Another week begins

I am proud to report that today I demonstrated the amazing ability to drive out of Lincolnshire without entering a single ditch!!!! And that on a cold foggy morning in the dark... I'm so happy about that I can't tell you!
I had another lovely weekend at my dad's this weekend. Friday I worked from home and collected the courtesy car, which went very smoothly apart from some road works in Lincoln. Its a doddle to drive but as you'd expect of a courtesy car, a very basic model which doesn't compete with mine in power or comfort - in fact the 45 mins or so I spent driving to Dad's house was enough to numb my bum & thighs :-) As a result of that and the fact that I am still not fully recovered from the aches and pains post-ditch, I decided against the 3 hr drive home on Saturday.
On Saturday Dad, his wife C and I went to a local stately home called Doddington Hall & Gardens. The gardens would be better in Spring / Summer obviously, though still impressive

;

the house was lovely

and the farm shop an absolute treasure trove of exciting produce and treats (most of which I couldn't buy due to having another week of work ahead of me.) This was followed by popping to a large local garden centre for lunch and some gift shop browsing.

A quiet evening with a beautiful sunset followed�

Sunday we had no plans until 4 pm when the village Dad lives in was having its Christmas Market. We spent the morning very quietly - just a stroll into the village to buy a paper, reading that paper, and prepping a room for some work they were having done today. After lunch Dad & I walked to the next village through beautiful sunshine and happened to arrive at the village pub just as we were getting thirsty... It was a nice pub, which did a Sunday carvery that looked good, and they served a very nice guest ale indeed.

The sky in Lincolnshire goes on forever�

We got back about half an hour before the market was due to start, so we grabbed a quick cuppa before heading off. Unfortunately I forgot my phone when we dashed off (its rubbish at night time photography anyway).
When we got to the village square the choir was singing carols until the market officially opened. Then the stalls started selling, the free (donations requested for next years) coffee, tea, mulled wine & mince pies started being served, and kids started queuing for Santa's grotto. My Dad & C have some friends in the village they've known for years and as a result have been introduced to lots of other locals, so chat and laughing and eating roasted chestnuts were the order of the day. It was a lovely evening, though it did get cold by the time we left. Then it was home for supper and a sadly early night for me given my earlyish start this morning.
It was chilly but not frosty this morning; there was fog part of the way and I was damn glad to have gone a different route (one I'd practiced twice over the weekend) and not have hit the fog on that road in the dark. I was very tense driving in and slow enough to be overtaken by at least half a dozen locals  but I'd decided that getting here at all had to be top priority, regardless of the time, so didn't let it phase me. And I made it!!!
My drive to the hotel was surprisingly painless (I'm back at the hotel I used in my first week this week) but there was a disappointment in store for me... No bath in the ensuite! A massive shower, very nice I suppose, but no bathtub. Sob whimper
Sigh

Food today:
Breakfast: Scotch egg & slice of C's homemade tea loaf (neither gf)
Lunch: chicken fried rice sort of, from the canteen
Dinner: chicken & lamb shish kebab
Snacks: cashews & wine gums