Banbury Tina, Moody Neighbours, Fox and Saracens.

Early to rise today, and coffee to perk up the taste buds.  Took a walk around the farm buildings and include a few here just to show our countryside idyll.

 

 

The days plan already set we prepared for the arrival of Tina and Riad and Kim’s Auntie Claudia.  Our fridge from brimming at the start of the week was now being carefully phased down as the Coach House closing down sale neared its end. 

 

We still had plenty of good food to adorn a lunchtime table and very much Ploughman’s Lunch.  I remember and RCMP colleague saying to me that he found English food a bit bland and uninteresting.  I immediately leapt to the defence of Blighty Cuisine and mentioned numerous fine dining recipes.  He did say he enjoyed a farmer’s breakfast, at which point I ventured some likely elements such as sausages, black pudding, eggs and bacon.  He looked at me askance and corrected me.  No mine included Cheese, Pickles, Pork Pie and fresh crusty bread….I hesitated for but one moment before calling him an idiot and renaming said fayre Ploughman’s Lunch!!

Tina and Riad arrived without Claudia and we enjoyed catching up, lunch and a few laughs interspersed with long bursts on the hunting horn from Riad, Samantha and Alexa.  Claudia we would see on Sunday in Milton Keynes.  Alexa was humming in the same way I remember kids humming when they couldn’t get a Kazoo to work properly.

 

Large faux pas with the lunch was that Riad as a Muslim couldn't eat Pork and every meat on the table had piggy wiggy written all over it.  We had a fine cheese option and Riad was just fine with it all laughing as he considered the predicament.

After Tina had departed we drove over to the Wharf to return half of the condiment set loaned to us and the industrial sized ketchup container.  The salt cellar had sadly committed suicide aided by my good self.  We caught up with Marcus and said our farewells to the team at the Wharf.  Paul and Tracey and Jim.  The next part of the journey was back to the Coach House then a quick trip to the Long Bucky Fish Bar for Battered Sausages, Fish and Chips.

I then set off slightly late for a liaison with old friends at the Fox and Hounds while Kim handed me a rain check and opted for forty winks. 

The Fox and hounds was brimming and spilling over onto the street.  I enjoyed a pint of Vicars Ruin and then ventured toward the bar for a second time only to be told the card processor machine was dead and cash only was the new order of the day.  Just prior to heading to the bar Jerry Moody had lurched into the pub and boomed my name.  A fine Captain Haddock he made with his silver beard and nautical bearing.  I had said I would buy the beers and failed.  I couldn’t see Jerry anywhere so drove to the ATM in Buckby and then back again in less than 30 minutes.  Jerry was standing there wondering where the hell I had been and indicating that he had already begun drinking my pint for me.

We had an hour of outstanding laughs and banter with a small group of old friends and acquaintances before Lesley Moody arrived in the bar.  Jerry and Lesley had been our next door neighbours in Little Brington.  I was instructed to wake up Kim and then report to the Saracens Head in Brington to meet up with our friends there.  I did so without resistance as that would have been futile.

 

Kim was sleeping next to Alexa and that was a very cute sight but I had to wake the old girl and tell her she was late for an appointment.  She complied somewhat reluctantly at first and then with vigour.

We had an awesome time at The Saracens and finally departed for the Coach House at about 10pm.

 

 

 

Samantha had spent the evening with Alexa and was there when we got home she introduced me to the delights of Celebrity Juice and Keith Lemmon.  Funny but peculiar at the same time.  Then to bed….