Tinsel and Torment........

 
AAARRGGGHHHH!!! Well the week started with a panic. For Sunday night I'd booked a Christmas meal for my old work team. The department was closed down 13 years ago but we still meet for lunches and Christmas. I was office manager so they leave it to me to organise. I'd eventually got everyone to agree on a date and time and I'd booked for 7:30pm as agreed. I booked online, confirmed 7:30pm with my guests and recently gave in our menu choices to the restaurant with 7:30pm written at the top. I got an email reminder with our booking details and it said 17:30 !!! 

Totally my fault with the 24 hour clock format. 
I tried to amend online but no other times were available. I managed to get through on the phone early and obviously they were busy with breakfasts so kept waiting for ages..... but eventually the lovely Kate managed to juggle things around and change us to 19:30 PHEW!!!

Saturday night was the dinner and dance with the Wednesday gang. At The Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe

Have to say the room was cold but thankfully I'd worn sleeves, friendM hadn't and wore my scarf as her shawl all evening. Dinner was barely OK as was the band but not really worth the ticket price.

Sunday during the day Son came over and helped Hubby move the treadmill out into the bike shed waiting for when Son can move it to his home when his building work is finished. As Son was leaving his van here and taking his car, they loaded the dismantled multi-gym into the van and Hubby took that later over to M as it's his now. Another job done. 

Sunday evening and it was lovely having the old work team together. Unfortunately there were quite a few disappointments here too. We have had our Christmas meal here at The Oyster Reach Beefeater for 18+years but this year was not up to their usual standard. Our server was Harry and he was really attentive and helpful and very smiley. However, there were no crackers or anything festive on the table even though we had pre-booked their festive menu. Just nine of us but the bar couldn't provide an alcohol free beer just a larger, no ginger beer and no bottled sparkling water! Think all the starters were good but all the main courses were warm or cold when they should have been hot! Dessert had barely warm custard all round which was a problem when for one dessert it was supposed to melt the chocolaty dome. Two desserts didn't come out until the rest of us had nearly finished. One choice was the black forest cheese cake, which I'm told tasted nothing like black forest flavours it was more like a vanilla cheesecake with a small spoonful of cherry compote. Harry was happy to get something heated up when asked but shouldn't have needed to. When I paid the bill and told Harry of our woes he managed to approve a reasonable discount. However now at home the bill doesn't look right to me, so I'm sending an email to the manager. Wish me luck. 🤞

Tuesday as Hubby was itching to get his new sofa bed for the office now the space is clear, I said let's just go and see what's available (so hard to judge online). First stop DFS, we were served by Richard who showed us the only one they had in the showroom. It had the right measurements and a good thickness mattress and had been reduced in price...... and to tick the final box they can deliver it next Monday! Quickest we've ever bought and paid for a piece of furniture. I'll pop a photo on next week's post. 

Friday lunch we met friendsL&K in a favourite pub which is an hours drive away normally but we knew there was major roadworks on the A12 causing long slow traffic queues plus the further into Essex the deeper the remaining snow so we needed all the extra time we gave ourselves. Lovely seeing them both and we all enjoyed great food..... so that's made up for those others! 

Can't give you an update on the email I sent on Tuesday as I've not had a reply even though Friday morning I sent it again asking for an acknowledgment of receipt. I'll have to take it further. 

Enjoy your weekend and try not to panic about all that's left to do as there's still another week to go! (Also advice to myself).

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