Sunday was a rush day . We were trying to cross the Ts and dot the Is with our house sale . We had sat on the furnishings and fittings list before taking time to fill them in . We signed all the contracts and got everything ready to drop at the conveyancer. With the rider not to rush things. She had put more stuff in the post for our purchase . Contacts to fill in and sign and permission to do the surveys and searches . We dropped everything off and warned her to take her time . We copied passports and driving licences . Little did we know on this warm sunny Sunday morning at the start of yet another Covid week that she would ignore everything we said and that our world would be turned upside down again very soon .
Gabby got a bit of a spruce up if taking the carpets out and shaking them constituted a spruce up. It is Day 168 of Lockdown and the start of Week 25. We are parked up in the corner of the pub The Old Farmhouse at Yarm. They very kindly allow you to park a van
in exchange for spending money in the pub . It had been a long old drive up the M1/A1 but it felt lovely being in Gabby although it did take me some time to find everything . We stopped on the way for diesel brimming her tanks to the top. £77.81 and I thought that diesel was getting cheaper due to Covid . We were trying to count every penny on this trip and diesel plays a big part .
We had booked the meal that night for 6.00 and the place seemed to be heaving . Sunday nights are indeed busy despite Covid . It seemed well organised inside with sanitary cleanser at the door and a one way system in and out . Tables were placed at a decent distance apart and seemed to be cleaned regularly . Ours though appeared to have gravy on it from the dinner time carvery . We ordered our drinks J20 and an Aperol Spritz . We were still on a high selling our home and knowing we had bought one finally . How quickly you down from your high hopes ? Hold that thought .
for while looking at the menu . All menus seem to be slimlined due to Covid . Was this pub ever a Farmhouse ? I wondered . Probably not . it was part of the Vintage Inn chains . I chose soup and garlic and cheese mushrooms as there seemed little nod to us non meat eaters . Glenn chose a Hunters Chicken - again we thought . When we tried to order the soup was Tomato . There is only one soup I dont eat and that is tomato. So cod and chips it was . It was nicely cooked but my impression was of a popty ping meal - a microwaved offering .
We returned to Gabby still glowing knowing we were on our way home . Our the corner of my eye I noticed a lady walking a dog . She had all the car park to use but ended up by Gabby . Indeed she was looking inside Gabby straight at me through the side window . I stared her out . She moved to the front and looked in again . Had she never seen a van on the car park ? It was an odd experience . She headed off and we discussed Britstops . Pay £28 - get a book , park up for free at pubs in the book. We might get one next year . Not worth it this year as only a few months left .
To be fair we had a good nights sleep on our car park . The road traffic died down . The pub was fairly quiet . Tomorrow we try the invertor to see how it performs running the toaster . Toast and Jam for breakfast .
