Wednesday 29th December 2021 - Arriving in the late afternoon, Trudy, Simon, Sandy, Roy, Janet F, Bob F, Bob W, Penny, David and Janet H travelled north to Derby staying overnight at the Holiday Inn Express in the Pride Park area. After having a meal at the hotel, we retired to David and Janet's room where David dispensed beer, wine and soft drinks from his mobile "bar" (a small suitcase). After breakfast the following morning we mostly lazed around until it was time to leave except Roy, who had to make a hasty trip to Marks and Spencer (he had forgotten to pack spare trousers) and Penny and Bob who wanted to tweak the walk they were to lead on New Year's Eve.

Thursday 30th December 2021 - Saturday 1st January 2022

We all arrived at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, in the early afternoon of Thursday. Trudy, Simon, Sandy, Bob W, David H, Roy, Bob F and Janet F started decorating the dance hall while Janet H and Penny went to oversee checking in for the dancers, issuing room keys and the complimentary biodegradable water bottles.

By 3.15 p.m. the hall was ready and dancing commenced with Trudy and Simon calling Mainstream and Plus and Judi Read cueing Rounds. After we had eaten our evening meal in the Chatsworth Dining Room, we went to change, most of us into traditional Square Dance attire, and made our way back to the dance hall. During the evening judging took place of the decorated hats. with a "New Year" theme.  Waggoners were well represented with Janet and David H, Penny and Bob W and Petra and John all taking part. Janet's hat, depicting Big Ben at midnight, won first prize of a tin of shortbread biscuits with Petra and John being awarded second place.

On New Year's Eve morning Penny and Bob led a group of 11 on a 5-6 mile two hour walk around the local area. Due to very muddy conditions, they were unable to walk on the original planned route, which meant Penny and Bob had to take the group on an alternative course on slightly firmer ground.

While the walk was taking place Janet and David H hosted a table quiz with quizzers choosing their own team names which included "Tears 4 Fears", "Famous Five Plus One" and "Pat's Table". "Pat's Table" consisting of five Waggoners - Sandy, Petra, John, Bob F and Janet F - together with Pat and Jenny, were the winners and were presented with a bag of mixed sweets to share.

After lunch Judi Read cued an introduction to Round dancing which Penny and Bob attended and this was followed by a Squares workshop  where Trudy and Simon showed us how interesting the Mainstream programme could be with expansions to various calls: Wheel & Deal from facing lines; Swing thru from Left Hand Ocean Waves and Left Swing Thru from Right Hand Ocean Waves; Zoom, including from a column; And a quarter more (from the Glossary of Terms) - using Right & Left thru and Wheel & Deal; Square Thru and Pass to the Centre from Ocean Waves.

Following another enjoyable meal we went to change into our Square Dance clothes for the evening and returned to the Main Hall where dancing commenced. During a break in dancing, we shared a buffet of cheese and biscuits. Just before midnight we each took a glass of bubbly to toast the New Year, listened for the sounds on a radio of Big Ben striking twelve and then linked arms for the traditional singing of "Auld Lang Syne". After clearing up the party popper streamers, we returned to the dance floor for our first tip of 2022.

On New Year's morning, after breakfast, checking out of our rooms and loading our luggage into our cars, we returned to the Main Hall for an Open Mic morning. David led the way, opening with some sight calling to be followed by Carol and Alan Gerry with a duet of "We Got Love" which, after some 52 years of marriage, we hope they do! Eric Webb entertained us with some Contra Dancing and Penny was the last guest caller with some patter followed by her "Wouldn't it be Loverly?"

Trudy and Simon closed the New Year celebrations with their duet "Don't it make you want to go home?" after which the decorations had to come down and be put away until next year!