A small correction to yesterday’s post – we’re only 11 hours in front, not 12. After a reasonable night’s sleep, we woke around 8.15 to a very grey morning. We unpacked the essentials and all headed down to breakfast for around 10am. Last servings were at 10.30 and it was a little obvious that we …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 7: 22nd December (Thursday) – Flying to Melbourne
We’re on the move today. We leave Seashells Yallingup and head back to the Airport. We’ll drop off the car and then catch the three hour Virgin Blue domestic flight to Melbourne. Taking into account the time difference, there won’t be much left of the day, as we don’t get there until around 11pm local time. …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 6: 21st December (Wednesday) – A Cave, a Lighthouse… and an out-of-this-world meal
After breakfast round at ours, we set-off on our day of discovery. First stop was the Ngilgi Cave, a short drive away. Discovered around 100 years ago, they were a unique experience in all sorts of ways. The temperature underground was a (relatively) cool and constant 20 degrees, which was very pleasant considering it was …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 5: 20th December (Tuesday) – Exploring
Today we planned to explore the local area and hopefully to take in the views of the coast and discover some wine-cellars too. We set off in the car after a late breakfast in the direction of Margaret River and the views, as expected were stunning. There was plenty of surfing going on and the …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 4: 19th December (Monday) – Hire Car to Yallingup
So, it’s good-bye the Perth and the Pan Pacific hotel, as we jumped in the hire car and headed south to Yallingup. In Australian travel terms, it’s ‘just down the road’. We set off immediately after brekky, once Ralph and I had picked up the car from Avis, located a short walk from the …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 3: 18th December (Sunday) – Perth
Today, we’re off to Kings Park and Botanic Gardens. Luckily, Ann’s friend Jane (who we met yesterday) and who lives over here, had told us about the free bus service that would get us close to it. We had brekky on the Club Floor again- perfect – and then walked the short distance up the …
Read More
Honeymoon Day 2: 17th December (Saturday) – Perth
It’s a beautifully hot, sunny day here today, so we’re going to make the most of it and take a look around Perth Harbour area and then take a boat trip to Fremantle. Scenes of Perth It was good to hear the sound of a brass band, but strange to see the Salvation Army playing …
Read More
Honeymoon: 16th December – Perth
Just arrived in Perth. A great flight courtesy of Emirates. Weather here is a healthy 25 degrees. A quick change of clothes at our Hotel – The Pan Pacific and then out for a pint at the local – The Grosvenor.
Our Wedding Day
This is the day we got married! More details at https://wedding.stevepalmer.com Next stop? Australia!! 👍 ♥️♥️
It’s Christmas (almost!)
It may not be the 25th just yet – but for me, Christmas officially starts when the bumper edition of the TV and Radio Times comes out and I can plan what to fill up the Sky Box with!!!
Wet Room completed
Ralph completed the conversion of our old en-suite shower-room into a Wet-Room today. It’s been a long complex project, but Ralph: “you done great mate!” Can’t wait to get home to try it out!
Wedding Rehearsal + Hen Night + Stag Night
Today was our wedding rehearsal at Kelmarsh Hall. All the key players were there. Wow! what an event. The singing brought a tear to the eye and musicians were just fantastic! A real worthwhile exercise overall, and it really helped to iron out the nitty-gritty. Thanks Jill, Thanks Emma for your advice..and your patience! Hen …
Read More
Long Weekend in Long’s Park Castle – Monday
We were up fairly sharpish this morning as it’s check-out day, and we need to be away by 9.30. As we’re down this way, we dropped into Jonathan and Mel’s who live in Devizes for a cuppa before we see them at the Wedding. The it was ‘hammer-down’ heading home as Ann’s got a wedding …
Read More
Long Weekend in Long’s Park Castle – Sunday
I woke up to sound of loud thumping – then realised it was just my head! Predictably, the lethal cocktail of fruit gin and fruit vodka had wreaked its revenge and all I could think about was ‘steamrollers’, ‘hammers’ and ‘paracetemol’!! Note to self: These drinks are NOT a smart way to get your ‘five-a-day’!!!! …
Read More
Long Weekend in Long’s Park Castle – Saturday
After a good night’s sleep and a beautiful sun-rise, we’re ready to take on the world – well, the City of Bath anyway! But first of all, breakfast: Toast, home-made jams, Scrambled egg, tea, coffee, juices – a perfect start to the day. Then it was off to Bath. The journey started well enough but …
Read More
Long Weekend in Long’s Park Castle – Friday
Here we are in Long’s Park Castle south of Melksham – we’re here until Monday. We were last to arrive (around 8pm), but we had a great journey from home. Leaving around 5.30, we covered 165 miles in under two-and-a-half hours averaging just under 40mpg. Because we were so late leaving, we reckon we missed …
Read More
Wet, Wet, Wet – The Final Shower
Ralph’s been here all week and things are really coming together now with the Wet Room. We reckon another final trip to hook up all the plumbing and it’s ‘job done!’ Boys and their Toys – Now that’s what I call a shower-head!
Birthday Lunch for Lee
We dropped into The Wheatsheaf at Titchmarsh today as a treat for lee’s Birthday (which was yesterday). The place was (unusually) very quiet when we got there at 12.45, but by 1.30 it was chock-a-block. It’s always been a busy place, but apparently, the Pub down the road closed down recently leaving The Wheatsheaf as …
Read More
A Great Meal with the Family
We don’t do this as often as perhaps we should, but after my super-hectic day running the Old Croydonians’ Association Centenary Lunch at the Selsdon Park Hotel – the meal out was the perfect tonic! Neil, Debbie, Alfie, Frankie, Mum and of course, us two, descended on Frankie and Benny’s along the A21 for 6.30. …
Read More
The Raj
Tom and I visited the Raj in Kettering tonight. I haven’t been there for over 10 years and as we’re using it for my Stag Night, it was the perfect excuse to try it out – you can never say ‘no’ to a good curry! Tom introduced me to Gazza the owner, who has clearly …
Read More
Oxford/Rosi’s Party
Gosh, we haven’t been to Oxford for ages! We left around 8.30, had a good run, and caught the park-and-ride into the city centre (that’s me on a bus TWICE this year!!!!). A quick look round the shops (where I got my dress shoes for the wedding and a couple of pairs of jeans) and …
Read More
Cats in../Shuckburgh Arms
The cats went in for their normal ‘wash-and-brush-up’ today. I’m so glad we changed the cycle from six weeks to four – their winter coat (especially Bon-Bon’s) has already become a total mess in less than a month! Patsy and Sheila did a great job on them both – especially Bon-Bon – they didn’t even …
Read More
The Wet Room
It’s grouting day for Ralph!
MP3 update
Just finished ‘MP3ing’ a new Album – “Chill Lounge Del Mar – Ibiza Beach Café” (snappy title huh!!!) 🙂My collection now consists of: 14818 Tracks 1522 Albums 890 Artists 114 GenresTotal playing time = 1131 hours…so that should keep me going for a bit!
Ralph and Karen’s for Lunch
We drove up to Matlock today to join Ralph and Karen for lunch. On the way to lunch, we visited the Leawood Pumphouse between Cromford and Lea – and it was one the few days it was actually operational – super stuff especially as it’s maintained and staffed by volunteers. We tried The Bear in …
Read More
‘Madge’ Returns
That’s good news! Ann’s Fiesta, aka ‘Madge’, was returned from the repairers today after her little ‘encounter’ with another car in Kettering three weeks’ ago. Looks like it’s been treated to a new wing, new bonnet, new registration plate and complete new frontal area. Well, at least it saves having to get the touch-up stick …
Read More
Tech Day with Paul J
A rare ‘day-off’ today! No wedding to think about, no work to think about and no school centenary meal event to think about. Phew! So it was off to Paul J’s to help him set up his new PC and to digitise some business videos. Switching to ‘nerd-mode’ for the rest of the day!!!
It’s a Wrap!
I think that’s a record – even for us! 🙂 All the Christmas presents were wrapped tonight!!! Job done!!
Facebook… on our TV!
Thanks to a major upgrade of the ‘apps’ that are available for our Panasonic TV, we can now see 46 inches worth of Facebook updates! Pass me my anorak!!!
Gissa Job!
Well done Ann! Ann’s been appointed National Delivery Manager for Skills at Working Links. Same company, same grade, but more responsibility (as she now covers the whole of the UK) and working with a different team.