If you’re seeing this, it looks like Mr Google has sorted out the issue where posting Blogs with photos included weren’t posting. Now they are! The Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Turkish Delight: Day 1 – Istanbul (Topkapi Palace and More)
With Istanbul’s ‘call to prayer‘ meaning there was no need for an alarm clock, we woke at around 7.15! Eeek! that’s 4.15am back at home! Oh joy!And to add to the challenges, the weather forecast doesn’t look that good either – but on a more positive note, at least it’s going to be dry. First …
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Turkish Delight: Day 0 – Istanbul (Arrival)
We dropped Biscuit off at Val’s yesterday, leaving us all set for a early(ish) departure from ours. We left just after 7.15 and looking at the volume of traffic on the A14 & M6, we were soon reminded of the ‘joys’ of the daily commute! Next stop was Birmingham Airport and a date with a …
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What! No photos!!! :(
Since 2004, ‘Blogger’ is the platform I’ve used to post to my Blog using the App: Open Live Writer (OLW). Open Live Writer is now maintained by a group of volunteers who donated the App when Microsoft abandoned it a few years back. Yesterday, without warning, after years of flawless service, a major glitch affected …
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Film: The Post
It was off to the Kettering Odeon tonight for 5.45pm performance of The Post. We were very much looking forward to this, given the partnership of Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg (apparently, the first time they’ve all worked together on the same film). The storyline follows the New York Times’ and Washington Post’s …
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Laptop Coaching: eMail (Parts 2 & 3)
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: After last week’s imaginatively titled Lesson: ‘eMail (Part 1)’, it was inevitable that this week, we’d continue to take a look at this important and regular activity. We agreed with the Group to run a double lesson – one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, in order …
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Tech Alert No. 738 (Sky Q Cabling)
Well, after having my rather gorgeous Yamaha RXA1060 AV Receiver for almost a year – and being super-pleased with it – I’ve discovered that after all that time, I had the main cabling slightly wrong! OK, all the connected tech had worked flawlessly – TV, Blu-Ray DVDs, Phone, Our Digital Music Library and Net Radio …
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The Gang’s All Here (almost!)
Yep, another (very pleasant) excuse to get together with our good friends and neighbours – the return of Tom and Julie from their long break in Tenerife! It was almost the ‘full gang’ except for Rosi who couldn’t make it, as she was poorly with this dreaded ‘flu thing’ that’s doing the rounds. Paul and …
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George and the Flagon
We haven’t been here since we had lunch with Ian and Ann a couple of weeks ago and so It was a welcome return to The George in Stamford today. Today’s treat was lunch with another of our oldest friends – Mick and Jane. We set off just before 11.30 and into some atrocious driving …
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Laptop Coaching: eMail (Part 1)
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we began looking at eMail ‘best practice’ in the first of two lessons covering this essential computer-related activity.
Laptop Coaching: Secrets of Google Search
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we took the group through the essentials of using Google as a Search Engine. In part two, we revealed a number of ‘lesser-known’ Google-search-methods designed to help them find their answers more quickly.
A Birthday Surprise for Trish
What a nice thought! Rosi arranged a surprise afternoon get-together for Trish who recently celebrated a ‘significant’ birthday. A cunning plan was hatched! We were all to arrive around 3pm, with Trish and John arriving at 3.30, thinking they were just popping-in for a post-birthday cuppa and a nibble! It all went perfectly to plan …
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Twelfth on Twelfth at 12!
More by happy accident than perfect timing, we headed off to Stratford-upon-Avon today with Chris and Gill to see the RSC’s matinee performance of Twelfth Night – actually on twelfth night! Continuing the ‘12’ theme, we sat down for lunch just before Noon! What are the chances ehh? I remember studying this Play at school …
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George and the Flame Thrower
Ian and Ann met us at ours today. We had a long-standing date to take them out for a slap-up lunch at The George Hotel in Stamford in celebration of their birthdays last year. It’s always more than just a meal at The George, and today was no exception……superb food, fantastic service resulting in a …
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Film: Darkest Hour
Well that’s a first! Thanks to Sky and their newly launched VIP Programme, we were offered two free tickets to see Darkest Hour A WHOLE WEEK AHEAD of its general release. The only slight downside was that we had to drive all the way over to Cineworld in Milton Keynes to see it, but it was …
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Laptop Coaching: New Year Recap
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: After the Christmas and new year break, we used the first half of the lesson to ‘blow away the cobwebs’ by way of a Quiz recapping on the main features of Windows 10. In the second part of the lesson, we helped Pat, Dave and Charles convert their Windows …
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New Year’s Eve 2017
A busy New Year’s Eve! First up, we joined Jo, Janet and Carol at the local Odeon for the 3.15 performance of the movie: The Greatest Showman starring a clean-shaven Hugh Jackman (free from his Wolverine alter-ego). The movie is based on P. T. Barnum‘s creation of the the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Initially, I …
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That Lyveden Look!
Post Christmas, it’s always good to blow away the cobwebs and begin to get back into the routine of ‘keeping active’. With that in mind, Chris and Gill popped round and we headed off to National Trust’s Lyveden. We haven’t been there since August 2011! and blow away the cobwebs it certainly did! In fact, …
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Christmas 2017
Christmas EveIt’s Christmas and we’ve got a busy (and very enjoyable) schedule. As normal, for us, it’s all about the ‘Four Fs of Christmas’ – Family, Friends, Food and Films! We set off for Denis’ just before 10am. Lee remained at ours (she’s not been so good travelling these days), and we arrived just after …
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Doctor Who Christmas Special 2017 – Twice Upon a Time
Well, here we go again – it’s Christmas and it’s the Doctor Who Special. However, this year, on the ‘scale of special’ ranging from 0 to 5 (If you’re a Who fan), this one is likely to end up ranking around 7 (probably at about the same time as the internet catches fire at 6.30, …
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Pre-Christmas Nibbles
We spent the morning tidying-up the house in preparation for our Christmas visitors. This year, we have Lee staying with us until after the Christmas period, up to Denis’ for our Christmas Eve meal with him and Bev. Then it’s just us three for Christmas Day with Roger, Jane and Oliver joining us for Boxing …
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Technology Classes: Restarting in 2018
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Well, that’s it for 2017! I’ve finished my final Class for this year. Classes resume on 2nd January with the ‘Tuesday Laptop’ group. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all my pupils past and present!
Film: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
This is spoiler-free, so if you’ve not seen it yet, you can safely read this, and go with unbiased eyes. Jo managed to bag some tickets for Star Wars: The Last Jedi tonight at the local Odeon. Much has been written about this episode (and no doubt, much WILL be written once it’s left the …
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Tablet Coaching: Certification
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, the Tuesday Tablet Class completed their Programme. After 45 hours of Coaching with me, Pat, Yvonne, Don and Helen received their Certificates.
Laptop Coaching: 1-to-1s/Q and As
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: In our last lesson before Christmas, today, we carried out some 1-to-1 sessions and also held a ‘Q and A’ for general laptop queries.
Laptop Coaching: Certification
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, the Monday Class completed their Programme with me. After 50+ hours of coaching, today was the day Pam, Hazel, Brenda, Norman and Walter received their Certificates.
Anniversary 2017 – Spain (Day 6) – Around Málaga by Bus (Last Day)
Today is our last full day here as we’re flying home tomorrow. If the weather forecast is reliable, we plan to make it ‘a local day’ and see as much as we can, on our doorstep, here in Málaga. We decided that the most effective way to do it was using the hop-on/hop-off open-top Bus …
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Anniversary 2017 – Spain (Day 5) – The Alhambra – Granada
Ouch! It’s not a great day weather-wise, but I’m sure we’ll make the most of it! Brollies are packed!! Oh, and gloves – after yesterday’s temperatures! Today, we’re off to Granada by local bus (90 minutes) to The Alhambra – it’s the most visited tourist attraction in Spain, so we just had to do it! …
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Anniversary 2017 – Spain (Day 4) Our Anniversary – Córdoba
Non-Scorchio! Today is our 6th Wedding Anniversary – and 33 years to the day since we first met! We always do something special on this day, and being in Spain was no exception. We said goodbye to Seville and headed for Córdoba by train. We’ll finish our day by heading to Málaga and our final …
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Anniversary 2017 – Spain (Day 3): The Train in Spain – Cádiz
Today’s adventure was visiting Cádiz by Train. We’re scheduled on the 9.47 from Seville that gets us to our destination by 11.26 – all for the measly sum of £24 each return (not bad for the distance travelled!). It’s our last day here today, before we head back to Málaga and our second hotel… for …
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