Today, we invited Jo, Janet, Carol and recently widowed Chris around to ours for Lunch. We were hoping that the glorious weather this past week would continue, and we could eat outside – maybe for the final opportunity this year! 🙄. The country has experienced five consecutive days of 30-degree temperatures in the week just …
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Category:Weather
The Gang’s all here!
It’s that time of year again! The weather is improving and it’s time to ‘get the Band back together’. In our case, not so much ‘the Band‘, but the Trainers! And those Trainers were the members of my Department from back in the 80s. We’ve kept in touch ever since – and today was the …
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Scones, Trains, and Automobiles!
Well, that’s a first! We’re off for Afternoon Tea in a railway carriage that doesn’t go anywhere (No! NOT another rail strike day!!!) 😁 In another first, we had snow today! The first for two years!! Our visit to ‘Carriages of Cambridge‘ was a Christmas gift from our great friends, Jo & Janet, and we’d …
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Belvoir Castle with Dennis and Sandra
We drove to Belvoir Castle today to meet up with mates (and newly retired) Dennis & Sandra. We’ve built up quite a portfolio of venues over the past five years for our ‘days out’ together. Venues past… Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)Hardwick Hall (August 2020)Castle Howard (December 2019)The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)Bolsover Castle (October 2018)Belton …
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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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Ten for a Bank Holiday Lunch!
This was ambitious, even by our standards! Ten of our neighbours here for a full-blown three-course Sunday long lunch! In addition to Ann’s legendary skills in the kitchen, I had a go at ‘something’ (always worrying when I’ve got a whisk in my hand!). Motivated by my mantra: chocolate in everything, I created a ‘mystery …
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The Greenhouse Effect
Letting me loose on any DIY task is always a risk! 😮 And recently was one of those (ahem!) ‘opportunities’ to demonstrate my talents (or lack of them!). Specifically, Ann’s new mini-greenhouse. It looked splendid in the pictures online, but like most things these days, it arrived (from those very nice people at Access Garden …
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Return to Kelmarsh
Well, I haven’t been here since the 14th of December 2011! – for my wedding! 😍😍😍! Click on the button below for a trip down memory lane… Wedding Pics (Unofficial) Welcome back to 2020! The reason for today’s visit was an invitation to a private tour around Kelmarsh’s well-known Gardens (where Mrs P is a …
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Bulbs for Banstead
An early start for us today as we spent Saturday and Sunday with Richard and Nicki at their place in Banstead. Saturday We left home just after 7.30 and drove over to Huntingdon station. Why not take the car? Well, it’s not the getting there, it’s the getting home part. Last time we tried it …
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London Mini-Break – Day 3 (of 3): Suits you Sir!
Our final day in London today! Ahh, that’s better! I feel a walk down Oxford Street coming on (before midday!) On our list today… 9.20am: We were out earlier than yesterday, but confident we’d miss the rush on the Tube. How wrong we were! It was nose-to-armpit for the whole of our journey in, and …
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London Mini-Break – Day 2 (of 3): Birthday Boy (2019)
Here we are then, in the capital for my Birthday celebrations! After yesterday’s retail therapy, today, it’s all about sightseeing, and we’re off to visit Westminster Abbey and The Banqueting House …and maybe more!That means there’s at least THREE relics on show in London today then! 😉 7.20am: Another lie-in – that’s the second one …
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Best Nest!
Ann and I drove over to Stratford-upon Avon for our regular(ish) get-together with good friends: Alan, Mags, Ian and Ann. Our eatery of choice this time was The Swan’s Nest Hotel opposite the River. It was the in-house eatery Bistrot Pierre that was our ultimate destination and I thought we’d never been to it before, …
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Bow Best?
It was our weekly Archery Class tonight! So, after my generally sub-par performance last week, I’m hoping I’ll be on better form tonight – especially as my Mentor, Dave, is back to keep an eye on me! Again tonight, conditions were perfect – not too warm, not too cold with a gentle breeze. It was …
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August Bank Holiday 2019 – West London
We always like to do something a little special for the August Bank Holiday – and this year was no different as we’d planned a two-day break in London. The weather forecast promised a scorcher (especially in the capital) where temperatures are predicted to hit the low-thirties! Apparently another temperature-record will be broken today according …
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Picnic Saturday
A scorcher of a weekend is promised, so what better time than today for a picnic! ..and what could be more perfect than Fineshade Wood (the clue’s in the name!) for some fine picnicking in a Wood in the shade! – and it’s only a thirty-or-so minute drive away too! The Wood is managed by …
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Archery Absentees!
After a two-week absence, (Film Night two weeks ago and rain stopped play for the whole Club last week) we’re back to the Bows tonight! Weather-wise, it was a scorcher – a great start to the Bank Holiday weekend! 😎😎 And the weather seemed out bring out the members too! – a record attendance for …
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First Visit: The National Memorial Arboretum
Today, a planned day out with David and Valerie to the National Memorial Arboretum. It was a return visit for David and Valerie, but it was our first! Thank goodness then, that the rain has stopped, as a month’s worth fell in a day yesterday over the UK! (although it did belt it down briefly …
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First Visit: Farnborough Hall
Another one our of cultural days out, meeting up with Ian and Ann along the way, heading for National Trust’s Farnborough Hall. Located off the M40 between Banbury and Gaydon, the Grade I listed property (and its gardens) has been owned by the National Trust since 1960, when the Holbech family endowed it to them. …
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Kilworth Cats!
Off to Kilworth Theatre today with Ann, Janet, Jo and Carol to see the theatre’s production of ‘Cats‘. Am I the only person to have never a ‘Cats’ production before? Quite possibly! Last time we were here was back in June, to see Joseph – and today was just as busy! West End quality without …
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Silverstone Classic 2019 – The Cars are the Stars
We headed over to Chris and Gill’s today, and then to this year’s Silverstone Classic. Obviously, it’s all about the cars and so I’ll minimise the word-count in this Post and let the pictures tell the story! The weather was spot-on today. After the mega-heatwave of the past few days, it was just perfect! – …
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Steve – Take a Bow!
Friday evening – and our weekly Archery lesson..! ..and another warm evening too!! In fact, maybe a bit too warm! After dabbling with that ‘big-boy’s toy’ last week known as the Longbow – this evening was more of the same for me, plus a trade-up to a heavier Practice Bow in the shape of a …
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Palmers and Bricklayers
Palmers Reunited A scorcher of a day, as we headed down to Bromley to catch up with Neil, Debbie, Alfie and Frankie. Just to make a change, rather than our normal haunt of ASK, at the top of the high-street, we chose The Bricklayers Arms, just a five-minute walk from Bromley South station. Last time …
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Big Boy Bow!
If it’s Friday night, then for us, it can only mean one thing: stick ’em with the pointy end! Sorry, I do of course mean… outdoor archery practice, courtesy of Kettering Archers. And what a lovely evening for it! Ann and I continued to refine our technique with the bows we used last time – …
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Theme from The Archers
Our Archery lessons continued tonight. We’re now in our third week (after a fortnight’s distraction elsewhere) and we’ve moved up to heavier bows – Ann’s on an 18-pounder and I’m trying out a 20-pounder. Considering it’s been raining day and night for most of the week, the evening turned out to be perfect! And perhaps …
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Coton Manor Gardens
Continuing our theme of looking at old things on our doorstep, I put the mirror to one-side and instead, we headed for Coton Manor and Gardens. The Manor House isn’t open to the public, but the Gardens are open Tuesday to Saturday. Based on the number of cars in the car-park, it was clearly a …
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Cottesbrooke Hall and Brixworth Church
Fresh from our soaking at Deene Park a few days ago, we braved the elements and headed off to Cottesbrooke Hall today. The Queen Anne style House dates from 1702 and enjoys Grade I listed status. It has Gardens too! It’s not the first visit for me (apparently, we came here 20ish years ago), although …
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Sealed with…
a Knot! It was off to Deene Park for a Bank Holiday treat! It’s the home of the Brudenell family – pretty well-known around these parts, but probably best remembered for the 7th Earl (James) who led the charge of the Light Brigade. Instead, The Sealed Knot (the re-enactment group) are in attendance, bringing the …
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Bow Guest
After last Friday’s and Saturday’s expert coaching, tonight, we headed down to town for 6.30pm to enjoy some more archery practice, as guests of Kettering Archers. It was great fun, and the weather was on our side – a beautiful evening! It was very well attended with around 20 of us on recurve bows, a …
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Return to the Tower
Off to the Capital today – and a return visit to the Tower of London and more specifically, the Crown Jewels.Ann and I last visited back in February 2016 but we met good mates Roy, Susan, Lauren and Loki there today, who’d never been before! It meant an early start (for a Saturday) for us, …
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Our Anniversary Weekend 2018 (34/7)
Friday, 14th (Our Anniversary)It’s our 7th Anniversary (or 34th in ‘old money’) and we’ve a busy few days ahead. There was just enough time to open our cards and presents before we left, heading north. Thanks for your kind words everyone! Ann bought we a very classy watch!These days, we normally go away to …
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