Holiday.

Holiday.

For my recent holiday, I didn’t need to declare anything. I didn’t need to buy any tickets or boarding passes. I didn’t need to book a train, coach or plane.

I went to some TKMaxx stores!

The one that I planned to go to, always makes me nervous as it is about 25 miles to get there, that is a long way, as I am not familiar with the roads, and that makes me nervous. I didn’t want to go in rush hour, nor did I want to come back in rush hour either.

So, as not to leave too early, I had looked after the 6 cats, fed them and put them outside, gave the 2 dogs their treats and put them outside for the loo and brought them back in. I made sure the cat litters for Nanny was all clean and ready for her. I did the dish washer, read my Bible, and wrote in my diary of what had happened the day before. I then made breakfast for Meghan and myself, I did for her, 4 rashers of bacon, half a tin of baked beans, two fried eggs, two buttered toast and a cup of tea. I had 4 rashers of bacon, with buttered toast, goats butter and 2 cups of tea. I made sure both my watch and mobile were both fully charged, for without my phone I would not be able to get there at all. I was nervous, as long journey makes me nervous. I said a quick word of prayer for a safe journey there and a safe journey back. I drove off at 1pm.

I had put in my sat nav for the huge superstore that is near the TKMaxx store, for I had planned to park in that store car park, as the shop I was going to, does not have parking. It was a pleasant journey on the motorway, as the roads were not too busy.

I made a note of the time, as the superstore was for 3 hours, I did a screen shot of the time, as I couldn’t trust my memory.

I parked my car in a place where he and I would be happy, so that when finished, I could reverse out and there would be no cars behind us. I walked the short distance to the shop, with my three shopping bags, as most store bags can be SO expensive now.

The shop was not full, which was good, I looked around for the yellow sticker signs and got a basket.

It was perfect, I was in my element, with just a few people near me, I was able to look at everything properly, without rushing. I looked at the bath soaps, now reduced to £1 smelling the packages and reading the names. I saw Jasmin soap, and lavender soaps I saw another of my favourite’s soaps, that is white musk! The peppermint soap was lovely too; I was spoilt for choice. I didn’t want to get too carried away, I knew that it was not realistic to think I could spend £5 in each store, for why would I drive 25 miles to just spend £5 in the cold light of day, that now did not make sense, so I decided to just enjoy myself. I had been to four other TKMaxx stores, and the sales there were rubbish, so this was going to be the place where I was going to spend my money and my voucher from work. I put four soaps in my trolley. Each year I look for perfumes, that is reduced, as I use them in the bathroom as room sprays. My son cottoned on to this, and when he realized that they were real perfumes, he used them on himself!! Cheek. The three that I bought were, Sand + Fog French Lavender linen spray, Seoul cologne and Ted Baker Celeste. I bought a pack of 3 Baylis & Harding for a give- away price hand creams tubes, I checked that each one was sealed and unused, they were unused; I have one to put in my Church bag and two for work, as I usually wash my hands well over 100 times when I am at work. Decades ago, I used to wash my hands about 200 times when I was at work, but thankfully soon after I started, a man came and talked to us all about OCD which none of us had heard off and he spoke about 2 things, the fear of spiders and too much hand washing! I tried not to look like he was talking about my life, but he suggested for those that wash hands too many times, and used hand paper towels to flush the loo and to open the loo doors, by not actually touching the handles or taps with our hands, which again was me, he suggested we had a whole day, without hand washing!!!!! I decided to give it a go, I knew it would not be easy, but I had to prove to myself, that I was not too far gone, and that I could try and tone it down a bit. I made the conscious effort, to cut down to washing my hands to 100 times while I was at work and the next day, I did not wash my hands! I remember I didn’t eat all my sandwich, the bit that I was holding, or I think I might have died! I have only done that once. My Mum a Nurse taught me to wash my hands, each time I came into the house from a very young child. None of my brothers ever did, not until they too became Nurses! Both my kids were taught to wash their hands too, and before Covid made hand sanitizer famous, I had used it for most of my life, and age 4 both our kids had it in their school bags. Two kids can be from the same egg, but be very different, Daniel, didn’t use his, at Lunch time, Meghan did. Daniel doesn’t wash his hands when he comes into the house, but Meghan does. Both of them, are equally healthy. Before Covid, I had hand sanitizer in every single bag that I had, and in the car. I remember a young co-worker saying to me, “You should not put hand sanitizer in the car, it is not safe, it can blow up.” I remember thinking, I have had hand sanitizers in my car, before you were born!

But I digress, I also put in my trolley a large French Lavender, Hand Care gift set, in a large soap dish. I put two beautiful dresses by Kings Road, two different colours and two different sizes. The price was too good to miss out on. I bought two beautiful diaries. I put in my trolley Brazilian Multi use hair oil. For Paul I bought some long johns. Also, in the men’s section I bought myself a beautiful thick t-shirt, by Moss London.

After an hour or so, I went upstairs as usually there is a sale on up there too. There wasn’t, but I saw some plain white dishes, for a good price, and bought some of them, for in our home, if they break one, they don’t tell me, but suddenly we are short and need more, so when I saw them, I bought them.

While I was upstairs, when I was finished, I found somewhere, that I could take out of the trolley all my goodies, so that I could see what I had bought and make sure that all that I had put in my trolley I still wanted, and importantly to add up the price of it all, as I didn’t want any surprises at the till.

I was very pleased with everything that I had put in my trolley and the price of it all was very good too. It was good to know I had my work’s Christmas voucher too.

I went to the till, and carefully handed each item over, I said that I had travelled, “Twenty-five miles to get here.” It was good when the deduction came from the voucher first, then I paid the rest of the bill. I had decided that this would be the last day of my holiday. I overheard the staff telling a customer who wanted to know when the sale would end. I was more than satisfied that I had spent enough now and didn’t need to go back to any of the others. That was the old Maxine, but now this is the new Maxine.

I made my way back to my car, it was now rush hour. I had to go in the store to spend £5 so that I can get out of the car park.

I went to the loo first, washed my hands, and bought a sandwich, the choice was not great, I chose chicken with BBQ, but I don’t like BBQ, but it was to keep body and soul together, for the long journey ahead. I also bought a bag of crisp also reduced, and cat food. I had plenty of time to eat some of the sandwich in my car, before my three hours was up. It was not a nice sandwich, but I knew it wouldn’t be, so I forced down half of it, the rest I would give to the dogs tomorrow as their treat. Before I left home, I had made sure I had put plenty of diesel in the car, for the round trip.

I was ready for home; I said a small prayer for a safe journey home. I typed my address into the sat nav, it now showed it would take an hour and 10 minutes.

I was grateful that it didn’t take me on the motorway, but the side streets, as for me 25 miles is a long way to be driving on my own, and for me to me on the motorway, on a straight road, I didn’t want to nod off!

Was glad to be home and remembered to thank God for a safe journey.

It was the Best holiday I had been to this year. x