We had a good day at Rockingham and it was lovely to be out with all our Nat Trust chums again. Although we only had 'sunny spells' it didn't actually rain until we were nearly back in Mansfield. As you will see from Picture One, I pay Peggy a small retainer to walk across pictures in her red coat. That little splash of red, livens things up. Constable was very keen on his little blobs of red.Although the original site dates from William The Conqueror's times the place is mainly Tudor and they have hundreds of pieces that have been there since then and there is something fascinating about seeing a large scrubbed general purpose table in the servants quarters that has been there for 400 years or so. It is one of Y's favourite periods and she loved the day.
The Castle Restaurant has a reputation for excellent food. Our Xmas lunch was OK but not excellent. Although there were refectory tables the waitresses brought the plated-up slices of turkey, stuffing ball (about half-inch diameter) to everyone in the hall rather than a table at a time and said the veg would follow. By the time it arrived the plated meal had gone cold, along with the gravy. The turkey had that 'cooked and sliced yesterday - reheated today flavour'. There were no glasses and I had to ask for a jug of water, and glasses. "How many for?" I was asked quite sharply. "I think perhaps everyone on the table would like a glass" I said, and 9 heads nodded vigorously in agreement.
Sorry about the whinge because overall we had a super day. And I bought this rather subdued red scarf in the gift shop. It has a certain Noel Coward ambience to it ! Perhaps I should wear it when I want to be witty and inventive.Quotation........ Got to be really....
"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me"
Comments.......Jill. I must mug-up on firecrests because even if I heard one I don't think I would recognise it. Steve's Lisa will know, she is ace at bird-rec. Annie Leibowitz is certainly a strange woman in all sorts of ways. But you can't knock her photography - she is brilliant. The Alan Bennet novella sounds a good read. One of the only writers with the 'laugh-out-loud factor' for me was Auberon Waugh sadly gone. And P. J. O'Rourke comes close.
Thanks Bungus fior the latest episode in the Hospital saga. Please keep 'em coming. It's good to have some humour 'injected'. You might win an 'a-ward'.
Y is of to London tomorrow and I'm sure she will enjoy seeing her little people. She and Jill are meeting on Friday at Tate Britain for lunch. I ought to do some work for my camera club which meets tomorrow evening, but I've been so busy and I am a little tired. Prolly be fine in the morning though. Even if I don't take any work along it will be nice to see everybody.
Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow........
Thanks Bungus fior the latest episode in the Hospital saga. Please keep 'em coming. It's good to have some humour 'injected'. You might win an 'a-ward'.
Y is of to London tomorrow and I'm sure she will enjoy seeing her little people. She and Jill are meeting on Friday at Tate Britain for lunch. I ought to do some work for my camera club which meets tomorrow evening, but I've been so busy and I am a little tired. Prolly be fine in the morning though. Even if I don't take any work along it will be nice to see everybody.
Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow........
Quite right about the red blob (although perhaps not the kindest way to describe Peggy?). The picture would be rather dull without it as there are no shadows. I seem to remember a red buoy on one of tour seascapes.
ReplyDeleteNice to see an Inspector learning from a Constable.
I think I would have been more annoyed than you about the meal. There isn't much worse than cold gravy and, although one can understand the reasons for reheated meat (in, say, The Snooty Fox) it is not what one would expect from a place with a reputation (and presumably prices to match?). Whinge justified.
Love the scarf, darling. Perhaps one day you will becoem a red blob on one of my photos?
Great quote.
I too like Annie Leibowitz' work. One of a figure at the side of a window comes to mind?
I have several 'laugh-out-loud authors. Kingsley Amis, Leslie Thomas, Joseph Heller, Tom Sharpe, Alan Coren among them; perhaps most of all, Philip Roth.
To AnonRob: I think one might get long odds on Harry Redknapp.
Mind you, they gave the job to Revie.
I think I meant a Goldcrest, not a firecrest, although I think there is such a thing?
ReplyDeleteThat heated-up turkey/wait for veg. would really annoy me, I would have complained (while R would pretend not to be with me). Cold plates also are an irritation.
It doesn't look much like my idea of a castle, perhaps there is a more castle-y bit out of shot? Loved the idea of the table, though.
I think that is a very splendid red scarf. You must wear it as a cravat over Christmas!
I am the Castle Operations Manager. You have quite rightly brought to my attention your reservations about you visit on the 28th November. I take every complaint very seriously as our reputation has taken 5 years to establish and I do not intend to let that slip. I will take your points up with our catering Manageress as the points are very valid (sharp retort, no glasses/water on the table and cold food). To cover the point about cost, our 2 course Christmas lunch (which is the lunch you had) is £10 which is good value by any standard, I suggest. However, it counts for little if it is cold! I am delighted that otherwise you had a good visit and thank you for coming. Andrew Norman.
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