We woke late (for us) at 7.45 and were surprised by the weather – the forecast had predicted rain but it was brilliant sunshine! I took a shower and then had a light breakfast of brioche and jams with coffee. After breakfast we got ready and that’s when the weather turned, and it started to …
Read More
Category:Christmas
Afternoon Tea with Roger, Jane and Oliver
We left just before 2 and arrived just after 3. The traffic was quite heavy going down, but we didn’t hit any jams. Ken and Celia were still there – they were leaving for home tomorrow. Oliver was in his normal ultra-high spirits – which was great! We exchanged pressies in between Oliver trying to …
Read More
Boxing Day 2008
We both had a restless night again with most of the sleeping hours wrestling with bedclothes and windows – we were either too hot or too cold. I eventually got us around 7.15 and after having a shower, I started to feel a bit better. I can’t seem to shift this cough I’ve developed – …
Read More
Christmas Day 2008
We woke to cold but dry day. We’d both slept badly – too hot- must be the virus! Mum was up first, followed by me, Ann appeared a while later! 🙂 We all a light breakfast and then attacked the Christmas pressys! Because we’ve both been poorly, we didn’t have all the pressys round the …
Read More
Christmas Tree
I started to put the tree up on Sunday, but didn’t get around to finishing it off. Today I added the lights and the final remaining decorations. Hhhmmm. I think I should have added the lights first! Ann was feeling better today!!!! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first …
Read More
Salvation Army – Christmas Concert
Mum and I drove into town to see David perform in the annual Salvation Army Christmas Concert – Ann was still suffering with her cold and chose to stay behind. We met Jo, Janet and Jo’s Mum, Helen in the JS car-park and took the short-walk to the Salvation Army venue. I wasn’t sure what …
Read More
Choir Concert featuring Rosi
We drove over to St Barnabus Church, Wellingborough. to see the Choir Rosi’s in perform in the Christmas Concert. Ann was still suffering with her virus which has now evolved into a streaming cold. Mum was in good spirits. I’m glad we allowed a bit of slack in the journey as the parking was a …
Read More
Pick-up Mum/Ann still not well
I drove over to Bedford Station to pick Mum up – I dropped into Denise and Steve’s on the way through. Denise made me coffee and forced a mince-pie on me and we sat in front of her open fire in the lounge – lovely! Steve was out getting plumbing bits and pieces and arrived …
Read More
Tech afternoon/Christmas Do
I drove over to Ian’s this afternoon to spend some time sorting out some techy issues on his PC. I then headed for The Lamport Swan as it’s our Christmas ‘do’. Ian gave Mags a lift and they arrived just after me. We eventually sat-down around 7.20. Mags hadn’t been there before whilst Ian and …
Read More
Lee and Bertie are moving!
This took us by complete surprise! Lee rang and said they are likely to be moving from Cromer to…. err.. Cromer! They’re moving out of the caravan and into a retirement complex. And, it looks like they’ll be doing it all before Christmas. That means they won’t be with us for Christmas this year. 🙁 …
Read More
Anniversary Weekend in Manchester – Saturday
We woke to a cold, wet day. We tried the hotel’s café for breakfast and it was pretty good. Banana and Honey smoothie, Danish pastries and pro-biotic yogurts rubbed shoulders with more traditional sausage and bacon baguettes and haddock and poached egg, toast and preserves. We had a bit of each! We then headed into …
Read More
Anniversary Weekend in Manchester – Friday
On Sunday, it’s our Anniversary and we’re celebrating 24 years. Part of the celebration was travelling up to Manchester (by train from Rugby) and checking into The ABode, a new ’boutique’ style hotel very close to Manchester Piccadilly. We caught the 10.47 and arrived in Manchester at 1pm. After checking-in, we …
Read More
The Cecilian Singers’ Carol Concert
I joined Val and David at The Cecilian Singers‘ Christmas Carol Concert in Leicester tonight. This is becoming a regular thing (we went last year and the year before that) and it’s a brilliant way to get us all in the mood for Christmas. Val and I travelled there in my car because Ann was …
Read More
Christmas starts here…/Oliver Postgate/Spooks – Final Episode, Series 7
Christmas has started officially here. How do I know? I’ve just bought the Christmas edition of the Radio Times from WH Smith’s. Strangely there wasn’t a copy of the TV Times available at the same time – but I managed to pick that up at Tesco’s. We’ve also started to wrap the Christmas pressys too! …
Read More
Doctor Who – Christmas Special 2008 (Preview)
The BBC showed a short clip of the Doctor Who Special on Children in Need. Hmmm, Two Doctors ehh? I wonder how that’ll turn out… Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in …
Read More
Play: “Under Milk Wood”
We travelled over to Stratford upon Avon to see “Under Milk Wood” directed by our good friend and business colleague, Ian McLean of Second Thoughts. We decided to drive over there a bit earlier so we could look round the shops and finish off the Christmas shopping! We were pretty successful, getting quite a few …
Read More
Busy Sunday
Phew, thank heavens for the weekend – it’s where you do nothing but relax! Yeah right!!! Ann spent most of the day cooking whilst I wrote the rest of the business Christmas cards. We then finished off the personal ones together. I think that’s a record for how early we’ve got them all finished. Steve …
Read More
Sunny Sunday!
It was a gorgeous day here today – wall-to-wall sunshine. Ann started preparing the garden for Winter, whilst I started to write the Christmas cards* (In October???? 😲, well, there are around 300 to write!!) It was the perfect day for polishing the car too! *Totally organised or totally sad? (delete as applicable) Steve PalmerI …
Read More
Trip to Downtown, Grantham
We drove to Downtown Superstore today – we haven’t been there for ages and it gave us an opportunity to look out for ideas for Christmas pressies. It’s been almost a year since we were there last and since then they’ve changed the road layout as you approach the roundabout — big-time! They’ve diverted the …
Read More
Christmas Pressies…
We opened our Christmas presents today. Here is what I got… Lee and BertieCat signAfter-shave ‘Woods of Windsor’ MumFormula 1 bookHMV Voucher Jo and JanetLaser cat toyClinique toiletries CarolKenneth Turner scented candle Bev PC World voucher Mae and DenisDVD – The Day the Earth Stood StillDVD – Doctor Who ‘The Runaway Bride Roger, Jane …
Read More
Holiday – Day 13 – Ilhabela
38 degrees C, Thunderstorms predicted. We got up around 8 and had breakfast in the Restaurant. We decided to have a final round of crazy-golf as it looked as if the whole ship was going to get off and visit the island of Ilhabela. However, it was too hot to play, so we headed for …
Read More
Holiday – Day 12 – Florianopolis
The forecast is thunderstorms, 30 degrees C. We arrived at around 8am and got up around the same time. As has become the routine, we had breakfast in the ‘King and I’ restaurant rather than take on the World iin the Windjammer food-trough…sorry ‘buffet-restaurant’. The forecast for thunderstorms should make the day interesting! The ship …
Read More
Holiday – Day 11 – Porto Belo
31 degrees C. Sunny according to the forecast but dull,wet and overcast in reality. Karen’s birthday today!! Up at 7.15 in order to get breakfast and then get in line for a visit to Porto Belo in southern Brazil. We’re planning to head for the restaurant we found through Google yesterday. I was trying to …
Read More
Holiday – Day 10 (New Year’s Day)
32 degrees C. Sunny, but breezy Watching the fireworks into new year’s day was spectacular. It was probably the best display we’ve ever seen! We stayed up until around 2.30 after consuming a few bottles of champagne! We plan to take it easy today as it’s a ‘no-port’ day. So, a late breakfast, a few …
Read More
Holiday – Day 9 – Rio De Janeiro
38 degrees C. Sunny and very, very hot! We docked at 6.30. Looks likes a hot one coming up! We both felt a bit wrecked after last night’s formal night. Ralph and me in our DJs and the girls in their finest complemented the freshly-placed baseball caps and clean t-shirts of some of our guests! …
Read More
Holiday – Day 8 All at Sea
Sunny, 28 degrees C We didn’t wake up until 9.15! We’re all-at-sea today, so time for a mooch round the Ship, a bit of sun-bathing and a catch-up with my reading… Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love …
Read More
Holiday – Day 7 Buzios, Brazil
Sunny, 28 degrees C We slept in until 9.30. Then, after a lazy breakfast, we queued for the Tender to take us to Buzios. This was a quaint town on the eastern coast. Very pretty too. We found the restaurant that we’d been discussing before the holiday – Casas Brancas – and had a very …
Read More
Holiday – Day 6 – Leaving Buenos Aires heading for Brazil
A frighteningly early start! Up at 2.30am in order to leave for the airport at 3.30! A short 30-minute drive to the airport. After a lengthy check-in, we headed for the ‘VIP Lounge’ and waited for the flight. We took off a little late and arrived in Brazil around 11ish (allowing for the one-hour difference). …
Read More
Holiday – Day 5 – Ranch Visit
We’re off on another tour today. It’s a full-day trip! We met our Guide ‘Natalia’ in the hotel lobby and we set off. The day was overcast (which was a bit of a surprise as the forecast for lots of sun). It was a long drive from the hotel – almost one-and-a-half hours, but I …
Read More
Holiday – Day 4 (Boxing Day)
We’re on an all-day tour today courtesy of ‘WOW! Argentina. We’re off to San Isidro and Tigre with lunch on a Delta Island. We were picked up just after 9am by Josefina. We initially headed out of the city of Buenos Aires and into the province of Buenos Aires. We spent most of the morning …
Read More