The eating/quiz meeting will be on a Tuesday, EITHER 24th or 31st - the pub had not done next year's diary when I had to write this. It's at the Carpenters, Fiskerton which is just outside Lincoln, meal at 6.45 to give us plenty of time for pudding before the quiz starts at 8.30. You're welcome to come to just the meal or just the quiz but do please let me know you're coming by 18th, if possible.
We start the year with our get together at the Vat & Fiddle pub on Queensbridge Road from 8.00pm on Thursday 5th. We're usually on the first table in the Goldings Room to the left of the bar with a yellow Mblem on display. Come along for a pint of real ale from the adjacent Castle Rock Brewery - you can see into the brewery from our usual table - or a soft drink or coffee. There's free parking in bays right outside the pub or it's a short walk to the railway station or Broad Marsh bus station. If you've never been to one of our social events, why not give it a try?
Time to get over the post-New Year blues! As ever, we are at the Three Magnets, Leys Avenue, Letchworth. Thursday nights are curry nights but other food (standard Wetherspoons' fare) is available as well. Leys Avenue is the main shopping street in Letchworth and is a few minutes' walk from the station (Kings Cross to Cambridge line). Call me on [Phone Number] for more details and encouragement.
Our first event in January is a rescheduled meal at the new(ish) Antep Turkish restaurant in Wolverton at 7.00pm on Thursday 5th. Unfortunately we had to postpone our initial attempt in November. We've tried it a couple of times and enjoyed it - see www.antepkitchen.co.uk for more details. I will reserve a table as it may be busy, so please let me know by Monday 2nd if you plan to come.
Alphabet Event - M is for Museum
All ages welcome between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday 8th January at Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, HP13 6PX for an afternoon of board games in the café. Bring your own favourite games if you wish or join in with the ones provided. Please let me know you are coming on [Phone Number] or email me at [Email]
On Thursday 12th we're at the Cadland, High Road, Chilwell. Join us for a meal from 7.30pm or later for just a drink. We reserve table numbers 20-24 which are at the far side of the bar from the car park entrance. See menu at www.emberinns.co.uk in case that whets your appetite to join us.
We start off the year on Saturday, 14th January at the Adam and Eve on Lindum Hill, meet from 12.00, discuss from 12.30 'foreign aid': should the State donate, if so, how much, what, to whom and with what safeguards? I am sure there will be many other aspects and diversions to the topic, as always. It's a friendly group where we try to listen to each other, rather than pontificate. Pub food is available, free car park, how better to spend a Saturday lunchtime. Look for the MBlem or magazine.
"Christmas comes but once a year", so the old saying goes.
If you think about it, it's a bit of an odd expression. I mean, "January 16th comes but once a year" but you don't get any fanfare about that, do you, which is very odd as that's the very date of our very own rescheduled Fourth Monday thing!
So don your Christmas pully (to give us all a good laugh) and join us at The Stamford Arms on the Third (not Fourth) Monday of the month get together. Usual format: Dinner from 6:30pm (if you're over being totally podged out over Christmas) - puds for a quid! - followed by the pub social from 8:00pm.
Our monthly visit to the Barge in Woolstone for the quiz is on Monday 16th. Meet from 8.30 - the quiz starts at 9pm and costs £1 per person. Please let me know beforehand if you're coming so I can bag a large enough table.
We haven't been to the cinema for a while so Tuesday 17th will be movie night! Contact me in advance to find out the film listings for Showcase cinema in Lenton and to cast your vote on what to watch. You should be able to use your 'meerkat movies' 2-4-1 voucher if you have one so bring a friend! Depending on film choice the meeting time of 7.00pm may need altering slightly. Maybe we can go for a meal beforehand (Nando's, Chiquito's or Frankie & Benny's nearby) or a drink afterwards?
Just our regular get together this month whilst waiting for a volunteer to take over the role of Derby LocSec. We'll be at the Standing Order (Wetherspoon) on Irongate in the city centre from 7.30pm until late on Wednesday 18th. Come along for a meal/light bite/drink and some interesting conversation. Look for a yellow Mblem on a long table in the low ceiling rear section of the pub. New faces always welcome!
As you may know, I fundraise for Cancer Research UK and on Saturday 21st a team of Mensans - with one flying in especially from Dublin! - will be doing a bucket collection all day at Tesco in Toton. We were at the store last January and raised a staggering £900 in 8 hours! Would you like to try to help us achieve that again? If you can spare an hour or more please get in touch. CRUK T-shirts and buckets provided. It's more interesting than it sounds and we will more than likely be going out for dinner and drinks afterwards to celebrate our efforts.
We return to Brown's, next to Jury's Inn on Midsummer Boulevard, for breakfast on Sunday 22nd. Join us from 10am for a full breakfast, a snack, or just a drink.
Join Dave and Alison at their home in Flackwell Heath for a relaxed evening of indoor board games. Arrive for an 8pm start on Monday 23rd January. Please contact Dave on [Email] or [Phone Number] for directions and to let him know which games you would like to play.
Last Friday is at our usual venue of the Cowper Arms, Digswell. The pub is next to Welwyn North station and is served by stopping trains from Kings Cross to Peterborough and Cambridge. Good food, beer and conversation guaranteed! Please call me on [Phone Number] for more details and encouragement.
Meet me from 10:30am onwards on Friday 27th January for a morning of informal conversation and coffee. This month we are going to Costa in the Next superstore on Crest Road, adjacent to Junction 4 of the M40, HP11 1UA. For further information on the venue see http://www.next.co.uk/stores/ There is plenty of free parking on site.
Also join us at 7:30pm on Tuesday 31st for an Italian meal at Zamani's, Market Street, Ashby De La Zouch, LE65 1AL. Menu at www.zamanis.co.uk. Reserve your place with Pen on [Phone Number] or [Email] by 27th latest please.