We haven’t been to Audley End House & Gardens for quite a few years, and today, we’re taking Nicki and joining Jo, Janet and Carol there. Given the gap between today and our previous visit, I was hoping to find a previous reference here in my Blog, but nothing… nada..! So that means we must …
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Category:Friends
Winner, Winner! TV Dinner: Peaky Blinders – The Immortal Man (2026)
Hot on the heels of Wednesday’s get-together with Jo & Janet, watching Superman, it’s another of our TV Dinners with mates! And it’s our second ‘away match’ as we’re at Trish & John’s. We’ve enjoyed a growing number of ‘TV Dinners’ in the past few years (see the foot of this Post). For us, they’re …
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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner: Superman (2025)
It’s another of our TV Dinners with good friends! On this occasion, it’s an ‘away fixture’ as we’re down at Jo & Janet’s watching the 2025 version of Superman on 4K DVD. It forms part of my growing 4K DVD collection, where this latest addition was a gift from Nicki a few months back for …
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Return to The Fox (2026)
Off to The Fox Inn in nearby Thorpe Waterville. It’s our regular catch-up with (very) long-time friends, Mick & Jane 😀😀 The Fox Inn has been receiving good reviews of late, and we thought we’d give it a go, having not been there (I think) since April 2019! The Pub gets a lot of passing …
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Return to Hardwick Hall with Dennis and Sandra
Today, we’re off to meet Dennis & Sandra at Hardwick Hall (south of Bolsover, east of Matlock). The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that we four have done this before! And you’re correct – back in August 2020. This time, however, we’re heading inside the Hall itself (last time we only explored the grounds due …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 8
Day 8 – Monday 16th March Welcome back, everyone! I appreciate your readership over the past week – there’s been plenty going on! Today’s a short one as we’re heading back to the Airport this afternoon – and home! 😀. The last Post for this holiday! 🍻👏😘 As I’m sure you know by now, we’ve …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 7
Day 7 – Sunday 16th March Morning, my loyal reader! Boy, that was a late one last night! We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 6
Day 6 – Saturday 14th March Morning readers! Thanks for following our latest adventure! Just a couple of days left before we return to Blighty, where the highlight of TODAY is to be the Grand Parade tonight in town – all part of the annual Corralejo Carnival! 👍 We’re here with great mates, Paul & …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 5
Day 5 – Friday 13th March Welcome back, dear reader! It’s another day in Paradise! We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was here in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 where we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 4
Day 4 – Thursday 12th March You came back! Thanks! 😉. Welcome to Day 4 – a day of wonky weather forecasts, wishlists and worship; performances, processions and pizzas! 🙂😉 We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 3
Day 3 – Wednesday 11th March Morning loyal reader! Welcome back to our adventures in Fuerteventura. Today’s is a relatively short one – a super-lazy day! 👍🙂 We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo,was back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 2
Day 2 – Tuesday 10th March Morning all! Welcome back, and thanks for following my Blog! 👍 We’re in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, here in Corralejo, was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with …
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Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 1
Day 1 – Monday 9th March 6.05am: Morning readers! A lie in (or sorts) this morning as it’s the first day of our holiday 👍👍 We’re off to Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together like this, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great …
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Sayonara Mr Sainsbury!
The end of an era today, as not one but TWO of our closest friends said goodbye to their employer and joined the ranks of the retired due to ANOTHER Sainsbury restructure! After a little deception by Janet, unsuspecting retiree, Jo was taken to Kettering’s poshest restaurant – The Palmichael – in nearby Burton Latimer, …
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The Saxon Returns!
It was back to the Saxon Mill in Warwick today to catch up with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. We haven’t been here for a few years – last time was in July 2021! Today was all part of our regular three-monthly catchups and it was good to see everyone again. Pity about …
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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner: The Darkest Hour (2018)
Yes, another of our TV Dinners with mates! This time it’s Sir Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour – and we’re watching it with Trish & John. We’d originally seen the film just before its official release back in January, 2018, courtesy of Sky VIP. We hadn’t really spent any quality time …
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New Visit – Olde Vic!
We caught up for Lunch with Geoff & Rhonda today. Our Eatery of choice was the ever-reliable The Olde Victoria in nearby Burton Latimer. We do love this place, having only been there as recently as last Sunday with Carole H for Lunch. It’s probably our most frequently visited Pub since we moved into the …
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Quorn or Meat?
Well, both actually! 😀 We took the hour’s drive to Quorn, north of Leicester, to meet up with Ralph & Karen for lunch and a catch-up. Our destination? The Quorndon Fox. Last time we were here was back in December 2023, again with these two! 👏👍. The perfect combo then – great mates and (based …
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London Calling!
Sunday – 4 January We woke to a freezing cold Kettering! It felt much colder than the forecast suggested. Well, at least it was dry! 🙄 But we weren’t at home for long, as we’re off to our favourite City – London – where it was a tad ‘warmer’. We’re with friends, John & Trish …
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New Year’s Day (2026)
We do like a bit of variety over Christmas and the new year, so I’m not sure what happened for New Year’s day, 2026! 🤔😂😂 This time last year, we decided to go for Lunch at The Pheasant at Keyston with longtime friends and neighbours, David and Valerie. And this year? ❓❓❓ How about Lunch …
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New Year’s Eve (2025)
My Blog is still broken and I’m unable to upload any photographs! 👎. Hopefully, it’ll, be fixed soon, but in the meantime, I’ll keep things ‘short and sweet’. Usually, at this time of year, we’d be off to see a Pantomime, and then we’d probably see the new year in with friends and/or neighbours. This …
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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner! – F1 – The Movie (2025)
We’re round at ours with great mates, Jo & Janet and watching last year’s Brad Pitt blockbuster: ‘F1 – The Movie’. Ann is playing to her strengths, conjuring up some yummy food! I’m not quite sure why we didn’t see this when it first came out, but it seems to have been received well by …
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Christmas 2025
Here’s my annual jottings for Christmas week, 2025… After what seemed a manic period taking us up to this week, we somehow managed to get ourselves really well-organised this year, where in the week before this one, it all seemed very relaxed – just what retirement should be about (but it seemed to have eluded …
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Salvation Army Carol Concert (2025)
For reasons that I can’t recall, we haven’t been to the annual Carol Concert here at The Citadel, Kettering for the past couple of years – and it was good to be back! 👍 It’s not that we haven’t been at all, as we saw their excellent performance of The Messiah back here in April. …
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Trish & John’s Festive Meal 2025
With Australia calling (or at least whispering) this might be the LAST of Trish & John’s legendary annual Christmas Meal get-togethers. We’ve been going to these for what seems like, forever – and we’re sure to miss this annual gathering of our neighbours & friends for what is usually a mega-festive-feast with a Christmas Quiz …
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The Countryman (Again!)
Here I am at The Countryman in Staverton Village. The Pub is becoming a semi-regular haunt for our three-monthly catch-ups with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags since discovering it with old work mucker, John ‘Mez’ Merrell, exactly 17 years ago today, back in 2008! 🙄👍. Sadly, Mrs P wasn’t able to make the …
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Up to Uppingham
We took the short drive to nearby Uppingham today for lunch with Nick & Celina for a pre-Christmas catch-up. Ultimately, we were to end up with our first visit to ‘No 23’, a rather upmarket Bistro (where they even had a dress code on a Sunday!). Bet you can’t guess the address!!! 😉 But, before …
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First Christmas Meal!
I’m not sure whether this is a record or not for us? It certainly feels like it – it’s our first official Christmas meal of 2025 – and it’s not even December yet! 😮. Last year, I had to wait until December 7th for my first festive nibble (but c’mon, we had only just returned …
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Warner Weekend 2025 – Return to Holme Lacy (Day 3)
The Northants Nutters (aka, Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda and us two, plus ‘Honorary Nutters: Richard and Nicki) are at Warner’s Holme Lacy House. Last time were here was in March 2020 – just prior to COVID – it was therefore good to be back under less threatening circumstances. This is our last full …
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Warner Weekend 2025 – Return to Holme Lacy (Day 2)
The Northants Nutters (aka, Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda and us two, plus ‘Honorary Nutters: Richard and Nicki) are here at Warner’s Holme Lacy House. Last time were here was in March 2020 – just prior to COVID – it was therefore good to be back under less threatening circumstances. Welcome to Day 2! …
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