We’re heading north to Scotland for two weeks- more specifically, Ayrshire, Loch Lomond and the Borders. We’re dividing the holiday into three chunks (see the map below) and being a motoring holiday, we’re going to be using Scotland’s electric car-charging network. It’s a heck of a drive from home to ‘chunk 1’ (Troon) and in …
Read More
Pupils Reunited!
I hadn’t travelled to London for almost three years and then today, I was here in the capital again, in just two weeks! Recently, it was the rather excellent Doctor Who Experience with Jo; this time something much less timey-wimey – today, a small reunion of ex-school chums (Valerie, Hazel and Bob) and all official …
Read More
Film: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Off to the flicks with fellow superhero enthusiasts, Jo and Janet, to catch Marvel’s latest blockbuster – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – part of the continuing expansion of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (the MCU). 😀 Hard to believe that this is the 28th movie in Marvel’s rollout (yes, really!) and the 11th instalment …
Read More
Food and more food!
Increasingly, we’re both a little bit more conscious of what and how much we eat these days – so today was going to be a challenge! Not so much quaLITY but quanTITY. Potentially, there was a big chance we could easily over-eat – and, no doubt, pay the price the following day! 🤔 First stop …
Read More
London-bound: Doctor Who Immersive Experience
We haven’t been to London for nearly three years (because of you-know-what) and it felt slightly weird boarding the train. Some things don’t change though, and because of engineering works, we had to skip Kettering station and drive to Huntingdon to get to the capital on time. Again, ‘normaility’ meant the train was PACKED! The …
Read More
Film: Downton Abbey – A New Era
Off to the local Odeon today, courtesy of a certain Meerkat, to see Downton Abbey – A New Era. As Downton fans will already know, this is the follow-up to the first big-screen Downton outing in 2019 where the Crawley family and Downton staff received a royal visit from the King and Queen. Back then, …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire – Day 5 (Our last full day)
Thursday, 27th April Morning Reader! Not bored with these Posts yet then? Thanks for your readership! It’s our last day here! 🙁 Today, we’re starting our final day, super-local, heading for Oswestry (a nearby border market town). Oswestry is not quite in Wales, but you can almost ‘touch the dragon’! 6.05am: We were both up …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire – Day 4
Wednesday, 27th April Morning loyal Reader! – Welcome to Day 4. Thanks for reading this far! 👍 Looks like it’s a bit cooler today compared with the previous few days! Today, we’re again staying relatively local and heading for Welshpool (a Market Town) and then National Trust’s Powis Castle – around 30 miles round trip. …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire – Day 3
Tuesday, 26th April Wow! You’re back again! – thanks for continuing to read my ramblings! Weather-wise, it looks much the same as yesterday but with the added risk of a bit of rain! Today, we’re off to the town of Shrewsbury. We’re heading for the Museum & Art Gallery and then the ‘old’ prison (for …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire – Day 2
Monday, 25th April Well, hello, loyal reader! 👍 On our itinerary today: English Heritage’s Wroxeter (remains of a Roman City) and National Trust’s Attingham Park (an English country house). We last visited the latter back in July 2004 (so, naturally, I don’t remember any of it!) 😮 English Heritage: Wroxeter 11.02am: As we arrived at …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire – Day 1
Sunday, 24th April Morning Reader! 👍 We arrived here at our holiday home The Tractor Shed in Kinnerley yesterday. As we don’t know this part of the world at all (I think the last time we were in Shropshire was back in November 2006 for a pre-Christmas break), we’re firmly in ‘explorer mode’ to soak …
Read More
Holiday: Shropshire (in a Shed!) – Arrival!
Continuing our holiday breaks here in the UK, this time, we’re spending time in a shed! (an ex-tractor shed that is!) courtesy of Sykes Cottages. Located north-west of Shrewsbury, sandwiched between the A483 and the A5 in the village of Kinnerley (population just 1108!), it’s a new(ish) addition to the Sykes Cottages property portfolio, imaginatively …
Read More
Return to the other George!
A welcome return to the newly refurbished ‘other’ ‘The George’ today – the Pub/Bistro/Hotel in Buckden. Since we were last here back in April 2019, the place has had a complete makeover – not just the eatery but the whole Hotel! The ladies’ loos had gold taps and were immaculate from top to bottom (so …
Read More
Doctor Who Special: The Legend of the Sea Devils
The BBC first released a one-minute clip on Twitter on Saturday, 2nd April revealing the next Doctor Who ‘Special’. It’s been a while since anything Who-related has been marketed and this was an important episode for a number of reasons: First, it will be Jodie Whittaker’s penultimate appearance as our time-travelling hero. Next, we see …
Read More
Film: Operation Mincemeat (2022)
A little bit outside our usual routine today as we headed for Cineworld at Rushden Lakes. Crikey! Rushden Lakes on a Saturday! Are we mad? Easter Saturday too! Madder than mad!!! But you probably knew that already! Why Cineworld? Mobile phone operator THREE gave away two Adult tickets for just £3 each to its customers …
Read More
The Wheatsheaf – Again!
We returned to The Wheatsheaf in Titchmarsh today to meet up with good friends Mick and Jane. We were last here in January, again with Mick and Jane, and we’d chosen today’s repeated visit for the simple reason that previously, we’d all been mighty impressed with the food and service! 👍 We arrived just a …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Day 5
Monday, March 28th Morning all! 😉😉. I see the weather appears to be on the turn here. It’s 7am and it’s only 27℃. Good job we packed mittens! 🤔 It’s our last full day here and where Monday brings more of the same – eat, doze, sleep, eat and finally, sleep (repeat)! 8.25am: Thankfully, eating …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Day 4
Sunday, March 27th Welcome back, and a happy Sunday to you, dedicated reader. This is our fourth day here in Oman. 👍👍 I hope the Sun is shining where you are. The grill is already ‘full on’ here at ’27’ – and it’s only 7am! Somewhat predictably, it’s forecast to hit the mid-30s again today! …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Day 3
Saturday, March 26th Greetings, my loyal Reader… 👍 Well, I guess that’s not a bad view to wake up to! Hello Saturday!!!! 😀 9.05am: Breakfast time! And after last night’s feast, I’m eating light this morning (but we’re surrounded by so much variety, it’s a real exercise in will-power).☹️ 9.45am: We’re about an hour earlier …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Day 2
Friday, March 25th Morning all! 😁 It’s our second day here and one of us is celebrating their birthday! (CLUE: It’s not me!). Absolutely no plans at all for today except for a celebratory meal tonight! What you might have missed…DepartureandOman – Day 1 9.40am: Phew! Another day in the oven Paradise!! A late breakfast …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Day 1
Thursday, March 24th 8.15am: Morning loyal reader! We arrived just 15 minutes ago – we’re at the rather splendid Kempinski Hotel in Muscat, Oman. Opened just four years ago, it’s an all-in-one resort hotel, meaning there is no need to leave the hotel area for anything! Looks like the weather is on our side (for …
Read More
Holiday: Oman (2022) – Departure
Wednesday, March 23rd We’re off..! As part of Ann’s birthday celebrations (in a few days), we’re flying to Oman! Like many, attempting to holiday abroad in recent times (because of you-know-what) has been somewhat challenging – but we do love a challenge! Consequently, this is our first trip overseas for about two years! Last time …
Read More
Film: The Batman (2022)
In complete contrast to our recent outing to see The Duke – a rather light-hearted affair – here we are once again at the local Odeon (sans Meerkat) to see the new Batman film – by comparison, it looks like a much, much darker offering! 😯 It seems only yesterday that we had Director Chris Nolan’s …
Read More
Friends Reunutted!
Here we are at The George in Great Oxendon reuniting with The Northants NuttersⓇ, aka Geoff & Rhonda and Paul & Sue. We last got together for our Warner Weekend at Alveston Hall, back in January and it was good to see everyone again! 😀 As we arrived in the car-park, it was clearly a …
Read More
Film: The Duke (2022)
We headed for the local Odeon today to see the much-praised movie: The Duke starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.
Lunchtime Fill at The Mill!
A welcome return to one of our favourite eateries – The Saxon Mill in Warwick! ?
Film: Death on the Nile (2022)
With the weather looking like we might soon need an Ark, David, Valerie, Ann and I fired up the Meerkat App and headed for a half-price visit to the local Odeon. Yes, I know, we’re living the dream! 😉 The movie in mind was Death on the Nile, the highly anticipated follow-up to Kenneth Branagh’s …
Read More
Beckworth’s beckons…
Those from around these parts will already know of Beckworth’s – or to give it its full title: Beckworth Emporium. For once, Emporium sounds like an accurate description! For those of my readers outside the area, think old-school supermarket plus an expansive (but not expensive) garden centre, all topped-off with a rather sizeable eatery. Oh, …
Read More
Film: Eternals (2021)
The movie juggernaut that is Marvel Studios, thunders on with their 26th production – “Eternals“. For reasons that I can’t quite recall, I didn’t get around to seeing this at the cinema when it was first released in the UK on the 5th of November last year. And that’s quite rare for me – I’m …
Read More