Month: December 2013

Bargains – Debenhams Discount Code – extra 10% off & Hertz Discount Code – Up to 33% off & Debenhams Flowers Discount Code – £5 off & Boots Offers – 50% off & Bargain Crazy Discount Code – 15% off & Sainsburys Sale – £50 off

Oh wow, was it windy last night?! Yes, we felt the caravan shaking and we ended up getting up at 4.00am as it was so noisy. The gales have caused all sorts of disruption for people travelling.

A few bits of last minute shopping and the shops were really quiet. Tris and Violet arranged to come in the afternoon but sadly the trains were really messed up, not just because of trees on the line and floods and gales but also the train they were on caught fire! So they arrived much later than planned. Still, they got here in the end.

 

Thought for the Day – “Christmas gift suggestions:  To your enemy, forgiveness.  To an opponent, tolerance.  To a friend, your heart.  To a customer, service.  To all, charity.  To every child, a good example.  To yourself, respect.”  ~ Oren Arnold

Bargains – Debenhams Flowers Discount Code – Free Delivery & Debenhams Discount – Ben de Lisi Tribecca 44 piece cutlery set for £65 & Argos Sale – Homedics Shiatsu Massage Cushion for £79.99 & Sainsbury Sale – Cook’s Collection 3-piece Copper Bottom Pan Set for £38

Mal and I both had a great nights sleep, could have been something to do with the amount of alcohol consumed during the previous evening. We went into breakfast quite early as we wanted to go for a walk as The Blazing Donkey is in the middle of the countryside.  A full english breakfast was an offer included in this crazy price of £69!  Breakfast consumed and off we went for a walk. We went into Eastry. It has been raining so much that we couldn’t go along all the footpaths as they were so soggy. The people are really friendly in the village and one lady showed us a different way to walk back and came some of the way with us. There were some lovely houses, very tempting.

After our walk, which we managed before the rain started, we packed up and headed back to the caravan. It was a brilliant stay, just wish we had time to go again.

Then the gales started. By lunchtime the Dartford Bridge had been closed because of the high winds.
In the evening we left the swaying of the caravan and went to Jemma and Dom’s house for a pre Christmas drink and exchange of presents. Nice to see them both.

Thought for the Day – “As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is.”  ~ Eric Sevareid

Bargains – Dorothy Perkins Discount Code – 25% off & SimplyBe Sale – up to 50% discount & MandM Direct Discount Code – up to 85% off plus FREE DELIVERY & Dunelm Sale – Espresso Coffee Machine for £39.99 & Sainsburys Sale – Philips Sonicare PowerUp Electric Toothbrush for £25

 

I had to add the Sonicare toothbrush as ours has stopped working and we looked around yesterday for another one and Sainsburys had the one above which fits the brushes we have and an excellent price. So many of the shops have such good deals on now that I am starting to buy Birthday presents for the beginning of next year!!

We drove into Deal and a walk along the sea front and our lunch out. It’s surprising what you see in Deal…..a very inventive Grandad!!

 

We booked for a night away at The Blazing Donkey at Ham. It was only about 12 miles from the caravan but one of my deals!! We booked for Bed and Breakfast and a 3 course dinner for £69!! We worked out that the food was worth that plus we had a bed which for once meant that I could drink. Mal doesn’t drive so I always drive which means I never drink.

Well, the room was really good. All the rooms are in the old stable block, very warm and cosy with everything you need.  Dinner was excellent, in fact we couldn’t believe what good value it was. Having had quite a few drinks, we spoke to the owners. It seems they haven’t been there long having taken over from a grumpy old man who really ran the place down and now they are trying to build trade up again.  Good Luck to them because it was all very good and we would love to go back again.

Thought for the Day – “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.” ~ Agnes M. Pahro

Bargains – Amazon Local – Bournemouth 2 night Break for two for £99 & Budget Car Hire – From £12 Per Day & Boots Star Gift – Mark Hill Va Va Voom Big Blow Glam Kit for £30 & Dorothy Perkins Sale – up to 50% off & M&S Sale – 30% off all Clothing

Note, today from 8am M&S have 30% off ALL clothing. I will certainly be ordering a couple of things for “click and collect” !! Too good to miss that one.

Well, the wind howled all night and also rain was quite heavy too. It is going to be a wet and windy Christmas.

Out in the morning to meet up with some very good friends of ours. So nice to see them again, they have just moved and are settling into their new home.

We popped into Asda on the way back to buy some smoked haddock in their ready to go in the oven packaging to which they add all the herb butters etc. It was very good. It’s fresh fish and then they seal it in the bags.

Rain, rain and more rain! In the evening we watched Christmas films.

I couldn’t resist this one……. and yes we are missing Ellie!

Bargains – M&S Sale – 30% off & North Cyprus Holidays – 1 week Half Board from £249pp & The Hut Discount Code – £6 off £40 & Amazon Sale – All-New Kindle Fire HDX 7″ Tablet for £169 & Best Western – 50% off this winter & M&S Sale – 50% off Christmas Gifts and Wrapping Paper

Even more shopping in the morning! I think all presents are now wrapped too.

In the afternoon we went over to Lou and Rhys’s. It was the last day of school for the older boys and they went off to the gym. Lou was working. When they were all home Mal and I went to Makcari’s in Herne Bay to get good old British Fish and Chips to take home. With an order for 10 Mal and I thought it was a little pricey but then we are not used to UK prices so who knows. We’ll have to compare it with Pete’s in Margate some time. Then we all sat down and watched “Text Santa”.

The wind started again by the time we were back in the caravan and seemed to continue all night, yes you do hear it in the ‘van!

Bargains – Thornton’s Chocolates Discount Code – 15% off & M&S Sale – 30% off Jumpers and Cardigans & Sainsburys Sale – Cook’s Collection Red Cast Iron Oval Mini Casserole for £15 & Wilko Sale – Stocking Filler Sweets & Paintballing for 4 – including Lunch for £24 +Free Delivery & Laura Ashley Sale with up to 50% off

By the time we woke up, the rain had stopped and the wind had dropped. I started present wrapping. Thank you Marks and Spencer, not only for your half price wrapping paper but they also have grids on the inside of the paper , straight lines for cutting along!! Why has no one thought of this before? According to Torin they have I have just never bought any before!

The lira has now hit 3.40 to the pound.

More shopping but at least the weather was mild and dry.

 

Thought for the Day – “Christmas is taken very seriously in this household. I believe in Father Christmas and there’s no way I’d do anything to undermine that belief.” ~ Carol Ann Duffy

Bargains – Sports Direct Sale – up to Half Price & Bon Marche Discount Code – £5 off £30 spend & M&S Sale – 30% off Sleepwear & Brantano Footwear Discount Code – 40% off & Flying Flowers Discount Code – 11% off plus Free Delivery & Wilko Sale – 15% off Bikes

More on “the talks” between north and south. It sounds like a double bluff to me.

Mal and I went off to Canterbury to do some Christmas shopping. We spoke to a lot of the staff in various shops and they have never known it so quiet at this time prior to Christmas before.  It was actually pleasant and no queueing at the tills. It was also made far better by the amount of half price things we found! As readers will know, I love Canterbury (worked there for many years) and know the City inside out.

There are many restaurants in Canterbury but we decided to try one we hadn’t been to before.We had our lunch out at Chapman’s Sea Food Restaurant and very good it was too. I love fish. We had the Fish Rondue, a little like the Stonegrill in North Cyprus but instead of steak, we had chunks of a variety of fish and king prawns and scallops. Very impressed and the girls in there were lovely. They even had real ales, so Mal was happy.

In the evening we had torrential rain and really high winds.

Thought for the Day – “I don’t think Christmas is necessarily about things. It’s about being good to one another, it’s about the Christian ethic, it’s about kindness.” ~ Carrie Fisher