A bitter-sweet day today as I was invited to the official close-down of one of my ex-clients’ Training Centres. Volvo had been one of my oldest clients – stretching back to 1990/91 – and I continued doing work for them on-and-off right up until 2010. Over the years, they had been one of those rare …
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Category:Milestone
£1-a-Day (2016) How Did We Do?
Well, that’s it for 2016 where David and I have survived this year’s challenge of living on a £1 a day each, for food and drink, for seven days . We were also joined by Mark (Allan) from the Salvation Army for the majority of our evening meals, having contributed a proportionate 50p-per-visit to our …
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£1-a-Day (2016)
Well, here we go again! David and I are doing our charity ‘thing’ again this year – starting tomorrow – and living on just £1 a day for food and drink until next Sunday. It’s great way for me to lose a bit of weight and also do something for a good cause. This is …
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Ask – The Family
A bit of a travel experiment today! We travelled down to my Brother’s by train. We left just before 8.45 and after a short drive to Bedford (dropping-in on Steve and Denise), then grabbing the train at Bedford, and finally, changing at Farringdon. Three hours later, we were at Bromley South – a tad quicker …
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End of Term – Oliver
We drove down to Roger, Jane and Oliver’s for Oliver’s end-of-term musical concert at his new school: Richard Hale. The past few days have been roasting – and today was no different with temperatures in the mid 30s. I feel like I’m getting old! ☹️ Oliver’s solo piece was entitled: ‘Nobody Knows’, and he certainly …
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A Short Walk Gets Long
The weather was looking dry so we drove over to Pitsford Water – with the aim of a short walk. Our ‘short walk’ turned into a five-mile trek as we headed for Brixworth Country Park and back. The scenery was beautiful and initially, there was quite a bit of sunshine – but it wasn’t to …
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Lent Boy 2016: How Did I Do?
WARNING! Please read responsibly. This Blog contains large amounts of smugness! So, that’s my Lent event over for another year. What began in 2010 as a small challenge, has now grown into a much bigger test of will-power! I began the challenge on the first day of Lent this year – 10th February and finished …
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Valentine’s Meal 2016
David and I donned our whites (red in my case!) and cooked the girls (Ann and Valerie) a special Valentine meal tonight. We’d dropped into Mr Tesco the day before and sourced the majority of the raw ingredients, carefully trying NOT to compromise my Lent List for this year! Lee joined us, but with a …
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Lent Boy 2016
Here we are again! It’s Lent – and time for that willpower test! This year it’s 42 items that are banned from Wednesday, February 10th until Saturday, March 26th. What started in 2010 as a bit of a simple test of willpower (could I give-up just 13 food and drink items that I love?), has …
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Essex Girl (and Boy!)
WEDNESDAYWe took a few days off and headed back to where it all began – Essex! Ann has a job interview in the area on Thursday, and we decided to make this pilgrimage to where we’d spent a big chunk of our life working for Mr Sainsbury. The time was the 80s, and it seems …
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New Year’s Eve – 2015
This year, we stayed over at the Kettering Spa Hotel. Janet had helpfully done all the arranging, so all we needed to do was turn up! We arrived around 3pm, checked-in and (shock horror!), we used their Gym. Then it was back to the room, to get ready for tonight’s celebrations. The View from Room …
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Computer Class: Monday Class Success
Today, the first group of Learners completed their Programme. Well done (L to R, holding their certificates): Lin, Pam and Roger. 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 …
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Bathroom Makeover
We finally finished the Bathroom makeover today. Ceiling and skirting repainted, ‘Audrey Hepburn’ wallpaper, new loo seat, radiator reattached (thanks Phil!), new soap dispenser, loo brush and mirror rehung. We’re sorted! Posted using my Galaxy Note III Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well …
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Lee’s 80th Birthday
Lee spent the week with us, and today was her Afternoon Tea Party (her birthday was last week). Lee invited a few people round and we laid on the banquet with Ann performing some culinary miracles in the kitchen. It’s fair to say, she had a really good time – Lee received some great presents, …
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How did we do? ‘Eat-for-a-£1-a-Day’ (2015)
Well, that’s it for 2015 where David and I have survived this year’s challenge of living on a £1 a day each for seven days without straying. We also managed to raise over £300 for OXFAM too – £381 at the time of writing (and I lost 6.5 pounds in weight too!). Thanks for your …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2015)
Here we are then. For many, this means Christmas has officially started! Their advert ‘Man on the Moon’ was launched at 8am (UK time) today and just like 2014’s and 2013’s you might want to have the Kleenex handy! Ahhh! Read more about this year’s advert HERE. #ManOnTheMoon Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late …
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Trick or Treat
We’re better prepared this year, but where we’re they all? We only had a few knocks on the door and there were more parents than kids. They can’t ALL be ‘Strictly’ fans! ☺ Posted using my Galaxy Note III Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 …
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Doctor Who – Series 9, Episode 1
So, here we are – it’s back on our screens, and with the BBC’s marketing machine on full-throttle leading up to tonight to ensure everyone knew it was on – I missed it! Well, I missed it live as we had friends round. So, I’ll be watching courtesy of the Sky Box on Sunday. Showrunner, Steven …
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ATM Alert!
These days, the abbreviation ‘ATM’ is an everyday part of our lives (and maybe even bigger in Greece, at the moment!). But, ‘back in the day’ (and what now seems like a lifetime ago) when I was working full-time for Sainsbury’s, it meant something quite different – Area Training Manager. In my duties of looking …
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Windows 10 – soon!
Well, that was a surprise! I powered up my Windows Tablet this morning – and this screen popped up. Apparently, Windows 10 is being rolled-out on July 29th and will be a free upgrade for users of Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first …
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Lent Spent – 2015
Well, here are again. my self-imposed 45-day Lent period is over for another year. I managed to resist my banned list for 2015 without too much trouble – and there’s a smug look about me this morning! All-in-all, I lost around 11lbs, which was more-or-less the same as last year – and that’s pretty pleasing, …
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Bye-bye Buckden
Buckden Marina David and I went over to Buckden Marina today. It was probably my last visit to David’s boat, as he has decided to sell Osprey One, and treat himself to a new car. It was initially quite a cold day (the eclipse didn’t help!), but it soon warmed up and we gave the …
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The SA and PCs
Today, I started my first volunteer PC-coaching session for the Salvation Army in Rothwell. It felt great! Four delegates came to today’s inaugural session, and we spent our time working out what everyone wanted in terms of help, confidence and guidance. There was also plenty of ‘hands-on’ too using the SA’s on-site PCs. The session …
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Lent Boy 2015
Yes, it’s that time of year again where I frustrate the hell out of those around me, and try to stick my self-enforced ‘Lent diet’. Depending on what you read, and where you read it, Lent seems to FINISH on different days. I’m working with the Ash-Wednesday-to-Holy-Saturday version, and although technically, I can give myself …
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Incurable Romantic?
If you’re an incurable romantic like me, then how’s this for a cheeky gift for Valentine’s Day? Courtesy of those very nice people at Boomf, simply upload a maximum of 9 of your most romantic pics, relieve yourself of £15, and they’ll ‘print’ them onto marshmallows, pop them in a nice box and send them …
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A Perfect End to Christmas – 2014
It’s our turn to host ‘a little something’ for the neighbours – perfect timing then as we’re coming to the end of the Christmas festivities for another year. We’re going out on a high (or should that be heavy?) with a full-on menu for Paul, Karen, David, Rosi and John and Trish. Tom and Julie …
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New Year’s Eve – 2014
Lucky us! This year, we’ve been invited to two celebrations. The first is at The Kettering Park Hotel to join Jo, Janet and Carol. The second, an even more local affair – Karen and Paul’s, next door! The evening began at the Hotel at 7.30pm with Champagne and Canapés. First impressions were a little concerning …
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Eat-for-a-£1-a-Day (2014) – How did we do?
The Ingredients (minus the Tea-bag!) The Result – Spicy Meatballs & Pasta Bake Well, David and I have just finished our last meal at the end of our seven day: Eat-for-a-£1-a-Day Challenge. Actually, we’re quite pleased with ourselves – we had more-or-less the right amount of food. I say ‘more-or-less’ because we ended up with …
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£1-a-Day (2014)
Whilst we are lucky enough to have a very comfy standard of living, many don’t – and with that in mind, David, my neighbour, and I, decided that we would try and live on just £1 a day for food, for the next seven days – starting tomorrow – with the money we’re ‘saving’ going …
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Messing about in Boats
I just got back from Buckden Marina, after helping David with the process of ‘winterising’ Osprey One. A nice day weather-wise and I even got watch a chemical toilet being emptied! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love …
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