P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Splice the mainbrace]

We got back from a UK break a few days ago and had a really good time including some time in Somerset that I haven't been to since primary school age. I think that the Cheddar, Wells and Glastonbury area is often overlooked as people 'bomb' down to Devon and Cornwall on the M5, it is a lovely area.

We did:

Slimbridge Wetlands Wildfowl trust

Badminton Horse Trials (they were found not guilty!!🙂)

Then on to Somerset and....

Cheddar Cheese factory tour

Wells

Cheddar Gorge and Caves

Country Walks

Glastonbury Tor

Street for shopping

We stayed at a lovely AirBNB high on the Mendips overlooking Wells and the Somerset levels, the weather was also very good. Only dodgy part was being intimidated by a herd of young heifers who stood by a footpath gate and wouldn't move, after we got them out of the way and walking across their field they started to follow us running around and bucking, we just walked quickly but they followed us right across the field.

[brian1]

2 hours ago, purplesea said:

We've got gull that comes and knocks on our back door😠 but it soon gets something thrown at it!

He's waiting for an invite to one of your lovely Anglo-Italian buffets.My mrs spends a fortune on wild bird food,our patio is covered in Sparrow,Starling,Woodie and Crow poo.

[davecttr]

OMG Tesco have just announced a recall of some chicken products because of possible salmonella. I have just finished eating a pack of the chicken slices in a lunchtime sandwich 😱

[brian1]

55 minutes ago, davecttr said:

OMG Tesco have just announced a recall of some chicken products because of possible salmonella. I have just finished eating a pack of the chicken slices in a lunchtime sandwich 😱

Don't worry mate I've never heard of salmon and mozarella sarnies with chicken.After covid all is good.

[pete14]

4 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

We had a crazy day at the food bank this morning.  ITV came in to film us for some reason.  It was so staged that it bears no resemblance to actuality, We were filmed filling the bags and taking them out to the clients.  We don't actually carry them to where the client is sitting,  we have table in the main room and we take the bags to there and call out the number of the person collecting the bags.  I won't actually see what they put out because tonight is a bowling night.

Probably linked to the cabinet meeting in Stoke this morning. Funnily enough, they did not announce the venues for the meeting and visits in advance but I guess that foodbanks and the more deprived areas of the city were avoided. Maybe that is the point ITV we’re trying to make.

[SarahHben]

6 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline has used a local seamstress in Sunderland for many years who takes in and let's out dresses she buys.

Might be an option worth exploring Sarah.

I hope your mam is feeling a lot better and getting used to her wheelchair.

Paulines late mam didn't like hers at first but she soon loved it.

Graham.

 

Thanks Graham. Mum isn't too bad, she's still in some pain but doesn't like not being active so is getting frustrated. Poor Dad is exhausted looking after her, he'll need his holiday ☺️

 

I'm pretty good with sewing so I tend to do my own alterations, but I'm better at making things smaller than bigger. I do know a seamstress that I could ask, but it would cost more than the dress did, it was an ebay bargain. 

[purplesea]

15 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Thanks Graham. Mum isn't too bad, she's still in some pain but doesn't like not being active so is getting frustrated. Poor Dad is exhausted looking after her, he'll need his holiday ☺️

 

I'm pretty good with sewing so I tend to do my own alterations, but I'm better at making things smaller than bigger. I do know a seamstress that I could ask, but it would cost more than the dress did, it was an ebay bargain. 

You can't beat a bargain.

These two dresses were bargains. The green one was bought for our first P&O Cruise and was🙂 £34 down from £150 and the jacket was £12.

The second, by the time I had a discount for shopping online and a percentage off as it was over a certain price and minus staff discount cost me £18.

[P&O SUE]

On 5/8/2022 at 4:29 PM, Ardennais said:

Students require laptops - they’re used now in lectures and very few desktops are provided in university libraries etc. Many schools also have a ‘bring your own device’ policy to supplement the devices provided in school. Seriously though, laptops are now so light and mobile. I bet some people’s make-up bags, lunch boxes, water bottles and gym kits weigh more than laptops. I really don’t  see what the issue is. Granted in the past, they were heavier. 

 Well it is an issue for me as it’s not a tiny laptop and it’s not light.

I’ve purchased a laptop rucksack so hopefully that will help.

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

We got back from a UK break a few days ago and had a really good time including some time in Somerset that I haven't been to since primary school age. I think that the Cheddar, Wells and Glastonbury area is often overlooked as people 'bomb' down to Devon and Cornwall on the M5, it is a lovely area.

We did:

Slimbridge Wetlands Wildfowl trust

Badminton Horse Trials (they were found not guilty!!🙂)

Then on to Somerset and....

Cheddar Cheese factory tour

Wells

Cheddar Gorge and Caves

Country Walks

Glastonbury Tor

Street for shopping

We stayed at a lovely AirBNB high on the Mendips overlooking Wells and the Somerset levels, the weather was also very good. Only dodgy part was being intimidated by a herd of young heifers who stood by a footpath gate and wouldn't move, after we got them out of the way and walking across their field they started to follow us running around and bucking, we just walked quickly but they followed us right across the field.

Absolutely!  Beautiful area and rarely too crowded.  One of our favourite places to visit, and a lot of old haunts from when we lived in Taunton.  My wife used to love driving across the Somerset Levels to dish out birth control in the days when it was frowned on in certain parts. Places around there were even more remote than they are now. Somerset hadn't been discovered then, and Taunton was very much the County Town.  The M5 changed everything!

[grapau27]

31 minutes ago, purplesea said:

You can't beat a bargain.

These two dresses were bargains. The green one was bought for our first P&O Cruise and was🙂 £34 down from £150 and the jacket was £12.

The second, by the time I had a discount for shopping online and a percentage off as it was over a certain price and minus staff discount cost me £18.

Nice dresses Pam

[Harry Peterson]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

OMG Tesco have just announced a recall of some chicken products because of possible salmonella. I have just finished eating a pack of the chicken slices in a lunchtime sandwich 😱

Not just Tesco - same Hull factory supplying Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Aldi, the Co-op, Pret a Manger and Marks & Spencer.

 

This isn't just Salmonella - it's M&S Salmonella.............

 

[SarahHben]

34 minutes ago, purplesea said:

You can't beat a bargain.

These two dresses were bargains. The green one was bought for our first P&O Cruise and was🙂 £34 down from £150 and the jacket was £12.

The second, by the time I had a discount for shopping online and a percentage off as it was over a certain price and minus staff discount cost me £18.

Lovely! Great bargains 😊

It’s nice to see some long gowns being worn on Iona, in 10 nights time I’ll be wearing mine hopefully.

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, purplesea said:

You can't beat a bargain.

These two dresses were bargains. The green one was bought for our first P&O Cruise and was🙂 £34 down from £150 and the jacket was £12.

The second, by the time I had a discount for shopping online and a percentage off as it was over a certain price and minus staff discount cost me £18.

Lovely dresses.

[Josy1953]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

Probably linked to the cabinet meeting in Stoke this morning. Funnily enough, they did not announce the venues for the meeting and visits in advance but I guess that foodbanks and the more deprived areas of the city were avoided. Maybe that is the point ITV we’re trying to make.

I think that you are probably right.  I just got home from bowling, 3 of my bowling team said that they had been surprised to see me even though they know that I volunteer at the food bank.

[brian1]

10 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Absolutely!  Beautiful area and rarely too crowded.  One of our favourite places to visit, and a lot of old haunts from when we lived in Taunton.  My wife used to love driving across the Somerset Levels to dish out birth control in the days when it was frowned on in certain parts. Places around there were even more remote than they are now. Somerset hadn't been discovered then, and Taunton was very much the County Town.  The M5 changed everything!

Blimey Harry,is there anywhere you haven't lived?

[brian1]

10 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Not just Tesco - same Hull factory supplying Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Aldi, the Co-op, Pret a Manger and Marks & Spencer.

 

This isn't just Salmonella - it's M&S Salmonella.............

 

They must use a better class of oven for M&S though, surely.

[brian1]

12 hours ago, brian1 said:

Don't worry mate I've never heard of salmon and mozarella sarnies with chicken.After covid all is good.

Sorry Dave,was a bit flippant there.If you are OK now you should have nothing to worry about.I think these stomach bugs come on pretty quickly,Brian.

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, brian1 said:

Blimey Harry,is there anywhere you haven't lived?

Good point, Brian - basically, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the north-west!

 

As a kid, six different schools in Essex, Kent, London, Cornwall and Suffolk - all great, but for a kid of 13/14 Cornwall was unbeatable!

 

The midlands as a student, then a variety of places after leaving there - restless, or just being chased by rent collectors?  😉

[grapau27]

Good morning.

12°C and partly cloudy here.

I hope everyone is well and looking forward to the weekend.

Take care and stay safe.

Graham.

[Snow Hill]

15 hours ago, davecttr said:

OMG Tesco have just announced a recall of some chicken products because of possible salmonella. I have just finished eating a pack of the chicken slices in a lunchtime sandwich 😱

We have one of those, but not yet opened. Phew! 

[indiana123]

Home again from Ambassador Ambience  .We had a good time, and the more I think about it the better it seems.

 

Yes there were quite a few  little hitches, ie water, and the heating in cabins, theatre etc was too hot, but they are working on those.  The crew couldn't do enough.  We think a lot of crew are still training.  We haven't paid yet as for hundreds of people the system didn't work.  We expect a call within a week to arrange payment.

 

The entertainment were by far the best ever.  I heard people say West End quality and I totally agree.
Food was lovely.  The buffet was served like a food court, different served sections.. like The Quays on Iona but on a bigger scale.

 

They have a problem with the car park.. they had the one in front of the terminal but found it leased to a container Company so now its a 10 minute bus away and cases in  lorry.  Not a good start especially as their blurb still says  parking a minutes walk away.  I was dropped off and sat in the queue.

 

Cabin was amazing..   steward was great ...they have strict Health and Safety rules about how many wheelchairs and scooters used on board (you can take for land use).  You have to have an accessible cabin.    We had to have a suite as it was the only disabled one left.   A jar of homemade biscuits every day was our downfall!! There were promises not kept, ie lounges for suite use on going on and getting off, and a few other things  that didn't materialise, nor did priority boarding, we queued for well over an hour getting on and getting off was a shambles.  How can they dock at 8 and expect luggage to be in the terminal by 8.30.  I'm sure that will be sorted out now.

 

Our cruise was port intensive so not many lectures etc.  Lots of games and quizzes.

 

We had a good time, but dont go expecting the slickness of P and O or Cunard.  As the Entertainments Manager said.. they don't have all the bells and whistles but they hope to give a good time.

 

I hope I don't get a rocket for saying this but at the Captains cocktail party and when he had  his Officers on stage once,  what a scruffy lot.. all wearing their windcheaters.  Part  of it all is seeing the officers, slightly aloof and impeccable, wandering around, but they all seemed to slouch around in fleeces and not an epaulette (?) or trouser crease or ironed shirt in sight!!!!!!

 

We had a good time.. little niggles will all be gone soon,  it was very early days.. so go openminded and enjoy.

 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by indiana123

[grapau27]

We had breakfast out this morning.

[purplesea]

Morning all,

Sunny, a bit breezy and feels chillly out.

Off to meet a friend for coffee at the local garden centre this afternoon, but nothing else planned.

Had some good news yesterday, my daughter's MIL had a kidney transplant on Wed/Thurs night and is doing well. Fingers crossed it's successful🤞

Hope you are all well and those that have been ill or under the weather feeling better.

 

[Harry Peterson]

7 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We had breakfast out this morning.

Good breakfast, Graham!   Used to love Carluccio breakfasts, but ours closed when they hit financial problems.  One of the nicest breakfasts around.

[grapau27]

15 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Good breakfast, Graham!   Used to love Carluccio breakfasts, but ours closed when they hit financial problems.  One of the nicest breakfasts around.

Thank you Harry.

Pauline tried the vegan breakfast for a change.