The Apothocoffee Shop

Last Monday when I told Robbie that it would be nice to drive to the nearby village of Earls Barton to visit the chemist he looked at me as if I was mad. After all there are plenty of chemists nearer to our home, but this chemist is rather like the costume shop in  Mr Benn, it contains secrets and transports you to different worlds. So on Monday we took a drive through the Northamptonshire countryside to Earls Barton, as I parked the car Robbie spotted Jeyes the Chemist and commented that it looked  very ordinary and very small from the outside. We walked in through a very ordinary chemist shop but after just a few steps it was clear that this was no ordinary chemist. To our right was the book department and Robbie was spellbound, there were so many interesting books to look at and the shelves and cabinets around the room were packed with keepsakes of every kind, it was like an Aladdin's cave. I thought we would be stuck there all day! Another doorway led on to a room containing china and kitchen items, Robbie was instantly drawn to a very attractive Hornby mug and a couple of mugs in beautiful boxes with designs from the Ladybird books of 1960s. 


A narrow corridor led us past a display of jigsaws and other items that caught Robbie's eye, he kept touching my arm and telling me to "look" as he pointed out his latest find. Some very steep stair led us up to a different world. The first room contained all the fun of the fair, a model funfair with working models, lights and fairground music. There was so much detail and so much to see, each time I looked I spotted something that I hadn't noticed before. Robbie loved it, he walked around the room looking closely at every detail. 


The next room was the Dolly Lodge selling everything a dolls house enthusiast could ever wish for. I didn't think Robbie would be very interested but he was fascinated, it was hard to drag him away. The next room gave a fascinating insight into village history and the lives of the people who lived and worked in the village in Victorian times. Next there was a display of chemist items from the past which I found very interesting. Every display cabinet told a different story and prompted so many memories. Then we came to a huge selection of Sylvanian Families products, my daughters used to love Sylvanian Families so lots of happy memories came flooding back. It was interesting to look at the displays and see the information they have about Sylvanians through the years.


By the time we went downstairs again Robbie was in a lot of pain and I was tired so it was time to follow our noses through the shop to the Apothocoffee Shop for a nice pot of tea (and coffee for Robbie) and hot buttered toasted teacakes. It may not take the pain away but it makes life seem a whole lot better! Robbie was very interested in the displays of preserves etc he looked longingly at a jar of real ale mustard. After a nice sit down and a snack we felt refreshed and ready to explore the rest of the shop. They had a lovely selection of cards, then there was the toy department to explore. Robbie's inner child was very much in evidence especially when he found a whole section devoted to Thomas the Tank Engine in the next room! After a last look at the books we made our purchases and left, it had been a really good experience and Robbie said that he hoped we could go there again very soon.

There and Back Again

Robbie had promised me a nice relaxing trip to York on Saturday, but it almost didn’t happen because my asthma decided to play up on Friday afternoon. I was feeling much better by Saturday morning so I agreed to go out as long as Robbie didn’t rush me. Usually he has me trotting backwards and forwards along the platform like a demented hen as he tries to predict exactly where he needs to stand in order to get his favourite seat. I hate running up and down stairs between platforms at the best of times, but if he had tried that today I think I would have collapsed in a heap.

Baldric Burgess had a cunning plan to make up time, we travelled from Northampton to Tamworth, then we caught a Cross Country service to Derby and we were just in time to catch the 9.46 Southampton Central to Newcastle service which took us to York. We wouldn’t have made that train if we had gone via Birmingham. My new netbook is so small and portable that I was able to tuck it into my rucksack and I sat on the voyager catching up on my mail and editing photos, that really is my idea of heaven.

We waited for several minutes at Doncaster and as I glanced out of the window I had an uncomfortable feeling that we may have been invaded by a foreign power. There was no need to worry it was just a group of East Coast staff in their rather unfortunate uniform. I wonder if the company were striving for the Russian border guard look or if they just stumbled upon it by accident.

When we got to York Robbie was bouncing around like Tigger, he was really excited about going to the National Railway Museum again. He loves the shop at the NRM and he kept calling me over to look at all the interesting goodies he had spotted. We spent ages looking at everything, there were some lovely books and DVDs. Robbie bought himself a couple of mounted prints and I bought him a poster and a 1907 Bradshaws railway map (because I wanted it too) it’s amazing.

We had a nice journey back to Birmingham on a Voyager, but sadly there was no catering until Derby. I like travelling on Cross Country services, the staff are usually friendly and helpful, the biscuits are lovely, but the tea is absolutely dire. There is so much that they do right, so surely it shouldn’t be beyond them to produce something that bears a passing resemblance to a cup of tea!

Sparky Strikes Again! 22.01.07

Not a very good start to the week, we overslept! I woke up half an hour after Robbie should have left for the station. For the next 15 minutes we were on fast forward, Robbie had the world's fastest shower and shave and made a frantic dash for the station. I hate rushing like that, and Sam was furious about having his morning routine messed up. But by the time Sam and I left for school and work we were only running about five minutes late.

I think it was a busy and frustrating day for both of us, but as soon as Robbie got home I was treated to all the intricate details of his journey to work. We had a lovely meal and I was just looking forward to sitting down with a cup of tea when 'Sparky' Burgess emerged from the kitchen clutching his finger and writhing in pain, he had apparently got an electric shock from the kettle which had then spluttered and died (the kettle, not Robbie). I was happy to cope until tomorrow, but he wasn't taking no for an answer and he dragged me off to Tesco's for a new kettle. What is the attraction of Tesco's, he can't keep away. Oh well, at least I got a cup of tea in the end!