Yes, it’s that time again – my Birthday!! 👍😁. We usually try and get away somewhere to celebrate, but this year is a little different! Last year, we were in Greece, whilst the year before it was Switzerland – but in 2024, we’re celebrating here at home! It’s a full 12 years since we last …
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Category:Personal
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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Job Done in Dunstable!
Headed off to Toddington in Dunstable this morning to catch up with long-time friend, Angela C. The journey there took longer than expected – it should have been around an hour, but with the M1 near Flitwick being dug up in both directions, it made my progress VERY slow! 😟 We made good use of …
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First Visit: The Wharf Inn, Welford
We headed off to Welford today – it was our first visit to The Wharf Inn. We met up with fellow ‘Northants Nutters’ – Paul & Sue and Richard and Nicki – for lunch. It was already buzzing when we arrived just before 1pm. After getting some drinks from the Bar we were shown to …
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The “Butcher’s Dog” Report
You know that old saying? “Fit as a Butcher’s Dog!” – well, that’s pretty much me! I’m hardly ever ill (apart from a bout of COVID back in 2021 and my, so-good-I’ve-had-them-twice, Kidney Stones). So, 2023 turned into the year when this old dog had multiple trips to the vets!! 😬 Deaf in Paradise It …
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7even in Cambridge (Almost!)
First, there were five of us (Philip, Angela, Antoinette, Carey and me) – the ‘5ive’… then we welcomed both Rick and June to the group, screwing the Maths and demanding a rebrand. After a bit of head-scratching, we became ‘The Magnificent 7even‘. Oh! Such originality! 😉. For those new here, we’re a group of like-minded …
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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner! – Top Gun: Maverick (again!)
Well, I think that’s a record (even for us, as big Tom Cruise fans!). We first saw Top Gun – Maverick with Jo & Janet just after it first came out (June 2022). Next, it was at one of our TV Dinners with David & Valerie (February 2023) and more recently, at Boughton House (May …
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Late May Bank Holiday 2023
Well, the weather certainly is improving! It’s a Bank Holiday too! Surely that’s a mistake!!! 😉😎☀️🌞 Friday (26th) It got off to a good start trotting off to nearby Boughton House for an outdoor showing of Top Gun: Maverick. Saturday (27th) A lazy start to the day but with some last-minute preparation ready for great …
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RIP: Cousin John
Today we said goodbye to Cousin John De-Winter at Beckenham Crematorium. The last time we were here was in April 2014 for (my) Mum’s passing and whilst we were there, we took the opportunity to look at the Rose that we planted in her honour in their Remembrance Garden. Given the travelling distance, we opted …
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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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‘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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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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Summer School 2022
They say: ‘Every day’s a School Day’, and for us, the past five days was to be taken literally. It had been time for our first visit to Marlborough College and its annual Summer School. The popular event had been cancelled for two years in a row because of Coronavirus, but at last, we were …
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Bowling Virgin! 😬
I’ve done lots of things in my life – but as far as the more ordinary pursuits are concerned, I’ve never been ten-pin bowling!! Today, I ticked that box, meeting Paul & Sue for my inaugural match at the local ‘Rock n Bowl Tavern’ in town. Tuesdays turn out to be the best value day …
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Christmas 2021
How was your Christmas? For us, as I begin penning this during the week leading up to the big day, I really didn’t think we would STILL be worrying about Coronavirus! Why worry? The dreaded Omicron variant was spreading and there was the potential for the Government to lock us all down again! Almost ‘right …
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Film: Dune (2021)
Off to the flicks again, this time to see the remake of Dune. OK, back to the here and now, let’s see if this version hits the spot!!! To me, just like the original, the cast is impressive (but no Sting!) – Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Stephen McKinley Henderson, …
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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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Holiday: Devon and Cornwall – Day 15/15: My Birthday 2021
Hello reader! Try to contain your excitement – today is the final Post for this holiday! There’s also a birthday to be celebrated in the group (Clue: it’s NOT Ann’s!) 🤔 7.25am: As we’re away, most of my cards and gifts are sitting at home, but I did bring some of them with me. For …
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Super Sociable Saturday and Sunday!
It was one of those fantastic weekends where we spent 99% of the time eating, drinking and enjoying the company of good friends! It’s a tough life!!! 😀 Saturday The morning was spent preparing stuff and having a final tidy-up in readiness for our guests. Just after midday, Ralph and Karen joined us, and after …
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Coronavirus: ‘Freedom Day’
Today was supposed to be a day of celebration when everything returned to normal for us here in England! ‘Freedom Day’, as it became dubbed by the Media, was promised to be the day when we all got our lives back. The bottom line? – best not to ditch those face-coverings just yet!! 😯 Mixed …
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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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Coronavirus – Return to Normality!
Normality? Err, not quite! 😮 Next Monday – June 21st – was supposed to be ‘Freedom Day’, the day that everything returned to normal. No restrictions to indoor gatherings, retail and theatres fully re-opened and no facemasks required anywhere etc etc – perfect! 🙄 But it obviously wasn’t meant to be – all because of …
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Normality! – Dinner INSIDE in a Restaurant!
With David acting as chauffeur, the four of us (David, Valerie, Ann and I) made a welcome return to The Palmichael tonight. Last time we were there as a foursome was back in December last year although back then, the Coronavirus restrictions meant we couldn’t all share a table and had to make do with …
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It’s a Hugs life!
A significant day and hugging is back on the menu! Why? Today, we entered Step 3 of the Government’s roadmap out of Lockdown. 😁 …and talking of menus, Jo and Janet picked us up and we headed off to the newly revamped Beckworth’s Emporium for one of their legendary breakfast experiences. The girls ate light, …
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More Pi anyone?
As all of us (in the UK, anyway) escape the clutches of the pandemic restrictions, I’m in the mood to re-stimulate my grey cells (cellS?) 😁 and get my brain back into gear! I’m going to dive into the world of the Raspberry Pi! For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, the …
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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 – A Year Later!
Welcome back! Did any of us think we would be writing about the Coronavirus a full year on? I began penning my experiences about the dreaded Covid-19 back on 21st March 2020 (just two days before the first official lockdown) and catalogued my first 100 days; then again after 200 days, and finally – or …
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Jab Done!
On the day that the PM was going to announce his plan for the exit route out of Lockdown in England, I drove over to Moulton to get my first vaccine jab. All the Covid-related numbers seem to be pointing in the right direction, and the details behind the PM’s message were widely leaked before …
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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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