"No, there is too much, let me sum up."
Oct. 26th, 2008 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
f4f3A good weekend.
Actually, a very good weekend.
Left work on time on Friday, and, although I had to dodge traffic on the motorway to turn a predicted 1 hour 20 minute journey into a 40 minute one, we were still on the road to the cottage by about 6.30.
The rain was coming down in sheets and lumps, and there was a digger on the route up to the Rest and Be Thankful, throwing concrete blocks off the road, presumably to pre-empt a landslide. Successfully, it seemed. We arrived about 8.30, and the moment I stepped through the cottage door all of the stress of the working week and the drive up just melted away.
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unblinkered russled up some Nasi Gorneg (thanks deililly ) and we watched Friday night TV before doing the deep and dreamless.
Saturday morning dawned bright and fair, and immediately clouded over. I gave Merlin a quick stroll, and then we jumped in the car and drove down to Tarbert, about 11 miles away, where Douglas the fish merchant had reserved four lobsters for us. The fish shop in Tarbert is a hidden gem, and I do mean hidden. It's up a side-street, behind a tennament, and there's no sign, just a lock up. We only found the phone number by dint of some excellent detective work from unblinkered.
He opens from 5.00, when the boats unload, and closes at 12 noon. When we arrived he was doing something arcane with an octopus, and our lobsters were presented in a styrofoam box, covered in seaweed which barely covered there air of menace and scheming. We got them into Scooby and whizzed back to the cottage, via some stops for wine, salad and potatoes.
The rest of the afternoon was pleasantly lazy, with unblinkered doing some prep for dinner and me enjoying the Guardian and setting up for dinner in the porch. Friends Kay and James arrived around 4, and we had a cup of tea and then strolled along the canal to the water waster and back. By then it was time to commit lobstercide. They'd stopped at the Oyster Bar and picked up a huge amount of oysters, or cold salty snot-nuggets, as I prefer to think of them. They became the starter, which we wolfed down (walrused down?) while the first two lobsters cooled and the second two cooked. The last lobster of all put up the best fight, managing to trap unblinkered's finger while we (well, while James) was snipping the bands on its claws. She was awarded that one to eat, in revenge, and they were fantastic with home made mayo, chilli butter, potatoes and bread.
Oh, and the odd bottle or three of Sancerre.
After some chocolate and pudden wine, James was almost asleep before we got back to the comfy chairs. Kay joined him a little later. Unblinkered was next, and I gave in after James Bond won the poker match and before his manly bits were subjected to ordeal by knotted cord.
Today was equally laid back. Kay and I chuntered around Barnaslugan with Merlin, while the other two chilled, then we all went back to Tarbert and assisted in some yacht relocation. We had a so-so meal at the local cafe, and then a reasonably quick drive back to Glasgow (1 hr 45 - lots of slow traffic between Inverary and Loch Lomond).
I'm still a bit shattered from the drive, though - the rain was teeming down again, and you get a better quality of darkness once the clocks go back - so I'm heading off to bed now, tired, but happy.
Actually, a very good weekend.
Left work on time on Friday, and, although I had to dodge traffic on the motorway to turn a predicted 1 hour 20 minute journey into a 40 minute one, we were still on the road to the cottage by about 6.30.
The rain was coming down in sheets and lumps, and there was a digger on the route up to the Rest and Be Thankful, throwing concrete blocks off the road, presumably to pre-empt a landslide. Successfully, it seemed. We arrived about 8.30, and the moment I stepped through the cottage door all of the stress of the working week and the drive up just melted away.
unblinkered russled up some Nasi Gorneg (thanks deililly ) and we watched Friday night TV before doing the deep and dreamless. Saturday morning dawned bright and fair, and immediately clouded over. I gave Merlin a quick stroll, and then we jumped in the car and drove down to Tarbert, about 11 miles away, where Douglas the fish merchant had reserved four lobsters for us. The fish shop in Tarbert is a hidden gem, and I do mean hidden. It's up a side-street, behind a tennament, and there's no sign, just a lock up. We only found the phone number by dint of some excellent detective work from unblinkered.
He opens from 5.00, when the boats unload, and closes at 12 noon. When we arrived he was doing something arcane with an octopus, and our lobsters were presented in a styrofoam box, covered in seaweed which barely covered there air of menace and scheming. We got them into Scooby and whizzed back to the cottage, via some stops for wine, salad and potatoes.
The rest of the afternoon was pleasantly lazy, with unblinkered doing some prep for dinner and me enjoying the Guardian and setting up for dinner in the porch. Friends Kay and James arrived around 4, and we had a cup of tea and then strolled along the canal to the water waster and back. By then it was time to commit lobstercide. They'd stopped at the Oyster Bar and picked up a huge amount of oysters, or cold salty snot-nuggets, as I prefer to think of them. They became the starter, which we wolfed down (walrused down?) while the first two lobsters cooled and the second two cooked. The last lobster of all put up the best fight, managing to trap unblinkered's finger while we (well, while James) was snipping the bands on its claws. She was awarded that one to eat, in revenge, and they were fantastic with home made mayo, chilli butter, potatoes and bread.
Oh, and the odd bottle or three of Sancerre.
After some chocolate and pudden wine, James was almost asleep before we got back to the comfy chairs. Kay joined him a little later. Unblinkered was next, and I gave in after James Bond won the poker match and before his manly bits were subjected to ordeal by knotted cord.
Today was equally laid back. Kay and I chuntered around Barnaslugan with Merlin, while the other two chilled, then we all went back to Tarbert and assisted in some yacht relocation. We had a so-so meal at the local cafe, and then a reasonably quick drive back to Glasgow (1 hr 45 - lots of slow traffic between Inverary and Loch Lomond).
I'm still a bit shattered from the drive, though - the rain was teeming down again, and you get a better quality of darkness once the clocks go back - so I'm heading off to bed now, tired, but happy.
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 10:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 10:18 pm (UTC)That sounds so wonderful, and one of the best parts was that I knew where you were talking about, and could envisage it all, especially the road between Loch Lomond and Inverary, as we drove that a couple of times.
I am ridiculously envious, but so glad you had a wonderful weekend. If you could, please send some of that rain here? We so need it.
A great week to you, unblinkered and Merlin
:D
no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 10:25 pm (UTC)Very welcome - hope it tasted ok!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 11:50 pm (UTC)So sorry about the driving in the rain bit, though.
(We get frog-drowning rains here sometimes, very difficult to drive in, so I feel for you.)