Saturday the 17th Time to meet up with our cousins (on Ann’s side) for another of our cultural days out! 👍😀. Afterwards, we’re heading back with Roger, Jane and Oliver for a sleepover. Today we met up at Hatfield House in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Sadly, Chris and Kate couldn’t make it as Kate had injured her …
Read More
Category:Family
Buckden Bound – The George
We drove over to The George in Buckden today. The reason? A celebration of brother-in-law Roger’s ‘significant’ birthday! The last time we were here was in April, last year, with Roy & Susan for a lunchtime catchup – and it was good to be back! After a slightly torturous journey (the Sat-Nav) had a bit …
Read More
RIP: Cousin John
Today we said goodbye to Cousin John De-Winter at Beckenham Crematorium. The last time we were here was in April 2014 for (my) Mum’s passing and whilst we were there, we took the opportunity to look at the Rose that we planted in her honour in their Remembrance Garden. Given the travelling distance, we opted …
Read More
Catford Charge
These days, long-distance driving for us is reserved for holidays only – no longer any 100 mile-plus jaunts to chase down the next big job for either of us! So, today was a bit of an exception. It was family-related as we were going to Cousin John’s funeral tomorrow at Beckenham Crematorium. Plan A was …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Ashmolean (again!)
We never turn down an opportunity to visit The Ashmolean (having been there in November 2011, March 2012, September 2013, March 2014, May 2018 and August 2021). Yes, it’s no surprise then, that this Museum is probably our favourite out of any of those we’ve visited ANYWHERE! 😁. On this occasion, it was to meet …
Read More
Belvoir Castle with Dennis and Sandra
We drove to Belvoir Castle today to meet up with mates (and newly retired) Dennis & Sandra. We’ve built up quite a portfolio of venues over the past five years for our ‘days out’ together. Venues past… Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)Hardwick Hall (August 2020)Castle Howard (December 2019)The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)Bolsover Castle (October 2018)Belton …
Read More
Family Outing – Hampton Court (2022)
Yes, it’s that time again when we have a day out with Ann’s side of the family. Last time, last year (back in October, 21) the venue-of-choice was Kew Gardens and before that, Shuttleworth in July, 2021. This year’s venue? Hampton Court Palace! Just a few of us MiA this time around – Chris & …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Cue the family at Kew!
We’re off to Kew Gardens for a family reunion! 👍 The gathering is from Ann’s side of the family – Brother Roger (with Jane and Oli); Cousins Chris (with Kate) and Alison (with Ali, Zidane, Sami and Jake). We left at 8am and had a pretty good journey there (but an even better one coming …
Read More
It’s all about family! – Cousins
A couple of years back, we discovered some cousins (on Ann’s side) we didn’t know we had – Chris and Alison! ❤️❤️ Between then and now, we’ve got to know them quite well – and this weekend, Chris and his partner Kate came to stay for a long weekend. Friday A very relaxed day began …
Read More
Worth a Visit to Shuttleworth
We haven’t been to Shuttleworth since September, 2017 with Chris and Gill. Today, we met up with Roger, Jane, Oliver, Chris, Kate, Ali, Alison, Jake, Zidane and Sami – a family affair! We started out from nearby Biggleswade Sainsbury’s at around 11.30, before heading off, in convoy, to our destination. The weather forecast wasn’t brilliant, …
Read More
George Gorge!
After taking a trip up to Heckington to visit Denis and Mae’s grave (our first visit since Denis’s funeral back in April last year), we dropped into The George Hotel in Stamford for one of their legendary Afternoon Teas (courtesy of Dennis and Sandra’s Birthday pressy to Ann!) What a surprise – it was delicious! …
Read More
Pilgrimage to the Palmers
Postponed from just before Christmas last year, today, we made the pilgrimage, 113 miles south, to my Brother’s. In a change to the normal travel arrangements, we took Robert, instead of making the journey by train. There were really two main reasons for this! First, neither of us are totally comfortable with jumping on public …
Read More
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 …
Read More
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 …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Family Weekend
Roger, Jane and Oliver joined us for the weekend! 😍 Saturday The main event for today was a picnic at Belton House and then a walk around the historic Mansion and Gardens. I think it’s our most oft-visited stately home having been there recently (ish) with with Dennis and Sandra back in May, 2018 and …
Read More
90 – Over and (not) Out!
It was Denis’s 90th Birthday today! As part of his Birthday treat, and in keeping with Dad’s RAF experience, we took him to the IBCC (International Bomber Command Centre) in nearby Canwick Hill, Lincoln. Opened in 2011, the aim of the IBCC is to tell the personal stories of service men and women of RAF …
Read More
Palmers and Bricklayers
Palmers Reunited A scorcher of a day, as we headed down to Bromley to catch up with Neil, Debbie, Alfie and Frankie. Just to make a change, rather than our normal haunt of ASK, at the top of the high-street, we chose The Bricklayers Arms, just a five-minute walk from Bromley South station. Last time …
Read More
Easter (2019)
This year, we spent most of Easter with Denis in Heckington. Good Friday We left home fairly early (8.15am) and there was hardly another car on the road. As a result, we made record time and arrived just before 9.45. We’ve got plans to catch-up with Bev too whilst we’re up here, but that’s tomorrow, …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Lee’s Memorial Lunch
Today was a very special day. Our good friend Lee, who passed-away in June was remembered and celebrated at a very special occasion. We booked a table in the Oak Room at The George Hotel in Stamford and invited all the people she was really close to. We sort of went in convoy: David & …
Read More
ASK: The Family
It was off to see the Palmer Clan today – Debbie, Neil, Alfie and Frankie – Neil having booked a table at ASK in Bromley. The table was booked for 12.15, so that meant an early exit from home and a short drive to Bedford for the ever-popular ThamesLink service! And boy, was it popular!!! …
Read More
Denis at 89
Today, we celebrated Denis’s 89th Birthday. So the Gambles assembled here Bev, Roger, Jane and Oliver for a slap-up Lunch and more… As expected, we spoilt Denis rotten with gifts and Ann’s unrivalled kitchen skills! Denis may not have eaten as much as he used to, but he certainly seemed to enjoy the food – …
Read More
Farewell to Lee
At 2pm today, we said our final farewell to our good friend, Lee. David and I led the Service at Averil Phillips and Family’s Offices in London Road, where we’d invited all those that she was really close to:- David and I kept the event light with more a ‘celebration of life’ than perhaps a …
Read More
Lee’s Movie Collection
Today, was a bitter-sweet experience. Ann and I (ably assisted by David) moved Lee’s two bookcases full of Movies over to the ‘Library’, just off Yeoman’s Court Community Hall in Burton Latimer. We reckon there is over 500 movies in her collection, and Lee has bequeathed them all (as well as all her CDs) to …
Read More
Lent Boy 2018: How Did I Do?
WARNING! Please read responsibly. This Blog contains large amounts of smugness! So, that’s my ‘Lent thing’ over for 2018. What began in 2010 as a small challenge, has now grown into a much bigger event! Some of you have asked how I got on, so here’s a short summary. Thanks to all my friends and …
Read More
Gambles Reunited for Ann’s Birthday Celebrations
Well, I think that’s a first (not sure why though!) – the Gambles family reunited here for Ann’s Birthday!! Denis, Roger, Jane, Oliver and Bev batting for the Gambles, whilst Lee and I were in the other corner! A little like that odd tradition where the person whose birthday it is, provides cakes, Ann provided …
Read More
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 …
Read More