We don’t need much of an excuse to catch up with friends (as many of these Posts here will confirm!). “The Late, Late Christmas Dinner!” put a convenient label on today’s proceedings, brought about because we weren’t able to see Nicki over Christmas last year. Jo, Janet and Carol joined us, making it six for …
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Category:Christmas
Christmas 2022
Hope you had a good one! This was our first Christmas, for a few years, without the threat of any Covid restrictions – and it felt good to be back to some form of normality. Yes, the dreaded virus is still around, but at least it appears, in the most countries, it’s under control. Not …
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A Chilly Christmas at Kilworth (2022)
We’re really getting into the Christmas Spirit now, helped along the way by browsing through this year’s TV Times and Radio Times; carol singing at last night’s Salvation Army Carol Concert – and now about to enjoy ‘That’s what Kilworth Calls Christmas’ at Kilworth House (where we spent our honeymoon night, back in 2011). Kilworth …
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Salvation Army Carol Concert (2022)
On a chilly Saturday evening, we headed to the Salvation Army Citadel in town for 7pm and their annual Carol Service. Due to COVID and other commitments, we haven’t done this for quite a few years! I can’t think why we didn’t go to this event back in December 2019 (their last one before you-know-what). …
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Christmas TV Listings (2022)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early isn’t it? So how about… …that first Christmas lunch? …when the John Lewis Christmas TV Ad first appears? …or receiving your first Christmas Card? 🙄. Speaking of cards, this …
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Our First Christmas Dinner of 2022
Yes, it’s that time of year again! We headed round to John & Trish’s to enjoy our first official Christmas Lunch of 2022 together with our closest neighbours. And, for the first time in a few years, the gang was all here – Tom & Julie (who, in recent years, are normally in Tenerife at …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2022)
Yes, it’s that time of year again – The annual John Lewis Christmas Advert! 🎅. Right on cue too, as pretty much every year it’s the first week in November. Usually, the first look any of the public get is at 8am, when it’s released across social media. This year was a little different though! …
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Christmas 2021
How was your Christmas? For us, as I begin penning this during the week leading up to the big day, I really didn’t think we would STILL be worrying about Coronavirus! Why worry? The dreaded Omicron variant was spreading and there was the potential for the Government to lock us all down again! Almost ‘right …
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The Costello Christmas Meal (2021)
What with our 10th Anniversary Party still ringing in our ears from last Saturday, tonight we headed off to John & Trish’s for their annual Christmas meal! As usual, most of our close neighbourly friends were invited – and we all had a great time! Sean & Kellie and Conor were also able to join …
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Christmas TV Listings (2021)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early, so how about… …that first Christmas lunch? …when the John Lewis Christmas Ad first appears? …or receiving your first Christmas Card? (actually, we’d had TWO by the beginning of …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2021)
Yes, it’s that time of year again! John Lewis officially released its Christmas TV advert at 8am this morning. It’s a tad earlier than previous years by about a week. This year’s festive treat is called “Unexpected Guest” and for many, this now signals the official beginning of the Christmas shopping period! 🎅🎄🤶 According to …
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Saturday (Stuffed!)
I don’t think we’ve ever had a Saturday like this! It was pretty much wall-to-wall eating for the whole day! Tough life ehh!!! 👍 First stop was a celebratory lunch at Rushton Hall with our good friend Chris A in honour of his recent birthday. It looked like the weather was going to stay dry, …
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Nicki’s Here! 😍
Nicki (sans Richard) joined us for the weekend. We haven’t seen her (properly) since October last year and it was great to catch-up. Saturday Today was all about celebrating (last) Christmas where we would have got together under normal circumstances, but didn’t, because of you-know-what! Ann planned a full Christmas Dinner and we invited Jo …
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Christmas 2020
How was your Christmas? Even if you exclude the dreaded Coronavirus, we knew Christmas for us would be very different in 2020. For a start, it was our first one without Denis (where visiting him on Christmas Day had been a regular part of the festive break for the past few years). Christmas Day was …
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Christmas TV Listings (2020)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early, so how about……that first Christmas lunch?…when the John Lewis Christmas Ad appears?…or receiving your first Christmas Card? 😁 For TV lovers obsessives like me, it’s probably when the BBC …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2020)
It’s 8am on Friday, November 13, 2020 and if the rumours are true, the John Lewis Christmas Advert for 2020 has just been released. They ARE true! 😁 This year’s production is called “A Little Love” and its release officially signals the beginning of the Christmas Shopping season. The advert is being used to promote …
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Christmas 2019
As with many of our past Christmas celebrations, this year is mostly a family affair. It’s also a busy one (perhaps even more manic than normal for this time of year) with our festive and new-year celebrations almost blurring into one continuous festive family/friends/food/film-fest! (it’s a tough life!) As a result, this is probably the …
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Four Seasons in a Day
To complete our musical-themed weekend that began last night in Warwick, we’re off to Kilworth House this lunchtime, to enjoy a meal and listen to the winners of the National Tribute Music Awards 2016:- ‘Walk Like a Man‘ (aka ‘Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons‘). More information about them HERE. Kilworth’s Christmas decorations were their …
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Rick Wakeman on Tour (2019)
Entitled Rick’s Grumpy Old Christmas Show, we joined our friends, Ian and Ann, for an evening of superb piano playing punctuated by Rick’s unique sense of humour. This was the last of his twelve-date tour around the UK. The venue wasn’t one we’ve it visited before — Warwick Arts Centre — and the surrounding University …
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Christmas TV (2019)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins — for many, the first reminder is when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early, so how about……your first Christmas lunch?…maybe it’s when the John Lewis Christmas Ad appears?…or receiving your first Christmas Card? For TV lovers, it’s probably when the …
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Oliver – Live in Concert
We drove down to Roger, Jane and Oliver’s this afternoon. The weather was horrendous, but it was well worth it as we were going to see Oliver playing flute in the East Herts Concert Band at their Christmas Concert. The venue was the delightful St Mary’s Church in the village of Standon, a Grade 1 …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2019)
It’s 8am on the 14th and the John Lewis Christmas advert has finally been revealed! Back in 2010, JL were the first of the retail giants to release ‘mega’ adverts for the festive season. It started a trend that continues to this day, and now anyone who’s anyone, makes them – yes, Argos and Aldi, …
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Christmas 2018
Christmas Eve (with Denis) 9.15am: The roads were pretty much deserted as we headed for Heckington. We arrived in good time – just after 10.40am – where the car looked cleaner than when we left! After unloading (including the two new garden chairs we bought Denis for Christmas), we were soon tucking into Coffee… and …
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Film: Mary Poppins Returns
It was off to the local Odeon tonight with Jo and Janet to see the film: Mary Poppins Returns. The cinema was optimistic of plenty of punters like us showing-up with performances every 30 minutes. It’s always a bit of a gamble with ANY sequel, but one as iconic as 1964’s Mary Poppins – could …
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Christmas TV (2018)
292 pages/£4.90 (+40p) 196 pages/£3.75 (+25p) We’ve all got different prompts for when Christmas celebrations officially begin – is it when the Supermarkets start putting out their Christmas lines?, the first Christmas lunch?, receiving your first Christmas Card? or the BBC Christmas ident being seen for the very first time? Or even when the Sales …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2018)
Here we are then: the second Friday in November, 8am, and the new John Lewis Christmas advert for 2018 has been released. The Boy and the Piano…Here is the official storyline from JL… “This year’s story is about the power of a gift. And how that gift inspired, changed and influenced the course of a …
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Christmas 2017
Christmas EveIt’s Christmas and we’ve got a busy (and very enjoyable) schedule. As normal, for us, it’s all about the ‘Four Fs of Christmas’ – Family, Friends, Food and Films! We set off for Denis’ just before 10am. Lee remained at ours (she’s not been so good travelling these days), and we arrived just after …
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Doctor Who Christmas Special 2017 – Twice Upon a Time
Well, here we go again – it’s Christmas and it’s the Doctor Who Special. However, this year, on the ‘scale of special’ ranging from 0 to 5 (If you’re a Who fan), this one is likely to end up ranking around 7 (probably at about the same time as the internet catches fire at 6.30, …
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Pre-Christmas Nibbles
We spent the morning tidying-up the house in preparation for our Christmas visitors. This year, we have Lee staying with us until after the Christmas period, up to Denis’ for our Christmas Eve meal with him and Bev. Then it’s just us three for Christmas Day with Roger, Jane and Oliver joining us for Boxing …
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Christmas Dinner at John and Trish’s
Continuing our party-every-Saturday-night-until-Christmas-with-the-neighbours, tonight was Christmas Dinner at John and Trish’s. Exactly a year since last year’s, we knew we were in a for a culinary festive treat with Trish’s traditional Christmas Meal. It was also an opportunity to show-off John and Trish’s shiny new kitchen makeover! Helping us to do the menu justice were …
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