That's It, Christmas Is Coming.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Yeah, it's that time of year. At 11am yesterday (Friday 20th) I finished work for Christmas. Poor Karen had to work for another 1 1/2 hours, but hey Ho (or should that be Ho Ho Ho?)  it was the last Friday she will ever work. We're away for this weekend in Gravesend to visit family and friends and deliver presents. It took an hour to get a birthday card for my niece, and petrol for the journey, and then home where I did some washing and tidied away boxes etc for Christmas decorations etc. I got showered and changed, and dwaited for Karen to get home. 

I put the kettle on ready for tea when Karen gets in and watched TV, and she arrived home. We're already packed from the night before, it's only waiting for the washing in the tumble dryer and Karen in the shower, and then we're off. I loaded up the car, and with Karen all dressed, tea consumed, and washing put away, it was time to leave at 2.50 pm, yeah, we're away and our Christmas break begins. 

 

 

[SwanR]

Not quite ready for Christmas yet! Been a busy week at work as we went live on a new system which caused chaos for us and our customers. 
Have a great time Speedtriple and Karen. 

[ranworthbreeze]

Neil & Karen enjoy your weekend away and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards

Alan

[Hockham Admiral]

Karen a lady of leisure!  

Whatever next, Neil?  

Have a great weekend away and we look forward to seeing you both in the New Year. 

[HEM]

Over here you qualify for this T-Shirt when you retire:

Translation:

          I'm a pensioner.
     - Have no spare time -
  - Completely Stressed out -
--------------------------------------------
Available for appointments
          in 4 week's time.

 

Who said the Germans have no sense of humour?

Somehow its true: since I ceased gainful employment my wife claims I spend more time at my desk / computer.

[Mouldy]

Alright for some.   We have just Christmas Day and Boxing Day off this year.  Back to work on Friday.  Still two years, four months and 28 days to go (not that I'm counting!).

Still, we're currently moored at The Ferry House with a table booked for 19:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . .pre-Christmas treat!  Back home tomorrow evening and work on Monday.  I can hardly wait. 

Have a great Christmas, Neil and a happy and healthy 2020.  Best wishes also to your other half.  I hope she enjoys her retirement.  Maybe we'll get to catch up sometime next year.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Thanks everyone. Karen is'nt retiring, she's just cutting down to a 4 day week which she'd planned to do a couple of years or so back. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Our journey up to Gravesend was pretty good till we get to the dreaded M25. We joined from the A3, and immediately there was a hold up, with signs showing 50minutes for about 10 miles, so we diverted in to Chobham services for the loo's. Good job we did, as  further on we had to take an extended run from the M26 along the M20 to the West Malling junction because the slip road for Wrotham was closed.  Our aim was to get checked in to the hotel around 5.30pm, have a quick sit down and cuppa, and meet up with one of the other couples who own a share in Lightning who live locally at 6.30 for food and drinks, but due to road closures and traffic jams we would be late, so phoned them to arrive a bit later. Good job we did, as we arrived at the hotel a little after 6.30 ourselves. We got settled in, and went straight down to the lounge when our guests arrived 5 minutes later. A thoroughly enjoyable evening ensued, and our guests left a little after 10.30, so retired to our suite. It sounds a bit pretentious, but we thought we'd treat ourselves for Christmas.  Good night all. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

We woke up after a pretty good night's sleep, unusual for Karen and I, as we both seem to struggle for a good night's sleep in a strange bed. We enjoy a lovely lay in, and are up, showered and ready to meet my Brother and his partner for breakfast, and they arrive just as we get down to the lobby. We always take a long time over breakfast due to long chats, a lot of the time about bikes, not surprising for us though. It' getting on, and Trev asks if we're in a hurry, but no, we're not, as we don't need to be away till around noon, when we've arranged to meet my cousin and his wife for lunch, so we invite them up to our room, where have another cuppa, and more chat. They eventually get away about 11.30, so we get ready to make a move, and get away shortly afterwards. I'm really looking forward to lunch, Daph always puts plenty of food on the table. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Wow, what a great weekend, and a great way to start our Christmas break. Lunch was great, with too many bacon rolls consumed. Then in the evening, we were at my brothers for yet more food, though this time all I had was pancake roll and chips with curry sauce, I could'nt fit in any more, though Trev did force me to eat a Danish pastry an hour later. We sat down watching Casino Royal, then back to the Hotel and bed. We both slept rather well considering we felt stuffed after last night's, and today's quantity of food. I think tomorrow may have to be a bit Conservative with the hotel breakfast? 

Good night all. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Unfortunately, my total lack of will power meant I was as greedy as ever, so after 3 sausages, 3 rashers of bacon, 2 coddled eggs, and 2 ladels of beans, along with a fruit and yoghurt breakfast sundae, and a croissant,  all washed down with two cups of Earl Grey, we walked away, with me thinking "I shouldn't have eaten all that", but it was very nice though. 

We were going to meat my youngest Gt nephew for the first time later in the afternoon, so we decided to jump in the car and drive, but did:nt have a Plan where to go, and then Karen suggested Dover, because her mum grew up there, so our destination was set. En route as we were passing Canterbury, I thought about dropping in on grendel, but seeing as he's never done anything against me, I had no reason to torture him. 

Many years back, an aunt of mine lived on the main road through Hawkinge, so we diverted down to there to see how things changed. I wish I hadn't done so, as it was heartbreaking to see it now as an urban sprawling mass. The airfield had gone, which held many happy memories for us, but the air museum is still there, which was closed, but at least I now know where it is for a visit in 2020. Back En route to Dover, and we quickly got there, so drove straight through and up to the castle. We DID'NT want to go in, but just have a cuppa in a cafe, but they wouldn't allow it. We then went further on, and saw the sign for the white Cliffs, so went their. When we got there, we found it was National Trust,  good job we had our membership cards with us. We walked along the Cliffs a short way and took some pics, then retired to the cafe for a coffee and a ginger muffin. Eeling even more stuffed, we went back to the hotel, got changed and went back to Trevs place to pick him up and go and meet his newest grandson. We also took over the family presents, and had a chat for a while. 

Afterwards, we returned to Trevs House for a cuppa, and pick up his good lady to go to a nearby pub for dinner, yet more food, and we're not even at Christmas eve yet. We had a lovely meal, all having different dishes, yet each of us enjoyed it. 

After dinner, we dropped Trev and Maria back home, and Karen and I came back to the Hotel. We're the only guests for tonight, as the Hotel is now officially closed for Christmas and the new year, and they kindly accepted our 3 night booking because we are regular customers, so Karen, me, and a night Porter are the only people here, a bit weird to outnumber the staff too. 

We've had a great weekend, and a great way to start our break, somehow I think Christmas next year may be the same. 

Good night all. 

[HEM]

9 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Unfortunately, my total lack of will power meant I was as greedy as ever, so after 3 sausages, 3 rashers of bacon, 2 coddled eggs, and 2 ladels of beans, along with a fruit and yoghurt breakfast sundae, and a croissant,  all washed down with two cups of Earl Grey, we walked away, with me thinking "I shouldn't have eaten all that", but it was very nice though.

 

Quote

We were going to meat my youngest Gt nephew

All those sausages & rashers of bacon... 

[grendel]

10 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Unfortunately, my total lack of will power meant I was as greedy as ever, so after 3 sausages, 3 rashers of bacon, 2 coddled eggs, and 2 ladels of beans, along with a fruit and yoghurt breakfast sundae, and a croissant,  all washed down with two cups of Earl Grey, we walked away, with me thinking "I shouldn't have eaten all that", but it was very nice though. 

when I am getting a free breakfast with a hotel booking I too work on the principle that a good breakfast to set you up for the day ahead means that if necessary you can skip lunch and go straight through until evening meal time. It usually takes me a good hour to work through the full english, full continental, and cereal, followed up by a coffee or two with a round or two of toast and jam or marmalade

[SteveO]

In my younger days, my company would take us all to a large hotel in Brighton, which I think was in the Stakis chain. We would spend the evening listening to the Chairman tell us how well/badly we had done in the last 12 months and outline opportunities and challenges for the next period. Then we would eat and libations would flow prolifically. I always saved a bit of room for breakfast which was Scottish themed and extremely comprehensive, including the usual bacon, eggs, sausages, black pud, mushrooms, tomatoes etc, but also haggis, cloutie dumplings, and white pudding to name but a few. I don't do willpower so I didn't hold back and sampled just about everything. The great thing about it was that I never needed to eat at lunchtime after a spread like that and could only manage something very, very light for an evening meal.