Sunny Cardiff

Well, it's been a manic week of filling skips and tearing parts of the house apart in order for some household maintenance and decorating works to be done over the coming weeks, it's all been go, go, go. Nonetheless, yesterday hubby and I took a day out to take step-daughter back to Cardiff for the start of term.

We were up bright and early, so early in fact that I got to witness some lovely sunrises over the motorway. As much as I protest at getting out of bed at ungodly hours like 6am, I do actually love travelling really early in the morning because I think the views that you get of the world at those times of day is just magical. Alas, the photographs which I took through Granville's dirty windscreen don't really do it justice, but you get the idea.

We stopped off en route at the usual truckers cafe that we always do, and enjoyed a mega fry up. I had trouble finishing mine though given that I have a really sore throat right now. We arrived in Cardiff around mid-morning, but unfortunately I didn't get to enjoy all of the journey as I spent so much time on the phone to Churchill in order to try and chase up the insurance documents for Beryl (who I collect tomorrow). I have to say, by the end of that I was getting quite irritated. Anyway, we arrived mid-morning, and unloaded all of step-daughters supplies into her house. After time for a brief outfit shot outside in her street, we were setting off into the town centre.

Wales, as many of you will know, has a tendency towards rain, but we were so lucky yesterday. Admittedly, it was cold, but then again it is January, you can't have everything. It was beautifully sunny though, so we got to see Cardiff in a light that we haven't enjoyed yet, enjoying street performers and street art as we wandered. We did our usual thing of going to the vintage shop which is set in a lovely little arcade (I must get the name of the place on my next visit). I didn't find anything to buy, but hubby got this fabulous knitted waistcoat. Afterwards we enjoyed a milkshake in the tea rooms opposite, and then set off to explore a bit more of Cardiff.

I was scouring the sales, and despite trying on a couple of dresses in Laura Ashley, I wasn't really finding much to buy... well apart from a beautiful cake stand in their sale. I did come away with a few bits from the accessorize sale, which rarely disappoints, and then we took a turn along a road we hadn't visited before. Here we found some different eateries, and opted to have dinner in Henry's, which had a really nice vibe.

So much for booze free January though, I succumbed to a gorgeous Cosmopolitan to wash down my chilli prawns and pasta, but I didn't feel too guilty about it... for one the vodka seemed to numb the glass like sensation I have going on in my throat right now.

We took one last turn around the city, taking in the pricey but nice to look at, Flannels, where my handbag caused quite a stir, and then onto Cath Kidston (why don't their Blackberry cases ever fit my Blackberry?) and finally Reiss. Reiss was possibly the most successful stop of the day. In there I found the most beautiful pair of Kingfisher blue shorts, a very retro high waisted pair of shorts to boot. They were reduced from £95 to £28, and I tooed and froed about them for ages. I don't really have much in the way of shorts, and I don't tend to wear them a lot. That's why I bought them because in the end I thought it might be quite nice to have something that bit different to play with when the mood takes me. They are quite heavy too, so I don't think I have to wait for summer as they'll look just as nice over tights in the winter too.

By early evening, after dropping step-daughter back at her house, we were setting off on the drive back to the Midlands. The weather and the traffic remained good and the journey was not too bad.

Today we've been doing more work around the house, ripping up carpets, clearing driveways and getting quotes on some urgent work that needs doing around the place. Tomorrow hubby goes back to work, and I think that's when the fact that I'm unemployed is really going to hit me... I just hope that I can manage not to stress too much this week, particularly since I have already bitten all of my nails down to the quick.

Have a great week everyone.