Wednesday
New thing today was setting foot into the Chesham Adult Learning Centre for my first class in massage! Had a very interesting evening – three other classmates, all very nice, with a welcoming teacher with a fantastic laugh too. I was on the receiving end of a very good massage from one of my classmates which was equally as good as any I’ve had from a pro. I then gave her a massage which I didn’t feel was very confident or good, but she was kind enough to say she felt very much relaxed afterwards!
Thursday
New thing today was going into the Broadway in Beaconsfield with the intention of a quick pint before my colleague’s leaving do at Loch Fyne. Got as far as the entrance before being told (very nicely!) that is was for diners only – not drinkers!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Shrove Tuesday
In preparation for quite the best pancakes I’ve ever experienced on Shrove Tuesday, we went to the Gamekeepers Lodge Public House in Chesham which was full of character and probably hasn’t changed much for a good 150 years! Lots of gamekeeper memorabilia on the walls, including antlers and stuffed animals wearing glasses. I then discovered the Chesham Museum is behind the pub, and not in town as I previously thought. And while I made this discovery, I smelt the most incredible Chinese food wafting from the back, so intend to go back!
So Lent tomorrow and so far I have given up:
1. Watching Friends
2. Swearing
3. Being negative
4. Judging people by how loudly they talk
So Lent tomorrow and so far I have given up:
1. Watching Friends
2. Swearing
3. Being negative
4. Judging people by how loudly they talk
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The End of Poverty?
Monday
Volunteered at Chesham’s Fairtrade Film Festival and watched the film The End of Poverty? with a fascinating intro and Q&A from John Christensen who appears in the film. While I found it interesting, I felt a real sense of helplessness about the situation and in many ways to a lesser extent identified with the people in “the south” as they called people in developing countries who have been manipulated by the rich so that they owe debts they can’t repay and are stuck in a downward spiral of poverty, trapped in an economic system which is financed by the poor for the rich to enjoy. I’ve been feeling that my situation is a bit like that too since we pay lots and lots of tax and it goes directly into the pockets of bankers, people who would rather watch Jeremy Kyle than get a job and a ridiculous military budget whose aims are perpetuating the cycle I’ve just described! The film was fascinating, but could have done with being a bit shorter!
Volunteered at Chesham’s Fairtrade Film Festival and watched the film The End of Poverty? with a fascinating intro and Q&A from John Christensen who appears in the film. While I found it interesting, I felt a real sense of helplessness about the situation and in many ways to a lesser extent identified with the people in “the south” as they called people in developing countries who have been manipulated by the rich so that they owe debts they can’t repay and are stuck in a downward spiral of poverty, trapped in an economic system which is financed by the poor for the rich to enjoy. I’ve been feeling that my situation is a bit like that too since we pay lots and lots of tax and it goes directly into the pockets of bankers, people who would rather watch Jeremy Kyle than get a job and a ridiculous military budget whose aims are perpetuating the cycle I’ve just described! The film was fascinating, but could have done with being a bit shorter!
Monday, February 23, 2009
"little" this and "little" that - I sound like my colleague!
Friday
New thing was checking out a charity shop in Little Chalfont which I pass quite a lot. From the outside, the standard of goods looks really high and I was thrilled to see it really is as good on the inside!
Saturday
Went to a really tough Yoga class as my new thing! Am still suffering now (three days later!). Also went to the very nice Crown Inn in Little Missenden for an ale.
Sunday
New thing was the Red Lion pub in Peppard Common en route to a fellow freecycler to collect a couple of items. What a nice lady! Not sure if the pub was equally nice as there weren’t any tables to be found, which I guess is a good sign!
New thing was checking out a charity shop in Little Chalfont which I pass quite a lot. From the outside, the standard of goods looks really high and I was thrilled to see it really is as good on the inside!
Saturday
Went to a really tough Yoga class as my new thing! Am still suffering now (three days later!). Also went to the very nice Crown Inn in Little Missenden for an ale.
Sunday
New thing was the Red Lion pub in Peppard Common en route to a fellow freecycler to collect a couple of items. What a nice lady! Not sure if the pub was equally nice as there weren’t any tables to be found, which I guess is a good sign!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday - Hal (fords) is other people!
Dropped my boss to the train station and then actively searched out something new to do while I was out on the road. Had to keep driving and driving until I got to Uxbridge when I combined my weird habit of doing new things with the need to get a jack for my van. So went into Halfords in Uxbridge and was unable to find a jack. Microfibre clothes, air fresheners, bikes – yes. Jack – no.
Wednesday - Apples is apples!
Having worn ourselves out at yoga, we were thrilled to be going to the Apple Tree in Gerrards Cross. A while back (qv) we ventured into the doorway and got freaked out and came out again as we are frankly the poorest people ever to set foot in the place! However, the pub appeared in the Eat out for £5 Times offer so we were able to appreciate it! What a lovely place! The staff were great and the food was nice – except the main course! Perhaps it was because everything else was so good, but my partner and I both ordered the risotto and we didn't feel that there was much flavour to it and that it resembled Chinese porridge/congee/jook. Everything else was superb though.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Next stop; the West Country!
Monday
New thing was the Ship Inn and Hotel on the A30 in West Stour near Gillingham which I have passed thousands of times but have never been into. I finally went inside. Then realised that the 43p in my wallet was unlikely to win me a drink or any friends.
Tuesday
Plympton – very nice. Then went to parts of the Hungerford Arcade that I hadn’t been into before.
In summary; 500 miles, one tank of diesel, £49 worth of fuel, 12 packets of minicheddars and two near misses thanks to lorry drivers changing gear into my lane nearly squishing me. In their defence though, it is quite difficult to see out of the wing mirror when you’re making a phone call at the wheel, eh Eddie Stobart?
New thing was the Ship Inn and Hotel on the A30 in West Stour near Gillingham which I have passed thousands of times but have never been into. I finally went inside. Then realised that the 43p in my wallet was unlikely to win me a drink or any friends.
Tuesday
Plympton – very nice. Then went to parts of the Hungerford Arcade that I hadn’t been into before.
In summary; 500 miles, one tank of diesel, £49 worth of fuel, 12 packets of minicheddars and two near misses thanks to lorry drivers changing gear into my lane nearly squishing me. In their defence though, it is quite difficult to see out of the wing mirror when you’re making a phone call at the wheel, eh Eddie Stobart?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Drinking, eating, selling and Sloughing
Thursday
Elephant and Castle pub in Amersham – cute but not quite as nice as I had hoped from looking at the outside.
Friday
Matalan in Slough. I was desperate to find something new to do! Didn’t buy anything though!
Saturday
Chesham Cottage restaurant for a Valentine’s Day lunch. Nice enough food but the service could have been a bit more attentive. Probably explains why we were the only people in there....
Sunday
Did a boot sale in Marlow where we almost made enough money (despite my buying things when we should have been selling, but hello new deckchair!!!) to pay for my big, big drinking bill in the afternoon when we took my colleague to the Royal Standard of England to say goodbye to him in the interests of finding somewhere quintessentially English.
Elephant and Castle pub in Amersham – cute but not quite as nice as I had hoped from looking at the outside.
Friday
Matalan in Slough. I was desperate to find something new to do! Didn’t buy anything though!
Saturday
Chesham Cottage restaurant for a Valentine’s Day lunch. Nice enough food but the service could have been a bit more attentive. Probably explains why we were the only people in there....
Sunday
Did a boot sale in Marlow where we almost made enough money (despite my buying things when we should have been selling, but hello new deckchair!!!) to pay for my big, big drinking bill in the afternoon when we took my colleague to the Royal Standard of England to say goodbye to him in the interests of finding somewhere quintessentially English.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In Hertfordshire, Herefordshire and Hampshire....
Monday
New thing was a very posh side street kinda on my way home.
Tuesday
Swindon Sainsbury’s! Came out with £15 worth of cleaning products –make of that what you will! (i’ll make up for this new thing tomorrow!)
Wednesday
New thing was Bury St Edmonds! What a lovely place! After my work was done there, headed into the centre to look at the cathedral and the shops, popping my head (for that is all that would fit) into the arguably the smallest pub in England – the Nutshell. I say arguably because of course I back the Smith’s Arms in Dorset as the smallest pub, which it isn’t, but the Nutshell seems more like a shop front. Went into the tourist information centre which was absolutely bizarre as while there was lots of info, none of it was about Bury!! Had a lovely walk round and was heartened to see that things here seemed quite vibrant –lots of shoppers out and about and a lot of independent and unusual shops.
New thing was a very posh side street kinda on my way home.
Tuesday
Swindon Sainsbury’s! Came out with £15 worth of cleaning products –make of that what you will! (i’ll make up for this new thing tomorrow!)
Wednesday
New thing was Bury St Edmonds! What a lovely place! After my work was done there, headed into the centre to look at the cathedral and the shops, popping my head (for that is all that would fit) into the arguably the smallest pub in England – the Nutshell. I say arguably because of course I back the Smith’s Arms in Dorset as the smallest pub, which it isn’t, but the Nutshell seems more like a shop front. Went into the tourist information centre which was absolutely bizarre as while there was lots of info, none of it was about Bury!! Had a lovely walk round and was heartened to see that things here seemed quite vibrant –lots of shoppers out and about and a lot of independent and unusual shops.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Cars, boats and trains of thought
Wednesday
Went down some turn off through a ford and into a village with some of the largest houses I’ve ever seen. In fact the area is so exclusive it doesn’t even have a name!
Thursday
Upstairs in a dealership.
Friday
A house I’d never been into before, and a shop I’d not been to before. And yes, I am being deliberately vague!
Saturday
The new Renault showroom in Southend! Saw a performance by X-Factor star Austin (not that I knew who he was!) along with Scott Robinson from boyband Five and Rachel, also from XFactor. I now know that I am officially old, because when I was told Austin Drage would be there, I thought it was a vintage car, and when I heard Scott from Five would be there, I thought he was a BBC DJ. And to punish me for my snobbery, each and every one of the performers was excellent. All very nice people with great voices. The day was topped off with a comp won by a lovely couple who won the prize car,
Sunday
New thing was going to Henley for a really nice walk along the Thames and then visiting some of the very exclusive shops in the town. Things are bad when you can’t afford the goods in the charity shops!
Went down some turn off through a ford and into a village with some of the largest houses I’ve ever seen. In fact the area is so exclusive it doesn’t even have a name!
Thursday
Upstairs in a dealership.
Friday
A house I’d never been into before, and a shop I’d not been to before. And yes, I am being deliberately vague!
Saturday
The new Renault showroom in Southend! Saw a performance by X-Factor star Austin (not that I knew who he was!) along with Scott Robinson from boyband Five and Rachel, also from XFactor. I now know that I am officially old, because when I was told Austin Drage would be there, I thought it was a vintage car, and when I heard Scott from Five would be there, I thought he was a BBC DJ. And to punish me for my snobbery, each and every one of the performers was excellent. All very nice people with great voices. The day was topped off with a comp won by a lovely couple who won the prize car,
Sunday
New thing was going to Henley for a really nice walk along the Thames and then visiting some of the very exclusive shops in the town. Things are bad when you can’t afford the goods in the charity shops!
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Snow business like Britain coming to a standstill thanks to the weather!
Friday
Four Pillars Hotel for an award ceremony – much like a more glamorous version of the Oscars! And then met Jeremy Kyle!
Saturday
Went to Cafe Africa – Fairtrade coffee from the heart in Amersham!
Sunday
Followed one of those free walks you get from the tourist office and did the most hideous walk ever through Chalfont St Peter. In fact it was so bad, we retired after walking through an industrial estate to the Greyhound Pub –another new thing.
Monday
New thing was being snowed in! So Mabel ventured out and bought me some brown potted shrimps (a Delia cheat)!
Tuesday
New thing was venturing into Chesham Service Station to see if I could use their phone after slipping on black ice and ending up in a ditch. Car is fine, and the only part of me that’s bruised is my ego! The funny thing was that apart from a lady who lent me her phone (what a day to forget my mobile!), the only person to help was a man from Tring MOT centre, who was awesome. He just happened to be passing, he stopped and then bought some tow rope and pulled me out. This was two hours after the incident. Only then did more people stop to help – when it was obvious that I didn’t need help. Thanks Chesham!
Four Pillars Hotel for an award ceremony – much like a more glamorous version of the Oscars! And then met Jeremy Kyle!
Saturday
Went to Cafe Africa – Fairtrade coffee from the heart in Amersham!
Sunday
Followed one of those free walks you get from the tourist office and did the most hideous walk ever through Chalfont St Peter. In fact it was so bad, we retired after walking through an industrial estate to the Greyhound Pub –another new thing.
Monday
New thing was being snowed in! So Mabel ventured out and bought me some brown potted shrimps (a Delia cheat)!
Tuesday
New thing was venturing into Chesham Service Station to see if I could use their phone after slipping on black ice and ending up in a ditch. Car is fine, and the only part of me that’s bruised is my ego! The funny thing was that apart from a lady who lent me her phone (what a day to forget my mobile!), the only person to help was a man from Tring MOT centre, who was awesome. He just happened to be passing, he stopped and then bought some tow rope and pulled me out. This was two hours after the incident. Only then did more people stop to help – when it was obvious that I didn’t need help. Thanks Chesham!
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