Wednesday

New thing was going to the Waitrose at South Mimms!

Tuesday

New things were an office I'd not been to before to make my own coffee (and they say the recession is over -hahaha!) and also an attempt to go swimming at the Kennet Leisure Centre in Thatcham. Couldn't go swimming as Newbury Swimming Club were in there...uh?

Monday

New thing was the back end of Gloucester, before heading the Hereford, via Ross-on-Wye, which was lovely. Also went to the beautiful Symonds Yat where I'd been a few times as a child. Had a couple of coffees at the Saracen's Head on the east side of Symonds Yat with an incredible view over the River Wye, and just a stone's throw away from the Welsh border. Checked out some shops in Hereford too that I hadn't been into before, and a charming couple of antique shops in Ross where the wooden floors seemed to date back to the middle ages. Ah lovely.

Sunday

My new thing was the wild rice salad from Waitrose. Yum.

Saturday

Back bar of the MOnument where we sat in smallish room with Metallica blaring out loudly at us - very funny and a lot like sitting in our own living room.

Friday

New thing was stopping off in a pharmacy in Swindon and then through the lovely village of Cricklade, before going to a new conference room in the Four Pillars Hotel where we were this time last year. Last year's special guest was Jeremy Kyle, this eyar, it was former international referee Graham Poll, and the new Miss England Kat Hodge, Miss RRG Rachel Christie. I am going to mention that someone knocked a canape out of my hand because at the back of my mind, I think it was deliberate and something similar happened later in the week!

Tuesday

New things for today include dipping down a road called Westwood Road and then Porter End. Then got home and found my new Cd had arrived, Levellers v McDermotts World Turned Upside Down which sounded quite punky after last night's fare!!

Monday

After a week of doing rubbish new things, Mabel and I decided to push the boat out and drive up to Nettlebed, near Henley to check out a folk band called Faustus. We'd seen the guitarist Benji Kirkpatrick (formerly of Oysterband and Bellowhead) before when he participated in an impromptu gig called the Power of Wood with Mark Chadwick, Dan Donnelly and Hobo Jones, and I recall being mesmerised by his playing technique. For Faustus, he's joined by Paul Sartin (who I thought was related to Bonny Sartin, and asked the wrong member of the band - they're not closely related, anyway), and Saul Rose. So after driving through Nettlebed six times, we finally found the venue and pitched up after a pint at the very nice White Hart Hotel next door. It was an astonishing £12.50 to get into the gig, which was in the Village Club and populated by hardcore folkies with beards, waistcoats and pipes. Everyone who looked at us seemed to disapprove, except Benji Kirkpatrick who was very nice. Anyway, after a folk duo warmed up, Faustus took to the stage. A little too folky for me, nonetheless, I was extremely impressed by their musicianship, each one of them is a brilliant musicianship, with a clear love for the music. Lovely, warm patter and a real feeling that they're passing on the history and passion for folk for the next generation to enjoy.

Here's a little flavour:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5YG-cBGetM&feature=related

Thursday

New thing was Mabel getting me some chilli rice crackers..

Friday
Equally bad - can't even remember...

Saturday
CHilli and lime chocolate. Had a V-E-R-Y long shift at work but today will be very memorable because when I got home (in my uniform -rolls eyes), there were 2109 candles around the house. It just looked so cosy and beautiful, and there was a lovely warmth coming from the house, to the soundtrack of the Levs. When I got upstairs Mabel was waiting with some champagne....apparently the 2109 days marks how long we've known each other..

Wednesday

New thing was a room I'd not been in before at the dentist (who was fortunately a LOT nicer than his receptionist). I then went into a shop which I'd not seen before, selling good condition old furniture which is the kind of recycling I like:h

http://www.octopus-newbury.com

I will take it very personally if this doesn't go well!

Tuesday

New thing today was my boss' new office and his kitchen and utility room! After a catch up meeting, he then kindly took us to his local pub, called the Jolly Cricketers for lunch. I was bowled over by the fish pie (although the mussels on the top were inedible), but the sauce and fish itself were delicious.
Howzat!

Monday

New thing today was going to De Bretts hairdressers to get about 10 inches of my mane chopped off in the hope that I would look less horse-like. The girl who cut my hair was really nice and very understanding about my haircut phobia; no space to outline all the reasons why going to the hairdressers is akin to visiting the dentist for me...but anyway..right until the end I was enjoying the experience until she asked me to view the back. I put on my glasses, and she said: "Are you partially sighted?" which must be one of the strangest questions I have ever been asked! I laughed so much I inhaled lots of cut hair and nearly choked to death in a hairdressers. I would have "curled up and dyed". Tee hee!

Saturday

New thing was the compacter. Good grief my life is boring! I blame it on the snow - will be able to get about more when Newbury has defrosted!

Sunday
New thing was a colleague's car. He kindly gave me a lift home in the freezing cold and driving sleet, meaning a top speed of 40mph along the M4. I hope he got to work ok first thing this morning!

Friday

Baby it's cold outside!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crFQpOCDfEc

Anyway, I ventured outside as I needed to do a thing and also had to get a birthday present for the other half's mum's birthday. As well as her present, I did my new thing which you won't "give a fig about" - I bought some organic fig relish! In an ideal world, this is exactly the sort of thing I hope to make myself. Wasn't sure what to do with this, says it's good with goat's cheese. Tried it on toast - yummy!

Thursday

New thing today was purchasing a chocolate bar (a hard life isn't it?) called Kscholat which was a mild lemon and pepper flavour. I'm pleased to say I haven't eaten ALL of it. Yet. Ahem.

Wednesday

Snow way we could do much today...the house and garden are covered in a blanket of beautiful whie snow! What a blissful day of peace, as our road is impassable with snow - new thing was experiencing the delights of people being unable to drive past our house at 80mph. Mmmmm.

Tuesday

Moved out of our office today which was a sad and poignant occasion, and on the way home I did some new things in Marlow, including the post office there, which is in mobile building in a car park which isn't quite in fitting with the splendour of the rest of the town!

Monday

An epic journey to see my lovely friend Deev and his beautiful family who were in London. After meeting them, along with another friend +2 at Deev's bro's flat in Canonbury, we headed to a kids' cafe called That PLace on the Corner which was charming and terrifying in equal measure! The food was great though and it's obviously a great place to have on your doorstep if you have children. Walked to Highbury and Islington station to get the train home - just four hours this time!

Sunday

New thing was getting the bus back from Bedwyn after a lovely walk from Hungerford to Great Bedwyn in the beautiful crisp layer of snow that's been left.

New Year's Day

New thing was going to the loo in our friend's house in the wee hours (fnar) - no door. How embarrassing.

Saturday
New thing was going to Past Times in the Kennet(h) Centre.

2010 - gor blimey!

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve
New thing was the Holiday Inn Padworth to check out its suitability for our wedding. This came from MSE Martin. Unfortunately one of Mabel's friends emailed me later in the day to mention it and I'm now worried that it will enhance our frugal (read "very poor") reputation, so think we'll reluctantly have to knock this on the head.