Here we are then: the second Friday in November, 8am, and the new John Lewis Christmas advert for 2018 has been released. The Boy and the Piano…Here is the official storyline from JL… “This year’s story is about the power of a gift. And how that gift inspired, changed and influenced the course of a …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 6 – ‘Demons of the Punjab’
Oh dear! For me, this series is just going from bad to worse. Nothing wrong with the acting, it’s just the very simplistic scripts and the lack of any real tension to-date, resulting in truly FORGETTABLE episodes. The Media too, are now starting to ask questions about the Programme and its overall tone. Last week’s: …
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Floats my Boat!
Another first today for me, as David & I travelled over to Leamington to visit the Annual International Model Boat Show for 2018 at the Warwickshire Events Centre. Today was the first day, and the event runs until Sunday. Programme and more information HERE (.pdf) We arrived just before the doors opened at 10am – …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 5 – ‘The Tsuranga Conundrum’
Well, we’re halfway through this series and for me so far, it’s all been a bit underwhelming – except last week’s, which was even worse with its Pantomime bad-guy, a plodding script and characters who I just don’t relate to) – a real snorefest! © BBC Well, let’s hope tonight’s episode is an improvement. I’ve deliberately …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 4 – ‘Arachnids in the UK’
Ooo-err missus! As the title suggests, it’s not an episode to watch if you’ve any issues with spiders! More importantly though, four episodes in, did this story have legs? Well, the straight-into-the-title-sequence still takes a bit of getting used to, but that’ll pass, so back to the story itself. Unlike last week’s episode, this one …
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Lee’s Memorial Lunch
Today was a very special day. Our good friend Lee, who passed-away in June was remembered and celebrated at a very special occasion. We booked a table in the Oak Room at The George Hotel in Stamford and invited all the people she was really close to. We sort of went in convoy: David & …
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El Greco
It was over to Stratford-upon-Avon tonight to catch up with Ian, Ann McL, Mags and newly retired Alan! Our restaurant of choice was El Greco’s in Rother Street. It’s a family-run affair and tonight was to be our first visit. Our journey there was a bit sluggish in places but we’d allowed plenty of time …
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Unchartered Territory
Chris A picked me up this morning and we headed for Nuneaton. More specifically, the unchartered territory (for me, anyway) of Axminster’s Tools & Machinery. Talk about “big boys’ toys”! It made B&Q look like a toy shop!I rather fancied some of the milling machines – and trust me to be attracted to the one …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 3 – ‘Rosa’
Episode 3 and the first period piece in this revamped ‘Who’. Tonight’s yarn revolved around the civil rights activist Rosa Parks and that pivotal moment in her life. A pretty engaging storyline followed with a fair number of tense moments. The music (that I was so indifferent about before) was perfectly suited in tonight’s episode …
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Bolsover Castle with Dennis & Sandra
We headed for Bolsover Castle today to meet up with our friends: Dennis and Sandra. We haven’t seen them since we all visited Belton House back in May, and it was good to catch-up. 9.20am: ETA was 11am, so we left just before 9.30 and had a trouble-free journey there (although the traffic on the …
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Gin and Fizz
It was a walk down to Jo and Janet’s tonight as we’d been invited to one of their legendary ‘Gin & Fizz’ Evenings. With Paul and Karen to accompany us, it was just a short walk to enjoy (for the gin lovers) a range of Gins… and for the gin haters, plenty of Bubbly. Janet …
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Ahoy Sailor!
Ann bought me a remote control boat for my Birthday – the snappily titled gizmovine t01 – and today was my first opportunity to try it out. Click on the picture for a short video So, David and I headed down to Wicksteed Park and their boating pool. The conditions were perfect in that there was no …
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Laptop Coaching: Certification Day
With the 29th (and final) lesson completed today, Ron, Elaine, Sue and Sally took ‘centre stage’ and received their Certificates. We’ve covered over 75 hours of training and coaching with this Group and the small class size has allowed us to cover more topics in more depth. Congratulations Team! Now go and have fun with …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 2 – ‘The Ghost Monument’
Ahh, another change – the title sequence was right at the front of the episode! I wasn’t expecting that! …and I think the new theme tune is growing on me too. The promise of these new episodes having more of a cinematic feel certainly played-out in this episode – the crash-landing space-ship in one of …
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Rick Wakeman at the Derngate
We haven’t been to the Derngate since last November when we saw Rob Brydon. And just like last time we dropped into Pamukkale, the Turkish restaurant, just down the road, before the Show. It didn’t disappoint, in lots of ways and also seems to have expanded since we were last there – taking over the …
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Laptop Coaching: Extended Q and A
Today, in the penultimate Lesson for this group, we ran an extended open session answering specific ‘Windows 10-related’ questions. from WordPress https://stevethetechguru.wordpress.com/2018/10/08/laptop-coaching-extended-q-and-a/
£1-a-Day (2018) – How Did We Do?
Well, that’s it, I’m done for 2018’s Challenge! David, Paul and I have now survived this year’s challenge of living on a £1 a day each, for food and drink, for seven days.It’s 5.30am on the 8th (the day after this year’s campaign ended) and as I write this Blog, the donations stand at an …
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Doctor Who – Series 11, Episode 1 – ‘The Girl Who Fell to Earth’
Well, I can’t possibly compete with the amount of ‘stuff’ that going to be written about this pivotal episode – so I won’t!. The BBC had a good summary HERE on their news site of what the Critics said… First of all, there are some big changes all around! And I do mean BIG!! To …
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Sunday Scramble 2018
Another first for us today! We met up with Chris A and Gill’s brother, Andrew, at Bicester’s ‘Sunday Scramble’. Hosted at RAF Bicester, it was conceived in 2014 for a meet-up for car enthusiasts involved in car restoration. It’s ‘moved on’ a bit since then and were told it would be well-supported. We left relatively …
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Laptop Coaching: Customising your Desktop
Today we discussed how to change the ‘look’ of Windows 10. This included:- from WordPress https://stevethetechguru.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/laptop-coaching-customising-your-desktop/
£1-a-Day (2018)
Well, here we are again! Starting today, it’s my ‘Pound-a-Day’ week for 2018! This my FIFTH year exercising this little bit a will-power by living on £1 a day for a week – for all food and drink. I’m being joined again by mates, David Ablett (also in his 5th year) and Paul Marsh (returning …
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France 2018: Day 8 – La Ciotat (Last Day in France)
Our Adventures so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Day 3 – Arrival in Nimes (Saturday) Day 4 – Nimes in more detail(Sunday) Day 5 – Marseille, here we come!(Monday) Day 6 – On the Buses!(Tuesday) Day 7 – Chateau d’If & Birthday Boy(Wednesday) Day 8 – …
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France 2018: Day 7 – Chateau d’If and Birthday Boy
Our Adventures so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Day 3 – Arrival in Nimes (Saturday) Day 4 – Nimes in more detail(Sunday) Day 5 – Marseille, here we come!(Monday) Day 6 – On the Buses!(Tuesday) Wednesday Whilst most would be content with a trip to …
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France 2018: Day 6 – On the Buses!
Our Adventures so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Day 3 – Arrival in Nimes (Saturday) Day 4 – Nimes in more detail(Sunday) Day 5 – Marseille, here we come!(Monday) Tuesday Blakey might have hated Butler, but he would have loved the route today. We’re on the …
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France 2018: Day 5 – Marseille, here we come!
Our Adventures so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Day 3 – Arrival in Nimes (Saturday) Day 4 – Nimes in more detail(Sunday) Monday Welcome back loyal Reader! (The Bodyguard finalé was good wasn’t it!?) Today, we travel to our third and final Hotel. Our new …
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France 2018: Day 4 – More about Nimes
Our Adventures so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Day 3 – Arrival in Nimes(Saturday) Sunday We’re remaining very local today, and exploring Nimes in more detail. You can download a VERY large map (3448 X 2419 pixels) of the local area HERE Another …
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France 2018: Day 3 – All aboard the Train to Nimes
Our Adventure so far… Arrival in Lyon (Wednesday) Day 1 – Lyon (Thursday) Day 2 – Vienne by Train (Friday) Saturday 8.45am: A lazy breakfast here in Lyon before boarding the TGV Train bound for Nimes, or Nîmes as most of the French write it. It’s famous for being the ‘most Roman city outside Italy’ – …
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France 2018: Day 2 – Vienne by Train
Our adventures so far… Arrival(Wednesday) Day 1(Yesterday) Friday Today is our final full day here, and we’re jumping on the Train to visit nearby Vienne. Vienne is located 35 kilometres south of Lyon, on the river Rhône and is famous for its ancient Roman Theatre. Built in 1AD, It was re-inaugurated in 1938 and since …
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France 2018: Day 1 – Sightseeing in Lyon
Our adventures so far… Yesterday… (click to view) Thursday A local commented last night that the temperature here is a full 10 degrees above the average for this time of year – and there’s another scorcher in store for us today. In celebration, as well as the Sun, my kneecaps are out of trousers, but …
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France 2018: Day 0 – Arrival
Bonjour loyal Readers! Our next travel adventure means we’re off to France as part of my Birthday celebrations! What makes this a tad unique is that after flying to Lyon, we’re doing the rest of it using the French train network!8.45am: So, first of all, it’s off to Brum Airport… …and then we’re flying to …
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