Markets And Meals!!!

We had a good day on the market last Sunday...the weather was beautiful and there were loads of visitors around.....

instead of taking sandwiches with us to the market we now have a lovely Sunday roast from the nearby Buttery cafe--Bill orders it and then fetches it at 1pm....very tasty,,but you can guarantee as soon as you start eating it everyone wants to stop and chat about paintings and workshops !

It was my friend Marion's birthday yesterday so we did another roast dinner at home for her and her hubby to celebrate it...we had a lovely leg of lamb--with all the trimmings including orange blossom honey roasted parsnips which were to die for! We had a Christmas pud for afters followed by a cheese board and a glass or 2 of port to finish...

nothing like a good cheese board and port to finish a meal!!!  We will have to start some serious diets when we get back from our holiday!            We are looking forward to getting away next Monday for 9 nights----quite a lot of travelling involved but that's nothing unusual really for us!  We are starting out in Rochdale for 2 nights, then moving on to Bradford for another 2 nights...from there we are off to Scotland to stay with a good friend for 3 nights---cant wait for that--its been a while since we all met up together! Then from there we are coming down to the Lake District  and meeting up with my daughter Becki and her partner for another 2 nights,,so it will be a lovely break before the new baby comes along in May..                                                                                                                 Thank goodness for Groupon and KGB deals....we have had some real bargains off there,,couldn't have afforded to stay in places like we have or as often otherwise ....                                                                                                      Its going to be sad for our house/pet sitter Jeannie this time with no Sparky to look after..she was most upset at the news about him being put to sleep,,                                                                                                                              We miss him terribly, the house is so quiet without him,you don't realise how often you interact with your pets until they are not there........

 

        

Wow--What A Weekend!

After a busy class of 15 students on Saturday we rushed home to clean the brushes--over 100 of them! Then we packed a few few over night things ready to get over to Birmingham with my daughter Becki and her partner Wayne--it was their 6th anniversary together and also Wayne's birthday this Wednesday so I had arranged for us all to go  for a 5 course meal meal  on Sunday in a posh hotel in Solihull-- we stayed the night at another lovely hotel--and had a most wonderful Indian meal on Saturday night--then on Sunday we went to a new crazy golf complex and had a great time together!

Becki and Wayne--

The dining room at the hotel was lovely--very atmospheric--and the food was some of the best we have ever had...

We had so many laughs playing crazy gold on the Sunday morning---what a great place it was---

the golf course was very well thought out--not too hard and not too easy..

there are 2 different courses to try..

Wayne proved to be the winner--but I think he has played before!

ready for action!

the last hole!

 

After playing golf we went off to do some retail therapy--couldn't believe just how cheap the shops were round there--me and Becky picked up some real bargains--including a lovely wrap for my birthday party--Ive been looking for one the right colour for ages! We went on from there to The Village Hotel , Solihull for the finale of the weekend-the 5 course meal! None of us managed the 5---choice of smoked salmon, salami, prawn cocktail, salads or leek and potato soup with crusty rolls etc to start---help yourself to what you would like!The smoked salmon was beautiful-and some of the salamis I had never tyred before--all delicious! Then there was a pasta course--all cooked in front of you by the hotels chef---we all passed on that one! Then onto the carvery--the roast beef was to die for--it melted in your mouth--and the veg were beautiful. And I just loved the homemade horse radish sauce that was both creamy and made your eyes water at the same time --yummmy! There was a huge array of cold desserts-from cheesecake, profiteroles and chocolate mousse , if you didn't fancy that  there was a fresh waffle bar with waffles cooked in front of you-served with fresh fruit and cream -Bill and Wayne passed on the next course--the cheese board--but me and Becky gave it a go---the ripe brie was melting all over the plate, the stilton was just perfect and the cheddar was some of the best Ive had--it was a real jib to squeeze it all in but we gave it our best try! The whole weekend was at a bargain price thanks to Groupon-- Hotel was just £37.50 for 2 people B+B including a bottle of wine, vouchers for 20% off meals, 30% off next time there, vouchers for half price cocktails---cant go wrong can you? It was far better than we expected for the price--we thought we might get sub standard rooms--but no--they were just great! Spotless clean and a lovely bed! The crazy golf was just £8 for the 4 of us again thanks to Groupon--and the meal--well that was the bargain of the year--again thanks to Groupon--5 courses for 2 people including glasses of wine  was just £15 . We got home just after 5.30pm just in time to unpack and get ready for the finale of the weekend--off down the town to see Alan Carr at the Assembly Rooms---he was brilliant-laughed out heads off at him--he is doing some small shows called "Work In Progress" where he is trying out new material for his big tours--it rounded off our weekend perfectly---thank goodness I have a quiet week to get over it all!

k