if they make you fat! Yummy - chocolate. Bought Michael’s Mum a 2007 Jersey Calendar which I thought she might like - bit nicer than a boring postcard I thought. I will also send some photographs at a later date.
The maid is now here and so I will sit downstairs for a while. Kept coming up and down to see if she'd finished but.... we were obviously too messy and dirty - she took forever. I kept coming up and down the lift and stairs all 5 floors! Eventually at 1 p.m. she'd finished... opened the door to find Michael standing in there! He'd missed me on the way up or down in the lift or stairs! He'd already eaten and had to be back at work! Blast!
Still he had found out that we will be moving into the apartment (temporary one) on Saturday! It's lovely! Very pleased about that and we will have loads of space now and be able to wash out our grubby clothes!
Fun and games this afternoon. Popped out for a sandwich and found the Jersey Telecom Shop - there are no mobile phone shops on Jersey.... Just Jersey Telecom who obviously have a little goldmine going on there!!! So bought a Jersey Telecom Sim Card!
Walked back to the hotel and ate my cheese roll - you have to be quick on Jersey... lesson learned, get your roll early in the morning otherwise there's nothing left at 2p.m. Soooo then put my new sim card in my mobile and then discovered my mobile is locked by poxy Virgin!!!
Marched back up to Jersey Telecom... couldn't help… but “I could buy a new phone” - yeah right! So phoned Virgin and they reluctantly said they would send the number to my home address - uhuh - no way - I ain't there dummies! So they said they would e-mail me the number but it would take a week!!!!! Arrrrghhhh!!!!! Why can't you just tell me the poxy number - idiots! Different department - can't upset them even if it inconveniences a customer in the process! Not going back to Virgin if we ever come back to the UK!
My feet are killing me yet again!
On the plus side went into Woolies and bought TWO new (well old) c.d.'s of Jack Johnson for Michael as a surprise for when he finishes work! Spoilt him today, new belt and 2 c.d.'s - but I know he will appreciate them all!
Tonight we are going to eat just across the road at the harbour - there is a band playing and we are going to watch them - or come back to the hotel quickly depending on what they are like! Hope they are good.
Had a very filling carvery in the hotel which was really good and fresh. We ate too much! Just for a change!
Went over the road to the Rock Bar to see band play - still don't know what they are called. There were about 6 people in there and after about 15 minutes the band decided to play. They were okay but each song sounded like the previous one! We left at half time - everyone else left after or during the first song!
April 21st - Friday…
Today - Friday - ahhh the weekend is near. Michael will be glad of the rest although not sure how much of one he'll get tomorrow as we are moving into a temporary apartment.
Went to estate agents to book a couple of viewings for two apartments in St. Helier for Monday at 6p.m. Don't think they are entirely suitable - especially as Michael bought home the details of a lovely house yesterday in Sion, St John.
Went to the town today and bought a pair of sandals as it's hot today and I was roasting around the town.
Bought two chicken and sweetcorn baguettes from the market today so lets hope Michael comes back to the hotel today for his lunch and we don't miss each other again!
He made it back to the hotel! Just a quick lunch and a couple of phone calls to different agents for houses to view this weekend.
Found some Polymer Clay today so I'm a happy bunny! Shall now be able to finish all my summer bride and grooms off. Hope the shop can replenish quickly!
Got my mobile phone unlocked today paid £20 to a weird guy in an even weirder shop - full of knives and guns and Jackie Chan posters. Put my Jersey Telecom simcard in and it's sooo much cheaper than Virgin!
Went to the market again and took a couple of photo's in there and a couple of the outside of the hotel. Take a peek.
Caught a bus (yes I said a bus - first one for about 20 years) to St. Aubin's Harbour to a restaurant called China Dynasty - yes a Chinese restaurant seeing as we didn't eat at the one the night before last! Shouldn't have wasted the bank's money it was okayish - rather below average. Got taxi back to hotel - early night as we have a hectic day tomorrow.
22nd April….
Saturday - Moved out of Pomme D'Or hotel and hired car for the weekend. We wanted a Ka but got a diesel Focus instead. Too big for me! Never mind.
Checked in and unpacked in our temporary apartment which is absolutely lovely! More room for us to spread out. Hopefully will be quiet - haven't seen anyone except the caretaker!
Drove to the Jersey Pottery and had a walk and Michael took some photo's there. Nothing has changed! Drove to Rozel Bay and we booked a table for tomorrow lunchtime at Chateau La Chaire. We had been there with James and Emma a very long time ago and we loved it. I remember we sat in the conservatory and had a lovely meal and an American couple came in and sat on the table next to us. Gave us a bit of an odd look. Then as we were leaving they said that they were a little worried about sitting next to us as we had children but they wanted to say how very well behaved and quiet they had been and how nice and polite they were. Always nice to hear.
To eat in the evening there it is almost £30 per person but for a four course Sunday Lunch it is £15.50 - so I hope the menu is as good as the receptionist showed us for last Sunday. It looked scrummy!
We drove around to St. John where the house we are to look at tomorrow is. Very pretty little village.
Then we went to Greenhills Country House and Hotel for a sandwich - Michael had a bagel with smoked salmon and lemon crème fraiche - with salad and a ton of black pepper kettle chips. I had big fat prawns with mairie rose sauce and salad and kettle chips again. We also pigged out on the beautiful olives and cheesy bickies on the table! Had a glass of red wine, Michael a gin and tonic - which he seems to be drinking a lot of lately!
We had to meet an agent at 2 p.m. to view a brand new apartment block on the island located at one side of The Grand Hotel and overlooking Elizabeth Castle. It was to say the least stunningly, beautiful and wonderful! We looked at 2 there - one is on the end which would be better for noise - this one had a larger lounge but no balcony and the biggest huge rounded front window in existence! The sun was streaming in and already it was making the apartment hot! The second apartment had a big balcony instead of the big window and was beautifully furnished to the highest expense I'm sure! It was gorgeous! Having the balcony was better but made the lounge smaller - which isn't a problem at all and shaded the lounge from the sun. Fabulous but we are keeping an open mind. The agent is trying to get the owner to reduce the rent - because it's furnished he wants a lot more than the other apartments. Not really a problem as there are 2 others unfurnished with balconies. The neighbour from the second apartment got all excited when he came out his door as he thought we were moving in! I think there are only about 3 apartments so far with residents in them! Hope he’s not going to be a pain if we move there - shan’t answer the door if he is!
Anyway, went shopping for food in Marks and Spencer (there are now 3 on the island) and then into the Co-Op for the odd bits we need - cereal, beer, wine etc!
Came back to apartment for a rest and to wash out Michael's shirts and our underwear in the washing machine. Got another bundle of jeans etc to do tomorrow.
Going to Michael's favourite restaurant tonight. Zanzibar. This is located at St. Brelades Bay a beautiful area of Jersey. One of our favourites and many 'locals' and visitors alike.
Zanzibar was nice we had a drink to start I had grapefruit juice and Michael had yet another gin and tonic (ginebra y tonica en Espanol) and had a good meal there…. we shared a starter of tempura prawns with wasabi and avocado dip (strange). Don't like wasabi it spoilt the avocado for me. We both had chicken with Parma ham (no ham for me) with wild mushroom jus, mash with mixed vegetables. I made Michael have a desert of coconut and lime leaf crème brulee with chocolate sauce (I never eat desert even though I am a chocoholic). He liked it - I had a taste but as I am not a desert eater - thought it was just so-so. Nice bottle of Tortoishell Bay Australian wine - lovely! I drove home and did a damn fine job if I may say! Night night.
Sunday 23rdApril…
Took a drive out to Red Houses - weird name for a village but there is a Marks and Spencer there open for food on Sunday. Had a quick look but the one in town is much better.
Went to Corbiere lighthouse for a wander and a few photo's. After went to see an apartment there but didn't like it... a little shabby after the one we saw yesterday. Nothing wrong with it, had we not seen West Park Apartments (our favourite) in St. Helier.
We had a lovely meal at Chateau la Chaire lunchtime - it was £15.50 for 4 courses and they were big courses and it was scrummy!!! Shan't need to eat again today. I even ate a desert… my stomach is getting bigger and I can fit one in now - arrgghhh!!!
Also looked at a house this afternoon which I think I told you about with the jacuzzi bath. It's very, very nice but Michael and I sort of couldn't put our finger on what it was we didn't like. We haven’t discounted it completely but I think we both loved West Park, the brand new apartment, soooo much and it would mean being right in town together! Which would be nice but we're not sure if it would be noisy or not... we may just have to take a chance on that. It was just soooo beaaauuuutttiiiifffullll. Well the house is our second favourite so far. We are going to look at another two apartments tomorrow evening.
Took the hire car back and Michael wants to get some throat sweets coz his throat is tickly and he coughed and snored all night! Church bells went off from 7.30 this morning just behind our apartment and I was ready to KILL!!! They didn't just ding - they rang constantly!!! Just to make sure you go to church... Well, we won, coz we didn't go, so there!!!
Decided to go for a drive to St. Brelade's Bay and have a walk. Took a couple of nice photo's there and decided to drive to the next bay where the oldest pub in Jersey is located The Smugglers Inn dated 1700's but there was a dog in the doorway and I wouldn't go in! So we drove up the hill to The Old Portelet Inn dated 1660. We had a drink and then Michael started coughing because of the smoke - so we drove back to St. Helier to drop off the hire car. We walked back up to our apartment and then Michael realised he'd given them the apartment key instead of the car key!!!! Aaarggghhhh!!! So drew some money out and then flagged down a taxi! Got to car hire place and the guy in the garage was expecting us! Smack the smirk off his face! No he was really nice. Taxi drove us back to apartment and now we are going to relax for an hour or so before going to bed - hopefully for a better night's sleep!
Monday 24th April ….
First day on my own today in the apartment. It's a lot nicer to have an apartment and I have 'stuff' to do all boring but at least I can do the washing and ironing and have space to walk about!
Michael is coming back here for lunch today - so I will make a chicken sandwich and a cuppa tea!
Maid turned up just as I'd finished cleaning the apartment and toilet etc. typical! I thought she was coming in on Wednesday! Well, she did a better job than me! Cow! I will mess it up completely for Wednesday!
Will go to the town as I have a few bits and pieces to buy for the apartment and Michael wants some folders. Hope I remember, my memory goes blank when I get to town! It's only a short walk to the town approximately 2-3 minutes so easy.
Bought Michael a new bag for work, some deo. and talc. Also bought a printer so I can print off some photo's for Michael's Mum and print off this blog rubbish!
Michael managed to whizz home for some lunch and then back to work for him. I used to take an hour break when I worked... yeah I know that was a 100 years ago! He has to go to London in a couple of weeks so we are going to postpone our trip home this weekend until then. We will then have an extra day on the 'mainland'. I am beginning to sound like a local now. Tourists are also a pain hee-hee now I am sounding like a local! Even got asked directions twice now and I knew the answer!!!
I am uploading some photo's we took last night which are gorgeous. We both love St. Brelade's Bay.
Went out again after lunch and bought some paper for our new printer! Also bought a kiddies rolling pin from the Pound shop and an umbrella because I forgot mine - yes it cost a £1! Bargain! I’m sad!
Have to view some apartments tonight including our favourite again. Also it is our Spanish guitar evening can't wait! Will take the camera I think.
Had a lovely meal and the guitarist was a very sweet, not a Spanish lady but a young girl from Newcastle! We like this restaurant (Doran’s) it’s very pretty and the food is good although they did forget Michael’s potato’s. Michael had another Gin and Tonic but I again had a Bailey’s. Also shared a bottle of Californian wine which was very nice. We will cut down on the alcohol from tomorrow as we will be eating in more (with sensible size portions).
Long chat with Emma when we got back to the apartment, on the internet about her rabbit Bambi and her naughty escapades in next door's garden. Poor Emma has run out of bricks to shove down Bambi's tunnels! Blimey, she is a pain but she is having fun - well until Mr. Fox gets her! Emma is going to block her in the old guinea pig runs instead when she is at Uni. Best of luck! She is the world’s best at escaping!
***Tuesday our Second Week***
25th April 2006.…
I got up at 7.37 a.m. I knew the exact time because Jason one of Michael's work colleagues from Canary Wharf phoned! Arrghhh! Michael was in the shower and I was looking forward to a lie-in - no chance. I got up and made a jug of coffee instead to try and wake myself up. Could not sleep last night and I don't think Michael did either.
Michael left before 8 a.m. but at least it's not 5 a.m. like London! His office is about a 5 or 6 minute walk away - probably less actually. It has scaffolding up at the moment but it's a beautiful building underneath. I will take a photo when the scaffolding comes down.
I have a couple of bits including vegetables to buy today from the market in town. Light rain is forecast for this afternoon, so I will go out this morning. The weather forecasts keep threatening rain but it doesn't really come. Maybe they'll be right today and I could always try out my £1 umbrella from the One Pound Shop! Exciting stuff!
I plan to cook tonight - what a novelty! I will do a roast dinner I think. Mmmm. Just one course - we have been eating very rich food with too many courses! Maybe now we have an apartment to cook in we can cut down on the eating front.
Went to town and there were no newspapers - I was a little earlier than usual going in but there was a little bit of fog last night which I think delayed the incoming early morning flight bring the newspapers over from the mainland. They are not printed on the island they bring them over with the post on an early morning freight flight.
Did a little shopping picked up some eggs…. interesting… I found a box containing 4 eggs - no two weren’t missing, it’s a box of 4! Cute!
Michael came back for lunch we had chicken salad and some lovely bread I bought from this market earlier. T’was lovely. Michael phoned the agent to see if we could go to see West Park apartments again and I went and picked up the keys when Michael had gone back to work. Must remember to drop them off again in the morning. Bought a Pyrex dish to cook roasties in tonight…. The one in the apartment is gigantic but it will be a useful size for us when we move to our house or apartment.
Was going to make a topper this afternoon but I must be brain dead, I forgot to pick up ‘flesh’ coloured clay! Or perhaps they didn’t have any. Well that’ll give me something to look for tomorrow morning.
The rain never arrived here today and the forecast for right up to Sunday is sunshine! Yippeee!
So, chatted to Emma briefly on the phone this afternoon and then Jodie on-line which was nice. Always nice to chat.
Bit of an odd lazy day really… I will now cook our roast dinner but no Yorkshire puddings for us because I haven’t got a dish small enough to make any in. Couldn’t find a dish cheap enough in town that I would use when we move either. Still might save an inch on the ever expanding waistline! Sorry this blog is sooo boring!!!
On the ‘local’ news tonight there was a story about a huuugggeeee cabin cruiser moored for the next month called ‘Catwalk’. So, being nosey, we went to investigate it as it’s moored just across the road from our apartment. Apparently it cost £8million to build and they showed internal pictures of it. Wow, it makes the lovely apartment look shabby!!! Hee-hee! I was too embarrassed to take a photograph of it as you had to get real close to take a picture. Fab!
Went to view apartments this evening. Still wonderfully gorgeously beautiful! The agent gave us the wrong entrance key so we had to go through a different entrance (via the wrong key) and gain access to the underground car park and then up the lift into the right block! Phew! Made it!
Came back and ate chocolate and Michael opened cheap bottle of wine I had bought in the co-op earlier.
I like that co-op you can serve yourself and a machine tells you what to do and then tells you off when you do something wrong or need a bottle of wine 'verified'. You can pay by cash, credit card or debit card. It takes a bit longer than the check-out girl but people don't seem to use this system very much and it saves queueing! It's fun - saddo!
26th April - Mid-Week
I think it rained during the night the ground outside the apartment is wet and I think I woke briefly to hear it too. Anyway, it’s not raining now. It’s supposed to be a beautiful day later but it’s a dull start.
It’s going to be one of those days I think…. Firstly, I received an e-mail from one of my customers to say the bride and groom, 2 dogs and horse arrived minus two dogs tails (which I did say would happen) and also the horses head is broken off (yeah right)! These things are bomb proof in their thick state but dogs tails I can accept and as mentioned expected and warned to get the superglue handy! This was a last minute order and they gave me the wrong details due to the woman apparently being in hospital (even though she e-mailed me from her hospital bed)! I made to their specifications but apparently the groom told me the wrong colour for the dress - wally! As I’d already sent this out I couldn’t do anything about as we moved to Jersey the day I posted this! Little suspicious me thinks - however I sent an e-mail to say yes, told you to get the superglue handy and just stick it back together. I know they are telling porkies about the horses head! They are now being difficult because the dress is the wrong colour. Oh well - I feel a negative feedback on eBay - still it is my first and I shall fight it and would definitely win to get my status back! C’est la Vie as the locals say!
Then went to take the keys back to the apartment - good news on that front, the owner has agreed to reduce the rent from £2,200 per month to £1800 per month! Then Clair telephoned the States of Jersey to find out how long our ‘J’ Cat. Licence will be and they said they haven’t received an application! Arrgghhh! Thought it was too good to be true! Anyway phoned Michael and he’s chasing it up - so let you know later.
Went to craft shop and managed to get some ‘flesh’ coloured clay. So that’s a bit of good news at least I can now start my toppers.
No papers again today - don’t know why - no fog last night - I will get one later.
Now I have a gripe…. Just for a change! What is it with Jersey still have £1 NOTES! They are the most stupid useless denomination in the world! I hate them. Every time I get rid of a bundle - someone gives me more. I HATE THEM!!!
Right I’m calm again now…. No I’m not! The maid hasn’t been in today and cleaned this pit! The manager here has obviously given me the wrong days! So I came back to the apartment and had to make the beds, clean the bathroom and put the towels in the tumble dryer! Oh well, it doesn’t take long. I will try and be in a better mood this afternoon.
Weather has improved, as promised and is extremely warm and sunny/cloudy. Flung all the windows open - phew!
Made tuna salad for Michael and myself for lunch and then walked to town with him. I wanted to get a newspaper…. Still no newspapers. Michael had asked at work why I couldn’t get one and they told him there was fog at Gatwick and the flight was cancelled. So still no newspaper.
Started making a bride and she looks good - she is a sitting down one which is a lot more effort. I got to her hair and then thought oh poop I haven’t got a garlic press… so I went into town for the 3rd time today and bought one. Also saw a man walking with a newspaper so nipped in W H Smith and bought a Sun. I’m happy now… I need my fix of daily doom and gloom it somehow makes me happy!
Bride is in the oven! She looks lovely so far with blonde spiky hair.
Chicken pie from Marks and mash with veggies. Bought some more carrots this morning from the market they are just the best carrots I have ever tasted!
Weather is a bit odd today mostly cloudy with a few breaks but not a lot. Very warm though.
Had dinner went for a walk up the hill from the apartments which is the other side of St. Helier marina looking down onto it. I took some photo’s of the Condor Ferry and Condor Fast Ferry which were just arriving on the high tide. Took some pictures of these one takes 9 hours the other 3 and a half - when you see the photo’s you will see which does which! By the time I’d taken the photo’s and walked up to the top of the hill the Fast Ferry had left the harbour again! The tides are just soooo quick here. Be warned when visiting it’s a very dangerous place to walk on any of the sandy beaches here as the tide surrounds you and you are then trapped completely!!!T
We walked around to St. Clements Bay - through the horrible part and back towards the town. We looked in some shop windows and then came back to the apartment. I am walking my socks off living here! Still I do need the exercise for sure!
April 27th Thursday…
Well this week is going quickly! Quite overcast this morning but by 10.30 the sun was shining and really quite warm. Got up at 9 a.m. today as I was very tired, slept until 5 a.m. or thereabouts and that was it. So made Michael some coffee and went back to bed… still didn’t sleep though.
Got up, ready and walked into town. Booked a hair appointment for tomorrow afternoon 3.45 I think at Toni and Guy. Better be a good haircut for 40 Quid! They haven’t got much to cut after all!
Went to the market and bought some Jersey tomatoes so hope they’re good - the look lovely. Also bought some bread for lunch but I went to a different shop at the market today and bought some walnut bread. Mmmm I am nuts about nuts!
Went to Marks and Spencer and bought some more food for the apartment and I forgot to pick up some leeks as I am making a leek and potato soup for lunch.
Came back to the apartment and the maid hasn’t been in again today - presume the twice weekly service is on a Monday and Friday then… we’ll see! Put the lights on in the kitchen and blew the whole apartment. I can’t find the Manager Sue anywhere so I will leave it until later. At least the cooker is working for our soup.
Before I forget - newspapers on time today obviously no fog either here or in Gatwick!
Well, the maid turned up at 12.15 so I guess it’s Monday’s and Thursday’s she comes. I went out at let her get on with our already spotlessly clean apartment! At least we have fresh towels and she left another set too.
Met Michael from work at lunchtime as I got kicked out of the apartment anyway.
Maid had finished and so we ate the leek and potato soup I had made earlier along with the lovely walnut bread from the market.
I made a groom to go with the bride topper I made yesterday. Not too bad but not the best shhh don’t tell the happy couple that though!
I will make a fish and prawn pie tonight for dinner. I have loads of mashed potato left from last night as I can’t seem to cook for two - still cooking for four people! Saves me peeling any more potatoes tonight!
Going to go for a walk tonight - not sure where because although it’s sunny I had to shut the windows because it’s very breezy.
Gripe of the day… don’t like the tap water here - it’s got so much chlorine in it… so must remember to buy a bottle of water tonight.
Fish pie was good. Went for a walk around the town again. Noisy neighbour last night with t.v. on loud and cheering on the football or some sport. Pain in the butt.
April 28th Friday!
Dull start again but the forecast is sunshine and cloud.
Went to town ealier today and the papers were in! Bliss! Went around the market but didn’t buy anything today.
Decided to go to Marks as it is a bank holiday weekend and thought better stock up on supplies!
Came back did some washing and then tumbling and some ironing.
Made a chicken salad with coleslaw and some lovely olive ciabatta roles.
Watched ‘Loose Women’ on t.v. and did a couple of Sudoku puzzles and then went back to town to have my hair cut at Toni and Guys.
Shaun my new hairdresser who costs £40 more than Julie was great, chatty and had very sharp scissors! The shapest scissors in the world I think! He also gave me a head massage which was great. Nice guy, thought he was gay but he has two tiny children. The cut is superb and very sharp. Although I wanted long hair…. he didn’t give me it! Not going back there!
No, it’s great.
Michael came home from a busy day and meetings with some very angry bankers (yes I did say bankers) but they have gone back to the mainland happy little bunnies. So, he’s managed to achieve one heck of a lot since being over here and Barclays are pleased with what he has achieved in his short time there so far. He has had to fire a couple of people already and 2 more on their way I think! He is trying to get lovely Jason over from the mainland who was working for him there. He is a lovely young man who Michael thinks the world of and is a very hard worker, quick learner and really nice - are rare combination these days! Who knows we may marry him off if he comes over too!
We went out for a nice meal tonight in a cheapie Italian restaurant just up the road from our apartment. It was very nice but quite smoky in there - there was a party of young girls - most of them smoking unfortunately.
Had a lovely walk along the seafront and then back through the town to the apartment.
We are now going to have a sit down - no doubt I shall do a couple of Sudoku and then off to bed - hoping the rest of the apartment have gone off to the mainland for the long weekend! We can only hope!
Nighty night night.
Saturday 29th April - A sunny day today….
A late night last night with our noisy guests staying. Complained this morning to Sue the apartments manager. She made me laugh because she said “yes but they are not like you and I”. Meaning they were a bunch of rednecks! She was very good and said she’d put a note under their door and tell them to talk quietly and no noise after say 12 a.m. We’ll see!
Today we picked up the hire car and then drove to Checkers at Red Houses (yes it’s a village called Red Houses). Checkers as it’s called is a supermarket here which is Waitrose really. There are loads of Checkers Express dotted all over the island. They are generally very good.
I don’t know how two people can spend so much money on food especially as I have been getting bits every day from either Marks or the Co-Op (Grande Marche) as they are out here.
We unpacked the food shopping and parked the car free in Barclays car park! Handy! Then made some lunch (tuna baguette) which Michael then dropped all over the floor! So I had a chicken roll instead which is fine.
We drove to Longueville Manor a beautiful hotel that we have never been able to afford to stay at over the years of coming to Jersey. It is in a stunning setting and gorgeous inside. We had a look at the restaurant menu and decided to book a table for my birthday on the 14th May. Yes I know it’s my birthday is on the 13th May but… Saturday there is loads to do and so we thought Sunday lunch would be better (and cheaper)! Actually no, it’s dearer to eat Sunday lunchtime than Saturday lunchtime. Going by today… nobody eats on a Saturday lunchtime!
We drove through the middle of the island to meet up with an agent taking us around an apartment in Gorey. Gorey is one of the most beautiful parts of the island but I knew the apartment would be too far out and from the internet pictures - grim! I was right as usual! Grim old place, right up the top of a hill with fantastic views - stunning views - freshly painted over the top of the previous 100 years paint underneath! The kitchen was about 1980’s we’d decided and disgusting bathroom with a cloakroom even more disgusting! Not seen bleach in years! It is in a very quiet location set down a little lane just wide enough for one car but it’s two way traffic! Michael just managed to reverse the car into the garage without knocking down the wall and I was scared it was going to ruin the paintwork on the hire company’s brand new to the fleet Fiesta! As you can tell I wasn’t too keen on this place!
We had a lovely walk along Gorey harbour and the pretty esplanade. Michael took some beautiful photographs of Mont Orgueil Castle. It has just had three and a quarter million pounds spent on it but we couldn’t from the outside see that it has ever changed. Perhaps the money has been spent inside. It is such a beautiful castle.
Then drove to Ransom’s Garden Centre a short drive away. We wanted a cup of tea and went into the little café there. We had to share a scone with Jersey Cream, butter and jam. It was ok - not brilliant. We also had a pot of Assam tea. £6.05 - very expensive!!! We had seen on the menu that you can have a ‘Jersey Black Butter’ for an extra £1.25 to add to your scone. I had to know what this was. The young girl waitresses didn’t have a clue but they let me smell it as they had one open in the fridge…. Is all I knew at the time was that it was in fact black and it smelt of cinnamon. Something I really don’t like! I had to know what it was and have just looked it up on the internet. I might actually like it as it has liquorice in it - I love the stuff with a passion!!! So this is what the internet has to say about Jersey Black Butter…
Jersey Black Butter 227g. Experience the real flavour of Jersey with genuine Jersey Black Butter. Hand Made Black Butter is made from a traditional recipe in open pans using no artificial additives and the following genuine ingredients: Apples, Cider, Lemons, Treacle, Sugar and Liquorice. Mixed Spice and Cinnamon are added at intervals. When making Black Butter is vital that the butter does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn so turns are taken to stir the mixture for a total of 30 hours. It is then tested to see whether it is ready by dropping a dollop on to a saucer and then attempting to lift it with the back of a wooden spoon. When finished the preserve is potted and ready to use as the perfect complement in the mornings with hot buttered toast and warm croissants or with afternoon tea with fresh scones and cream. Our preserve is absolutely delicious with desserts, such as: - Bread & Butter Pudding - Apple Crumble- Steamed sticky pudding - Vanilla Ice Cream
Then drove to Sion, St John to look at the outside of the rental house we like and timed the drive back to town - it was 9 ½ minutes going slowly and getting stopped at 2 sets of traffic lights. Pretty good!
Also stopped at B&Q to see what was in it. Pretty boring usual DIY stuff there was also a furniture/electrical store there. Very expensive and pretty naff really.
Came home Michael decided to cook fish with creamy fennel. I don’t think we’re going out tonight at Miss Congeniality 2 is on the t.v. So will drink a bottle of wine and just chill.
I sound very negative but today was enjoyable and it’s nice to be able to get out of St. Helier even if we do love it here.
30th April Sunday
We got up late had a bit of a lie in. Lovely.
We decided to take the hire car and do some real Jersey exploring today -as tourists. We started off going through the middle of the island - we had never really done that before and came across some beautiful big houses dotted about here and there.
Our first stop was at the Windmill Pub - we’d been there before and remember it was pretty and just wanted a snack there but it is now a beautiful restaurant a proper restaurant. It was gorgeous and very modern. We didn’t actually eat in there as mentioned we just wanted a snack. Attached to the restaurant is a jewellery studio for the world renowned designer and jewellery maker Catherine Best. It’s a wonderful place to visit with designer prices to match. Michael insisted on buying me my birthday present there. He chose a beautiful diamond and sapphire 18ct gold ring. The sales assistant Jenny, oddly enough I’d met before… she is an estate agent by week and at the weekend works in the jewellery studio as a sales assistant. I got quite chatty with her in the estate agency and she remembered me and we all got chatting again. She has an apartment in Murcia, Spain and an apartment at The Waterfront here in St. Helier. So needless to say she has to work 7 days a week to pay for them! Once met never forgetten as she is a large lady with red and pink hair and very bubbly to go with it! We talked apartments etc. and then she said “you do know there is a wedding ring to go with that ring“… uh oh! So not only have I got a new engagement ring but a new wedding ring too! Michael wanted me to wear it there and then but I insisted she wrapped it and I have put the prettily wrapped present in the safe at our apartment. Michael can give it to me as my birthday present properly on the right day! Otherwise he will go and buy something else for me too!!!
I am going back when Michael isn’t around shhhhh big secret - as the designers there take on commissions, I want to get Michael a silver or white gold pair of cufflinks made with diamonds in for his birthday in August. All the jewellery is made entirely by hand without the aid of moulds like mass produced jewellery. Each piece is individual. There are some stunning pieces of jewellery there. Beautiful!
Jenny then sent us on to the Snow Goose gift and tea rooms for a snack. It was very good.
We then went on to the Jersey Pearl. This is now located in the old Jersey Goldsmith building on the Bay of St. Ouens. It’s fabulous and well worth a visit. They also have a tearoom but we didn’t!
Then we went across the road to The Chateau shopping centre which is neither a Chateau or a shopping centre! We were not impressed. It has a jewellery shop, Jersey wool shop, gift shop and not a lot else. We didn’t stay long.
The we drove to the new location for the Jersey Goldsmiths, Lion Park in St. Lawrence. Again, very impressed! It’s huge and there are some very nice items in there and they also do commissions - so I will have to pick carefully - price will be a major factor!
I was very impressed at the back of the Goldsmith they have a section for liquid gold/silver making. I have always wanted to do this and very nearly went on a course for this. We had a long chat to the guy there and he has invited me along for a lesson to see if I would like to do the whole course. It isn’t cheap but he said if I am good enough he would sell ‘my work’ in the shop or there is a Harbourfront Exhibition hall in St. Helier and I could take my own work there and they could sell it for me - quite successfully if I were to produce unique and good quality work, apparently. So we’ll see. I am definitely going to give it a go this time! Don’t hold your breath but I will have fun!
Took a slow drive back behind a bus but on this island you cannot drive fast anyway, the roads are very narrow! It’s a much slower pace of life and you have no choice but to ‘go with the flow‘.
Came back to the apartment and Michael has just put some jacket spuds in the oven and I am going to make a bowl of salad and have Chicken Kiev to go with it. Yummy!
Tonight we are going to St. Brelade’s again - we love it there and are going to look at the Golf Club there - we will go for a drink and check out the menu Jenny had earlier recommended. Always food, foood, fooooood!
posted by barmymarny at 9:42 AM
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