The 'What Are You Looking Forward To?' Thread

[Courtenay]

I just went for a walk to the neighbouring village and found out that the little tea room there is open for takeaways from 10 till 2 on Thursdays and Fridays and 10 till 3 on Saturdays and Sundays. So I'm looking forward to dropping in there whenever I can. It gives me a chance to support a local business that might be in danger of going under with the pandemic — and a nice walk is even nicer when there's tea and cake to be had along the way.

[Anita Bensoussane]

That does sound good, Courtenay! I love going for a walk and tea and cake are always cheering.

[Lucky Star]

As some others have said I am not making any plans this year as last year was so rubbish. I am looking forward to the day when I can go to Ireland and see my parents again. They are in their 80s and I have not seen them for a whole year now. I would love to get back to full time work as well in a job I enjoy but that seems like it will be on hold for most of this year as well.

Otherwise I am concentrating on reading, listening and have finally succumbed and bought a subscription to Netflix so am watching lots of films and documentaries on that.

[Courtenay]

That does sound good, Courtenay! I love going for a walk and tea and cake are always cheering.

Yes — I had been to the tea room a few times over the last few months while they were doing takeaways, but I wasn't sure which days and times they're currently open, so it was good to confirm that. They don't always have quite the range of cakes they used to when the shop was fully open, but there's still usually something nice there. I had a carrot cake slice (from a commercial supplier, pre-packaged, so while it wasn't quite as good as a freshly made one, it was definitely not recently touched or breathed upon ) and my favourite Earl Grey tea.

Another lovely thing is that our two local villages, Farningham and Eynsford (the tea room is in Eynsford), have many nice old buildings and in good weather — which it was today for a relatively short time while I was walking — they look downright chocolate-boxy picture-perfect. Eynsford also has the remains of a Norman military castle, and Farningham (closer to where I live) has a second hand bookshop with an outdoor under-cover area that's also open sometimes for limited browsing. Both villages (you can walk through the two of them in a circuit, but I only did Eynsford today) are on the River Darent, which is also very pretty, although with all the recent rains it's flowing unusually high. The ford at Eynsford — yes, there is a real ford there, used by HGVs — had flooded across the road at the end of the bridge for cars and smaller vehicles, so the cars were essentially driving through a ford as well! Judging by how far it came up their wheels (to the base of the car itself, just about), it was a good 6 inches or so. In the middle of the actual ford, it was 3 feet deep, where it's usually well under 2 feet.

Just found a photo online of a similar flood several years ago in the exact same location — River Darent in flood: Eynsford Bridge — so you can see what I mean! The small building you can see at the further end of the bridge, just behind the green hedge, is the tea room.

(PS. Whatever you may be led to believe from a certain chap's surname in the film of My Fair Lady, Eynsford is actually pronounced so the first syllable rhymes with "the rain in Spain" — not "the rine in Spine". Seriously. )

[pete9012S]

I have finally succumbed and bought a subscription to Netflix so am watching lots of films and documentaries on that.

We have Netflix John. It's good isn't it?

We've also just added Britbox to our viewing arsenal... What have you been watching? I hear you cry..

Well, I've intellectually stimulated myself by watching Mr. Benn from 1971 and also the very first few episodes of Grange Hill.


My future posts will no doubt reflect the deep visual stimulus I am imbibing....must dash, the shopkeeper has just appeared!

[IceMaiden]

Thanks for the information about bubble tea, Boodi.

I was taught the same as you and I said "Hello" to the magpie!

I was taught you should salute a single magpie as one on its own is indeed bad luck, and as luck would have it there's one that visits the garden almost daily .

Well I have been listening to Radio 2 non stop since 4am! Heard every single song and only left the radio for the few minutes the news was on and my honest opinion is that this was the best day of radio ever! Not one song I wanted to turn down let alone off! I've been singing and dancing along all day and I feel so stupidly happy and carefree it's wonderful like being eight years old again and all the grown up issues have melted into the background. A truly uplifting cheerful day, Radio 2 have done excellent here. It's confirmed my long held opinion from listening to Elaine Paige On Sunday for years that musicals are medicine for the mind!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I tried to get Radio 2 on my little kitchen radio while I was preparing and cooking the dinner, IceMaiden, but sadly I just couldn't get it.

You obviously live in a very pretty area, Courtenay, which is a blessing at this particular time. It's lovely to hear all about it. I'm also thankful to be living in a place of beautiful historical buildings, with parks and countryside not far from my flat. I saw a little egret today, as I quite often do.

I haven't managed to buy a TV yet, Pete, but I watch programmes on iPlayer etc. on my computer. I have Mr. Benn on DVD as I loved it as a child (along with Bagpuss, Rainbow, etc!)

Grange Hill caused a stir when it came out as it was thought it might inspire schoolchildren to misbehave. My sister and I were friends with two sisters who lived round the corner from us and I remember that their parents didn't allow them to watch Grange Hill. We watched it (aged about 7 and 8 when it first came out) and thought it was very grown-up and daring. A few years ago I bought the first four series on DVD and found that the first series actually seems pretty tame now, particularly one episode revolving around an escaped hamster.

[Boatbuilder]

Despite not having a TV yet, I guess you have a TV licence Anita.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, you have to have one if you watch things on iPlayer.

[Boatbuilder]

That was the reason for my post, Anita.

I had a member on my forum a few years ago who argued that as he didn't have a TV he didn't have a licence and never watched the programs 'live'. At the time you could only watch downloads without a licence. However he then started saying he had watched such-and-such a program on iPlayer, just after the program had finished as a broadcast, which proved he had watched it 'live'.

[IceMaiden]

A few years ago I bought the first four series on DVD and found that the first series actually seems pretty tame now, particularly one episode revolving around an escaped hamster.

I read that as an escaped headmaster

That was the reason for my post, Anita.

I had a member on my forum a few years ago who argued that as he didn't have a TV he didn't have a licence and never watched the programs 'live'. At the time you could only watch downloads without a licence. However he then started saying he had watched such-and-such a program on iPlayer, just after the program had finished as a broadcast, which proved he had watched it 'live'.

I believe you even have to have a TV license to watch repeat channels like ITV3 and Drama as well which seems a bit unfair.

[Boatbuilder]

Even if you don't watch BBC, you still have to have a licence to watch any other channel, IceMaiden.

Then again, why complain? How many people pay much more per month to watch 'Sky TV' or 'BT Sport' or £9.99 a month to watch Netflix?

[Darrell71]

Incidentally, what is bubble tea?

I think someone already explained, but it's basically flavored iced tea with 'boba' aka little black balls made of taro root I believe? Not sure exactly what they're made of but I quite enjoy it occasionally!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Gosh, I was imagining bubble tea as being hot!

A few years ago I bought the first four series on DVD and found that the first series actually seems pretty tame now, particularly one episode revolving around an escaped hamster.

I read that as an escaped headmaster

[FiveFanDownunder]

What a nice idea for a thread.

In Australia, the 'long' or summer school holidays are just wrapping up; I am looking forward to everybody going back to their various places of learning so the house gets back to normal. I am lucky to have a job I love, and after a few weeks off myself, will be getting back to that.

and a nice walk is even nicer when there's tea and cake to be had along the way.

Hmm I'm thinking of stealing this quote. I still have a little Christmas cake in the tin, and I must admit to having eaten a few too many ginger nuts these last few weeks.