Good day Bloggets. I have missed you, but when I tell you what I have to say, you will understand why I didn’t tell you where I have been or where I was going… Such a secret I have had to keep… Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin!
You know of our besties Trix and the Like man? Well, some weeks ago, Like, text me and asked if I would like with the Hubster to have a break away for a surprise for Trix, as it was coming up to her 50th! I spoke to my Husband and we agreed that would be lovely.
Like asked if I could call the place we wanted to go and sort things out as it was difficult for him with Trix being there and when she wasn’t, he was at work. The place I’m talking about was where my husband and I went on our honeymoon. A wonderful Spa retreat called Doxford Hall. It’s deep in the beautiful Northumberland. Where I come from. A place of pure air, fresh delicious drinking water, not only drinking, but bathing. Your skin and hair feels great. homely people, stunning white sands with the sea at your side and green hills, forests and woods. It’s heavenly, a place you can forget the rest of the world. Like how it was so many years before greed and overpopulation.
Doxford Hall is set within a manicured estate. The wildlife is incredible. Birds of prey, owls and beautiful fox and deer can be seen as you wonder around the area. a spa where you can get treatments, there is a swimming pool, Steam rooms, sauna and spa baths, as well as a cocktail bar, Day room, Library and the stunning luxurious Georgian room which looks over the gardens with its open fire, where you will be treat to afternoon tea or just a cup of tea with a very tasty freshly baked biscuit which leads me onto the food in the desirable restaurant with its high standard cuisine where by the chef and team have been awarded AA rosettes for dining excellence. More on that later.
So, I booked a cottage in the grounds rather than the hotel because at first I was told that the hotel was fully booked, then on reflection, I thought it would be better if we were in our own house, as we would have our two guide dogs. Also, if we were in different hotel bedrooms, getting to one another would be more of a challenge.
Well, after booking the cottage I booked breakfast and evening meals in the restaurant and then onto the taxi, to find a car that was big enough to carry the four of us, luggage and two dogs? I phoned a couple of companies and got the best quote. Also, I liked the sound of the person I was talking to. The train station we were to get off at, is a small station, so I didn’t know if there would be any staff on that day, so I asked if the driver wouldn’t mind watching out for us? No trouble at all. The company if you are heading off there were the friendliest company I have come across. And their prices are Okay. They are called Sovereign Taxi’s Alnwick phone 01665 602200 or follow on Twitter #ne662
Then trying to link our train seats so we are sitting at least in the same carriage as our friends? Texting Like and giving him details without Trix finding out, everything was in code. Secret calls as our friend was heading to work we joked we were like lovers. Hahaha. The worst part was not writing about it all and moreover, seeing our friend Trix and not putting my foot in it?
It was her birthday and she text me to tell me what Like had done for her. He had arranged a weekend at Doxford Hall… Oh, I said, you lucky person, Hub and I have been there and it’s the best place. Well, my nose grew, I hated telling lies. I even made out in one of my blogs that our friend from London was coming this weekend. Well she’s coming in a couple of weeks, so a slight exaggeration…
Hub said that Trix must have her suspicions? Well we were about to find out.
The big day arrived. Friday. We headed for the train station, suitcase and rucksack full of clothes for the evening and dog food. In Hubs rucksack bless him, was a huge bottle of Prosecco and a bottle of wine as well as a couple of bottles of juice and milk for our cups of tea and coffee as well as tea bags and biscuits, crisps, nuts and a few other things like pretzels. Dog food, their dish and in general dog things like their treats. I didn’t know what the cottage would offer and I knew we would have food in the restaurant, but during the day and when we got back to the house after our evening meal, I wanted to make it all homely with a cupper or cold drink.
So, our train pulled away from the station and we headed to where our friends live. Well, not quite where they live, as our trains don’t pull up to the houses, haha, but to their town. My heart was pounding. I told Hub not to talk until I spoke with a put on voice. Hub and I have been many times to their house and we worried in case the person helping our friends to find their seats would recognise us? I heard the person telling our friends to watch the step? Then where would they sit? Would it be near us or seats away? Perfect, it was just opposite to us. The lady then, almost spoiled everything by saying, they had two lovely dogs next to them. Oh no. She would now guess it was us after all? But no. Our friend still was oblivious. The train doors closed, I asked my friend in the most stupid voice if she was alright? Seriously, we were in first class and it was quiet. Everyone heard me sounding like the local lunatic. Some would say I didn’t need to act well? Cheeky…
No, she just did a little polite laugh. Then Hub spoke. Saying fancy meeting you here? She gasped. Then I spoke in my normal voice. She was shocked. I hope delighted? Haha. Like made me laugh as he told us he also brought a bottle of wine and he even brought four plastic glasses. Hahahahahaa. Stuff the toilet rolls, milk the tea bags and the bottle opener that we all forgot, he had the glasses, I laughed saying we were going in a cottage that was self-catering, so hopefully, they will have glasses?
At this point let me tell those of you who are new Bloggets, all four of us are totally blind.
Well before our friends got on, we had our breakfast. Hub had a full English, I am a vegetarian, so I was offered. Wait for it? A blooming dish of the worst porridge I have ever had in my life. It was like wall paper paste.
The funny thing was, the guy taking our orders, didn’t know we were blind, so he came in our carriage and said the words any one for breakfast? Well I nodded. He saw me nod, he un be known to me, was standing there, right next to us waiting for me to talk. I said to Hub, oh, charming, he has gone right past? Well, he hadn’t he heard everything, but seriously, there is more Fifi moments to come.
He said he didn’t know we were blind and apologised to us, I kind of thought the two guide dogs would have been a bit of a clue? Do you think he should have been put on the list for one? A guide dog that is, not a bacon butty…
So, we arrived the taxi driver Kerrie was there waiting bless her. Oh, what a friendly lady, so lovely. Nothing was a bother. A twenty five minute journey there, we were in a car, not having a clue what was out of our window, for those who can see, can you imagine that? Just moving but nothing is seen from your eyes. It can make the journey longer. But with Kerrie’s humour mixing with ours, it was fun and exciting.
Oh, this was going to be a fantastic weekend. The cottage would be perfect. Food? Hmm. Or would it? What could go wrong?
To be continued.
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