9.12am: We’re off! Continuing our holiday breaks around the UK, this time we’re heading for Devon and Cornwall. Our mission? To explore this ‘long skinny part’ of England in some detail and force the National Trust card into meltdown (we have around 8 locations on the list!). And with our English Heritage cards looking on …
Read More
Film: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Those that know me, know that I like my superhero movies! My favourite film studio is Marvel and the cinema chain of choice for me, Cineworld. So, combine all of these at the same time and I’m in heaven (well, hopefully, Cineworld at nearby Rushden Lakes!). Just leave me in one of their comfy seats, …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Exotic Dining in Kettering
To be honest, you don’t often see the words: exotic, dining and Kettering in the same sentence, but on this occasion, the title should be read literally! Cunningly concealed above the vacated town-centre Argos is: The Exotic Dining – the perfect location if you fancy a REALLY good curry! (Pedantically speaking it’s actual Indian and …
Read More
Days Out: The Ashmolean Revisited
We drove to Oxford today to meet up with long-time friends Chris & Louise – it was a suitable halfway house for all parties. Being great fans of The Ashmolean (having been there in November 2011, March 2012, September 2013, March 2014 and May 2018) we agreed to meet at Peartree Park and Ride and …
Read More
Warner Weekend 2021
We’re off on our annual Warner Weekend with our ‘Northants Nutter’ friends, Paul, Sue, Geoff and Rhonda. This is our third visit to Warner’s since 2019, and they’ve all been great fun, with plenty to keep us occupied and offering great value for money. This year, our destination is Warner’s Gunton Hall nestled between Great …
Read More
Pub Addict!
Well, not really! But visiting the same Pub – the Olde Victoria – within the same week does sound kind of excessive! OK, we weren’t there for the beer, but we were there for the food and company! 😀 On this occasion, catching up with friends, Richard and Pauline (who we haven’t seen since December …
Read More
Saturday (Stuffed!)
I don’t think we’ve ever had a Saturday like this! It was pretty much wall-to-wall eating for the whole day! Tough life ehh!!! 👍 First stop was a celebratory lunch at Rushton Hall with our good friend Chris A in honour of his recent birthday. It looked like the weather was going to stay dry, …
Read More
Lunch: Northants Nutters Reassemble at The Olde Victoria
It’s been quite a while since we were last here! Ann and I met the rest of ‘The Northants Nutters’ aka Paul, Sue, Geoff, Rhonda at The Olde Victoria for lunch today. And good to see that the Menu was as enticing as ever! 👍 The food and service, as always, was spot-on, and we …
Read More
Theatre: “Memories of the Musicals”
It’s theatre time again for us! Today, we headed to Kilworth and their outdoor Theatre to see a very special production called: Memories of the Musicals. Billed as… “a full-length show featuring the very best songs from every one of the nineteen musicals produced at Kilworth House Theatre since the theatre opened in 2007. Six …
Read More
Pub Lunch: Queen’s Head at Bulwick
Super Sociable Saturday and Sunday!
It was one of those fantastic weekends where we spent 99% of the time eating, drinking and enjoying the company of good friends! It’s a tough life!!! 😀 Saturday The morning was spent preparing stuff and having a final tidy-up in readiness for our guests. Just after midday, Ralph and Karen joined us, and after …
Read More
Film: Black Widow
It’s been a while since we last went to the cinema (December, last year, when we saw Wonder Woman 1984). That visit was to the local Odeon, but it’s been even longer (August, 2020 – almost a year) since we went to the shinier, newer, Cineworld, here at Rushden Lakes to see Christopher Nolan’s mind-boggling …
Read More
Theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest at Tolethorpe Hall
We headed for Tolethorpe Hall near Stamford today to see the latest production of The Importance of Being Earnest by the Stamford Shakespeare Company. We haven’t been to Tolethorpe since July, 2015, where we saw Henry V – quite a while! And going further back in time, we last saw a previous production of the …
Read More
Coronavirus: ‘Freedom Day’
Today was supposed to be a day of celebration when everything returned to normal for us here in England! ‘Freedom Day’, as it became dubbed by the Media, was promised to be the day when we all got our lives back. The bottom line? – best not to ditch those face-coverings just yet!! 😯 Mixed …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 9 (Last Day)
Morning all! It’s ‘Day 9’ – our last full day here. We’re exploring the east of the Isle, taking in the sights and sounds of Godshill, Bembridge Windmill, Bembridge, the Gin Distillery, Ryde (and its Pier) and finally Fishbourne – where we’re also going to charge the car for the trip home tomorrow. Here’s what …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 8
Welcome back, loyal Reader! A change of pace today, as we skipped our breakfast. Instead, a cuppa in our room. We also abandoned our daily ‘let’s leave sharp, whilst it’s cool’ plan! Anyone would think we had a late night last night!!! What a couple of lightweights ehh? 😉 The plan today is to forego …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 7
Morning all! We’ve three days remaining on the Isle before we head home and the weather so far has been fantastic! Today looks to be much the same, maybe even warmer!! 😎😎 A packed programme sees us heading north to Newport, then southwards to Carisbrooke Castle, followed by a visit the Isle’s famous garlic farm, …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 6
Today, we’re heading West along the coast road, taking in The Needles, English Heritage’s Yarmouth Castle together with the town of Yarmouth and finishing at National Trust’s Mottistone Gardens. Phew! 9.15am/21°C: We decided to set off sharp today. Why? The weather forecast is promising a scorching 24°C by lunchtime, and it’s already 21°C. After enjoying …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 5
So, it was goodbye to Portsmouth today, as we headed for the Ferry Terminal in Southampton and our 11am crossing to the Isle of Wight. For the remaining days of our holiday, we’re staying at the quaintly named Wight Mouse Inn in Chale, located in the south of the Isle (more about that later). For …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 4
Hello All! Yes, it’s Monday and the forecast is rain!! – and no, I’m definitely not going to comment on last night’s soccer result! There’s an air of gloom around the hotel this morning! ☹️ We’re now four days into our break – here’s what you’ve missed… Blog – Day 1Blog – Day 2Blog – …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 3
Morning Reader! Ahh, that’s more like it on the weather front- only a very slight chance of rain! I plugged the car in for a top-up without any drama and we headed for breakfast. For our main event, today, we’re off to where The Repair Shop is filmed, located in the… Weald & Downland Living …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 2
Hopefully, a less stressful day today, after yesterday’s various ‘challenges’. The weather looks a bit disappointing though! 9.25am: We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with plenty of variety on the menu. It was also very quiet, which was somewhat surprising after hearing herds of sprogs screaming in the corridor last night and earlier this morning (it’s …
Read More
Holiday: Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – Day 1
10.07am: It’s just after 10am and our journey begins! We’ve got ‘Robert‘, our EV, fully charged with 245 miles of range, and we plan to get to our first stop by lunchtime. With our overseas foreign travel on the back-burner, we’re taking time to visit – and revisit – places on our doorstep (ish). Our …
Read More
Return (of the return) to Saxon Mill
We returned to the Saxon Mill in Warwick today to meet up with Alan and Mags (Ian & Ann couldn’t make it). This is now becoming our most-visited out-of-Kettering eatery. To date, the food and service has always been top-notch – but today was a little different. It was certainly very busy when we sat …
Read More
Worth a Visit to Shuttleworth
We haven’t been to Shuttleworth since September, 2017 with Chris and Gill. Today, we met up with Roger, Jane, Oliver, Chris, Kate, Ali, Alison, Jake, Zidane and Sami – a family affair! We started out from nearby Biggleswade Sainsbury’s at around 11.30, before heading off, in convoy, to our destination. The weather forecast wasn’t brilliant, …
Read More
Euro 2020 Get-together
Ahh, that’s more like it! It felt like ‘pre-Covid days’, socialising with our neighbours over a meal!! 👍 With all the necessary COVID rules strictly adhered to, Paul and Karen invited (just) a few of us round to theirs tonight for a meal and to watch the soccer – we were there to see England …
Read More
George Gorge!
After taking a trip up to Heckington to visit Denis and Mae’s grave (our first visit since Denis’s funeral back in April last year), we dropped into The George Hotel in Stamford for one of their legendary Afternoon Teas (courtesy of Dennis and Sandra’s Birthday pressy to Ann!) What a surprise – it was delicious! …
Read More
Tring Thing!
I caught up with Angela today at the King’s Arms in Tring. The venue was chosen because it was roughly halfway between us. I thought I knew Tring, but as I approached the town, it all felt very unfamiliar! What a lovely town though! – very leafy, a nice parade of shops and where the …
Read More
