It was a welcome return to The Saxon Mill in Warwick today for one of our regular three-monthly get-togethers with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. The six of us were last here back in February, this year after giving it a break for a year or two. We set off just after 11.30, …
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Category:Restaurant
Sayonara Mr Sainsbury!
The end of an era today, as not one but TWO of our closest friends said goodbye to their employer and joined the ranks of the retired due to ANOTHER Sainsbury restructure! After a little deception by Janet, unsuspecting retiree, Jo was taken to Kettering’s poshest restaurant – The Palmichael – in nearby Burton Latimer, …
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The Saxon Returns!
It was back to the Saxon Mill in Warwick today to catch up with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. We haven’t been here for a few years – last time was in July 2021! Today was all part of our regular three-monthly catchups and it was good to see everyone again. Pity about …
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Quorn or Meat?
Well, both actually! 😀 We took the hour’s drive to Quorn, north of Leicester, to meet up with Ralph & Karen for lunch and a catch-up. Our destination? The Quorndon Fox. Last time we were here was back in December 2023, again with these two! 👏👍. The perfect combo then – great mates and (based …
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New Year’s Day (2026)
We do like a bit of variety over Christmas and the new year, so I’m not sure what happened for New Year’s day, 2026! 🤔😂😂 This time last year, we decided to go for Lunch at The Pheasant at Keyston with longtime friends and neighbours, David and Valerie. And this year? ❓❓❓ How about Lunch …
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The Countryman (Again!)
Here I am at The Countryman in Staverton Village. The Pub is becoming a semi-regular haunt for our three-monthly catch-ups with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags since discovering it with old work mucker, John ‘Mez’ Merrell, exactly 17 years ago today, back in 2008! 🙄👍. Sadly, Mrs P wasn’t able to make the …
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Up to Uppingham
We took the short drive to nearby Uppingham today for lunch with Nick & Celina for a pre-Christmas catch-up. Ultimately, we were to end up with our first visit to ‘No 23’, a rather upmarket Bistro (where they even had a dress code on a Sunday!). Bet you can’t guess the address!!! 😉 But, before …
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New Arms!
A first visit today to The Fancott Arms in err, Fancott, Toddington It was time for a catch-up again with longtime mate, Angela C. The location was about halfway between us, and made a pleasant change to our usual haunt of The Bistro just up the road in ‘old’ Toddington. It was less about the …
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Call to Arms!
Today, we drove over to the Montagu Arms in Barnwell to meet up with Mick and Jane. The last time we were here was back in May this year, also with Mick and Jane. This used to be a very frequent destination ‘back in the day’, but until earlier this year, we hadn’t been back …
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Arrow Returned
We headed off to the Arrow Mill today to catch up with long time muckers: Ian, Ann and Mags (sans Alan). It’s been just over a year since we were last here and it was good to be back! 👍 Yum yum!! A great menu that changes daily. You can’t beat this ‘posh Pub’ for …
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Return to The Countryman, Staverton Village
Today, we caught up with long-time friends Ian & Ann and Alan & Margaret. Our eatery of choice today was a return to The Countryman in Staverton Village. Here we are again at what’s turning out to be one of our favourite ‘out-of-town’ Pubs for eating! We must have been here around half a dozen …
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Every Doggett’s Has Its Day!
Today was an opportunity to meet up with some of the Old Croydonians Association Committee from my days as their Chair (2010 until 2016). It was one of those increasingly rare occasions when I took the train to London from Kettering to St Pancras International (I don’t get out much these days!). Roger met me …
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Carrington Arms – Nutters Assemble!
The good weather continues! So, it was a drive over to The Carrington Arms for an assembly of the Northants Nutters aka Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda, Rich & Nicki and us two. I recall visiting this watering hole ‘back in the day’ when I was working. It was a central(ish) location to meet …
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Pig and Waffle
Pig and Waffle? No, not the opening paragraph on my LinkedIn profile, but the name of one of our many nearby eateries! The Pig and Waffle is in Grafton Underwood, and only a 15-minute drive away. We booked a lunchtime table with long-time friends and neighbours Paul & Karen on what was the hottest day …
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The Olde Victoria
Today, a welcome return to the Olde Victoria – our local – to meet up for lunch with long-time friends, Richard & Pauline. The last time we four got together was June last year (also at the Olde Vic!), and it was good to catch up. For the first time EVER (20+ years!) we couldn’t …
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The Countryman, Staverton
Today, we caught up with long-time friends Ian & Ann and Alan & Margaret. Our eatery of choice today? The Countryman in Staverton Village. Last time we were here was in November, 2022 with Ian & Ann, celebrating their Golden Wedding. After a slightly mystifying route to the Pub (Sat Nav took us the LONG …
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Return to the Wheatsheaf
We met up with Mick & Jane at The Wheatsheaf in Titchmarsh for Lunch today. We were last here (again, with Mick & Jane) in April 2022 and it was good to be back. This used to be our go-to Pub/Restaurant when we first moved here (we must have visited close on 50 times!), but …
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A Very Pheasant New Year’s Day
Happy New Year! We began the new year with David & Valerie – and lunch at The Pheasant in Keyston! Wow! It was the best meal of the year! 😀. Seriously though, the food was excellent! Really good value too, at just £47 per head for three courses and tea/coffee (and chocs!). We were given …
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First Visit: Hilltop Farm & Café, Leamington Spa
We met up with Ian & Ann and Alan and Mags today, part of our three-monthly catchup. Today’s venue-of-choice was Hilltop Farm in Leamington Spa – a first visit for us! It was a grotty day weather-wise (typical December) – mizzle! – but on arrival, looking at how packed the car-park was, suggested this was …
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First Visit: The Watermill Tearoom
It was our quarterly catchup with Bev & Jools where we headed east to The Watermill Tearoom in nearby Woodford. Nestled on the banks of the River Nene, this was the first visit for us two. The eatery has been around for a long time, but since January 2023, it has welcomed new management (more …
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What a Pheast!
Another day, another Birthday! 😉 After my celebrations yesterday, tonight, it was our turn to act as a taxi service, picking up neighbours David & Valerie, and heading off to The Pheasant in Keyston (a 25-minute drive away, halfway between here and Huntingdon). It was David’s ‘special day’, and where I used to think it …
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Buckden Bound!
These days, The George Hotel at Buckden is fast becoming one of our go-to Restaurants (that and Hitchen’s Barn in Oakham) for a guaranteed quality meal and excellent service. Today, we met up with Steve & Helen for a catch-up and to hear all the news about their recent house move. We were last all …
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Return to The Falcon Inn
Off to the Falcon Inn in Fotheringhay to meet up with long-time pals, Mick and Jane to celebrate their 41st Wedding Anniversary. The last time we were there was pre-Covid back in 2017. Before then, this was our go-to Pub/Restaurant when we lived in nearby Peterborough. Since then, we’ve developed other allegiances and, in that …
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Closed for good!
Well, that was a surprise! Nearby Hobson’s Choice announced it was closing its doors permanently! OK, it was never going to be awarded a Michelin Star, but it was on our doorstep and offered a ‘basic’ menu (read ‘cheap’) and the staff there were always super-friendly. Every time I visited, it was always doing a …
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Arrow Time!
It’s our three-monthly catchup with long-time friends and ex-business colleagues, Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. Today, our eatery of choice is the Arrow Mill in Alcester – we were last here in October, 2022. It was almost deserted inside when we arrived just after 12 noon, but this place has a large area …
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A Very Pleasant Pheasant!
We made a welcome return to The Pheasant in Keystone tonight with great friends (and neighbours) David & Valerie. The Pub is now under new management (again!) having laid empty and unloved for over a year and eventually reopening on the 28th May, 2021. It was good to be back – we were last here …
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The George, Great Oxendon
I’m beginning to lose count of the exact number of times we’ve been here since our great friends, Paul and Sue first introduced us to this eatery back in November, 2021. It really is a first-class place to eat, and the service is second-to-none. Today, we’re meeting up with Ian & Ann and Alan & …
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Return to ‘The Old Bridge’
Since I suffered my hand injury on 22nd December, we’re still playing ‘catch-up’ with my social diary! Today was another of those days as we met Steve & Helen at The Old Bridge in Huntingdon! We were last here as a foursome back in October, 2023 where we were so impressed, a planned return was …
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Catchup: Nick & Celina
Today was a (very) belated catch-up with friends, Nick & Celina (originally pencilled in for the 22nd of December, last year!). As regular readers will already know, this was postponed because I was in hospital being treated for a severe slicing to my left pinkie brought about by an ‘argument’ on the day with a …
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Friday Night at the Olde Vic
Those who know us, know that this is our fave Local! Somewhat strange then, that in all the years we’ve lived here, we’ve hardly EVER been there on a Friday night! 😕. Well, tonight we put that right! We picked up mates, Bev and Jules, and headed to our booked table. On arrival, looking at …
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