We don’t need much of an excuse to catch up with friends (as many of these Posts here will confirm!). “The Late, Late Christmas Dinner!” put a convenient label on today’s proceedings, brought about because we weren’t able to see Nicki over Christmas last year. Jo, Janet and Carol joined us, making it six for …
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Category:Lunch
Palmers at The Palmichael
If you’re looking for a quality Italian meal, then you can’t go wrong by choosing The Palmichael in nearby Burton Latimer. We’ve eaten there many times, and it’s one of the few the only Italian eatery that still survives in this part of Kettering. Many other ‘Italians’ have appeared on the scene – and disappeared …
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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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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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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 …
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Dubious Dovecote and a Great Garden!
Off to the Dovecote Buttery today for Sunday lunch with Helen. We haven’t been here for about a year – and it was good to be back. Well, that’s how we felt when we arrived! Disappointingly, the place was so busy, the service levels fell well below how we remember it. Additionally, the food was …
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Dead Centre!
Maybe not everyone’s idea of fun on a Sunday morning, but here we are at Kettering Cemetery in London Road! Fortunately, it’s not for the reasons you might imagine! 👍 We’re actually here as part of our semi-regular ‘Sunday Hosted Walks’ courtesy of Friends of Kettering Art Gallery & Museum! ‘Tour Leader’ today was David …
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Bonkers Beckworth’s
We picked up Helen today and headed for our favourite Emporium – Beckworth’s. And if people are supposed to be tightening their belts and cutting down on eating-out, then no-one told those ahead of us! When we arrived just before 1pm, it was bonkers busy! 😟. So much so, they’ve now introduced a pager system …
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The JS Gang Reunion 2021
We got most of my ex-JS team over for lunch and a good gossip today! It’s been a while since we last did this (August 2017). Roy (and Susan) couldn’t make it this year, leaving Rick (with Niall), Denise (and Steve) and Gill (and Chris) to fly the flag for the Romford Area Office Training …
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Valentine Meal 2020
It’s Valentine’s Day!! Usually, either I cook the meal, Ann cooks the meal, or we share cooking duties with David and Valerie and get together as a foursome. So, with cards, flowers and gifts on display, by way of a change for this special day, the four of us left our kitchens behind and headed …
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Lunch with Nicki
Nicki joined us last night and after a lazy(ish) morning today, we headed off to our fave ‘Local’ – The Old Victoria, for lunch. As usual, the food and service didn’t disappoint! Matthew was off today, but with Joanna running the show, we knew we were in safe hands! 👍😁 We were all too full …
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The RSC: King John
This afternoon was a unique opportunity to see Shakespeare’s rarely performed production of ‘King John’ at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. We met Chris and Gill at theirs and headed over to the Theatre in time for a spot of lunch followed by the performance at 1.30pm. (The lunch incidentally, was superb!) I wasn’t familiar with …
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Cambridge-sur-Mer
Ann and I drove over to Cambridge today. I say ‘drove’ as ‘sailed’ would have been more appropriate I think! – so much rain! ? And add to that, the mega-roadworks as they transform the A14, meant slow progress! Still, we made it in around an-hour-and-ten! 👍 Gone are the days where I used to …
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Saxon Mill – The Return
Today was a welcome return to The Saxon Mill Gastropub in nearby Warwick. Last time we were here (back in July last year) was for the same reason – Lunch with friends! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong …
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Leeds, Feeds and Boats
7.50am: A relatively early start today as we planned to catch the 8.51 Train from Peterborough Rail Station heading for its counterpart in Leeds. We’re catching-up with Dennis & Sandra for one of our semi-regular day-outs together. We’re starting to build up quite a history now, as this will be our seventh get-together, having already …
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Birthday Girl 2019
It was a welcome return to The Tollemache Arms in Harrington today. We met David, Valerie and little Evie there – where my natural charm with children took a back-seat and reduced Evie to a mega-sulk for most of the meal! Young children and me? It’s NEVER an easy relationship! 👍 Today was to celebrate …
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‘The 5ive’ do Lunch
Well, here we are, I’m in my favourite city – London – and meeting with ‘The 5ive’ for Lunch. We’re ‘The 5ive’ because there are 7 of us (I know! Don’t ask, it’s complicated!) who met and collaborated on a training project back in 1999. We’ve met semi-regularly ever since – and just to keep …
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Lunch: Return to the Lamport Swan
It was a welcome return today to The Swan at Lamport (or the Lamport Swan as it’s also known). We haven’t been there for about a year (1st February 2018, in fact) and today we were catching-up with Ian & Ann, Alan & Mags for Lunch. And our verdict? An impressive experience all-round! 😉 Julie, …
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Floats my Boat!
Another first today for me, as David & I travelled over to Leamington to visit the Annual International Model Boat Show for 2018 at the Warwickshire Events Centre. Today was the first day, and the event runs until Sunday. Programme and more information HERE (.pdf) We arrived just before the doors opened at 10am – …
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Saxon Mill (revisited)
We met up with Alan and Mags today for lunch. Last time I was at The Saxon Mill was in January 2015 – and it hasn’t changed a bit! Superb food with superb service. This time however, we ate in the balcony area with a fab view across the water. Lin, our Waiter, was at …
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Celebrating Janet’s Retirement – Again!
We don’t need any excuse at all to get together with Janet, but if were looking for one, it was to celebrate her retirement a few months back! So, together with Nicki (who stayed over last night), we picked-up Jo and Janet and headed to The George Hotel in Stamford for Lunch. As always, the …
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Lunch with Chris and Pete
Jo and Janet picked us up at midday and we headed over to Pete and Chris’s. We haven’t been over to theirs for quite a while and it was good to catch up. A glass of Prosecco each welcomed us before we tucked into the main event. Lunch, as always was first class – with …
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Return to Uppingham
Another day, another lunch with friends! I can certainly recommend retirement!Today, we took a leisurely drive over to Uppingham to meet up with Nick and Celina. We started off by having a mooch around the town – always extra nice when it’s Market Day there. Amazingly, we got parked almost immediately too – that’s a …
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Return to Palmichael (again!)
We met David and Valerie at the Palmichael Restaurant in Burton Latimer today – nice to do lunch for a change rather than and evening meal. We haven’t been here since December, 2015 and it was our first visit at lunchtime Food, as expected, was delicious (the Tiramisu was to die for, and was clearly …
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London Calling!
It’s been a while since we did this – and we’re certainly packing it in – a short two-day break to the Capital! Deep breath, and here we go! …Train from Bedford… …a brief meeting with Chris, our Financial Adviser… …dump our bags at the Hotel… …Champagne Lunch at the Ritz (thanks Roger, Jane and …
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Harey Sunday
This was nice. Lydia and Derek treated us to lunch together with David and Valerie for all the help I’d given them sorting out their broadband connectivity issues a few months back. Eatery of choice was the popular The Hare in Loddington. Unusually, the Pub car-park wasn’t rammed and we were therefore easily to able …
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