Barbados-taking it slow in the sun (a bloke’s perspective)

The bloke’s perspective on Barbados, including rum, golf, going out, cricket and beer.

Judie Tzuke at Ravenscourt Arts — A Review

. I’m a cheery sort of chap, quiet when I’m grumpy, but generally fairly easy going I think (WHAT????? Ed) so when I was grumpy for about 3 weeks last year, it was quite noticeable. I had seen that Judie Tzuke was playing the Union Chapel in Islington at a midweek gig, bought some tickets as a surprise and was sitting at work, looking forward to it as I’d loved

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Harry Potter and #DarkArts

Harry Potter and #DarkArts Harry Potter World, or to give it its proper title “The Making of Harry Potter” is fast becoming one of my favourite places to visit. So in doing a week of posts about places to go and visit this had to feature! And it seems I am not alone in my love of the place. Just recently I saw that the tour had received

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Harry Potter and the things we haven’t seen before

Harry Potter and the things we haven’t seen beforet seen before We decided to have a day out last weekend so I could finally meet eldest daughter’s boyfriend’s mum, Rachael. A lovely lady I have heard lots about but had yet to meet. There was only one place for this meet up: a pub for lunch. Actually that isn’t strictly true. The main focus of the day

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10 Things I learned glamping at Camp Bestival

Well we survived. We are out the other side of our glamping experience at Camp Bestival. I thought I should share the 10 things I learned glamping there. Two nights and three days in a tent. In a field. With a queue for the loos and a queue for the showers. We did it. And even managed to do breakfast both mornings on a tiny one ring gas stove, and

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Summer in the Loire

Buy end of term teacher’s gifts. Check Attend speech day for J. Check Attend speech day for E. Check Read end of term report for J. Check Attend parent’s evening for E. Check Stare at contents of J’s school bedroom piled on floor in kid’s playroom for two weeks. Check Stare at contents of E’s locker in boot of car for two days. Check That will be the end of

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Top 10 tips for holiday budgeting

It’s that time of year, end of term looming, that I start my last minute holiday planning. Yesterday it involved printing off all my confirmation emails etc and checking everything was as it should be. No last minute panic when we realise the holiday cottage is booked for the wrong week etc! So having done the longer term planning earlier in the year I thought I would share it with

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A day trip to Calais

“You need to set your alarm for 5am tomorrow” “What? Why?” “We are going out for lunch” “Then why the hell do I need to set my alarm for 5am?” “Because we are having in lunch in Calais” “oh for God sake, mum”

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Royal Windsor Horse Show [AD]

The lovely people at Revolution Sports asked if we would like to go to the RWHS and, as it’s just up the road, and we will go to the opening of an envelope like to get out when we have nothing else on and there’s a place we haven’t been before. Anyway, it was a lovely day to head off to Datchet, find the car park and then wonder which

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The Gallery — Up Close And Personal

I had all sorts of plans for the theme this week when I saw it was “up close and personal”. I have just ordered some macro filters for my camera so I can start taking some arty shots. But as per usual I am a complete techno-noob. I have no idea how they work and can’t really get the camera to do what I want it to. So I

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Family Day Out At Ascot

Family Day Out At Ascot Family days out are as rare as hen’s teeth these days. One of us always has something on that means we can’t all do something together. And then when we do have time together, what the hell do we do that won’t mean somebody is bored within two seconds? Horse racing. That’s what.

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The Gallery — Something Beautiful

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, don’t they? And true beauty in the eye of this beholder is natural. The things that I find most beautiful are the things that occur naturally. Or are au naturel. I don’t find Katie Price particularly beautiful when she is full make up, back combed hair and pouting. But the pics of her in riding gear, hair back

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