Its Christmas time...

Where has the year gone ??

Slightly late with this months Blog (before you even think it...its not because I have been hungover, in fact its some while since I have been 'Actually'..) Oh that was close, I nearly got myself off on a tangent..before we barely start.

Now firmly focusing on the task in hand - The December Wine Club bash, we decided that we would inflict our group and expert wine knowledge (!) on the staff at Prezzo Broadstairs. 

During the day of the meal most of the girls were texting to and fro about what to wear, sparkly seemed to be a favourite (it's an age thing), Terry chipped in on the back of this saying he was going to dress head to foot in tin foil...what a turkey.. (get it) ...well I thought it was funny..maybe one glass of mulled wine too many !?!?

We met early at Karen & Terrys for Champagne & amuse bouche (that's appetizers to you & me). Four of us arrived together and chatted away in the kitchen, we didn't think too loudly until Aitch had to stand on the door bell and shout through the letterbox to get our attention (you'll need to remember this comment for later). 

Once all gathered talk OBVIOUSLY came round to the Secret Santa presents and OF COURSE 'someone' couldn't and wouldn't wait until Christmas Day to open his, could he, MARK.. 

Although jaded from yet another Christmas party (yes, I know he doesn't look jaded here, but thats just excitment ) he had attended the evening before he soon perked up when the presents were being handed out. Actually whenever I have met him this month he ALWAYS seems to have come from a Christmas party, so basically December is like being on a permanent wine drip.  

There was one slight moment of panic when I glanced round the room to notice that Nick wasn't holding anything, after some checking we found his present tucked in the corner.  Well I say present in fact it was a bag of five (!) Terry wasn't happy about this and started to redistribute them, he originally thought two for Geoff was excessive..so whoever gets Terry next year better make it a bag full. 

Yep, you are right that IS Nick in a suit & he said he even ironed the shirt (there is a longer story to the reason he actually mentions this in case you thought who wouldn't but that's for another time)

After reclaiming his presents Nick was allowed to open one... Well what a result, whoever bought that surely could never have imagined the hours and hours of fun to be had with a telescopic magnet !  Naturally the boys thought it would be good to try opening the zips on the dresses (ha didn't work) than we joked all the women with underwired bras would be drawn to him (we all turned our backs away from his 'special powers' ) it picked cutlery from the floor in the restaurant (don't ask) it pulled the salt pot across the table, it destroyed my cracker present, it took keys from pockets, you get the idea, it was with us the WHOLE evening...

The rest of us have to wait to see what Santa has given us, just two more sleeps to go. I REALLY hate that saying.  I notice I am SHOUTING a lot of words in this Blog, I'll try and STOP... ha ha ha, sorry mulled wine kicking in again.

Opps nearly forgot, the comment you had to remember from above, that's above in the text not from him (or her) above.  Walking to the restaurant there was a terribly loud group of lads shouting in the street so I said 'what a noise they are making, we're never loud like that'.  Aitch soon put me right on that....

All in all as expected we had a really good evening, another year of wine clubs under our belts, none the wiser but who cares !

Merry Christmas & Best Wishes for the New Year.

Time to stick a cork in it.

Bye S x

PS Did I mention Mark & the £80 !

Memory Lane

I must be getting old because they say as you age you can remember the past as if it was yesterday but you can't remember yesterday !

Well, I must be really old... Today at work I spent a good 10 minutes trying to get the printer to work, to'ing and fro'ing between the computer and the printer wondering where the invoice was...I finally gave up and went to call a colleague ..only to find the invoice already on the desk... That I had put there earlier... OMG seriously losing the plot !  This printer is in another room so cut me some slack not completely bonkers ( well I think that makes it better )

Actually it's not a good start to the Blog to begin with a digression,  for flips sake took me some time to think what the word was for getting side tracked, maybe I should have put side tracked and you'd have been none the wiser, OMG doing it again... Right focus ... Wasn't that a DIY store...only joking not going off on another tangent !

This months wine club was out in the sticks at Jacqui and Nicks, it's not actually out in the sticks but feels a bit like it to us townies ..we were going for a Retro wine club inspired by chatting last month about our childhoods.  We had to bring a wine either from then or now and something from our childhood.  Not 'actually' a wine from then, although some of our parents might have had something stashed in the back of the cupboard.  I have to say some of us were slightly concerned that we'd be drinking Black Tower all evening, I know they have tried to reinvent it but really..who buys it !?!?

We'll kick off with the things from our childhoods you would be amazed at what had been saved, the pottery pot that Steve made, he had to pick it up from his Mums who he'd made it for and she'd kept it all these years,  so sweet he must be her favourite, it was actually quite good, maybe he should be teaching pottery and not Maths. Next thing you know he'll have a potters wheel installed in the shed and Steve and H will be re-creating 'that' scene from Ghost ! 

We had lots of school reports -Terrys zest for life, what teacher would write that today and photos - don't mention the ex-fiancé, there were cuddly toys from two of the girls I think the boys were just embarrassed to bring theirs.  

As mentioned before Geoff skipped his childhood, we thought about bringing his first wage slip instead but no I introduced him to the delights of Blue Peter and making something from a washing up bottle with sticky back plastic..bet you remember that too. We made badges too and took along our rocket and helicopter.  As its 2014 we downloaded the instructions and spent a few hours getting stuck to everything with superglue ..such fun.  

Impressed with Nicks spatula he had made and an impressive sword made by Marks father, Mark has not inherited his DIY skills (sorry Mark but it's true..big kiss, love you really). Although I think one of his school reports said something about be crafty... Maybe we misinterpreted that comment !

Now the wine, we started in the past with Blue Nun £5, the best thing about this was it now come in a lovely blue bottle. The best comment was that this wine is best drunk with a curry, so you can't taste it.

Followed by a 'now' a Reisling £7.99 tart and citrus flavours other comments were sweet and a bit rough.

Then we had our wine, I had mis-read my email to bring a red table wine from France and brought a white, I don't think buying the red would have been less embarrassing though.. French table wine was really hard to find, it's is now disguised as Wine of France..so beware when shopping, although it is generally found on the bottom shelf and who bends down there ... It was £4.99 from Morrisons and we thought I had been robbed say no more...

We moved on the the hosts, we were convinced Jacqui had decanted a Paul Mason ( if you can still buy that) or even a Mateus Rose... As the bottle was clear.  sadly a disappointing wine for £8, we decided maybe the sun needs to be shining to enjoy a good Rose.

We ended with Mark and Linda's 2009 Bordeaux - when it was decanted earlier in the evening no attention was paid to the bottle, when it was passed round and Mark mentioned it was a gift from Jacqui for his 50th, Jacqui went pale, it was a very special bottle of wine that was supposed to be kept for ten years..Opps what a faux pas !!  A bit disappointing - Les Granges des domains Edmond de Rothschild Haut Medoc was not at it's best, it hadn't mellowed enough to enjoy the chocolate and raspberries flavours to their full. 

I am glad to say we live in the 'now' because these wines really prove that the wine world has moved on leaps and bounds...and so has electricity...well, except in Minster... We had a power cut, oh, so authentic what a way to end a fun evening.

December is our evening out, all off to Prezzo, don't forget to bring your Secret Santa presents.

Time to stick a cork in it.

Bye S x