For Doctor Who fans, 2023 is shaping up to be a complete rebirth of the show! This Post was first penned in January 2023, when it was all rumour and speculation! In this Post… Old News Characters Head Honcho Music Maestro Director Duties Christmas Specials Episode Count Creative Control Teasers Anything Else? Updates Now that …
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Pantomime (Snow White) 2023
Oh yes, we are! — we’re at the Panto! 👍 Milton Keynes was our destination today, together with Jo, Janet & Carol for this year’s offering – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The last time we were in ‘Panto Mode’ was (also) in MK last January to see Jack and the Beanstalk in 2022, …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 5 (Final Day)
Monday, 2nd January 2023 Morning all! 👍😀 It’s our last full day here at Church Farm Holiday Park – just a few hundred metres away from the beach at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 9.05am: Holy Moly! It’s NOT raining! That’s two days in a row! 😉. Cancel my Amazon Prime order for the Ark Building Kit!!! Wet, …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 4
Sunday, 1st January 2023 Welcome back, loyal readers. Happy New Year, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing! 👍 This is Day 4 of our New Year getaway. We’re staying at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh. The weather so far has been truly atrocious – pretty much rain, rain and even more rain! In spite …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 3
Saturday, New Year’s Eve 2022 Welcome back Readers of fine travel literature – and to my Blog! 😉 We’re now on Day 3 of our New Year getaway here in a very (very) damp Suffolk. We’re staying at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh with mates Jo, Janet & Carol. In spite of being surrounded …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 2
Friday, 30th December 2022 Morning loyal Reader! It’s Day 2 and here we are on our New Year ‘getaway’ with Jo, Janet & Carol at Church Farm Holiday Park in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. We arrived yesterday evening around teatime, and were soon settling into our new home – Alde Lodge – a very (very!) well-appointed static …
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New Year Getaway (2023) – Day 1
Thursday, 29th December 2022 With Christmas memories already beginning to fade, Ann and I headed for our next adventure – celebrating the new year in Suffolk! Helping us to see in 2023 and enjoy the area, are our good friends, Jo, Janet & Carol. Janet researched and booked the venue, whilst the rest of us …
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Christmas 2022
Hope you had a good one! This was our first Christmas, for a few years, without the threat of any Covid restrictions – and it felt good to be back to some form of normality. Yes, the dreaded virus is still around, but at least it appears, in the most countries, it’s under control. Not …
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A Chilly Christmas at Kilworth (2022)
We’re really getting into the Christmas Spirit now, helped along the way by browsing through this year’s TV Times and Radio Times; carol singing at last night’s Salvation Army Carol Concert – and now about to enjoy ‘That’s what Kilworth Calls Christmas’ at Kilworth House (where we spent our honeymoon night, back in 2011). Kilworth …
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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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Gin, Gingerbread – and a Ginormous Kitchen
What a great evening! We got together with Kevin & Sarah, Mick & Sam, Jo & Janet, Steve & Juliet and Ian aka ‘Gin Buddies’ aka ‘Neighbours 2.0’ for a pre-Christmas celebration and to see the hard work that Kevin & Sarah had put into their new kitchen. Wow! Some transformation! Very modern, very well …
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Christmas TV Listings (2022)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early isn’t it? So how about… …that first Christmas lunch? …when the John Lewis Christmas TV Ad first appears? …or receiving your first Christmas Card? 🙄. Speaking of cards, this …
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Our Anniversary (11/38)
It’s our 11th (or 38th in old money) year together, and we’re simply going to celebrate the event by enjoying a good meal later today 👍 7.35am: These days, any time before 8am is an early start for me. So, why was I up at ‘silly o’clock’? Well, I’d secretly made Ann an Anniversary Cake, …
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Our First Christmas Dinner of 2022
Yes, it’s that time of year again! We headed round to John & Trish’s to enjoy our first official Christmas Lunch of 2022 together with our closest neighbours. And, for the first time in a few years, the gang was all here – Tom & Julie (who, in recent years, are normally in Tenerife at …
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Palmers at The Palmichael
If you’re looking for a quality Italian meal, then you can’t go wrong by choosing The Palmichael in nearby Burton Latimer. We’ve eaten there many times, and it’s one of the few the only Italian eatery that still survives in this part of Kettering. Many other ‘Italians’ have appeared on the scene – and disappeared …
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Thunderbowl!
Nope, nothing to do with a misheard Bond movie – we went bowling at the Kettering Thunderbowl today! We were last here back in May of this year with Paul & Sue – when it was my first visit! Back then, I started well but obviously peaked too early and ended up rubbish by the …
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Return to the Smoke!
Up until very recently, I hadn’t been to London for quite a while – and here I was back again just seven days later! 👍 How so? Last week, an enjoyable catchup with old work buddies, this time, a ‘thank-you’ lunch, courtesy of Angela, for a year of tech support, looking after her various devices. …
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Boys and their Toys (Part 221,122!)
Those that know me, know that I love anything techy! For a few years now, I’ve expressed my passion through this Blog. Lately though, it’s been creaking a bit under the bonnet because of the sheer volume of content – mainly down to my photos! The trouble is, all those pictures had (unbeknown to me) …
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The Olde Forge
Maybe I need to rename this Blog to ‘Steve’s Food Diary’??? It seems like I’ve spent all week eating out! 😁. …and a quick look at my diary showed that it’s true! But I guess that’s because we’re approaching the festive season! Well, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it! 😊 Today, it was …
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Overdue (twice!)
Two overdue activities today! 🤔 First: a return to the ever-reliable Olde Victoria in Burton Latimer and second: a catchup with friends Richard & Pauline. The menu was as good as I remember it – and the service too! 👍. We soon made our choices and the short wait before the food arrived gave us …
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5ive go to London
In what felt like years in the planning, ‘The 5ive’ met in London today. Guess how we got our name? Guess no more! Back to the ‘dawn of the time’ (1999 actually!) when a number of us in our day jobs as self-employed Management Trainers first met during a very large project for a then …
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Film: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
It’s been a while in the making, but the sequel to the original Black Panther movie is now out! Released on November 11th, 2022, this was Marvel Film’s latest offering (the 30th of their continuing superhero series of movies). I was really looking forward to this one as I thoroughly enjoyed the first Black Panther …
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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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I’m in the Country – Man!
We drove over to The Countryman in Staverton village today to meet up with great friends, Ian & Ann. The reason? It had been their golden wedding anniversary this year and by way of celebration, they had organised a series of lunch dates with long-time friends. As we drew up outside, I had a sneaky …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2022)
Yes, it’s that time of year again – The annual John Lewis Christmas Advert! 🎅. Right on cue too, as pretty much every year it’s the first week in November. Usually, the first look any of the public get is at 8am, when it’s released across social media. This year was a little different though! …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 6 – “Bye-Bye Annabelle”
Day 6 – Monday, 7th November Yes, it’s our final day here! We’re checking-out in a few hours, and if the journey goes smoothly, we’ll be home around 8pm tonight. Time for one last Breakfast here at the Annabelle! 😉 Missed a Post? Six Days in Cyprus – “Hello Annabelle” (Last Tuesday) Six Days in …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 5 (Last full day)
Day 5 – Sunday, 6th November What you may have missed… Six Days in Cyprus – “Hello Annabelle” (Last Tuesday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 1 (Wednesday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 2 (Thursday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 3 (Friday) Six Days in Cyprus – Day 4 (Yesterday) Good morning! Welcome …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 4
Day 4 – Saturday, 5th November 8.33am: Morning all! It’s another day in Paradise! But I do feel a bit fragile after last night’s celebrations! (I know, ‘poor love!’) 🥱. We’re on our 4th day (of 6) here at the Annabelle Hotel in Paphos. Cyprus – Four Days in… Arrival in Cyprus (Tuesday) Day 1 …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 3
Day 3 – Friday, 4th November Morning all! It’s going to be another very pleasantly warm day here! 😉😎. Wish you were here! Today’s itinerary? A lazy morning + a lazy afternoon + Geoff’s Party! So far… Six Days in Cyprus – Arrival (Tuesday)Day 1 (Wednesday)Day 2 (Yesterday) Camera Roll 10.36am: After a strenuous start …
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Six Days in Cyprus (2022) – Day 2
Day 2 – Thursday, 3rd November Good morning all! 👍😎. Here we go again! It’s our second day here in Cyprus, staying at the rather impressive Annabelle Hotel! So far, it’s wall-to-wall sunshine at a very manageable temperature. What You Might Have Missed Arrival – “Hello Annabelle” Day 1 – “Birthday Boy” (but not mine!) …
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