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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New Year’s Eve (2025)
My Blog is still broken and I’m unable to upload any photographs! 👎. Hopefully, it’ll, be fixed soon, but in the meantime, I’ll keep things ‘short and sweet’. Usually, at this time of year, we’d be off to see a Pantomime, and then we’d probably see the new year in with friends and/or neighbours. This …
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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner! – F1 – The Movie (2025)
We’re round at ours with great mates, Jo & Janet and watching last year’s Brad Pitt blockbuster: ‘F1 – The Movie’. Ann is playing to her strengths, conjuring up some yummy food! I’m not quite sure why we didn’t see this when it first came out, but it seems to have been received well by …
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Christmas 2025
Here’s my annual jottings for Christmas week, 2025… After what seemed a manic period taking us up to this week, we somehow managed to get ourselves really well-organised this year, where in the week before this one, it all seemed very relaxed – just what retirement should be about (but it seemed to have eluded …
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Salvation Army Carol Concert (2025)
For reasons that I can’t recall, we haven’t been to the annual Carol Concert here at The Citadel, Kettering for the past couple of years – and it was good to be back! 👍 It’s not that we haven’t been at all, as we saw their excellent performance of The Messiah back here in April. …
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Pantomime (Cinderella) 2025
Oh, yes it is, it’s Panto Season! This year we joined Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol for Cinderella! Closer to home too, as we headed to The Lighthouse Theatre right here in Kettering, rather than the usual trip to MK! 😀. Keeping it local meant we could pay a visit to the quaint ‘Blitz Tea …
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First Carol Service of 2025
Usually, our first Carol Concert would be either The Salvation Army‘s (this Saturday at the Citadel), the Service at St Botolph’s in the nearby village of Barton Seagrave or, more recently, in the ‘other’ village – Warkton . Not this year! 🤔 Instead, Ann had spotted some Christmas promotional material for the Church of St …
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Our Anniversary (14/41)
Hi everyone! It’s our Anniversary – thanks for all your cards, texts and social media comments! 👍 😁 😁. 14/41?? As many of you know, we were married (in 2011) and first met (in 1984) both on the same date – 14 December. So it’s our ’14th’ or ’41st’, depending on when you start counting! …
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“Your Crackers, M’Lord!”
The ‘Christmas Spirit’ continues (Turkey for lunch too!) as we headed to nearby Corby, and the Savoy Cinema to see the two-act Ballet and festive favourite: The Nutcracker. At this time of year, understandably, it was a popular performance, making it impossible for all five of us (Diane, Val, Sue, Ann and me) to sit …
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Christmas TV Listings (2025)
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 these days? So how about… …that first Christmas meal? (this year, my first one was about three weeks ago! 😋😃) …or when the John Lewis Christmas TV …
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Christmas Nutters – 2025
Yes, it’s that time of year! Time for the Northants Nutters to get together for Christmas. This year, we’re one down on our complement – Richard – had double-booked himself, so that left: Nicki, Geoff & Rhonda, Paul & Sue and us two. With sit-down planned for 12.30, Nicki arrived well ahead of the Nutter …
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Trish & John’s Festive Meal 2025
With Australia calling (or at least whispering) this might be the LAST of Trish & John’s legendary annual Christmas Meal get-togethers. We’ve been going to these for what seems like, forever – and we’re sure to miss this annual gathering of our neighbours & friends for what is usually a mega-festive-feast with a Christmas Quiz …
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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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Christmas Prep
Today was all about Christmas preparations! With all the cards written, we turned to even bigger tasks! I think we’re even earlier than usual with all this – it’s still November! 🤔 First job? Put up the Christmas Tree! An hour later, mission accomplished! Next: Christmas Wreath up! Then it was setting the table for …
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First Christmas Meal!
I’m not sure whether this is a record or not for us? It certainly feels like it – it’s our first official Christmas meal of 2025 – and it’s not even December yet! 😮. Last year, I had to wait until December 7th for my first festive nibble (but c’mon, we had only just returned …
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Warner Weekend 2025 – Return to Holme Lacy (Day 3)
The Northants Nutters (aka, Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda and us two, plus ‘Honorary Nutters: Richard and Nicki) are at Warner’s Holme Lacy House. Last time were here was in March 2020 – just prior to COVID – it was therefore good to be back under less threatening circumstances. This is our last full …
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Warner Weekend 2025 – Return to Holme Lacy (Day 2)
The Northants Nutters (aka, Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda and us two, plus ‘Honorary Nutters: Richard and Nicki) are here at Warner’s Holme Lacy House. Last time were here was in March 2020 – just prior to COVID – it was therefore good to be back under less threatening circumstances. Welcome to Day 2! …
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Warner Weekend 2025 – Return to Holme Lacy (Day 1)
With apologies to Dean Martin: “The weather outside is frightful, but heading away for the weekend is delightful!“. Time for the self-titled Northants Nutters (aka, Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda and us two, plus ‘Honorary Nutters: Richard and Nicki) to re-assemble and head for Warner’s Holme Lacy House. The last time the Nutters were …
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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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Winner, Winner! TV Dinner! – Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
For me, as a BIG Marvel fan (since the very first in 2008), I can’t quite recall why I didn’t see this at the cinema when it was released back in July of this year. Maybe it was simply that the highly infectious ailment called ‘super-hero fatigue’ had finally caught up with me too, after …
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Holiday: Spain (2025)
Friday, 31st October We flew out to Spain to catch up with long-time mates Roy & Susan. Roy sits amongst that small group of longtime friends, who I’ve known for close on 45 years – and we’re looking forward to a week of R&R at their place with plenty of time to reminisce! 👍 In …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2025)
Yes, it’s that time of year again! The John Lewis Christmas Advert launched at 8am this morning! As many of you know, I normally post about their annual offering. This year’s has no words and is a real tear-jerker. It was launched 10 days earlier than 2024’s (I nearly missed it!) and created once again …
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The Importance of Being Earliest
Well, we haven’t done this in a while! The last time we saw this Play was back in July, 2021 at Tolethorpe Hall. We headed off to Stratford upon Avon and The Bear Pit to see the matinée performance by Am-Dram group, Second Thoughts of The Importance of Being Earnest. It starred good mate and …
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Two for Who!
Fellow Doctor Who fan, Jo and I took a drive over to Peterborough today. It was a rare opportunity to visit the City that’s hosting an unofficial Doctor Who Exhibition at their Museum & Art Gallery. It’s been running since May this year (ending on 2 November) and has turned out to be extremely popular. …
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Lincoln Castle and Prison with Dennis and Sandra
We’re off to Prison with Dennis and Sandra – the Victorian Prison inside Lincoln Castle. We set off just after 9am and enjoyed a strangely uneventful journey north – even the A1 was quiet! 🤔 This is our 19th cultural day out together with our friends since we started these back in February, 2017. So …
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Passion in Paphos
Here we are in Cyprus! We’re here for a week, where the main event is the marriage of Sean and Kellie this coming Thursday! What follows is a much briefer account than my usual Posts (‘hooray!’ say some!) as I took the decision to travel light and leave the laptop behind and attempted to record …
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Holiday: Margate (Day 4)
Morning All! It’s our last day in Margate today 😁. Before we take the Train back to reality later this afternoon , we had a list – albeit a short one – of a few more places to visit here! Welcome to ‘Day 4’ loyal Reader! – good to have you back – final day, …
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Holiday: Margate (Day 3)
Morning all 😁 After last night’s celebrations, I’m feeling just a little frayed around the edges! 🥱. I think it’s a combination of too much food, too much drink and too much fun! I know… ‘poor love!’ 🤔 9.40am: Consequently, it was an agreed later start for us all this morning and by the time …
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