Those that know me well, know that I always have a emotional association with my cars – not sure whether it’s a ‘bloke-thing’, or just a ‘me-thing’, but today is a sad day. Now that I’ve retired, I’m saying good-bye to my Vauxhall Insignia (19100 miles!) as it’s returned to the Leasing Company – it’s …
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PCs are Go!
After picking up the two new PCs from Neil’s last Sunday, I’ve spent the past week on-and-off reinstalling software on both machines. The reinstalling is normally the time-consuming part, but I think I’ve just set a new personal best having got everything that was on the old PCs reinstalled and working on the two new …
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Mains, Greens and Automobiles
Nicki joined us today. We started off by doing nothing much at all, just chilling-out before staying local and looking for a possible replacement car for Ann. Nothing wrong with the Fiesta, but as we’ll be down to just one car from next week – and for the foreseeable future – we wanted to try …
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Family ‘Who’s Who’ and Technology Sunday
We drove down to my brother, Neil’s today. Partly to catch-up, and partly to take delivery of two new additions to the family! – a couple of Windows 7 PCs. With the business coming to an end on the 31st, it was a good opportunity to review the condition of the existing PCs (and peripherals) …
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Roger, Jane and Oliver for Lunch
Roger, Jane and Oliver joined us for lunch. Lee wasn’t able to make it as she was suffering with a bad back. The weather continued to be as atrocious as ever and it rained for most of the day. Taking the cats over to Patsy for their normal wash-and-brush took a little longer as the …
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Boxing Day 2012
Lee stayed overnight and today we drove down to Mum’s today to take her out for Christmas Lunch. Neil and Debbie had her over to theirs yesterday, and so today, it was our turn. When we left just before 9, the roads were pretty much deserted going down and we made good time arriving just …
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Doctor Who – Christmas Special 2012: The Snowmen
The annual Doctor Who Christmas Special has now become as regular as the obligatory post-lunch snooze and the wet weather here in the UK! This year’s episode promised to be a little more special in a number of ways. First up, it introduced the Doctor’s new companion, after the departure of ‘The Ponds’ in the …
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Christmas Day 2012
We were at home this year for Christmas. The weather is atrocious around the UK (although dry here) – rain, rain and more rain – and some have been flooded-out. Denis and Bev are due down later and Lee is staying with us until after Boxing Day. Even though we’ve got over our jet-lag, we …
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Official: Christmas has begun!
We missed it last year due to being on our honeymoon, so this year, it felt especially good to take the short drive into town – to the Kettering Salvation Army Citadel – to be part of their annual Carol Concert. We always feel that this event gets us all in the chrismassy mood! (although …
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December Holiday – Thursday (At Sea) and Friday (Hong Kong)
Thursday was spent at sea which gave us plenty of time to conquer the re-packing of the suitcases! With that chore out of the way, we spent most of the day catching up on our reading. We ate in the Lido in the evening and that was a surprisingly good experience! Friday started as a …
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December Holiday – Wednesday: Ha Long Bay
Having confined the long trousers to the back of the wardrobe and the sun-tan cream to the front, we were surprised to wake up to a wet and grey morning here in Ha Long Bay. However, the day was improved significantly by the news via email that Ann has officially been offered the job she …
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December Holiday – Tuesday: Da Nang
After yesterday at Sea, we all set for our visit to Da Nang today. It was another early start and we’d had breakfast and were leaving the Ship at 8.15. After a brief spell at Vietnamese Customs (three men crammed into a small makeshift construction), we headed for the bus pick-up point just around the …
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December Holiday – Sunday: Saigon
Everyone on the Ship was up early this morning as the much-anticipated trip to Saigon was the main attraction. Unfortunately, the ghost in the cabin upstairs kept us awake again last night (and the Ship’s crew still can’t trace the source of the noise), so we were shattered when we woke! If it happens again …
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December Holiday – Saturday: At Sea
A super chilled-out day discovering the benefits of Volfaren SR. That’s not the latest model from Vauxhall, but the one-a-day tablet for back pain!! Next stop is Phu My in Vietnam tomorrow.
December Holiday – Thursday and Friday: Laem Chabang, Thailand
Thursday Our plans to go ashore today were put on hold today whilst Ann got rid of a nasty bug she’d somehow picked up the night before, and I continued to struggle with my back pain – what a couple of old crocs!!!! 🙂 We did bugger-all all day! Friday It’s our first anniversary today …
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December Holiday – Wednesday: Koh Samui, Thailand
After a intermittent night’s sleep for both of us (we think they were repairing a lifeboat outside our room at 1am, for the second night running!), we arose early – at around 7.30 – to give us time to get ready for our first trip ashore to Koh Samui in Thailand. The ship had docked …
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December Holiday – Tuesday: All at Sea
Well, the plan was to use today to catch-up with my reading and take some photographs of the interior of the Ship. It wasn’t to be, as I managed to twist my back getting out of the shower leaving me somewhat immobile for the rest of the day. We had a quick sit up on …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day 2: Singapore
We slept in! And after re-packing the suitcases, we headed of into the town for something to eat. Luckily, after a short walk, we found a local eatery and settled down for a coffee (Singapore style -with condensed milk), and the most heavily buttered ‘toast sandwich’ this side of the equator. Then, with our arteries …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day: Singapore
Our journey began on Saturday at Heathrow with our first flight, the 2.15 to Doha. Then it was a quick change of planes and onto Singapore. 4.15pm local time, Sunday: We’ve arrived at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel in downtown Singapore from Changi Airport. We’re shattered, but plan to try and stay awake and adjust to …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day: Singapore (9th)
Our journey began on Saturday at Heathrow with our first flight, the 2.15 to Doha. Then it was a quick change of planes and onto Singapore. 4.15pm local time, Sunday: We’ve arrived at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel in downtown Singapore from Changi Airport. We’re shattered, but plan to try and stay awake and adjust to …
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Christmas TV (2012)
Review: Jeff Wayne’s ‘The War of the Worlds’
We drove over to the NIA tonight to see the new re-scored performance of the War of the Worlds album by Jeff Wayne. Background Since the Album’s launch in 1978, it had become a big hit for fans ‘of a certain age’ who also enjoy concept albums (that’ll be me then!). If you liked Albums …
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Impromptu Pork
At quite short notice, Karen invited us round tonight in celebration of Paul’s birthday. You can’t go wrong with Karen’s cooking and tonight was no exception – a rather excellent pork casserole with lashings of mash complemented by red cabbage and peas – a real treat for the taste-buds! And if that wasn’t enough (it …
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Nicki’s Progress
Nicki joined us for the evening, as she’s in Newcastle tomorrow on business and didn’t fancy driving the whole distance from hers in one go. It still meant an early start though – even from ours – and she was up and out by 4am!! Remind you of anyone? 🙂
Lunch at the Wheatsheaf
Ralph and Karen dropped in and together with Lee, we headed for The Wheatsheaf at Titchmarsh for Sunday lunch. You can’t go wrong there – the service is always excellent and the food is well above average! Yummy!!!
Wrap Artist
In keeping with many others on the planet, today was a present-wrapping day. Challenged by a distinct lack of sellotape and some crap quality wrapping-paper (quickly discarded to the bin), we did pretty well, and managed to complete 99% of the mission!
Fish and Chips
It was great to have the neighbours round tonight – seems like ages since we all last got together. Not everyone could make it for one reason or another, but Tom & Julie, Trish, David & Val, Rosi & Dave and Lee all helped us polish off the traditional Friday night dinner – Fish and …
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Catchup at Kings Cross
I caught up with Sally B today in London around noon. For a change, we met at the new(ish) Kings Cross station. My! it’s changed a lot since i was last here! Since when did railway stations start to become beautiful again??? My only confusion was why they have a platform ‘0’ – don’t think …
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Handel with a Candle
I was stuck for a title for this blog, but Ralph came to the rescue – cheers Dude! If ever they re-invent Cluedo using famous musicians, Colonel Mustard now has a rival! 🙂 Lee, Ann and I drove over to the Royal and Derngate Theatre in Northampton tonight to see the Handel by Candlelight concert. …
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Almost a Year
I can’t believe it’s almost a year since our big day! I thought I’d bored everyone silly with the wedding photos by now, but ironically, the two people who played such a big part in the event – Jill, from Kelmarsh Hall and Emma form Portfolio Catering had somehow escaped! So, it was great to …
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