We’re off! From home, we took the train (1 hour) into St Pancras International and then the tube to Heathrow T5 (65 minutes and 25 stops!). It was all a bit of a challenge with four suitcases, two carry-on bags, two handbags, a back-pack and a laptop case – but at least they saw us …
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The Great (Fire)Wall of China!
It’s our big holiday-of-the year soon – to China – with our long-time travel companions, Ralph and Karen. But this trip is going to be a little different from our previous adventures together in terms of how we keep you up to date. Why? In China, most western-based social media activity is completely blocked or …
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First Visit: The Old Pheasant, Glaston
Our first visit tonight to The Old Pheasant in Glaston where where we met up with long-time friends, Mick and Jane for one of our regular catch-ups. We last got together at The Fox back in April, so it’s been a while, and there was plenty of news to catch up with! Tonight, our location-of-choice …
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London Mini-Break – Day 3 (of 3): Suits you Sir!
Our final day in London today! Ahh, that’s better! I feel a walk down Oxford Street coming on (before midday!) On our list today… 9.20am: We were out earlier than yesterday, but confident we’d miss the rush on the Tube. How wrong we were! It was nose-to-armpit for the whole of our journey in, and …
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London Mini-Break – Day 2 (of 3): Birthday Boy (2019)
Here we are then, in the capital for my Birthday celebrations! After yesterday’s retail therapy, today, it’s all about sightseeing, and we’re off to visit Westminster Abbey and The Banqueting House …and maybe more!That means there’s at least THREE relics on show in London today then! 😉 7.20am: Another lie-in – that’s the second one …
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London Mini-Break – Day 1 (of 3)
We’re on a three-day mini-break in London that’ll incorporate my birthday celebrations tomorrow. Last time we visited the capital was back in August when we stayed ‘up-west’. This time though, we’re on the opposite side (literally) and heading for east London where Stratford will be our home for the duration. 9.35am: OK, the weather forecast …
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Noshing with the Neighbours
Well, we haven’t done this in a while! – a mega-neighbours’ get-together! Whereas last year, during the World Cup, we were in each other’s homes for most of the matches, enjoying endless food and drink – in 2019, not so much! Still, Ann and I soon remedied that with an open invitation to 16 of …
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A Touch of the Exotic
Gosh! It’s been a while since we were last here! – November 2016 actually! We journeyed to the centre of Kettering town with Julie and Bev for a Curry at the excitingly-named (and once oft-visited) The Exotic Dining. The food has always been excellent here and I’m not sure why we’ve been away so long …
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Best Nest!
Ann and I drove over to Stratford-upon Avon for our regular(ish) get-together with good friends: Alan, Mags, Ian and Ann. Our eatery of choice this time was The Swan’s Nest Hotel opposite the River. It was the in-house eatery Bistrot Pierre that was our ultimate destination and I thought we’d never been to it before, …
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Film: Downton Abbey
Off to our fave cinema – Cineworld at Rushden Lakes – for the just-released TV-series-turned-movie: Downton Abbey. If you fancy a ‘bit of posh’ you couldn’t do better than this! 🤗. Most of the recurring characters from the TV series make it to the big-screen outing, with just a few omissions (due to actors’ unavailability). …
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£1-a-Day (2019) – How Did We Do?
£1-a-Day 2019
How Did We Do?
Archery Outside-In
Friday is here again and that means our Archery Lessons continue… This is our last week (for 2019) where the Club will be shooting outside (due to an earlier sunset affecting the light). Next time we move inside to a local school until March-time next year. Due to other commitments – including a holiday – …
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Six Go Swinging!
A short drive to Rushden tonight with David, Valerie, Jo and Janet for the Rushden & District RAFA’s “Swing’s the Thing” Concert. We’d been invited to this fund-raising event by good friends Richard and Pauline, and being local, it didn’t take us long to get there. However, our unfamiliarity with the immediate area meant that …
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£1-a-Day (2019)
Well, here we go! David and I are doing our charity ‘thing’ again this year – starting today – and living on just £1 a day for food and drink for the next seven days! 😊 This year, we also have new recruit ‘Helen’ joining us in lieu of her hubby Paul, (who’s taking the …
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Queen’s Greatest Bits II
It’s another day-out with friends – this time, we’re heading for Buckingham Palace, meeting Roy and Susan. So, we headed off to London (via Huntingdon Station) by train, for the 12.30 Palace Tour. We’re choosing Huntingdon these days over Bedford and Kettering simply because: there’s more trains; the tickets are cheaper and the parking is …
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Family Weekend
Roger, Jane and Oliver joined us for the weekend! 😍 Saturday The main event for today was a picnic at Belton House and then a walk around the historic Mansion and Gardens. I think it’s our most oft-visited stately home having been there recently (ish) with with Dennis and Sandra back in May, 2018 and …
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Bow Best?
It was our weekly Archery Class tonight! So, after my generally sub-par performance last week, I’m hoping I’ll be on better form tonight – especially as my Mentor, Dave, is back to keep an eye on me! Again tonight, conditions were perfect – not too warm, not too cold with a gentle breeze. It was …
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August Bank Holiday 2019 – West London
We always like to do something a little special for the August Bank Holiday – and this year was no different as we’d planned a two-day break in London. The weather forecast promised a scorcher (especially in the capital) where temperatures are predicted to hit the low-thirties! Apparently another temperature-record will be broken today according …
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Picnic Saturday
A scorcher of a weekend is promised, so what better time than today for a picnic! ..and what could be more perfect than Fineshade Wood (the clue’s in the name!) for some fine picnicking in a Wood in the shade! – and it’s only a thirty-or-so minute drive away too! The Wood is managed by …
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Archery Absentees!
After a two-week absence, (Film Night two weeks ago and rain stopped play for the whole Club last week) we’re back to the Bows tonight! Weather-wise, it was a scorcher – a great start to the Bank Holiday weekend! 😎😎 And the weather seemed out bring out the members too! – a record attendance for …
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First Visit: The National Memorial Arboretum
Today, a planned day out with David and Valerie to the National Memorial Arboretum. It was a return visit for David and Valerie, but it was our first! Thank goodness then, that the rain has stopped, as a month’s worth fell in a day yesterday over the UK! (although it did belt it down briefly …
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First Visit: Farnborough Hall
Another one our of cultural days out, meeting up with Ian and Ann along the way, heading for National Trust’s Farnborough Hall. Located off the M40 between Banbury and Gaydon, the Grade I listed property (and its gardens) has been owned by the National Trust since 1960, when the Holbech family endowed it to them. …
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Kilworth Cats!
Off to Kilworth Theatre today with Ann, Janet, Jo and Carol to see the theatre’s production of ‘Cats‘. Am I the only person to have never a ‘Cats’ production before? Quite possibly! Last time we were here was back in June, to see Joseph – and today was just as busy! West End quality without …
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♪♪ Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightening! ♪♪
With both A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody (planned for LunaFlix’s outdoor cinema this weekend at Boughton House) postponed because of the weather forecast, we needed a ‘Plan B’! That’s the first time that the weather has disrupted this annual event – totally unexpected in AUGUST! 😮 The replacement dates didn’t work for any …
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The Vast and the Curious
Off to the vastness of an iMax screen this evening (courtesy of Cineworld, Rushden Lakes) with Jo and Janet. I’m curious to see if the ‘love-child’ of the mighty Fast and Furious franchise is any good. Step forward then, the imaginatively titled: Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw. Petrol-heads Rejoice… When the first Fast and …
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Glove Story!
Where do I begin..? Both Ann and I are getting serious about our Friday-night Archery Classes, and it was therefore time to start investing in some kit of our own. So, earlier in the week, after some recommendations, we took the short drive to the local Archery Shop in Burton Latimer – TargetCraft – to …
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The Palace and the Pub
Off to visit Apethorpe Palace today with Chris and Gill! The Palace We last visited here back in August 2011 with Nicki, when it was known simply as Apethorpe Hall. Since that time, it’s been sold-off by English Heritage (December 2014) to one Baron von Pfetten, a French anglophile. English Heritage are still responsible for …
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Long(bow) Story Short!
So, with Friday here again, it’s time for our weekly Archery Lessons courtesy of Kettering Archers. For me, tonight is extra special as I’ve traded-up to a proper English Longbow! – and it came with some expert coaching from one of KA’s experienced Bowmen, Dave. Although it’s perfectly possible to use the Longbow for target …
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Silverstone Classic 2019 – The Cars are the Stars
We headed over to Chris and Gill’s today, and then to this year’s Silverstone Classic. Obviously, it’s all about the cars and so I’ll minimise the word-count in this Post and let the pictures tell the story! The weather was spot-on today. After the mega-heatwave of the past few days, it was just perfect! – …
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Film: The Lion King
We headed over to Cineworld at Rushden Lakes this evening to catch the latest cinematic incarnation of ‘The Lion King‘. Featuring the voice-talents of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (as well as James Earl Jones reprising his role from the original film) the …
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