For us, Easter this year was about getting together with friends and family – and eating! After a mammoth shop in Thursday night (unfortunately, ASDA was out of mammoths!) and a follow-up on shop Friday morning, we were all set for the feeding of the five thousand (well, not quite, but it felt like it!!) …
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Category:Weather
Family Visit
Ann and I drove up to see Denis today. It was the first time we’ve seen him since his three separate operations involving a pacemaker, two stents and finally a heart valve. He was in pretty good spirits, all things considered, but did look a bit frail. We took him to The Fortescue Arms in …
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Christmas 2014
It was our first Christmas without Mum and it did feel a little hollow. Christmas Eve A mild day weather-wise – no frost, no snow, no rain – just mild, although it did turn cold when we went for our afternoon walk around 2pm. The day began early, as I drove to M and S …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 8) – Final Day
It’s our final day of our holiday in Germany today. We’re travelling to Lübeck – another old town, as well as the home to some massive marzipan manufacture! The weather is the worst we’ve had so far – absolutely chucking it down, and VERY cold too – with the forecast for the rest of the …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 7)
Today’s adventure takes us to the ancient (and we do mean ancient, it was first mentioned in 994 AD!) town of Stade. We’re not sure what to expect, but it looked very nice in the photographs. After another quick breakfast with what seemed like the rest of Germany in the Holiday Inn Express, we took …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 6)
We both enjoyed a good night’s sleep at our new home for the next three days – The Holiday Inn Express, Hamburg. Breakfast was continental or continental – and that suited us fine – although the traffic-light system posted in the lifts for regulating the flow to-and-from breakfast, seemed to have imploded, as it seemed …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 5)
Today, we said goodbye to Berlin and took the train to our next destination – Hamburg. It was the perfect day to leave as the weather was truly atrocious – rain, rain and more rain. If we stayed in Berlin, I’m not sure how we would have spent the day! Getting soaked I reckon!!!! The …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 3)
Today’s Blog is brought to you by the colour grey and dark grey! The weather forecast says: cloudy this morning and rain this afternoon – and with that in mind, we decided to explore Berlin on the inside wherever possible. As soon as ventured outside, it looked like it was about to p*** it down …
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Holiday – Germany (Day 2)
Yay! A great night’s sleep. No doubt helped by yesterday’s combo of German wine and what seemed like a very long and exhausting journey getting here! One thing we immediately noticed about our rented city-apartment is how very quiet it is round here. OK, it may be because it’s a Sunday, but there’s not a …
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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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Sister! Horse is the Word!!
Our busiest weekend of the year so far – in a good way! FRIDAYFirst stop was our return visit to the hidden gem of outdoor theatrical productions – Kilworth House Theatre Group in err, Kilworth – and their production of Sister Act. Jo, Janet, Carol, Nick and Celina joined us for an evening of superb …
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Sleepy Swinford gets a Bang!
A lads’ lunch today! I picked up Geoff B (a colleague from my Sainsbury days) in Irthlingborough and we headed off towards the sleepy village of Swinford – and The Chequers Pub. I haven’t seen Geoff for almost a gazillion years, and the drive to the Pub gave us chance to catch-up with each other’s …
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Feast with Friends!
We had a great afternoon round at Rosi’s. She laid on a comprehensive Greek feast (for 14!) and together with the hot weather, it was a perfect afternoon! I hardly ever say: “I couldn’t eat another thing”, but guess what? Thanks Rosi!!!! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first …
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Fortescue Family!
It was off to The Fortescue Arms in Billingborough today, to meet up with Denis and Bev. We didn’t need much of an excuse, but as it happened it was to celebrate Denis’ birthday earlier in the week. Feeding Time! Phew! What a scorcher! Boy, was it hot!! We sat outside (a first for us …
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Holiday in Sweden – Day 2 (Malmo and Beyond)
I slept like I’d been drugged! Almost 11 hours sleep for me is unusual, so it’s either the fresh Swedish air or that funny tasting night-cap last night 🙂 The weather forecast here for today is warm rather than hot – but at least it’s dry! Scorchio! (ish) As far as the planned boat-trip is …
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Bank Holiday Break – Ipswich (Day 2)
It’s our last full day here and we’re heading off to Southwold (as no doubt many other locals will be doing). The weather forecast indicates that it’ll be a heatwave of 13C rising to 14C – not exactly sunbathing weather, but we plan to make the most of it! Actually, as the day rolled on, …
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Bank Holiday Break – Ipswich (Day 1)
We woke to the sound of torrential rain – and I do mean torrential! Still, at least we knew it was coming. Looks like today will be a day for staying under cover – whatever we do. The smartest choice seemed to be to spend the time shopping! So, dodging the persistent showers, we drove …
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Scorchio!
Wow! What gorgeous weather – I think it must have topped 23 or 24 here today. So, for the first time this year, we ate our evening meal OUTSIDE – and even by 9.30, it was a very pleasant. Let’s hope it stays that way – at least for the weekend – as we’re round …
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New Year’s Eve 2013
The Wheatsheaf We drove over to The Wheatsheaf at Titchmarsh for their celebratory NYE meal. We got together a party of ten – Carol, Jo, Janet, Lee, Nick, Celina, Ralph, Karen, Ann and me – and made an evening of it! The food was superb and although we got their relatively early – 8pm – …
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5ive Go to Bath
After last year’s very enjoyable Trainers Go to… event in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon, this year, we headed for a weekend in Bath. Carey had to drop-out at the last minute (which was a great shame), but we know she was there in spirit! It was my turn to organise it all and after some initial difficulties …
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Preparing the Garden
I love a nice looking garden (who doesn’t?) but I HATE the physical preparation side of it with a passion! Give me a non-functioning PC or a web-site to design and I’m happy, but weeding, planting bulbs and pruning is just sooooo un-rewarding for me. Tough luck then, because our garden needs a shed load …
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Queen’s Greatest Hit?
Today, we’re heading for the capital to take a look round Buckingham Palace! It’s our second visit, but a first for Roger, Jane and Oliver. Roger has organised everything – food, taxis and rail tickets. So we just needed to take the short drive to Harlow Town railway station to get us to Liverpool Street. …
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Oxford/Silver Party
We started the day by driving over to Oxford to meet up with Nicki C. We did the smart thing and took the Park-and-Ride, both arriving there at about the same time. Oxford was fab. The weather turned out to be better than forecast – hot! and we had a great meal in the roof-top …
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The (Bank Holiday) Weekend Starts Here…
FridayDenis joined us in the afternoon. He’s staying until Sunday. He’d had a good trip down and was already at ours when I got back from Trish and John’s after sorting out a few bits & pieces with Trish’s phone and tablet. Ann was working from home and after a(nother) frantic week at work, we …
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Hidcote Manor Gardens
We drove over to Ian and Ann’s this afternoon. We had lunch at theirs before taking the short drive to National Trust’s Hidcote Gardens. Apparently, we haven’t been there for around 15+ years, but I don’t recall any of it at all – but it was DEFINITELY worth the visit (even though the weather was …
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Two for the O2!
I met up with Angela C at Waterloo station and we headed off in the direction of the O2. To make it a bit unusual, we took the cable-car ride from Victoria Dock – it’s only about a 10 minute ride, but you do see some spectacular views across London. So, not a great day …
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A Celebration in Worthing
FRIDAY We headed off to Worthing, as tomorrow is our good friends’ Ian and Sharon’s 10th wedding anniversary. The event has come round really quickly – it seems like only yesterday, we last roasted in sun-drenched Worthing. Because of the National Bowls Tournament, accommodation had been difficult to book, but we eventually located a small …
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The Clans are Stuffed!
Today was one of those rare family events – we got together the majority of the two clans around at ours for a communal lunch. With one eye on the weather forecast and the other on our stock of washing-up liquid, we prepared for the three-course meal – and ten hungry mouths. Unfortunately, Lee cried-off, …
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‘History Live!’ at Kelmarsh Hall
With cracking good weather promised, we decided to take the short drive to where we got married – Kelmarsh Hall – to see English Heritage’s annual Historical event. Now renamed ‘History Live!’ it promised all the good stuff we’d seen in previous years, so we knew we were in for a treat. As things turned …
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Cloudy at St Pancras
Another scorcher today! I had an early lunch combining a ‘techy-coaching-session’ with Sally B at the ever popular Carluccio’s – but there were still a few clouds above us at St Pancras International Station! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! …
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