Fully Protected

Oh my goodness, Darrell and I made appointments for Eric and Derek to get their flu jabs at Boots this morning .........

....... so much more dignified and organised than waiting for our doctors surgery to invite them, because last year we thought we'd booked them two individual spots either side of eleven thirty, only to find that so had a whole lot of other disgruntled patients who'd done the same, stood outside, facing a queue round the block .......

......... let's just say we were not best pleased and in the end gave up!

However, that being said, jabs hold no truck for the dynamic duo, they were in and out in a matter of minutes, sleeves already rolled up, arms held limply at their sides, bless them.

I understand that there may also have been was  some gentle arm slapping going on because, according to Derek, this would help draw a vein (????????), making things even easier .......

Heaven knows where he got that golden nugget of medical information from,  perhaps the forensic viewing of programmes the likes of  Inside The Ambulance or 24 Hours in A and E may not be such a good idea.  However, they're "both done" with Darrell and Alice and I due for next week, happy, vaccinated days!!!

A Totally Unexpected Arrival ......

What can we say, but on Friday we received a totally unexpected package from our much beloved, forever followers Paula and Louise in romantic and occasionally stormy Plymouth .......

So, as you can imagine, even with Eric and Derek out at the time, The Towers was still thronging with pent up excitement ......

Inside was a lovely catch up note .......

...... and two gifts to sort of make up for us not having our traditional Halloween sleepover this year, what with our nephew and niece galivanting in them there foreign parts!  The beautiful skull mug was a reference to Halloween and I can already see there's going to be fights over who uses it first, especially when Eric and Derek caste their beady eyes upon it.

There was a box of orange flavour After Eights. Now, I have to admit, we have been strangers to the aforesaid After Eight since we tried the strawberry and mint flavour, which wasn't the greatest of experiences, even Darrell's much prized, silver plated After Eight caddy has since been re-donated to the charity shop from whence it came and, to be honest, not really missed, except perhaps at Christmas.

However, we all agreed just plain orange, simply enrobed in dark chocolate seemed not to be too far out of the ordinary for our simple yet enquiring tastes.

The most obvious thing e noticed was the size, like almost everything, the wafer thin chocolates have visibly shrunken, just like Mars Bars, Milky Ways and Twixs etc., so no real surprise there.

But, how did they taste, I hear you ask? Pretty dam good, we liked them, we liked them a lot. The orange was just enough with, more importantly, no lingering aftertaste (the bane, recently, of many a comestible review).  Darrell said they'd be rather nice popped in the freezer for a couple of hours and then added to a dish of plain vanilla ice cream as a posh dessert, which I have to agree, sounds very tempting.

Would we buy them again and/or recommend them? Yes most definitely. As for a score on our world famous Richter Score of Noms ....... well, after some deliberation we reckon five minutes to the aforesaid hour of eight, seems a pretty reasonable score!  So, thank you Paula and Louise for opening our eyes to yet another new confectionary delicacy ....... which then got us to thinking that perhaps the much mentioned After Eight people might/should consider, instead of the weird and wonderful offerings of the past, work on a a coffee type version ..........  ??????

The Best Haunted House In Evesham

What better way for Eric and Derek to wind down the spookiest month of the year than with a visit to the spookiest, best dressed house in Evesham, just up the road from us.

It goes without saying that once again the house has pulled out all the stops with this years theme - the TV series "Friends".  

Not, we have to admit, one of our more regular of views, but even Eric and Derek could pick the characters and their various antics, including smelly cat and Marcel the monkey .........

...... all, obviously, in skeletal form. It was all absolutely, quite amazingly wonderful, the level of detail and imagination mind blowing according to the spellbound  dynamic duo.

All proceeds collected go straight to the Air Ambulance and needless to say, every year this display raises thousands and thousands of pounds, drawing an admiring audience from far and wide for the month it's all on show.

It goes without saying that Eric and Derek showed their appreciation for all the effort that goes into this annual spooky labour of love, .......... the perfect end, they both agreed, to a glorious October, leaving the very best 'till last!

Derek's Nomination For The Woodland Trust Tree Of The Year 2027

Derek has found his nomination for The Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year 2027 ....

...... we mentioned it here before, a while back, but since then it's continue to grow, thrive and flourish, as Derek's love and admiration for it has grown too.

It would seem that, somehow, a new tree has sprouted from the side of the inside of an old shorn tree trunk, if that makes sense. It's become stronger as the months have passed, with Derek saying that its fortitude and strength against all odds is totally belied by it's delicate and pretty foliage.  

We're at a complete loss as to what breed of tree it is, any suggestions, oh wise Mr D, font of all knowledge?

However, we all agree it is rather lovely, and to be honest, if it were in our garden, it's the most wonderful shape for smothering in tiny lights at Christmas to look the epitome of festive. Obviously we'll continue to keep an eye on it, hoping it'll survive the rigours of the coming autumn and winter ............ and for many seasons beyond.

Shades Of Irredescent Plum?

It has to be said that the ever fragrant one isn't particularly interested in cars, other than for getting from A to B .......

..... however, there is one that parks on the cusp of our estate that has really taken her fancy which she has been examining rather closely .......

 ..... not for it's fuel efficiency,  technology, boot capacity, safety features etc. .......

No, it's the "glorious, rich colour", wondering if she could find a lipstick in Boots in the exact same shade, as she thinks it would be rather fetching on her!  What is she like? 

Celebrity Wines, Who Knew?

To be honest, these days, as we gently mellow, we don't really do wine, save for the odd one, two, three, possibly four bottles of Asti Spumante over the festive season, and the occasion one or two on other high days and holidays ..... 

However, according to Darrell, who is very slowly gearing up to thinking about said holiday, it doesn't hurt to look. So, imagine his huge surprise when he spotted "Celebrity Beverage" in Savers, a shop we more generally associate with the likes of shampoo, toothpaste, the odd perfume, household cleaning products and over the counter, winter medical essentials such as Corvonia, Vicks Vapour Rub and Lemsip.

Who knew they also purveyed the fine produce from Chateau Gary Barlow, Graham Norton and Gordon Ramsey?  On this occasion, no considered purchase or otherwise was made, as Darrell said he needed to do his due diligence re: research to see what the reviews said, not really having a truly expert nose for such things ........

I mean, would a checky Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc be a perfect accompaniment to one of Darrell's most excellent Christmas puddings or one of Gary's Malbec's be a total faux pas as the After Eight are served?  Trust me, it sounds like a whole new minefield to the uninitiated like us!

An Arsenal Of Light

Soooooo last night, the clocks went back, not, it has to be said, young Eric's most favourite night of the year .......

.... as it heralds Darrell presenting him with a Vitamin D tablet with his breakfast each morning, knowing that Eric's usually buoyant mood does tend to take the tiniest of dips, knowing that the journey back from the school run will be in the dark until March next year at the very least. 

However, as ever, determined not to let this unavoidable, natural phenomena get his spirits down too much .........

..... Eric has amassed quite a considerable arsenal of light to afford him safe passage, and keep him amused ....... including glow-sticks  ....... what is he like?