Scottishnellies Redundancy Trip Jun18. Pre-travel Day Glasgow To Manchester, Heald Green

[scottishnellie]

Yay! It's today!

For the background to this years trip please feel free to read my Pre-trip report in that section. I will try to put a wee link to an index below when I get organised.

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1076462

Doesn't let me post a link to the pre-trip report but you can copy the above and paste it in if you are interested.

Kevin was night shift last night so he came in this morning and went to bed just as I was getting up at 7:30 to tackle my huge to do list.

I wont bore you with the details but a rough summary is the usual cleaning, fridge, bins, beds, floors. Writing out our details for the neighbour who feeds our wee cat, final packing. You all know the drill. I am pretty happy with my packing cases and think my suitcases are quite organised for the 4 different hotel stays we have in our first week

Kevin has his own wee case as he just could not cope with planning his outfit for each day in advance. He was having a total nannyrooney when I tried to get him to do it. I do not understand the fuss. We know he where we are due to be and what we are doing every single day, so why is it so hard to decide what we would be wearing to do it? Whatever. So the packing cases are done for just the kids and I with outfit for each day and we will see how that works out for us.

Kevin got up at 12 and started getting ready. Hannah had taken Kieran down to the Turkish Barbers for his holiday haircut. The original agreement was that she would walk him down and back so they would be out of the house longer to let me get the house work done. But she was throwing her face about that it was raining so I had to drop them off. She did walk him back up when they were done as it had eased off a bit.

My parents came over at 1:30 to run us to the local train station. Kieran and Kevin with the suitcases first, then Hannah and I in the second trip so I could do the final house check and lock up. I hate trying to get ready to go anywhere when Kevin is night shift and I cant use my own bedroom to get anything. I was pretty tetchy by the time we were done as testified by my WhatsApps to and from our pal Andrew until we got on the train

For those who have read my previous trippies this will be total Groundhog Day to read, but we got the train to Glasgow Central, picked up a Burger King for the kids, boarded the train, wangled a First Class upgrade with Kevins staff passes and settled down til we would reach Preston and change.

Our day was planned as follows

The kids had their Burger Kings and Kevin had a sandwich off the trolley when she came round. I had a cup of tea and read my book

The rain was dismal all the way down. I usually like a wee look out the window but it was practically dark

We changed at Preston, and arrived at Heald Green at 18:13 as planned. All very straightforward. Up the ramp at the station and straight into the Premier Inn where we had booked the same Dinner package as last year. £105.98 for the four of us for the night, including dinner and a drink for the adults and breakfast for all 4 of us. So we would only need to add the kids meals. Kids were happy to see 2 single beds for them instead of a double. We have the next 6 nights to share various different hotel rooms and these bed negotiations are going to get interesting.

Kevin Kieran and I went a wee half hr wander up the Main Street to stretch our legs before dinner, and were surprised how many wee restaurants there were. A good few options if we ever don't use the meal deal.

Some interestingly named takeaways too!

Table booked for 7pm so we wandered back to meet back up with Hannah and into the Beefeater restaurant.

We had 2 portions of chicken wings to share for starters.

Then we had Ribs, Salmon, Burger, Fish n chips for our mains

Kevin had a couple of pints, I had a house red, The kids had refillable diet Pepsi's both had Churro Sundaes for dessert

The bill for adding the 2 meals, the soft drinks and Kevins extra pint was really reasonable

We toddled back to the room and the other 3 are currently watching a Die Hard film. A Good Day to Die Hard or some such nonsense, while I rattle up todays report and have a wee kopparberg.

So a nice simple start and we will see what tomorrow brings.

I am delighted to now be switching to holiday mode, and am looking forward to putting all the last few months redundancy stresses aside and throw myself into this holiday. When I get back I will only have a few more weeks to work before I start garden leave. Onwards and upwards

Night Everyone x