Return to ‘332’

Today, together with my first boss – Ken Barden – we returned to the location of my very first ‘proper’ job: Sainsbury’s, Central Croydon aka ‘Store 332′. The reason? We’d heard that Sainsbury’s HQ had taken the commercial decision to close down the store permanently in a few months’ time 🤔 and we both felt …
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It’s Official – We’re UltraFast!

Well, maybe not QUITE yet, but the latest ULTRA Fast internet technology is officially on its way! Huzzah! 👏👏👍 At last! After spending the past 35 years or so, being firmly BEHIND the curve with internet-speed technology, we’re going to get the fastest available! The above leaflet arrived through our letterbox yesterday. I thought something …
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It’s official – I’m OLD!

A pivotal moment today! It’s official – I’m OLD! I received my VERY FIRST State Pension payment overnight! 😲 Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s!  My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness …
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RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II

Nothing to add that hasn’t already been said. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s!  My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination …
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Virgin in our Post Code!

Well, after writing to Virgin Media in 1992, asking about the chances of improving my then pathetic Internet speed of about 1Mbps – it’s finally happened! Back then, their reply was ‘there was no demand in your immediate area for our services’. Today, finally, in August 2022, Cable has arrived! — Aw Bless! It only …
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The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration

Beginning on Thursday. 2nd June and ending on Sunday, 5th June, this was a celebration of HM Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne. Thursday, the 2nd Spent the morning catching up with ‘bits and bobs’ as we only got back from our Scottish holiday yesterday afternoon. Top Trooping First of the formal stuff – …
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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 …
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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! …
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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 …
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Jab Done too!

After BoJo’s Press Briefing yesterday (promising, amongst other things, the return of legal hugging next week) it was off to Moulton for me this morning to get my second COVID-19 jab. Related PostJab Done! Just like my first, back in February, the whole experience was a model of organisation. I was in and out in …
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Coronavirus – 300 Lockdown Days later 😮

It’s Sunday, the 17th January and we’re 300 days into the official announcement of the pandemic. When I wrote my initial post about the first 100 days of Coronavirus back in June last year, I assumed (and hoped!) it would be a one-off… …then in October, 200 days in, I found myself penning another, wondering …
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A Smart Octopus!

Back in June last year, we took the first steps to improving our environmental footprint by going ‘all-electric’ for our main car. Then, in April 2020, we ditched British Gas as our dual-energy provider, and based on recommendations from friends who’d already made the switch, moved to the rather weirdly named Octopus Energy. Today was …
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Coronavirus – 200 Days and Counting! 😮

Crikey, I can’t believe we’re now 200 days since they announced the first Lockdown! When I wrote about this after (just!) 100 days, I don’t think anyone imagined we’d still be trying to cope with the reality of the coronavirus nearly 7 months on!! In fact, as I type, it looks like things are going …
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Super Saturday

Today was dubbed ‘Super Saturday‘. It was the first day with the slightly relaxed lockdown in force, where some (not all) businesses were now allowed to re-open, trying their very best to make up for their lost trade over the past three months. Examples included Pubs and Hairdressers who were allowed to trade from one-minute …
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The Corona Chronicles – My First 100 Days

It’s Saturday, the 21st March, and as the ‘new normal’ unfolds and the virus begins to dictate our lifestyle, I guess we’ll all look back on this in years to come with that wonderful gift of hindsight – and (hopefully!) draw some important lessons! This blog, that I’ve penned on and off since 2004, tends …
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Celebrating Sainsbury’s!

A short tale of how, many years ago, one person influenced the career paths of three others – and today’s reunion! 👍👍👍 The Back-story In 1972, I joined Sainsbury’s at their flagship store – Central Croydon as a Saturday Student – working Friday nights and all-day Saturday. By late 1974, I was still uncertain as …
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China – By the numbers!

Welcome to my second – and final – piece reflecting on our recent holiday in China, (the first was posted HERE yesterday). Our 19-day adventure included shiny modern cities, smaller towns, rural locations, large retail malls, small local shops – and pretty-much everything in between! We saw the uber-rich, the rich, the poor and the …
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China – What we learned!

After almost three weeks immersing ourselves in ‘the Chinese way’, here’s the first (of my two-part) light-hearted look at our experiences. Part 2 is tomorrow. The People With a population of around 1.4 billion, in the big cities it certainly felt like it. In the more rural locations, however, you’d never know! Families used to …
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London Mini-Break – Day 1 (of 3)

We’re on a three-day mini-break in London that’ll incorporate my birthday celebrations tomorrow. Last time we visited the capital was back in August when we stayed ‘up-west’. This time though, we’re on the opposite side (literally) and heading for east London where Stratford will be our home for the duration. 9.35am: OK, the weather forecast …
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Film: Rocketman

We took the short drive over to Rushden Lakes today – this time, not for shopping! (some mistake surely) – but in consolation, we did sneak in a cheeky dessert courtesy of Heavenly Desserts! Instead of shopping, it was our first visit to their shiny new, two-week-old, Cineworld cinema (their 100th opening in fact!). We …
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