Tag: food

Hasta Luego

by mkingdon, posted in mkingdon, Uncategorized

Well, as punishment for daring to go on holiday, last week at work was one of the worst I’ve experienced in all the decades I’ve been sucking this shit up to pay the bills. Just two more similar days to go before I can pretend to not think about it for two weeks.

I can feel the stress coursing through my body and my neck and shoulders feel like I’ve done something that is very bad for your neck and shoulders.

All that meant that yesterday was also stupidly busy as I had to do some work that has to be finished before I go and I’m in meetings for every hour God sends from the start of Monday to the end of Tuesday and then start to try and prep the stuff I prep for the holiday. That meant printing off the stuff we might need (I’ve been over cautious as this isn’t our familiar journey) and can I say, how is it that in 2025 AI can do your job for you but we still can’t build printers that print? I also filled the rucksack, which won’t be Ryan for this trip. Louise says he’s too scruffy to go a resort like ours and I gave in as his role is solely for US based trips. Instead I’m taking son of Ryan, the brand new exact replica Louse bought me a few years ago.

Filling the rucksack is faffy, ranging from the essential passports and docs to the relevant phone and watch chargers, camera, kindle, painkillers, money and credit cards etc.

What I also learned this week was trying to order some US dollars in specific denominations appears to be impossible. I tried a load of websites and nobody gives you the option to request smaller bills (these dollars are only for tipping folks) so in the end I had to go old school and rock up the local post office and ask them to give me the smallest they had. They were still mostly too big.

With Louise out working I was also in charge of doing multiple washer loads, mainly of the dog’s bedding, and our bedding despite the fact that our house sitter is Emily, who lives here. I waited in for a delivery for Louise, which I “missed” as when it arrived, the chap rang the bell and then seemingly sprinted to his van and drove away by the time I walked the thirty steps from the couch to the front door.

Then I had to do some mowing up on the field as the grass was getting ridiculous despite me attacking it with a strimmer for the past week and I had to at least cut some walking paths in it for when Emily walks them whilst we are away.

I took delivery of an obscene amount of pet food for the dogs and cats and then nipped to the supermarket to get enough food to feed us until Tuesday and then I made tea.

It was a busy Saturday and today is looking similar. I’ve done some more work this morning, wrote this clap trap and then I have to go to a shop to collect an order Louise clicked last night and then go and see my Mum.

Anyway, as it always does, time will pass, I’ll get through work and we’ll be off soon enough. I’ll probably share some stuff on the Mkingdon Facebook page whilst away so do what you need to do if you want those. A day by day trip report is unlikely as it would be (more) boring than a US trip and I almost certainly won’t have time to write it, but I will of course share thoughts, highlights and food in some way.

See you in a few weeks.

Till the next time……

The Ump Me, Do You Need A Wee Tour 2024 – Day Five Saturday 19th October

by mkingdon, posted in The Ump Me, Do You Need A Wee Tour 2024

Fair warning, we’ve hit a rest day. It was incredibly welcome, don’t get me wrong. We had broken the cardinal rule of ensuring day two was a rest day due to the cooler weather so now after the long travel day and three consecutive park days we were ready, but content-wise, well if it were possible to be poorer, it will be.

We stayed in bed until 8am which was a bit of a breakthrough time zone wise and we took our time getting ready, leaving the house around 9.30. One real benefit of a rest day is the opportunity to go and eat a life-threatening amount of food for breakfast so we did that.

I can’t remember where I saw it but I had noted in my plan that we should try a new place called @TheDiner. It is in Lake Buena Vista not far from Crossroads and due to yet more bobbins traffic it took over half an hour to get there and there was a point, when stationary on the 192 that I considered just pulling into a Perkins or Dennys there to avoid my growing frustration with the length of time it was taking to get anywhere.

We stuck it out and upon arrival we were quoted a 20-minute wait. We waited outside whilst looking over the menu.

We ordered –

Louise and Me – Eggs Benedict

Freddie – Grilled Cheese

Rebecca – House Special Cinnamon Toast with Egg and Sausage

Tom – Bagel and Boston Cream Pie Pancakes

Dougie – Fruit Cup

I am only slightly ashamed to admit that Louise and I ordered one of those Boston Cream Pie Pancakes to share after finishing our Eggs Benedicts and it was very much the right thing to do.

With juices and coffees, it was $185 including tip.

We drove back to the Solaro resort (where we were staying), through the entrance on the other side of the road to our villa, and around to the pool and clubhouse.

We found some beds and upon trying to locate the towels the lifeguard told me that they do not supply them, so that had me driving back to the villa to go and get some!

We were settled in by the splash pool and the boys played in that for a long while.

A waitress approached after some time and took a drinks order. We left the tab open but she never darkened our door/beds again so lost out on any tip we could have given her. I guess she was busier around the main pool.

Rebecca, Tom and Freddie went over to the main pool for a while and I went for a walk around the local estate to get Dougie to sleep. It was quite the safari with lizards, rabbits and snakes all making an appearance.

Freddie was keen to try the Flow Rider thing, so that’s what happened next. He has more bravery than I ever did at six years old.

After a few minutes of lying down and then kneeling up, he was on his feet….

On his next few tries he went back to lying down for the fun of it and the chap helping him here was really good with him.

As his session came to an end he hadn’t had any form of wipe out which would result in him shooting up over the top, so he intentionally fell off and did just that. He absolutely loved the whole experience.

We left the pool around 5.30 and went back home to get ready for dinner (tea).

The plan said the Cheesecake Factory but we were pretty sure the wait would be unbearable. I had tried to book, but that seems impossible from the UK and I had forgotten to ring up to do so since arriving in the US.

We got there at 8.15 and of course at that time on a Saturday, the wait time was quoted at two hours. You would think as that is pretty standard why they don’t build another location in the area.

With that being clearly a non-starter we set off in search of an alternative. We thought of Bahama Breeze and headed in that direction but again the traffic to get there was queuing from the Premium Outlets right the way down to the junction where BB is, so instead we bailed at the Longhorns we were sat in traffic outside of.

Even there we were given a 30-minute expected wait. After every minute of that, we were seated after waiting outside.

There was a bread service and we started with two appetisers to share. Spinach Artichoke Dip and a kind of Bloonim’ Onion thing.

Both were very good.

It was steaks all round, which were delicious. My loaded spud was a little cold and dry but overall a tasty meal.

You can see I was a little late to the photos….

With a couple of wines and an unusual two beers for me, and Freddie finishing up with an ice cream, it was a slightly surprising $280 including tip. With me out of my mind on two beers, Tom drove us home and we managed a landmark bedtime of 11pm.

Till the next time…..

The Doing Diddly In Delray Tour 2024 – Day Seven Monday 3rd June

by mkingdon, posted in The Doing Diddly In Delray Tour 2024

My notes tell me I had a bad night’s sleep, and I attributed it to eating too much too close to bedtime. On reflection, it may have been the size of the bill what did it!

With that unsettled night it was 10.30 before we were up and about and we brunched at Boheme Bistro. It being steps from our hotel and on the way to the beach was granting it a lot of our business this trip.

We chose to sit outside and after ordering we Facetimed Rebecca and had a chat for a bit. We were still doing that when our food arrived which resulted in me forgetting to take photos before the eating began.

A large Stuffed Baguette for was mine, which is not a new thing for me.

And that empty plate once contained Louise’s Eggs Benedict.

We encountered a few spots of rain whilst we ate, but it was that kind of hot where that was quite welcome. Thankfully, it was just those few spots and we didn’t need to move inside.

Once down at the beach, we were relieved and delighted to see the umbrellas up, despite there being a decent wind.

We assumed the position under overcast skies. It was of course still delightfully hot.

Mid-afternoon I went for a wander to get us some drinks and another lot of sun cream and besides that, we did literally nothing. The weather brightened too.

The ability to do nothing for hours on end is a non-negotiable skill for these types of holidays. I am very happy to do very little as I so sledom get that chance back home. We endured until around 5.30, strolled back to the hotel and readied ourselves for more eating and drinking.

Tonight we would stray from Atlantic Avenue and indeed Delray by driving out to Bocca and….

It took about 20 minutes to do so, and the I95 retained its crown as the worst road I’ve driven on in the US.

There was no wait to be seated and we kicked off with the bread service.

My diet coke arrived with some of the machine inside it, so I was brought another.

You may have guessed that we of course ordered the Nachos to share here for our entree, with beef added.

They were very good but not as good as those we have had at the Cheesecake Factory in Lake Buena Vista. Despite it being the same chain, experiences and dishes can differ greatly.

We forced ourselves to a dessert, sharing a Cookie Dough and Pecan slice.

It was glorious but it could not be finished.

I forgot to note the cost of this meal but I am confident to say it was a lot more acceptable than the one last night.

We drove home, went straight to bed and watched TV for a bit before enduring another unsettled night.

Till the next time……

The Doing Diddly In Delray Tour 2024 – Day Four Friday 31st May

by mkingdon, posted in The Doing Diddly In Delray Tour 2024

I spent most of the morning in bed doing something I very rarely do.

Having a lie-in.

It was 10.30 before I was up and about but hey, we had nowhere to be. I had some breakfast and watched some telly whilst Louise slept on. Once she arose she wanted to go out for breakfast. Clearly, as I had already had mine I would just get a drink or something at Boheme Bistro.

I don’t know how to explain why the waitress brought me this to be honest….

It was definite brunch/early lunch territory so Louise went for a BLT.

Eating Hobbit style, with a middle breakfast, might just be the lifestyle I’ve been looking for.

Leaving $60 including tip, we set off back to the hotel to take up our positions by the pool. It was rammed today, with two other people crowding us.

Louise ignored the “you have to wait for an hour after eating before going in the pool” rule….

I cowered in the shade as certain body parts were still a little well done. We only had to move beds once today to chase the shade, but I did have to make several dashes back to the room for reasons I won’t go into, but I was very glad we were not at the beach today. Nobody wants *that* in the water.

With little else to report other than more of the same for the rest of the day, Louise went back to the room around 5.30 to start getting ready and I stayed out by the pool for a bit reading.

I showered and readied around 6.30 and we nipped out to Publix for “bits”.

We dropped the car off back at the hotel and ordered a Lyft. Stand by, because after a lot of nothing happening, there is about to be some mild drama.

We were picked up in a HUGE Toyota Sequoia by a lovely female driver. Delray was rammed, being the start of the weekend, and once she got us within striking distance of our restaurant of choice, we jumped out of the car in the middle of backed-up traffic and jogged unathletically across the road to avoid death.

We walked the remaining distance to Rocco’s Tacos and approached the podium. Upon hearing my accent the young girl trying to sort us a table asked which part of London I was from. Vocally, Dick Van Dyke I am not. I rolled my eyes and explained roughly where we lived and she explained that she lived in Cambridge when she was very young as her Dad was in the Air Force, stationed in the UK.

Pleasant chat over, she asked for my mobile number so she could text me. I thought that was a little bold with Louise stood next to me, but after a few awkward moments, it turns out she meant when the table was ready.

We started walking to the bar, and I did one of 300 daily pocket pats, ensuring I had my car keys, phone, etc. A sudden sickness came over me as I felt the emptiness of one pocket. Looking paler than milk I realised I had left my phone in the Lyft!

We ran outside, knowing she had long gone and with panic raging, I grabbed Louise’s phone and tried to call mine. It would not connect.

I tried to log into my Lyft account on Louise’s phone so that I could message the driver, but that wasn’t possible as it sent a verification code to my phone!

I logged into my iCloud on Louise’s phone and could see my phone moving, so it was definitely in the car, but that was driving away from Delray.

With my mind swimming with the horrors of dealing with losing my phone whilst away, I sent the sound alarm thing to my phone many times. I then tried calling it via every method available, Messenger, WhatsApp and the like. Finally, what felt like a thousand minutes later, the driver picked up. She had heard me pinging it and realised what had happened. She very kindly agreed to bring it back to Delray once she had finished her current drop-off.

I cannot describe the feeling of relief.

We stood outside the restaurant for about 20 minutes, having gone back inside to tell them that there was no point texting me yet and I explained why.

Eventually, she pulled up and I could have dragged her through the passenger window and kissed her. Instead, I gave her the maximum tip the app would allow which was the better option for everyone all things considered..

With my sheen of sweat now subsiding, we claimed our table and sat down to eat. This was the second time that I have left my phone in a taxi whilst overseas and I can only blame the poor pocketage on my very attractive holiday shorts.

We started with some chips and Guac. Enough to sink a battleship.

We ordered a Margharita each.

and ordered the same entree….a salad….

Honest! It was called a Taco Salad Bowl and it was awesome. This was our best meal so far, perhaps enhanced by the surge of adrenaline still pumping through my body, but we paid the $120 including tip happily and left.

We strolled down to Johnny Brown’s, a bar that always seemed to have live music on. It was absolutely packed. It was a literal fight to get a drink and we somehow bagged a table right outside the restrooms. Maybe that was why.

We’ve had better views.

The band were decent but the thought of another trip to the bar and the feeling that we were getting eaten alive by something drove us to seek another venue.

We ended up in the Yacht Club again where another band was playing. This place was much less crowded and civilized and we had a few drinks here whilst listening to the band, who, again were pretty good. Unlike my photography.

We jumped in a Lyft home around midnight and bed swallowed us up as eagerly as I had that Taco Salad earlier.

Till the next time……

The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour 2023 – Day Fourteen Sunday 26th November

by mkingdon, posted in The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour

Dig in folks, we are now at the “last full day”. Once we get this one out of the way there’s just the brief and sulky travel day to endure and then we can all move on with our lives.

After a late and boozy night, there was no rush at all to get up this morning. My dislike of the weather continued as it looked to be cloudy AF (I am down with kids) again.

It was a solo breakfast once more this morning but I did take a hungover Louise some coffee and sweet things on my return.

With no sun to speak of, we jumped in the car and headed up the I4 to City Walk to do some final gift shopping. We parked up and headed on in.

We initially stopped off in the gift shop at Bubba Gump’s. Louise bought too much stuff. It wasn’t a financial concern, well it was a bit, but I was very worried about our lack of luggage space for the return leg. We were pretty much at our limit on the way out and we had already accumulated many gifts to return with.

We strolled on and did a full loop around the water.

We stopped in most of the shops along the way and did manage to get everyone who merited one, a present.

Having spent a handful of calories walking, the sensible thing to do would be to nip into Toothsome for a Freak Shake, so we did.

I had the Red Velvet and Louise the Espresso Buzz. They were glorious of course and being stupid we kept the plastic cup things and somehow managed to bring them back across the Atlantic so they could sit in our cupboard never to be used again.

We completed our loop, stopping in more shops and Bubba Gumps again to use their restroom on our way back to the car. The forecast said there may be some sun to come so we were headed back to the pool all full of hope and expectation.

Naturally, pretty much as soon as we lay down by the pool the drizzle started.

You can have that footshot for free.

We moved under cover on the patio area and hoped to wait out the fleeting shower. It did not fleet and just got worse so we eventually gave up and returned to the room. We read and rested for a bit before getting ready to go out for dinner (tea).

Our destination was Olive Garden just around the corner and we got there around 8pm. We were seated immediately.

You will know what happened first.

We both opted for the Tour Of Italy…

We both had Diet Coke too, having had enough of alcohol last night.

The bill was a very reasonable $70 including a good tip and after what had been some rocky ground here since Covid this felt like a return to form for Olive Garden and I was glad we hadn’t given up on it.

We went straight back to the hotel, having neither the desire nor stamina to do any drinking or revelling this evening. We watched The Hunger Games in bed and went to sleep around 11pm. Hardly a glorious finale to our trip but it’s what we felt like doing and isn’t that what holidays are all about?

Till the next time……

The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour 2023 – Day Thirteen Saturday 25th November

by mkingdon, posted in The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour

Fear not faithful readers, we are approaching the end of this seemingly endless Groundhog Day trip and then you will surely be spared any further trip reportage from me for some time. Right?

I was awake at 6.30am. This was intentional as there was a football match back in the UK that I wanted to watch. Not too surprisingly the TV in our room did not carry the required channels to watch it, so I had to resort to watching it on my phone instead. Having watched an acceptable draw, I ventured down to breakfast alone at 9.45. Louise could not muster the enthusiasm to do so this morning, so after eating I brought her a muffin and a coffee because I am a model husband.

With days fast running out, we went to the pool despite the cloudy weather. It was warm enough and certainly warmer than it would be when we would get home in a few short days so we endured.

I think I must have nodded off at one point because when I opened my eyes Louise’s sunbed was empty and I eventually saw her on the other side of the pool, chasing the intermittent sun.

We got our customary snacks and Lays for lunch again and continued to do nothing until around 4pm.

For reasons I now cannot remember I had decided that this evening we would be eating at Saltgrass Steakhouse at Lake Buena Vista, so after showers, we drove the short distance.

After enjoying them so much at Sickies once we saw the Pickles and Peppers on the menu they were bound to be our appetiser.

They were large and very nice, as, increasingly was I. We also had a bread service and a salad before our mains arrived.

I figured, if you are coming to a steak house then it would be silly not to so I ordered, possibly the largest steak I had ever eaten.

It was a 22oz Porterhouse and it was awesome.

Louise had a Chicken Sandwich. After all these years, even Louise forgets to not go near her food until the photo has been taken!

I didn’t make a note of the bill, but I think it was decent value all things considered. This being our first time here, I would say it is worth a try. It is a no-frills affair and seemingly very popular with locals which is usually a good sign.

We left around 7.45 and dropped the car off back at the hotel. A Lyft took five minutes to arrive and it transported us to The Boardwalk. It took an age. The traffic past Disney Springs was ridiculous. What should have been a sub-ten-minute journey took over twenty.

I feared that Jellyrolls, our destination, would be full by now, but we managed to snag the last table and it was right by the stage. This can be a worry if you are not a fan of audience participation but we were not troubled tonight.

As ever the performers were great despite not being any of our favourites. We had a couple of requests played, Teenage Dirtbag and That Thing You Do (again).

We had a few rounds of drinks. You know you’ve been to Jellyrolls a lot when the waitress comes to your table and says “the usual?”. I think we probably funded her mortgage for the month during this trip.

I think we left around 12.30 and ordered our Lyft home. We were picked up by “Flash”. I may be cynical but that was probably not his real name. Regardless he was a superstar. We had a lovely chat all the way home about his home of Jamaica and all sorts of random things. What a lovely man.

We said goodbye and I probably over-tipped him before falling into bed around 1am.

Till the next time…..

The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour 2023 – Day Four Thursday 16th November

by mkingdon, posted in The Getting Layed In Orlando Tour

We awoke full of expectations of more crap weather, and a few minutes of watching the TV confirmed this to be the case. Bugger.

We slowly got ourselves ready and headed down for some breakfast. With no real clue what to do today, I booked an ADR for Beaches & Cream at 2.30, thinking we may do some resort hopping if all else fails.

The view from the restaurant was not a pleasing one.

It became clear to us during breakfast, based on what could be seen through that window and what the weather apps were telling us, that it would probably be too wet to be doing any sort of “hopping” or generally just being outside at all, so we changed plans and decided to head to Mall at Millenia to be indoors as much as possible. Crucially it also had a Cheesecake Factory.

We left the hotel at 10.45 and undertook a slow, wet, and frankly slightly dangerous drive up the I4. We parked up, got wet on the walk-in, and wandered a few shops before deciding that was more than enough shopping for now and it was time to eat. You know where we went.

It will not shock you to hear that we ordered Nachos.

Having had breakfast not that long ago that was the extent of our efforts. We are not animals.

We resumed the wandering of shops and Louise had pinched my hoody as she was a bit chilly. So we went to American Eagle and I bought myself a new one for $75. This frivolous spending can only happen when on holiday.

With enough dollars spent now, we walked back to the car and drove to Disney Springs, headed for the cinema.

The rain at this point was biblical.

I take these photos so I can find the car when we return, but I share them anyway.

There was not a great deal of choice, film-wise, but in the end, we opted for the new Di Caprio film, Killers Of The Flower Moon. I knew little about it other than it was three and a half hours long. We were pretty full but I did manage to fit in a bag of choccy snacks……three and half hours is a long time!

The film was good but could have been a fair bit shorter and easier on the ass.

We emerged at 6.30 and guess what, it was pouring down still. We drove back to the hotel and got ready for our evening with Yeeha Bob at Port Orleans.

We were picked up by a Lyft at 7.45 knowing this was already too late to secure a good seat. We arrived ten minutes later and found that to be true. We had to loiter for a while until a couple vacated a couch just outside the main bar area. They knew we were waiting for their seat and the arse husband therefore spent about ten minutes examining his bill, for what who knows, before, slowly and finally getting up. I really dislike people sometimes.

We had one drink in this location before someone left a table in the main area and Louise pounced whilst I settled up.

That was an Espresso Martini, but probably the least impressive of the trip.

This was much better.

I had moved on to Chocolate Martinis as I am not a real man and cannot drink proper alcohol.

After a good few drinks we were peckish so ordered some bar food. I think it was some sort of Spinach dip and Tots.

At some point towards the end of the evening, just after a round of drinks had arrived, I put some of my not inconsiderable weight on my end of the table and it tipped up, launching Louise’s full glass of red wine all over me.

Many napkins were needed and I now had pink trainers and a soggy hoody…you know the one I spent $75 on earlier. Our server replaced the drink for free of course, despite my clumsy ineptitude. Maybe their tables are known to be faulty?

Anyway, we left at midnight in another Lyft, and hey, it was still raining.

Till the next time…..

The longest break between food has been whilst writing this….

by mkingdon, posted in mkingdon, Oli

I appear to have blinked and missed Christmas.  I know I am of an age now, but wow, it flashed by in a blur of calories and crap telly.  All of a sudden it is Wednesday, my holiday is half over (or only half gone depending on your outlook on life I suppose) and I am well into my second stone of weight gain.

As brief as it seemed it was very enjoyable, with Christmas Eve Eve spent with a takeaway, my annual Baileys and the new Peter Kay DVD.  He is still one of the few comedians who can make me laugh out loud.  Being more or less exactly the same age, and from the same town some of his references to his childhood etc do strike very close to home.  We did have a very similar childhood!

From that point on, I have never let my belly get any less than half full.

If we thought for one second that now we have very grown up teenagers that the excitement levels would diminish in the run up, we were very wrong.  Rebecca was excited enough for the two of them in the days preceding the big day, and having asked what time she was allowed to get up on Christmas morning, she arrived at our door at exactly 7.00am!  Emily was behind her, doing her level best to cope with the early hour whilst remaining something close to festive.  As usual no-one is allowed in the front room until Dad has been in to “make sure he’s been”, and to switch on the lights.

So, what was months of build up, present planning and buying, came to fruition in thirty second  frenzy of wrapping paper, especially from Rebecca’s side of the room.

Rebecca's presents
All present and correct

She is a full blown force of nature when it comes to opening presents.  Emily is much more measured.  Whether they have been aged fourteen and sixteen or four and six, this has always been the case.

Emily's presents
Ooh my piles!

One thing that has changed is that these piles are getting smaller.  These days they tend to contain fewer more expensive presents, whereas a decade ago, they literally had half of the room each filled with endless dolls and tat that I would then spend all day un-packaging.

This year, the main gifts were an iPhone 4S for Rebecca and a new “proper” camera for Emily, a Nikon D3000.  As ever, the look of proper shock and surprise from both upon opening these was worth the expense.  Yep, Louise and I are a collective soft touch.

We also had a new family member to buy for!

Once he’d got bored with that present, he looked around for entertainment elsewhere.

The day then went like this.

Breakfast was with my Mum and Dad, where once again I bedazzled everyone with the Benediction of some eggs.  They left us around lunch time, to enable us to either start making “the dinner” or sit and watch telly drinking a gin and tonic.  I shall let you draw your own conclusions as to which option I went for.

Louise’s mum joined us mid afternoon, and with a few minutes to go, I ventured into the kitchen to do manly things like carve some meat, and pick the best seat at the table.  The meal itself was a delight, and from our cocktail of prawns (a Grandma tradition), through the traditional turkey fest and onto the unneccessary yet obligatory dessert, I showed great stamina to keep going to the very end, however I fell at the final hurdle made of cheese and crackers.

The evening consisted of a walk of the dog, and a bum on the couch.  I endured as much of Downtown as I could, before making a run for the hills (bed) when I realised it was a two-hour “spectacular”.  There are only so many stiff uppers I can stomach in one go.  So I read my book (a present from Louise) for a while before placing my stomach on the mattress next to me and drifting off to a dream about leftovers.

Muddy Oli
His head was the clean bit....

On Boxing Day, we didn’t do much to be honest, other than take Oli out for a bracing and lengthy walk around a local reservoir.  He got a bit muddy.

So after an hour’s walk, there then followed a bath of around the same length.  From that point on, we’ve pretty much not done a great deal.  Louise did somehow manage to persuade me to go into town yesterday, as she had some vouchers to spend with a 24 hour expiry period (apparently).  We survived, albeit with a very close call on me spending a silly amount of money on a new coat.  It was on the wrong rack, and so the price I thought I’d be paying was almost double that amount when I got to the till.  I declined, almost politely.

Today, alas Louise was back in work (ah the perils of serving the public) so I spent the morning doing a couple of errands, and some washing (yes, I am THAT considerate), before settling in for a lengthy session my newly acquired Modern Warfare 3.  A Christmas tradition for me.

So here I sit, surrounded by sweets of all kinds, having just polished off some cheese and biscuits that I clearly didn’t need, after necking a large tea only a couple of hours before.  Somebody stop me!!!

So I have to go now to plan my outfit for the New Year’s Eve extravaganza celebration which will involve a helicopter arrival at some star-studded do, rubbing shoulders with celebs whilst quaffing expensive bubbly and posh nibbly food that isn’t from Iceland!!  Either that or I’ll be sat on my couch berating the shocking quality of telly on New Year’s Eve whilst increasing my waistline by another belt notch or two.  Don’t be jealous.  I hope your celebrations go well, and your new year even better.

Till the next time….