We’re off to one of our top-three eateries around these parts – The George in Great Oxendon. This was our fourth visit here, having been introduced to it by Paul & Sue back in November, 2021. Today, it was our three-monthly catchup with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. We arrived in good time …
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Category:Friends
Bev’s Pizzeria!
If you live in Kettering, then you’ll know of the legendary Frank’s Pizzas! But watch out, Frank, because there’s a new Pizzeria in town! Well, not in town! Just down the road from us at our friends – Bev & Jules! Bev had invested in his own Pizza Oven and has become a bit of …
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Second Visit: The Swan at Braybrooke
We met up with Paul & Sue for Lunch today at The Swan at Braybrooke in Market Harborough. We were there to celebrate some accumulated techy work I’d done for them. The original title of this Post was First Visit but as soon as we pulled into their (rather compact) car-park, I realised we’d been …
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Mick & Jane – Lunch at ours
Today was a very enjoyable catch-up with long-time friends Mick & Jane. Ann took on cooking duties at ours. According to this Blog, the last time we did this was back in August 2006! – in between times we’ve met numerous times at Pubs and Restaurants roughly halfway between us, but cooking at home for …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 5 (Final Day)
Monday, 2nd January 2023 Morning all! 👍😀 It’s our last full day here at Church Farm Holiday Park – just a few hundred metres away from the beach at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 9.05am: Holy Moly! It’s NOT raining! That’s two days in a row! 😉. Cancel my Amazon Prime order for the Ark Building Kit!!! Wet, …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 4
Sunday, 1st January 2023 Welcome back, loyal readers. Happy New Year, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing! 👍 This is Day 4 of our New Year getaway. We’re staying at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh. The weather so far has been truly atrocious – pretty much rain, rain and even more rain! In spite …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 3
Saturday, New Year’s Eve 2022 Welcome back Readers of fine travel literature – and to my Blog! 😉 We’re now on Day 3 of our New Year getaway here in a very (very) damp Suffolk. We’re staying at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh with mates Jo, Janet & Carol. In spite of being surrounded …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 2
Friday, 30th December 2022 Morning loyal Reader! It’s Day 2 and here we are on our New Year ‘getaway’ with Jo, Janet & Carol at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. We arrived yesterday evening around teatime, and were soon settling into our new home – Alde Lodge – a very (very!) well-appointed static …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 1
Thursday, 29th December 2022 With Christmas memories already beginning to fade, Ann and I headed for our next adventure – celebrating the new year in Suffolk! Helping us to see in 2023 and enjoy the area, are our good friends, Jo, Janet & Carol. Janet researched and booked the venue, whilst the rest of us …
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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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Gin, Gingerbread – and a Ginormous Kitchen
What a great evening! We got together with Kevin & Sarah, Mick & Sam, Jo & Janet, Steve & Juliet and Ian aka ‘Gin Buddies’ aka ‘Neighbours 2.0’ for a pre-Christmas celebration and to see the hard work that Kevin & Sarah had put into their new kitchen. Wow! Some transformation! Very modern, very well …
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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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Thunderbowl!
Nope, nothing to do with a misheard Bond movie – we went bowling at the Kettering Thunderbowl today! We were last here back in May of this year with Paul & Sue – when it was my first visit! Back then, I started well but obviously peaked too early and ended up rubbish by the …
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Return to the Smoke!
Up until very recently, I hadn’t been to London for quite a while – and here I was back again just seven days later! 👍 How so? Last week, an enjoyable catchup with old work buddies, this time, a ‘thank-you’ lunch, courtesy of Angela, for a year of tech support, looking after her various devices. …
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The Olde Forge
Maybe I need to rename this Blog to ‘Steve’s Food Diary’??? It seems like I’ve spent all week eating out! 😁. …and a quick look at my diary showed that it’s true! But I guess that’s because we’re approaching the festive season! Well, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it! 😊 Today, it was …
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Overdue (twice!)
Two overdue activities today! 🤔 First: a return to the ever-reliable Olde Victoria in Burton Latimer and second: a catchup with friends Richard & Pauline. The menu was as good as I remember it – and the service too! 👍. We soon made our choices and the short wait before the food arrived gave us …
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5ive go to London
In what felt like years in the planning, ‘The 5ive’ met in London today. Guess how we got our name? Guess no more! Back to the ‘dawn of the time’ (1999 actually!) when a number of us in our day jobs as self-employed Management Trainers first met during a very large project for a then …
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Film: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
It’s been a while in the making, but the sequel to the original Black Panther movie is now out! Released on November 11th, 2022, this was Marvel Film’s latest offering (the 30th of their continuing superhero series of movies). I was really looking forward to this one as I thoroughly enjoyed the first Black Panther …
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‘Christmas at Chatsworth House’ with Dennis and Sandra
We met with good friends, Dennis and Sandra today at Chatsworth House as part of our semi-regular catchups. We’re building up quite a list now, having started these get-togethers back in 2017. The growing list… Belvoir Castle (August 2022) Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)Hardwick Hall (August 2020)Castle Howard (December 2019)The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)Bolsover Castle …
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I’m in the Country – Man!
We drove over to The Countryman in Staverton village today to meet up with great friends, Ian & Ann. The reason? It had been their golden wedding anniversary this year and by way of celebration, they had organised a series of lunch dates with long-time friends. As we drew up outside, I had a sneaky …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 6 – “Bye-Bye Annabelle”
Day 6 – Monday, 7th November Yes, it’s our final day here! We’re checking-out in a few hours, and if the journey goes smoothly, we’ll be home around 8pm tonight. Time for one last Breakfast here at the Annabelle! 😉 Missed a Post? Six Days in Cyprus – “Hello Annabelle” (Last Tuesday) Six Days in …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 5 (Last full day)
Day 5 – Sunday, 6th November What you may have missed… Six Days in Cyprus – “Hello Annabelle” (Last Tuesday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 1 (Wednesday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 2 (Thursday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 3 (Friday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 4 (Yesterday) Good morning! Welcome …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 4
Day 4 – Saturday, 5th November 8.33am: Morning all! It’s another day in Paradise! But I do feel a bit fragile after last night’s celebrations! (I know, ‘poor love!’) 🥱. We’re on our 4th day (of 6) here at the Annabelle Hotel in Paphos. Cyprus – Four Days in… Arrival in Cyprus (Tuesday) Day 1 …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 3
Day 3 – Friday, 4th November Morning all! It’s going to be another very pleasantly warm day here! 😉😎. Wish you were here! Today’s itinerary? A lazy morning + a lazy afternoon + Geoff’s Party! So far… Six Days in Cyprus – Arrival (Tuesday)Day 1 (Wednesday)Day 2 (Yesterday) Camera Roll 10.36am: After a strenuous start …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 2
Day 2 – Thursday, 3rd November Good morning all! 👍😎. Here we go again! It’s our second day here in Cyprus, staying at the rather impressive Annabelle Hotel! So far, it’s wall-to-wall sunshine at a very manageable temperature. What You Might Have Missed Arrival – “Hello Annabelle” Day 1 – “Birthday Boy” (but not mine!) …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 1
Day 1 – Wednesday, 2nd November Morning all! Not a bad view! I think I could get used to this!😊🌞. It’s Day 1 of our Cyprus adventure with great mates Paul & Sue! We’ve got a lazy one planned for today, including a birthday lunch with Geoff at 1pm! Until then, it’s… very little indeed! …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – “Hello Annabelle”
Arrival – Tuesday, 1st November 10.28am: We’re off to Cyprus! 11.01am: After picking up our friends, Paul & Sue, we headed to Birmingham Airport. 11.39am: We had a good journey to the Airport (in spite of the torrential rain!). The downpour continued as we arrived at Car Park 4 and played ‘hunt the space’. I …
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Coldplay in Concert from Buenos Aires (2022)
We went to see Coldplay in Concert from Buenos Aires – and it only took us 20 minutes to get there! 🤔 How so? Well, on the 29th, their performance was being beamed to a range of UK cinemas! So, together with Jo and Janet we headed for the local Odeon for the 7pm performance. …
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First Visit: Arrow Mill, Alcester
Off for one of our semi-regular get-togethers with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags at the Arrow Mill in Alcester. Located west of Stratford-upon-Avon, just off the A46, it was our first visit to this rather posh-looking Pub/Restaurant (with Rooms too!). It took us a while to get there though! It may have been …
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