North East thread 4: Fingers crossed we catch the Angel bus!

[Someaddedsugar]

Just thought I'd start a new thread for the north east lot as number 3 is getting pretty full!

@PennyDreadfuI hope you're ok and hope you don't mind me picking the thread up!

It is glorious, today. Not venturing off anywhere lovely, mind. DH still has a stiff neck after his AZ jab, on Thursday, and is not up to driving far.

Hope everyone is enjoying our glorious weather!
It’s bloody lovely. Broom house adventure trail was open so car park very busy. Lambs are still super cute.
Was looking at the Co Durham covid insight page and it’s blank mostly, how brilliant is that. Our rates are now less than average (England).

@MrsEWeatherwax we were at BHF on Saturday too - wonder if we crossed paths!

Yesterday, we went up to Alnmouth and then onto Beadnell for an alfresco lunch at beadnell towers - not cheap but good food and a lovely day!

Another gorgeous day, went out this morning in just a T-shirt. Been shopping again!
I’m supposed to do gardening today,but going to just enjoy the sun instead.
We were at Broom house late afternoon 3 ish. Shop was quiet but had been busy they said.

went out this morning in just a T-shirt
You brazen hussy.

😂. @TheSilveryPussycat . I also had my jeans on, but normally I’m surgically attached to my hoodie.

😂 @TheSilveryPussycat and @MrsEWeatherwax.

Hope your DH is feeling better @PickAChew.

It's been so lovely hasn't it! I've managed to tackle the accidental weed garden I created when planting wild flowers a few summers ago - not a single wild flower grew but the nettles bloody loved it! I think I've got another few hours to go before it's all cleared and then I'm going to make a herb garden rockery type thing (I am not a natural gardener so this will be an achievement in itself!).

I'm loving see all the photos of the lambs at BHF. I've promised to take DS again this weekend as he's fascinated by the lambs and the kids. I must order tickets for the forest adventure too!

The Forest Adventure tickets for weekend went on sale the other day. Might see if we can book Beamish for May bank holiday.
The weather has been lovely, still cold on a morning though, my car keeps beeping to tell me the road is cold.
Chester park is definitely less busy, even the covid testing site seems quiet.
Hope weather stays nice for anyone going out for foods/drinks etc. A pub I follow on Facebook have twice ran out of 🍺.
I’m going to Durham later to collect my click and collect book from Waterstones.
Enjoy the weekend everyone.

@MrsEWeatherwax we’ve had a frozen lawn etc every morning for a while.

We bought a load of lovely plants from Lintzford nursery and one by one the frost has killed them it’s so sad.

The daytime weather has been marvellous though. I took my DM for her second jab yesterday and they gave me my second one at the same time. I feel a little bit rough today.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Hope you're feeling better soon @Florelei.

Doesn't it feel so much better when the sun's shining. I've been so pleased with being able to get the washing on the line rather than draped all around the house.

We're going to book the forest adventure in a few weeks @MrsEWeatherwax - I'm looking forward to going again! It was such a lovely distraction last summer.

Happy weekend everyone!

It's never really safe for tender plants, up here, until well into May. DH has 0panted out some sunflowers with coke bottle cloches for protection.

I think tender plants bought now need hardening off - outside in the day, inside at night.

Brake lights failed, luckily I noticed the engine light coming on, though I didn't know why. One way or another it took all week to get sorted, including sitting outside Gilesgate Tesco in the sunshine with a cuppa and fag while the auto-electrican worked his magic.

Ah, I know how to live...

*spent some of today sitting outside Gilesgate Tesco

We did bring them in on a night time but even in the shed I think it was just too cold for them. It’s such a shame because they were such good quality and were beautiful.

@TheSilveryPussycat you really get a sense of how much our lives have shrunk when you really enjoy a cup of coffee outside tesco in the sun! We went to Lanchester garden centre the other day for some breakfast. We took the dog and it was lovely in the sun. The food was great as well.

Hope you got your car sorted @TheSilveryPussycat. I'm not a fan of cars as every one I've ever owned has been a nightmare. I've come to the conclusion I'm destined to be an unlucky car owner!

We went for our meal at Whitechurch today and it was lovely - just the right balance of lovely food but without being pretentious or salesy with the drinks etc. And DS had a lovely time which was a relief as he can't remember ever going out for food and I thought he'd be bored straight away but he thought it was great fun!

The frost has managed to kill one of nine of our plants and as they're all the same I'm not really sure how it's just killed the one!

Yes, the auto electrician did work his magic. I crossed his palm with 90 pieces of gold...

I think I know exactly which auto electrician you went too.
Can anyone remember about 6 years ago the egg sized hailstones in June, that was scary. I still have on dints on my car roof and bonnet.

I love the Flat white cafe on Saddler street .
Went to Durham yesterday and was nice a busy had a lovely buzz. Also realised I wasn’t looking at the Meeple games shop window. Was some other shop. North road looks a nightmare with all the bus stops. If I was a shop owner I would be annoyed.

We are off to the Linztford garden centre to get more plants. We love it there. We will have to keep them indoors for another few weeks this time to protect them from the frost!

@MrsEWeatherwax, if you're into Geeky shops, there is a branch of Geek Retreat just opened this week in Sunderland. It's in the unit between Darke Cycles and the old Joplings entrance.

Once they can have people inside they will have gaming tables set up, like Beanie Games in Stockton and the Geek Retreat in Newcastle. :)

@MrsEWeatherwax that was the strangest weather wasn't it! We were quite lucky as DP had gone somewhere for work that evening and took my car (can't remember why now) and so it survived the hailstones but his work van didn't had to be written off it was that bad. I also remember next door's greenhouse having panes shattered and I think he was secretly pleased as he got a new one 😂.

We went into Durham yesterday afternoon after we'd been for our lunch and it was lovely to see it so busy. I took DS in the Meeple shop that I think was Smiggle as he's just discovered Pokémon and so I'd promised him a visit after we saw them in the window the week before the shops reopened. The people who were working were so lovely with him and he came out with a big grin on his face.

I love going to a garden centre @Florelei - whereabouts is the Lintzford one? I saw that Lanchester garden centre now sells house plants so I want to have a look there this week.

I need to go to the Arnison Centre tomorrow and I'm hoping it's quiet at lunchtime so I can pop there and back quickly!

@Someaddedsugar it’s on the A694 road between Hamsterley Mill and Rowlands Gill.

Lanchester garden centre is also one of our favourites!

Glad your DS enjoyed his trip out!

Just bumping this thread, to say I have really enjoyed the chat.
Co Durham figures are still excellent and vaccine uptake brilliant. I know loads of people who have had their second jab.
Roll on the 17 May I can’t wait hopefully to go into my DP’s house. I’m desperate to give my DM a hug( I will probably cry).
Broom house farm was heaving today.
Local to me is loads of lambs, some are getting cubby, and the calves are out too. Gosh I love spring, my DH is thrilled the swallows are back, he had been complaining he hadn’t seen any. Here’s hoping they nest in our allotment hen shed again.
Durham was busy today but gosh Silver street is a depressing at moment.
So thanks again.

Hi @MissEWeatherwax this thread has also been a huge source of enjoyment to me as well. Who knew there were so many MNers in our small part of County Durham!

We ventured out to Sunderland to look at bathrooms at tecaz and then went to B&Q at Washington which was heaving.

My employer is making plans for us to return to the office in July which I am looking forward to. I haven’t been into central Durham in a few years despite working nearby!

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the BH weekend.

I've really enjoyed the chat too! And it's been so nice to talk to other Mumsnetters who are local and to find about all of the things that have been going on. I've also spotted a few of you on other threads too and in a strange way I always think I know them! I'd love it if the chat continues!

Fab to hear about the falling rates in the north east (and across the country) - I hope the road map stays on track as we really are almost at the end of it aren't we! June definitely doesn't seem that far away anymore!

@MrsEWeatherwax what do you grow in your allotment - I'm always really curious about what people grow!

I've finally planted our herb garden and some shoots are already coming through. I did forget to label what each section is so this could be an interesting month or two while they start to grow!

We're going to Hamsterley Forest early doors tomorrow to do the Gruffalo trail. And then at the end of the month I'll be seeing my sister and her DP who we haven't seen since last August and I cannot wait. There might be tears then as I'm already emotional at the thought of having to wait another few weeks. DS is also extremely excited and has talked about it non-stop since I told him they were heading north for the long weekend!

Hope everyone's having a lovely bank holiday and you're all keeping well.

We had an unexpected lunch at travellers rest last Sunday - we had booked in at barrio but hadn't realised they weren't doing food - momentary panic as DD's eating disorder kicked in - but TR Sunday lunch was lovely - lots of people there - sun was shining, food was good - do recommend! Happy to keep the chat going on 'chat' thread rather than 'coronavirus' as the days tick by...