Dinner and Dance – Leyland January 2012

Friday 27th January 2012

The sky was getting blacker and blacker as we head north to Brock Hole, to meet Ian, Denise, Stuart and Liz for lunch. At Manchester the M6 slowed to a crawl as we went through hail, sleet, snow and high winds, looks like we were in for rough weekend weather wise.

Brock Hole is a new nature reserve, just off the M6, there was a very nice tea shop visitors area but very little else, but I am sure in a few years’ time it will be buzzing with birds and wild animals.

After lunch we headed to Leyland and the Feathers Hotel. On arrival I noticed Ian taking his suit bag out of the back of this car “where’s my suit bag with my evening tops in?” I asked Roy.

“Did you put it in?” came the reply.”

“No, I left it on the hanging on the bedroom door, where you put it “I countered back.

“Well that’s where it is then” Roy promptly replied.

Oh well, I had a change of undies and a plain black tee shirts for the dinner dance, it’s not the end of the world.

Before dinner we met up with Jim and Jill, Christine and Dennis, by now the weather outside was cold, but I am sure not as cold as the dining room, which forced us all to don fleeces to keep warm. Alan and Ann arrived after doing battle with a grid locked M62, just in time to join us at dinner.

After a very nice dinner (except for the room temperature) we ventured to the bar for a night cap and catch up.

Saturday

There was a thick layer of ice covering the cars that morning, the sun was shining and the sky, clear blue with no trace of a cloud, so after a filling breakfast we piled into two cars and headed for Blackpool.

Oh dear, Jim, Jill Alan and Ann were all looking forward to riding on the fun fair, taking in the big dipper and the Pepsi Max, Oh dear !!! Blackpool was CLOSED. We were the only ones walking about, there was a biting wind coming off the sea, the promenade, which had had a lot of money spent on it , was deserted the only place full was Weatherspoons, where , with two members of staff serving we waited to order hot chocolate and coffees.

The main pier was closed, so we strolled along a very rusty framed one, for a quick photo shot and Jill and Ann had their promised ride on a stationary roundabout.

We all ventured into the town but again. It was deserted. So in true Elite style we stopped for lunch. Everybody wanted me to go shopping for a new top, so after some persuading we headed for Fleetwood and Freeport( a designer outlet) and I bought a new top ( identical to one of the ones hanging on the bedroom door!!)

The it was back to Leyland to get ready for the dinner and dance. While we had been enjoying the sights and sounds of Blackpool, Richard, Christine, Joe. Izzy, Steve, Sandra, Nigel, Sue, Dave and Meg, plus their family had arrived. So we had a quick catch up and head off to spruce up for the night.

At a reception of buck fizz and canapés we chatted with friends old and new before going in for the dinner. There were not so many people at the event this year, maybe it was the cost or maybe three years in a row, is too much, anyway Elite Wings had two very full tables. But nevertheless the meal was not bad and the dancing, had most people on the feet. We have some very niffty movers in our club.About 12.00 midnight some of us staggered off to bed, while the rest of us played on blow up instruments and wore funny hats and glasses, See picture of Jill, until the early hours.