It was nice to be able to spend some quality time with Mrs Fogg, something that the current work regime so rarely affords us. Most days it’s up at 5.45 and then an hour to relax on a night, with weekends reserved for chores. So an evening spent chatting, relaxing and people watching was a nice tonic.

The Lakside once had a policy of tie and jacket for dinner (a silly outdated concept), which due to the current economic climate has been relaxed to, “providing its not shorts you’re fine”.

Watching intently there was a chappie that appeared to be on an Internet date with a woman half his age, “when I said I liked 30s, I meant the music, not the age!” A guy with his “forwen blide”, who could have what food she was given and a man who was obviously there to impress his boss “wife, dress dowdy so you don’t make my boss’ wife look bad”.

Nicest of all was sitting and enjoying the night, nice food and excellent company, finished off with scrabble in the “old folk chairs” conservatory, reminiscent of St.Lucia (sans heat).

Well here we are at Lake Windemere at the Lakeside Hotel, which is nice in places but a lot tired in others (Mrs Fogg summed up the conservatory which has furniture fit for an old folks home).

We decided to take a short break away from everything for a couple of days, the scenery is nice, the location is excellent and the company is the best as always.

I’ve been here a few times, I even spent a Christmas here once with a 7 course meal and decorations it was very nice. So we looked at the idea, mulled it over (pun alert), but then wined about the price, bum tish. At a staggering £1000 per person for 3 days and on one of those days you are expected to wait on the staff (yeh like I’m gonna pay to be someone’s servant, sounds too much like marriage to me), So Christmas at home waiting on someone, but at least we are a £1000 not poorer each.

Chrimbo Countdown is on.

Pumpkin Heads, check
Severed Head, check
Witch, check
Ghoul, check
Sweets, check

Kiddies, err nope

Not a single trick or treater to be seen. mind you since the snooty neighbours all close their security gates and its tipping down, we can understand why.

Oh well, the neighbours were quite bemused by our lit pumpkins, obviously will be an item on the Parish meet, bringing the area into disrepute.

As you can see Autumn came and covered the garden with her blanket of rust.

We’ve swept up hundreds of leaves already and yet Autumn waits until we turn around and relays her carpet.

Could be a full time job until the trees are bare. Anyone got a leaf blower??

Mind you, it looks pretty, a true country woodland scene and the squirrels see to love larking about.

VictorMeldrew’s nephew here. My current daily journey on the scummy train services that run in the UK has caused me to raise a formal complaint with a well known franchise operator.

Put aside the fact that the price is too high, the service is over crowded and the train is disgustingly filthy, what you now have to contend with is getting to the train doors through sacks of rubbish. Iincensed by this, I turned into Super Grumpy Ole Git, pants on the outside of my trousers, cape flapping in the wind (but then I did have sprouts the day before), I collared the “Catering Assistant” who in no uncertain terms told me to sod off and leave him alone, so I escalated to the train guard (sorry bloke charging for the tickets and just wanting to go home), he also wasn’t concerned about passenger safety an simply said in the event of an issue or accident they would simply move the rubbish out of the way. Now being a human being I know how we function and “approach the exit in an orderly manner” is translated into blind panic, so the last thing on anyone’s mind is to simply move the rubbish out of the way.

So Super Grumpy Ole Git has now lodged a formal complaint referencing Health and Safety. Watch this space, still at least I won’t get bored.

it is with sadness and a tear that we said a fond farewell to our littleMr Spike, aged 13ish.

The friendliest of pets, clingy, needy and loving. We will miss you so much.

Rest well and suffer no more.

Apparently is never done, after another tough week, Mrs Fogg starts to rake up the dead leaves. Never mind they’ll all be back tomorrow.

Personally I’d love to get a leaf blower, whoo Yaaaa!

And here he is, Mr Caddy aka The Tiny Terminator.

Apparently officially a member of the SAGA crew (Sex And Games for the Aged), with thoughts of having the wind in his, errr hair.

Thanks for coming over to see Mrs Fogg who has been a little under the weather.

I spy with my little eye…..

Can you tell what it is? Yes it’s a rail currently sitting 1 to 2 inches below te water level, with a train driver gingerly moving at 5 mile per hour, so the 25 minute journey increased to 1 hour 10 mins. Good luck getting home.

You could understand the appalling infrastructure in the UK if we had never ever had bad weather, but don’t worry I’m sure some “out of touch with reality” councillor or ministers will blame it all on carrier bags and melting ice caps!