Well, this is a big one! There are three parts to our latest adventure and it began with getting the 11.56 out of Kettering – destination Vancouver, Canada! Things didn’t start well! The train was late and after we got to T3 at Heathrow, checked in and boarded the plane, the pilot calmly announced that …
Read More
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 8: ‘The Lie of the Land’
Wow! Another great episode – and that’s the truth – although I did feel that the ending was a bit of an anti-climax. Still, at least the leaked images of the ‘regeneration scene’ have now been satisfactorily explained!
Laptop Coaching: Recap – Google Maps
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: With only about 6 lessons left for this Class, we’re going to use the remaining time we have left to recap a range of topics. Today, it’s a return to using the many features of Google Maps.
Return to Canon’s Ashby
It was off to National Trust’s Canon’s Ashby today to meet up with Ian and Ann. With a communal picnic arranged and a pukka parking spot for their motor-home just outside the main car-park, we had all the ingredients of a perfect day! We haven’t been here since (we think) since the early 80s, and …
Read More
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 7: ‘The Pyramid at the End of the Earth’
Excellent! Best episode in a very long time… and what a cliff-hanger!
First Visit: The Marquess of Exeter
We headed off to The Marquess of Exeter in Lyddington tonight to meet up with Mick and Jane S. The Pub/Restaurant/Hotel boasts: “One of the finest restaurants, pubs and hotels in Rutland” – so expectations were high! On one of the hottest days of the year so far, what could be better than taking the …
Read More
Laptop Coaching: File Management and Memory Sticks
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today we looked at how to organise files and folders using File Explorer. We also covered how to manage files held on a ‘memory stick’.
Laptop Coaching: Keyboard (Physical and Virtual)
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today we discussed the layout of a typical keyboard and the subtle differences between different laptop manufacturers. We also looked at the benefits of using the virtual keyboard built-in to Windows 10.
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 6: ‘Extremis’
Wow! This was a good one – and I definitely think I’ll re-watch it! Another creepy episode (more than just scary) with twists and turns at every point. It seemed to start quite slowly, but then I learned it’s the first of a three-parter, so I can’t wait until next week’s episode. For me, this …
Read More
Short Break: Beaulieu and Brockenhurst
We slept badly. In an effort to give us a different impression of Winchester, just before midnight, some local drunks had chosen the space under our window to exchange words of wisdom. I can’t recall the details, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a replay of the five-party political debate on TV last night! If …
Read More
Short Break: Gin taster, Win chester!
We headed for Winchester today courtesy of Ann’s friend Nicki – and her gift of a hotel voucher. The route there just happened to take us in the direction of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill (with its own fascinating history). We set off around 9am and pulled into the car-park at Laverstoke Mill just …
Read More
Tablet Coaching: Certification Day
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Congratulations to Robert, Keith, Patsy, Paul and Anita, who completed their final Tablet lesson today and received their Certificates. We celebrated with a few nibbles and discussed a new(ish) feature of Google Maps: ‘Offline use’. All the best! It’s been a pleasure to help you discover more about your …
Read More
Laptop Coaching: Essential Browser Tips
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we looked at the common features of the most popular browsers for Windows 10 – and how to use them. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: Inside your Laptop
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we gave the group a broad understanding of what’s inside their laptop. We then discussed various keyboard layouts and the functions of the most-used keys. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 5: ‘Oxygen’
I couldn’t watch this episode live as we were travelling back from Hull, so I watched it on Sunday. After last week’s more traditional Who-storyline, designed to have us regularly inspecting the backs of our sofas, this one tapped into TV’s current obsession with the undead and featured a yarn based around zombies – but …
Read More
To Hull and Back
We headed off to Hull today to meet up with our friends, Dennis and Sandra, for a cultural day out! It was an early start – leaving just after 7am – heading for Peterborough Station to pick-up the train to Doncaster and then changing for our final destination. It was a hassle-free journey (although the …
Read More
Blooz News
We drove over to Babe Blooz in Market Harborough tonight to meet up with Ian and Mags. It was all part of our normal three-monthly catch-up where we’ve been a few times before – but not since June 2011! It’s amazing how the years have flown by! The memorable thing about the restaurant the last …
Read More
Tablet Coaching: Recapping – ‘Calendar App’
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: In today’s penultimate lesson for this Class, we continued our recapping sessions and re-visited the versatile ‘Calendar’ App. Filed under: Delivery, Skills Development, Staff Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: Google Search
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: In today’s lesson, we covered the many features of ‘Google Search’. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: Laptop Overview
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we continued our ‘tour of a laptop’. We also began to identify individual needs that will form the basis of the Lesson Plans for this group. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 4: ‘Knock Knock’
That’s more like it! A super-creepy storyline (thank goodness we’ve got a sofa!), incredible SFX and superb acting all round! Loved it!!!
Lottie Lives!
It was over to my mate Chris A in Northampton today to spend a day with ‘Lottie’. Lottie is Chris’s new acquisition in the shape of a yellow Lotus Elan SE. After a quick blast down to Newport Pagnall and back, it was onto the serious stuff of replacing the driver’s door seal. A hour-or-so …
Read More
Tablet Coaching: Recapping continues
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: With just a few lessons left for this Class, we continued recapping some of the more popular Apps found on a Tablet – today, we re-looked at ‘Calendar’. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: Skype Practical
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: With the theory and background to Skype covered last week, today we got down the practical day-to-day use and practised ‘skyping’ each other. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 3: ‘Thin Ice’
Well, that makes a change, I actually watched it live tonight! I do tend to prefer stories set in the past rather than the future, so I was really looking forward to this one – but, disappointingly, it most definitely DIDN’T do it for me! I’m not sure why. The acting was fine, the storyline, …
Read More
Foody Friday
To say that a lot of my life revolves around friends and food (sometimes both at the same time!) wouldn’t be far from the truth – and today was no exception! A cheeky ‘Chocolate Brownie’ Milkshake First, it was over to Peterborough to meet Alison W (from my days with Nokia). We visited Bill’s – …
Read More
Tablet Coaching: Recap
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: As we are now nearing the end of the syllabus for this Group, today we started recapping on their chosen topics. Today’s recap covered how to attach items to eMails. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: Using Skype
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: Today, we looked at how to use Skype on your Laptop. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Laptop Coaching: New Monday Class
Auto cross-posted from my WordPress Blog: The new Monday Class started today! Say hello to Norman, Brenda, Walter, Pam and Hazel! Today we’ll be assessing everyone’s needs to create their future lesson plans. Filed under: Delivery, Salvation Army, Skills Development, Volunteer
Doctor Who – Series 10, Episode 2: Smile
So, here we are at episode TWO of the new series – and after last week’s generally favourable views from the majority of critics, I wondered what this week’s story would bring? I carefully avoided all the overnight reviews as I saved this episode to watch it on Sunday via Sky Q. Generally speaking Who …
Read More