We got together with John & Trish round at ours for our first Movie Night of 2025. Our Film of choice was the iconic Grease, from 1978. Ann laid on some food too! We even squeezed in a Cheeseboard!! It was great to see Grease again. I think we knew all the tunes and all …
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Category:Friends
A Very Pheasant New Year’s Day
Happy New Year! We began the new year with David & Valerie – and lunch at The Pheasant in Keyston! Wow! It was the best meal of the year! 😀. Seriously though, the food was excellent! Really good value too, at just £47 per head for three courses and tea/coffee (and chocs!). We were given …
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Pantomime – Peter Pan
Yes, it’s that time of year again (‘Oh no, it isn’t!), it was off to Milton Keynes for our annual Panto visit! Going to MK at this time of year for our Panto-fix has become quite a tradition, having seen Cinderella in late 2023, Snow White in early 2023 and Jack and the Beanstalk in …
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Christmas 2024
Merry Christmas! After last year’s aborted efforts to celebrate due to me seriously lacerating my left hand on the Friday before Christmas (and subsequent operation on Christmas Day, 2023) we’re looking forward to this Christmas, even more so than usual! 👍😀 As the week leading up to Cbig day began (Christmas Day was on a …
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First Visit: Hilltop Farm & Café, Leamington Spa
We met up with Ian & Ann and Alan and Mags today, part of our three-monthly catchup. Today’s venue-of-choice was Hilltop Farm in Leamington Spa – a first visit for us! It was a grotty day weather-wise (typical December) – mizzle! – but on arrival, looking at how packed the car-park was, suggested this was …
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First Christmas Meal of 2024!
We’re already in December, and very unusually, we’ve not had a single Christmas meal yet! That’s so unusual for us, but we only arrived back from New Zealand last Sunday! At this point in 2023, we were on our third! It’s a tough life, ehh?? 😀 We picked up Paul & Karen in time for …
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First Visit: The Watermill Tearoom
It was our quarterly catchup with Bev & Jools where we headed east to The Watermill Tearoom in nearby Woodford. Nestled on the banks of the River Nene, this was the first visit for us two. The eatery has been around for a long time, but since January 2023, it has welcomed new management (more …
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Beg your Parton!
Off to the Lighthouse Theatre in town tonight with Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol to see Dolly Parton and her Country Superstar friends. 😉 I don’t think any of us were completely sure what this evening would be like – all we knew what that it was a group of tribute acts. But by the …
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Zimmer Fame
It was early evening, as we headed in the direction of Northampton and the town’s Cathedral – aka The Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate & St Thomas of Canterbury to listen to the London Film Music Orchestra. Jo and Janet arrived at ours just before 4.30 and with Janet acting as chauffeur, we began …
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Wollaton Hall with Dennis and Sandra
Here we are again – another of our cultural days out with Dennis & Sandra! Today, it’s Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. 9.02am: We left home just after 9am and for once, the traffic on the M1 behaved itself and we were there in good time. Well, apart from me initially putting the wrong post-code into …
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What a Pheast!
Another day, another Birthday! 😉 After my celebrations yesterday, tonight, it was our turn to act as a taxi service, picking up neighbours David & Valerie, and heading off to The Pheasant in Keyston (a 25-minute drive away, halfway between here and Huntingdon). It was David’s ‘special day’, and where I used to think it …
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EXCELlent!
Today, Chris A and I took the train from Northampton and headed for the Excel International Exhibition & Convention Centre in the Docklands for the F1 Exhibition. Actually, this was the very first time I’ve visited Excel! Getting there was easy by taking the Elizabeth Line and getting off at Customs House and then taking …
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Buckden Bound!
These days, The George Hotel at Buckden is fast becoming one of our go-to Restaurants (that and Hitchen’s Barn in Oakham) for a guaranteed quality meal and excellent service. Today, we met up with Steve & Helen for a catch-up and to hear all the news about their recent house move. We were last all …
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Return to The Falcon Inn
Off to the Falcon Inn in Fotheringhay to meet up with long-time pals, Mick and Jane to celebrate their 41st Wedding Anniversary. The last time we were there was pre-Covid back in 2017. Before then, this was our go-to Pub/Restaurant when we lived in nearby Peterborough. Since then, we’ve developed other allegiances and, in that …
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Bank Holiday Street Party 2024
A Bank Holiday Street Party in nearby Berwick Way for no other reason than ‘because we could’! 👍👍 Well, the weather wasn’t exactly ‘glorious’ – a cool and breezy 17°C – but that didn’t prevent around 20 of us from getting together at the foot of Berwick Way. With Mick, the Burger King on BBQ …
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Theatre: Tolethorpe Hall 2024 – The Recruiting Officer
We’re at Tolethorpe Hall for Stamford Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘The Recruiting Officer‘. Those with an HR background (and like me, unfamiliar with this title) will be disappointed to learn that it’s nothing to do with employment best practice! 🙄 According to Tolethorpe’s website, it’s a tale of… “plot twists, cross-dressing, forged letters, mistaken identities, …
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Movie Night: The Imitation Game
It’s fair to say we love a good pie and a pud! We also like a great movie and an evening with friends. So, why not combine all three!? 👍👍👍 Tonight, inspired by our recent visit with John & Trish to Bletchley Park and then our first visit to PieFest a few weeks ago – …
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Arrow Time!
It’s our three-monthly catchup with long-time friends and ex-business colleagues, Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. Today, our eatery of choice is the Arrow Mill in Alcester – we were last here in October, 2022. It was almost deserted inside when we arrived just after 12 noon, but this place has a large area …
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Theatre: Fawlty Towers
For me, the most eagerly anticipated theatre trip in a long, long time – “Fawlty Towers – The Play”. The ‘Famous Five’ aka Jo, Janet, Carol, Ann and yours truly jumped on board the 10.28 out of Kettering, heading for the capital. The train was busy, and I think we got the last seats. Noisy …
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Return to Bletchley Park
The past week-or-so has had a recurring theme – ‘return to…’. Last Saturday, it was a return to my old school for their annual reunion, whilst on Monday, I made my second visit to Silverstone Museum. Tough life, ehh?!?!? 😉 Today, we’re with mates, John & Trish heading for the famous ‘Bletchley Park‘. We were …
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Return to Silverstone!
A return to Silverstone Museum for me, this time with super-techy-mate, Chris A. The reason? Well, nothing specific, we just fancied going there, and it’s only a short drive away! 👍 I was last here back in December, last year with John C for exactly the same reason! 😀 With today’s weather looking and feeling …
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Le Picnic – Lamport Hall
Took a drive to nearby Lamport Hall today for ‘Le Picnic’ with Chris & Gill and Steve & Denise. It’s on our doorstep and given our love of old stately piles, I can’t believe we’ve never been here before! 🤔 You can’t beat a good picnic and if the sun is shining (as it was …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 8th July (Day 10)
Here we are, as part of the Northants Nutters group! It’s Day 10, our final day, and our third and final Sea Day as we head for Southampton. Not much to read today, as it’s more of a summary of this year’s adventure with the Northants Nutters. Northants Nutters – Previous Tour Dates Nutters 2019 …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 7th July (Day 9)
7.25am: Here we are, as part of the Northants Nutters group! It’s Day 9 – our penultimate day – and we’ve just docked in La Coruna, northern Spain. Thanks for all the reads this holiday – over 350 so far! 👍 We weren’t expecting to be here, but P&O tweaked the schedule a few days …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 6th July (Day 8)
Day 8 – Saturday, 6th July 7.32am: Morning all! We’re with the Northants Nutters group aboard the good ship Ventura! It’s Day 8 and we’re just about to dock in Leixoes in Portugal. Missed a Post?Day 1 – Setting Sail (eventually!)Day 2 – Sea Day 1Day 3 – Santander, SpainDay 4 – Sea Day 2Day …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 5th July (Day 7)
Here we are, as part of the Northants Nutters group! It’s Day 7, and we’re on our second (and final) day in Lisbon. We set sail later for Leixões in Portugal at around 5.30pm tonight. Missed a Post? Day 1 – Setting Sail (eventually!)Day 2 – Sea Day 1Day 3 – Santander, SpainDay 4 – …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 4th July (Day 6)
Here we are aboard P&O’s Ventura, part of the Northants Nutters ‘on tour’ group aka Geoff & Rhonda, Paul & Sue, Richard & Nicki and us two! It’s now Day 6 of our 10-dayer where we’ve arrived in Lisbon, Portugal – and we’ve got a sleepover as we’re here for TWO days. 👍 Missed a …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 3rd July (Day 5)
Morning everyone! 😎🌞. Thanks for all the reads so far! Here we are with our fellow Northants Nutters, halfway through our 10-day adventure aboard P&O’s Ventura. It’s Day 5, and we’re moored in the Port of Vigo, on the north-east coast of Spain until mid-afternoon. Missed a Post? Day 1 – Setting Sail (eventually!) Day …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 2nd July (Day 4)
Here we are, as part of the Northants Nutters group on board P&O’s Ventura! It’s Day 4 (of 10) and it’s our second sea day. Tonight is another ‘formal’ night where most of us will be dressing up. Prepare for some ‘bling overload’ and ‘Bond Lookalikes’ later! 👍😂 Missed a Post? Day 1 – Ship …
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Northants Nutters at Sea (2024) – 1st July (Day 3)
Morning all! It’s Monday, and here we are, aboard P&O’s Ventura, as part of the Northants Nutters group. It’s Day 3 and we’re here in Santander, Spain. 😎😎. The clocks went forward an hour last night, so at least one of us is a little bleary-eyed this morning! 😵💫 Missed a Post? Day 1 – …
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