Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

 Ca'n Costa - Friday 22 August 2008

Our last night on holiday and we wanted to go home with fond memories, so again, we chose Ca'n Costa. We'd booked the evening before and after a drink at a lovely little cafe at the bottom of the Calvari steps, we made our way back to one of our favourite restaurants for a last supper.

We studied the menu on the sofas (this time with a glass of fizzy water for us adults... hubby wasn't feeling too good) and I decided to go for the asparagus and parmesan quiche followed by the chicken.

Hubby had managed to persuade our daughter to go with the cod and asked if they could serve it without the sauce for her. My son went for the chicken breast again but opted for the vegetable soup for a starter along with my husband. He wanted to try the lamb I had eaten the previous week.

We ordered a bottle of the Son Bordils Syrah as it was our last night and it was wonderful to see it decanted at our table. My son's eyes were huge as the waiter poured the wine into a special decanter that "sprayed" the fluid against the sides.

"It's being woken up," I said, eyeing his expression.

"Wine isn't woken up!" he replied, laughing.

"It is," I said. And when, after a short while, I was invited to taste it, I can honestly say it was alive and kicking!

The meal was as good as ever. My quiche was delicious, the pastry light and crumbly with a gorgeous creamy filling. Hubby and son demolished the soup and I was careful to give my bread roll to my son, hoping that tonight I would have room for dessert.

My daughter loved her cod, pronouncing it the best she'd ever tasted. Hubby thought his lamb was delicious (especially the sauce) while I enjoyed my chicken which had been wrapped in bacon and stuffed with mozzarella cheese. The dish was served with a little tower of potato cakes and sliced tomatoes.

Amazingly, I found room for pudding - the ultimate comfort food - rice pudding with a fruit compote. Heaven!

The restaurant was pleasantly busy with a large party eating and several smaller tables occupied.

As always, the service was attentive and friendly, and we were all made to feel very special.

The bill came to 149 euros.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

 La Placeta - Thursday 21 August 2008

Remember what I said about expectations? Obviously, I lied when I said that I no longer had expectations because I had high expectations of La Placeta (especially if Bonyslad was a fan) and we went out of our way to ensure we reserved a table at this restaurant, part of the Hotel Son Sant Jordi.

During the day we followed the road signs in Pollensa, found out where it was and then parked the car and walked up to study the menu which looked very good and had dishes that would suit the children. The British woman who took our reservation was friendly and I experienced a little glow of anticipation at eating in the pretty, palm-shaded square.

In the evening we finally lost patience with the terrible service at the Café Espanyol (yes…my favourite bar…) and it seemed that this was the start of an evening that very sadly, went from bad to worse. Maybe the Gods were punishing me for sitting smugly at the Bar Alhambra and watching people wander by looking slightly confused about where they were going to eat. I was OK, I told myself with a little smile. I knew where we were going to eat, and what’s more… we were going to have a great night! Haha!

At the appointed time we strolled past Ca’n Costa and carried on down the street to the beautiful little square, the imposing church on one side, the Hotel Son Sant Jordi on the other. About five tables were set up under the palm trees and we were shown to one by a waitress who then went to serve a table of about eight people.

So we waited…and waited…

After about fifteen minutes, and just as I was about to suggest we leave and go somewhere else (and therefore join the ranks of the wandering restaurant hunters) the Spanish waitress asked if we would like a drink. The children chose coca cola while hubby ordered a large beer. I asked to see the wine list and was given the menu. I chose the Macia Batle Blanc de Blancs, priced at 19 euros, as hubby and I had both decided to have the chicken after remembering it from looking at the menu earlier.

The drinks arrived, by which time we’d all had a look at the one menu, sharing it around between us. I was a bit surprised to see the children’s drinks arrive as cans of coke with no accompanying glasses, while hubby’s beer was smaller than he had wanted. By now his thirst was akin to that of a man who had been in the desert for a few weeks…

We were given bread, butter and olives and we ordered our meals. We decided to skip starters because it was getting late and the children chose chicken goujons and spaghetti. Hubby changed his mind about the chicken and went for the steak in pepper sauce. My mouth watered at the thought of the chicken stuffed with dates and bacon…

The wine duly arrived - already opened and just plonked on the table without ceremony, unlike the party behind who were given an ice bucket. By now our little table was crammed with cans, wine glasses and plates and on the uneven terrace, I feared it would topple over!

The wine was delicious and as waited for our food it went down rapidly. What else is there to do but drink when your meal takes an age to arrive?

The tables around us seemed to be also waiting for their food and we’d reached the point where relaxed service is no service. Hubby disappeared into the hotel to go to the loo and while he was gone, the British male (head?) waiter appeared and asked me if everything was OK.

“No, it’s not,” I replied. “We’ve been waiting over an hour for our food and I’m not happy.” He didn’t see me stamping my foot under the table.

Whilst I was berating the waiter, hubby was similarly having a go at the poor waitress. She said there had been “problems” and that we would get our food in just a minute.

When hubby returned he said that we would wait five minutes and then go. We waited two minutes and our meals appeared.

Remember those descriptions? Mmmm… steak in a pepper sauce… chicken stuffed with dates… I imagined them as full and plump bursting with flavour, and oh, yes… the bacon…

Hmmm… hubby described the sauce as being like oxo cubes mixed with boiling water and poured over the steak with a few peppercorns added for good measure. My chicken breast had been cut in half and a tiny shrivelled date inserted in the top of each portion. Of bacon, there was no sign. The meals were served with new potatoes, carrots and broccoli. The children seemed fine with their meals, but my son could have eaten three of the spaghetti and my daughter was by now so hungry I think she would have eaten her own leg. In fact, my son told me he was eating his own nails earlier, he was so famished…

When the meals arrived, the male waiter apologised but said that it was our fault - we had to wait so long as we hadn‘t “ordered starters”.

“What?” I said. “I’ve never heard of that excuse before.”

I‘m afraid his reply was rude and sarcastic, saying that the kitchen cooked all the starters at the same time, but we‘d seen people receiving their food at different times and it was a poor excuse for terrible service.

We hurriedly ate our meal and then asked for the bill. The poor waitress seemed genuinely upset and kept apologising but it wasn’t her fault. We wouldn't have minded so much if the staff had been honest with us. Maybe there had been a problem (perhaps the chef had called in sick?) but the arrogant and sarcastic response was unforgivable.

The couple behind us, witnesses to the fuss, agreed with us and said that they had only eaten at the hotel because it was free and part of their accommodation deal.

So, all in all, a sad and very disappointing night and writing this review, heavy with my own sarcasm, gives me no pleasure at all. I can only think we had hit the restaurant on a bad night and that our experience was rare, but I certainly won’t be returning - not when the other delights of Pollensa are so close by.

The bill came to 65 euros.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

Ca’n Pacienci - Wednesday 20 August 2008

It had been a long time since we’d eaten at this restaurant situated on the main Pollensa-Puerto Pollensa road, but we were determined to go back this year and enjoy the lovely food and ambience that we’d always enjoyed in the past. So we booked a table during the day by telephone, just to make sure we could be fitted in.

After a relaxing drink at the Daina in PP, we arrived and found just a few other tables occupied. In the past, there had been tables set up inside the beautiful old bougainvillaea-covered building, but this evening there were about seven or eight set up on the terrace.

Dudley made us feel very welcome and said that they would be happy to serve half portions for the children if required as they don’t do a children’s menu. One of the long-standing waiters was there and we were very happy to see him as he is lovely and friendly and a real character.

We studied the menu while happily munching on bread and butter! Yes, butter!!! There was also some delicious pate and olives and more bread was brought out with a smile. I chose a bottle of Sangre de Toro wine from Torres which was lovely - very fruity and easy to drink.

For starters, we all had the tomato soup which was delicious and very tasty. The children loved it and we were told that we could have as much bread as we wanted which was great.

Our main courses arrived very quickly after the starters. Hubby had chosen the half duck with stuffing and gravy while I opted for the tiger prawn curry, which I requested a little hotter than normal. The children chose the fried scampi and Dudley told us that they were using the same tiger prawns for this dish as my curry.

Hubby and I were more than happy with our main courses. My curry was delicious - hot and spicy and served with boiled rice and a crinkly poppadum. Hubby’s smallish duck came served with fried potatoes, cauliflower cheese and green beans.

Unfortunately, the children were not happy with their scampi and looking back, I think we made a mistake with ordering the dish for them as they are not used to seafood. The prawns themselves were fine and cooked beautifully but I’ll forever remember my son gamely chewing away on a prawn and holding it by the tail, determined he was going to enjoy it!

To make up for their main courses the children chose the chocolate pot and the sticky toffee pudding for dessert which they enjoyed immensely.

The bill came to 146 euros and we felt that, although good, the food was over-priced. Our soup was 8 euros, almost £7.00 in sterling. Starters range from 8 euros to about 24 euros with the average price at around 12-15 euros. The main courses were around 18-25 euros while desserts were 8 to 10 euros. The set menu is no longer available but a lot of the dishes are still there, with the emphasis on duck and fish.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

Bistro Mar, Cala San Vicente - Tuesday 19 August 2008

I love Cala San Vicente. In fact, if I ever found myself lucky enough to be able to buy a property in Mallorca, I would love to live there. So I was looking forward to eating in the resort and in particular to trying out another new restaurant - Bistro Mar, formerly known as Bistro Balaixa, which is situated just along the road from Molins beach.

We arrived early in the evening and parked in the car park opposite, before strolling over the road and checking out the menu. It looked very appealing so we booked a table for 8pm and then went and enjoyed a drink or two in the Bar Mallorca nearby.

When we arrived there were still a few tables free, but the outside terrace filled up rapidly so booking is advisable.

Arnie immediately made us feel very welcome and was chatty and friendly, even sitting at the table with us and discussing the menu when hubby popped to the loo. Mandy was also very friendly and it’s obvious this couple know and love what they are doing. Another waitress was also friendly and attentive and all three had smiles on their faces and a welcoming air.

The menu is great and includes lots of tapas dishes, pasta, curry, fish of the day, lamb and burgers. We chose a couple of portions of cheesy garlic bread to start, followed by the three cheese tagliatelle for my daughter (who I have to say stuffed herself back at the villa with alioli and bread and therefore hadn‘t much of an appetite). My son chose the chicken curry and requested it quite hot while hubby and I went for the shoulder of lamb in a Rioja sauce.

The lamb was served on a bed of tomatoes, peppers and onions with huge potato wedges and was tender and delicious. But, beware… it was a large portion! My son enjoyed his curry and it really was quite hot, but can be adapted to taste. My daughter picked out some of the cheese (the variety we enjoy with the mouldy bits in!) but enjoyed her pasta very much.

Only my son found room for dessert - a delicious chocolate mousse with a puff pastry wedge.

Whilst you’re there check out the loos which bear lots of hallmarks of the old Balaixa, including individual flannels and some lovely lotions and potions. I also spotted a lovely lounge area with lots of candles that I presume is for drinks before the meal. Bistro Mar is a great, very atmospheric place with a wonderful relaxing feel to it.

The bill came to 109 euros which included a couple of glasses of wine and lots of mineral water - another scorching night!

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

 El Temple restaurant, Pollenca - Saturday 16 August 2008

Even now, just over a week after we ate at this lovely little restaurant I still feel a warm glow inside when I think back to our evening there. It’s certainly attracted some great reviews and I was looking forward to experiencing it for myself.

We’d made sure of a table by booking the evening before and when we arrived we were shown through to the pretty courtyard at the back of the restaurant. My daughter nearly threw a pre-teenage tantrum when she sat down and was almost swallowed up by a tree (one of many that make this terrace so beautiful) but after some shifting of the table, she was eventually happy.

There’s an almost medieval air about El Temple…maybe it’s the stone carving outside the restaurant or the stone walls within, but it sums up just how much I love the old town of Pollensa and her beautiful ancient buildings.

Another reason for liking this restaurant was the head waiter who simply loves his job (or gives the impression he does). He was wonderful - very chatty and friendly and was more than happy to give us more bread to go with our olives and aioli - I wonder who ate all the alioli? 

We ordered starters of herring and mango salad (hubby) and shrimp and avocado salad (me). Mine was superb - big succulent prawns and avocado bathed in a Marie Rose and Balsamic vinegar sauce nestled on a huge pile of salad. It would have done for a main course!

For main courses the children chose beef stew, hubby went for the rabbit which he enjoyed, while I plumped for the pork in a honey and curry sauce. My pork was plentiful and came served on a skewer with the delicious sauce. The children wolfed down their beef stew which looked delicious - the big chunks of beef were very tender. Each dish was accompanied by sauteed potatoes and vegetables (courgettes, green beans and carrots).

I ordered a bottle of the Son Bordils Negre - at 14% it reminded me of a French Chateauneuf-du-Pape with its blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Callet and Syrah grape varieties and was smooth, full-bodied and fruity.

Hubby and I were too stuffed for dessert but the children found room for a mousse each - one was white and the other dark chocolate. The waiter wound them up and brought four spoons but we were happy to see them lick their plates clean!

The bill came to 100 euros which I thought was fantastic value and when we went to pay inside we received a complimentary brandy - a lovely touch and a great way of ending an evening that will live in my memory for a long time.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

Ca'n Costa - Friday 15 August 2008

When it’s your 16th Wedding Anniversary, it’s only natural that you want to go somewhere special to celebrate and, of course, we chose Ca’n Costa. We made sure of a table by booking the evening before and when we arrived there was just one other party eating. My outfit matched the colour scheme which has changed to cream and black and we settled back into the lovely comfortable sofas to study the menu, a dish of olives and cheesy biscuits to nibble on.

I don’t think the menu has changed since last year but that suited my husband who already knew what he wanted - the baked cod. He also chose the asparagus and parmesan quiche for a starter while I went for the vegetable soup followed by the loin of lamb in a herb crust served on a bed of colcannon mash. Plain chicken breasts were ordered for the children.

Dining at Ca’n Costa is a wonderful experience and one I will never tire of. As well as the excellent food, I love the old building - the stone pillars, the paintings on the wall and the comfortable leather chairs. We’d chosen a bottle of French champagne which was waiting for us at the table and settled down to enjoy a lovely meal which started off with different breads and two dips (one was pear and strawberry with olive oil) to accompany them.

After we’d devoured the bread, we were given little shot glasses of gazpacho soup which was thick and delicious.

The service is friendly and unobtrusive - you really get the feeling you are being looked after here and nothing is too much trouble.

Our starters were delicious - even the children liked Hubby’s quiche and my vegetable soup was thick and filling!

Hubby's main course of cod lived up to his expectations, while my lamb was beautifully cooked with a gorgeous sauce.

Unfortunately, we made a mistake with the desserts as the children did not enjoy their chocolate tart with peppercorns, which is understandable. Although delicious they didn't appreciate the heat of the pepper! I had chosen banana Tarte Tartin which I gave to my daughter instead. Hubby had the lemon sorbet with absolut vodka which took him an age to eat as the vodka was really strong, but he said it was a wonderful experience!

The champagne I ordered was delicious - I'm not usually a fan of champagne but this was described as a Grande Cuvee and it was beautiful - very biscuity and full-bodied.

All in all a wonderful evening and the bill came to a staggering 185 euros (mainly because of the champagne at 55 euros). The restaurant is happy to cater for children and will cook plain chicken breasts or spaghetti.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

L'Aup - Tuesday 12 August 2008

If there’s one thing I’ve finally realised about eating out at different restaurants (and I don’t just mean Mallorcan ones) is that you should cast aside all expectations of how your evening is going to turn out. It really is best to go with an open mind…

L’Aup has always been one of our favourite restaurants and it helped that our villa was very close, just two minutes drive away. I’d heard on the forum that it had changed hands so we were looking forward to seeing how different it was and how it would compare with the old L’Aup that we’d come to know and love.

Thwarted in our dream to eat there on our first night, I had booked a table for Tuesday night and was shocked to see it so busy again; there was hardly a space in the dusty car park and yet more cars were still arriving!

We were met by the Maitre d’ who still looked harassed, and I wondered whether he actually liked his job or not. I couldn’t help comparing him to the old head waiter who was always so friendly and laid back. Menus were handed to us and a basket of bread and olives plonked down on the table. My son announced he wanted spaghetti, and then ran off to play, but when we opened the menus we couldn’t see any children’s dishes at all. The menu is quite short - about 6 or 7 starters, 3-4 fish dishes and 5-6 meat dishes, including fillet and entrecote steak. Normally we’d find the bread and pate sufficient as a starter, but things had changed here and we received just a basket of dry bread and a limp huddle of olives.

Things went downhill when hubby’s beer was forgotten, and he sat trying to catch a waiter’s eye for, what seemed like to him, an age. I had ordered a glass of the house white, a delicious medium wine from Yecla so I was more than happy. Despite it being now almost 9pm it was as hot as the furnaces of hell and everyone around us seemed to be melting into their own little pool of perspiration. Peace was restored when hubby's drink arrived with a curt apology from the head waiter.

Hubby and I had chosen our meals, but we asked about the children and were reassured that they could do spaghetti and plain chicken breast with chips for my daughter. We skipped starters and hubby opted for the suckling pig, while I chose the chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and sobrasada.

In a way, it was reassuring that the menu had changed completely because to me that signalled that the dishes were freshly prepared, and indeed, delicious smells seemed to be wafting all around us as the place filled up with large tables of people enjoying themselves. L’Aup really is a very pretty place - the outside courtyard filled with trees and bougainvillaea and old farm equipment.

When the food arrived I have to say it was sublime… my chicken was moist and tender and perfectly cooked - served in little rounds on a bed of pureed mash with an accompaniment of ratatouille. Hubby’s suckling pig was also pronounced delicious, the crackling nice and crispy as he likes it, but he said that he would have liked a few more vegetables on his plate. The children’s dishes were equally good and at the end of the meal, we all had clean plates.

Having skipped starters we fancied dessert and I opted for the selection of all the desserts on the menu while hubby went for the gingerbread and blackcurrant coulis served with vanilla ice cream. The children were delighted with their chocolate ice cream. Again, the desserts didn’t disappoint and I’m of the opinion that whoever does the cooking certainly knows what they are doing!

So how did it compare? In my opinion, the food was just as good, if not better than the old L’Aup, with a much more streamlined menu. The service was very quick and attentive but without the friendliness we’d come to expect which was a shame. It would have been nice for the Maitre d’ to have come over and made sure we were happy with our meal, but perhaps the awesome heat and the fact that the restaurant was very busy prevented him from doing that. But, never fear, we will be back!

The bill came to 103 euros. Booking is definitely advisable and you may have to ask for dishes to suit children.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

Trencadora, Pollenca  - Monday 11 August 2008

Before having a drink in the square in Pollensa we booked a table at Trencadora - and were very glad we did because, at 8.30pm, the place was almost full. It was a very good sight to see because I know this lovely restaurant has had a change of ownership and mixed reviews over the last couple of years.

The two female waiting staff were very friendly and attentive and we nibbled on bread and olives while studying the menu, which had a Germanic hint about it… a Berlin favourite of currywurst? In Mallorca? There is also a good choice of salads, pasta, seafood spaghetti and an ox dish!

My daughter was delighted to see alioli on the menu and ordered a dish with lots more bread as her starter. My son was famished so he opted for a portion of chips to start while hubby went for the pa amb oli and I chose a mixed salad.

The food was excellent - hubby’s large portion of toasted bread and tomatoes was delicious and my mixed salad of tomatoes, cucumber, celery, olives and various leaves had a very tasty dressing. But it was the chips that were the real star…crispy, hot and lightly sprinkled with sea salt. Scrumptious!

As things were going so well, we waited for the main courses with trepidation but we weren’t disappointed. Three of us ordered grilled chicken breast with potatoes and vegetables while my son went for the spaghetti bolognese. The chicken was moist and tender and covered in a mild curry sauce which was different and very enjoyable. Halfway through the meal, my son pushed his spaghetti away but perked up when offered some of hubby’s chicken. They duly swapped and hubby pronounced the pasta very tasty.

We sat back in our chairs well satisfied, but in the course of duty, we felt we had to try a dessert. My son chose strawberry cheesecake while my daughter and I shared tiramisu. I felt that the desserts had been bought in (the tiramisu was still slightly frozen in the middle) but they were very good and were a nice ending to a lovely meal.

The bill came to 90 euros. It may be advisable to book a table and the restaurant offers a children’s menu.

Restaurant reviews Mallorca 2008

Ca N'Olesa - Saturday 9 August 2008

We’d been looking forward to visiting L’Aup as it’s become a tradition to eat there on our first night, but when we called in to book a table we found they were fully booked! Huh! The maitre d’ looked very harassed and suggested I try another night so I booked for Tuesday as they are closed on Mondays.

The evening was threatening to go pear-shaped when we drove into the old town as there was a running race on and we seemed to be going around and around in circles! I had visions of us never escaping the narrow streets but we eventually parked opposite Piccolo Forno and walked into the town.

I booked a table at Ca N’Olesa and then joined hubby and the children for a drink in the square at the Café Espanyol. The white bunting was still up everywhere and it was pleasantly busy.

When we arrived at Ca N’Olesa at 8.30pm it was packed but our table was reserved for us. It took a while for menus to arrive but we weren’t in any hurry. My son ran off to continue his game of football while we looked at the menus. I chose the Pimientos de Padron to start followed by pork loin while hubby chose his favourite - the cheese, grape and walnut salad followed by rabbit. The children opted for pizzas and we munched on bread and olives while we waited for our food to arrive.

My peppers were delicious (no hot ones) but hubby said that his salad wasn’t as good as normal - more leaves than grapes, walnuts and cheese.

My pork loin was well-cooked and nicely presented but didn’t taste of anything - it was served with fried new potatoes and courgettes and an orange sauce which could have been pumpkin or squash.

Hubby’s rabbit was good and was served with the same vegetables and sauce. The children’s pizzas were huge and delicious and disappeared quickly!

For dessert, I just couldn’t resist the chocolate cream with mascarpone which was sublime.

For atmosphere, you can't beat this restaurant, or any of the others that are very close, such as Il Giardino, La Posada d'Ariant or Ca'l Lloro. The whole square had a wonderful festive air and it was lovely to see families enjoying the evening.

Bill came to 89 euros. Booking in the high season is definitely advisable.

New story

Time On Her Hands

“Will you please keep quiet!”

The words were no sooner out before Lisa regretted her outburst, the familiar feeling of guilt welling up inside her. Luke and Natalie looked at her in dismay, their hands poised in the air as they stood on the edge of the pool, ready to dive into its azure depths. They’d been having so much fun with the other children in their holiday complex, but the screaming and shouting had finally got to her. All she wanted was some peace.

She turned over on her sun-bed and closed her eyes against the glare of the sun. This holiday had been a mistake. She should have stayed at home and concentrated on her business while Michael went away with the children. How could she have agreed to spending two weeks doing nothing? It just wasn’t her.

Her career was everything. She’d built up her own small catering business over the years and although she’d left the day-to-day running to her sister, Nicola, she was terrified that something would go wrong and all her hard work would be for nothing. But her husband had insisted on this family holiday to Majorca, and she had sensed a vague, subtle threat in his declaration that they all needed time away together, as a proper family. She had no choice but to accompany them but it was turning out to be purgatory.

She could feel Michael’s eyes on her as she shifted position once again. The afternoon sun was hot now, its rays beating down on her body like knives. Her lunch lay uncomfortably in her stomach and all she wanted to do was retreat into the cool confines of the apartment and check her emails.

That was the only stipulation she had made – an apartment with a wireless internet connection so she could keep in touch with her customers and Nicola. Just before leaving to go on holiday, she’d managed to win a new client and she had to know what was going on while she was away.

Sitting up, she glanced over at her husband who seemed to be asleep, his eyes closed as he soaked up the sun. She felt a sudden stab of envy. How she wished she could just lie there and forget about everything! How wonderful it would be to indulge in a spot of daydreaming!

Rising quietly, she kept her eyes on Michael, holding her breath in case he opened his eyes and saw what she was doing. Just as she was tiptoeing away in the direction of their ground floor apartment, Luke shouted out happily, “Mum! Come in and see what we’re doing!”

She paused and looked back to see her husband smiling at her. “Going for a dip, love?”

Lisa felt her irritation rise again and shook her head. “Just going to the loo. Won’t be long.”

She could see the disappointment in her son’s eyes as he turned away and executed a perfect dive into the pool. She knew he’d been doing well at school lately with his swimming but she’d never had the time to go and see him perform. Another pang of guilt hit her as she opened the door of the deliciously cool apartment, the peace and quiet a balm to her frazzled nerves. All the shutters were closed tightly against the heat of the sun but she could make out the laptop blinking away at her in the corner of the room.

Feeling as if she was committing a terrible crime she sat down and opened her mailbox, the long list of emails making her groan with frustration. Several were marked “Urgent” and her stomach clenched with nerves. How quickly could she get a flight home, she wondered, if there was something she couldn’t solve out here? Thank goodness she had internet access so that she could look up flights.

“What are you doing?”

Her husband’s voice, quiet and controlled but with an edge of anger, made her jump. She turned around but he was silhouetted against the bright sun outside, so she couldn’t see his face or how angry he was.

“This is supposed to be our holiday,” he said to her, his tone still even. “Can’t you leave that for just two weeks?”

“You know I can’t,” she retorted. “This new client is so important, Michael! If it goes wrong I’ll never forgive myself!”

“More important than us? Than watching your children play in the pool?”

She shrugged. “There’ll be other holidays. The children are still young.”

He moved towards her and she could see now how angry he was, how he fought hard to keep his voice calm. “This is time you’ll never get back, Lisa! Every minute with them is precious!”

She heard what he was saying and hated herself for being like this. When the children were babies she’d vowed she’d always put them first, but the boredom she felt at being cooped up all day made her feel as if she were going mad. It was acceptable for Michael to pursue his high-powered career but she was condemned as a bad mother for her ambition. Ever since she was a child she’d felt the need to live up to her parents’ expectations and she couldn’t put her life on hold now. It would be impossible.

“Please understand, Michael. I just need to sort out these emails and I’ll come outside, I promise.” She watched as he gave her one last hard stare before turning and striding through the door, his shoulders rigid with anger. Sighing, she sat back down at the screen, but the sound of running steps and a shout from Michael made her jump up again in alarm and run towards the door.

Outside she could see Michael jump into the pool, a sobbing Luke standing at the edge. Her legs felt like jelly as she ran towards the garden, her heart hammering a tattoo in her chest as she realised what had happened. Michael was under the water and she could see a jumble of colours at the bottom of the pool as he dived in.

“Oh no,” she sobbed as she watched her husband surface with their daughter in his arms. Natalie was limp and lifeless, her face like wax. Next to her Luke sobbed harder, great choking cries that evoked some primeval emotion in Lisa. Kneeling down beside her husband and daughter she willed Natalie to move.

“Please darling,” she sobbed as Michael gently blew air into her lungs. “Please live…”
I’ll never forgive myself if she dies, she thought as she watched her husband’s desperate movements to save his daughter. Memories of Natalie as a baby sprang into her mind, how she’d loved to dress her up like a pretty doll, her first day at school, the endless chatter that characterised her daughter’s personality…

“I couldn’t save her,” sobbed Luke, huddling close to his mother for comfort. “She said she had a pain in her leg…she just kept going under.” He cried harder. “What’s going to happen?”

Lisa held him close and felt his small body tremble. At ten years of age he couldn’t be expected to look after his younger sister. “It’ll be OK,” she soothed. “She’ll be fine…” Lisa watched as, with a choking cry, her daughter’s body suddenly sprang back into life. Michael turned her on her side and gently held her as she shivered and cried out.

“Mum,” she murmured and Lisa knelt next to her, stroking her arms, relief flooding through her as she realised how close they’d come to an unbearable disaster, the ultimate dread of every parent.

Later, as she sat and watched Natalie and Luke scamper around the town square, their movements carefree and happy, she took Michael’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”

He was still angry with her. At the hospital where they’d had Natalie checked out, he’d barely been able to look at her, his attention totally focused on their daughter as the doctors reassured them that she had come to no harm. Where did they go from here?

Michael took a sip of his beer. “We’ve got to do something, Lisa. We can’t carry on like this.”

Lisa’s stomach flipped with anxiety at his words, but she’d already made up her mind. I’ll never forgive myself, she had said. The first time she had been thinking about her new client but she realised now that her family were everything to her.

“I’m going to let Nicola have more of a say in the business,” she announced quietly. “She’s more than capable of taking care of things while I’m away.”

“What about checking your emails?” Michael asked, looking over at the children.

“They can wait,” she answered and held her breath, waiting for her husband’s reaction. He didn’t say anything, just sipped his drink and continued to watch Natalie and Luke race about the square, their crazy games involving the local children who were delighted with their new friends.

“It’s just, at times like this…” he trailed off, still watching his children. “We want you back, Lisa. The children miss you.”

Lisa relaxed slightly and took her husband’s hand again. “I never went away. I’m still here.”

There was a moment of silence between them and then, with a shout, Luke came running over to the table. “Look Mum!” His face was alight with excitement and he grabbed Lisa by the hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come and watch me do this!” As her son dragged her away, Lisa turned around to look at her husband who was smiling back at her, and the look of love and pride was evident in his eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief at last, she knew that everything was going to work out just fine.

Mr Anderson and the Yummy Mummies

“Off you go then.” Charlotte turned in her seat and gazed at her reluctant offspring sitting in the back of the car. “Have a good day.”

“Don’t leave us!” they pleaded and Charlotte laughed. The first day at a new school was never easy and she hadn’t the heart to refuse.

“Come on then.” She took Naomi and Matthew by the hand and they scurried across the road, joining the ranks of other mums beginning to congregate with their smartly dressed children.

Charlotte smiled politely at the other women who hurried past, but they were too busy to stop and chat. Immaculate school bags, sports kit and lunch bags hung about the children as if they were pack-horses and Charlotte followed slowly, her children dragging their heels.

“What’s up?” she asked as they reached the playground and the small village primary. “It’ll be fine. You know what the school’s like.”

“But we don’t know the other children,” whined Naomi tightening her grip on her mother’s hand. “What if we don’t make friends?”

“You will.” Charlotte replied briskly. “You’ll be fine.”

But all day, Charlotte found her thoughts wandering to her children and wondering if they were enjoying the new experience of a different school. She’d hated taking them out of their first primary but with her husband’s new job, she felt she had no choice. The move was a new start for all of them and after the first few nervous weeks, she was sure Naomi and Matthew would adapt.

Now it was three o’clock and time for them to be picked up. Charlotte herself was nervous; she felt new to her surroundings as well and hoped that she would make friends with the mums who gathered at the school gates for those last few minutes of peace before the children erupted from the confines of their day. A friendly mum, she hoped, someone with whom she could exchange a few words and who was as relaxed and laid back about parenting as she was.

She sat for a while and watched the other mums arrive. Shiny cars were parked randomly along the road, some of them so big they took up almost the whole of the narrow village street. A group of women were slowly walking along the path and Charlotte noticed how well-turned out they were, their clothes and make-up immaculate. She looked down at her own jeans and top and felt suddenly underdressed. Running her hands through her long brunette locks, she wished she’d taken a few moments to apply some lipstick, but it was too late now.

Crossing the road she met the eye of a friendly looking blonde who smiled warmly. “Hello…are you new here?”

Charlotte nodded. “My two started today. Years 3 and 6.”

“I’m Amy. I’ve only the one – Louisa in Year 4.”

There was a small silence as they jostled for position outside the playground, but as the teachers appeared and the children came running out, Amy turned to Charlotte and whispered, “Have you met the new Head yet? Mr Anderson?”

Charlotte nodded. “He seems a good teacher.”

“Oh, such an improvement on old Mr Bainsby. I have to say this…he’s gorgeous! And such a good reputation!”

Charlotte laughed. “Yes, I heard.”

Amy continued. “I’m definitely going to be joining the PTA. Up until now I haven’t bothered, but…”

Charlotte looked at her in surprise and noticed how the other woman had blushed. Her eyes were alight and she appeared nervous, her eyes darting around the playground as if she was desperately looking for something…or someone. The crowd around the two women jostled for space and some of the mums pushed their way to the front of the crowd, ostensibly to meet their offspring, but Charlotte noticed how they were unconsciously smoothing their skirts, running their fingers through their hair, licking their lips…

I can’t believe it, she thought, trying hard not to laugh. She’d heard rumours of so-called “Yummy Mummies” but had never experienced this before. At the old school, the other mums were dressed as casually as she was now. The mums’ uniform tended to be jeans and tee-shirts in summer and jeans and fleeces in winter. A lot of the mums there had been farmers’ wives who worked hard with their husbands and certainly didn’t have time to apply make-up or do their hair for the mundane chore of collecting children from school.

Keeping to the back of the crowd, Charlotte saw Naomi and Matthew appear out of a side door, the tall dark-haired man at their side smiling as he listened to their chatter. He was dressed smartly, his suit and tie giving him an air of authority and power.

“Oooh! There he is!” Amy breathed her satisfaction as Mr Anerson approached and smoothed her hair for the umpteenth time. “Brings a whole new excitement to my day.”

“Isn’t he married?” asked Charlotte, looking over to him as he smiled at the eager parents in front of him. “I thought he was.”

“Mmm…yes I think so, but…” Amy pushed forward, and Charlotte noticed a folder in her hands.

“Excuse me a moment, I just want to talk to him about something.”

Charlotte watched as the blonde woman pushed her way through the throng of women who seemed to be clamouring for his attention. But it was her that he was looking at as he brought their children to her side, his arms encircling her waist as he cleared his throat.

“I’d like to introduce you all to my wife,” he exclaimed, receiving the silence that he had expected. “My first day at the school has been great and I’d like to thank you all for the support I’ve received so far. I sincerely hope that you can all extend that support to my family…my wonderful wife, Charlotte and my two children, Matthew and Naomi.”

Charlotte smiled as Mr Anderson kissed her soundly on the lips and together, as the crowd melted away, went into the school to help him finish his first day.

It's been a while!

Well, I started the blog in March and it's now June! The story I sent to Woman's Weekly was rejected and I received the manuscript back today...so a bit sad. However, I'm going to start posting stories on here for free!

All comments are welcome - good or bad. I'm a big girl and I can take it!

First entry

So, this is my new blog! I'm going to be posting short stories on here and general musings about life. I love writing (when I get the time) and reading. My life is full - I'm married with two children and work in the family business. Living in the country I get a great deal of satisfaction from the landscapes and am a keen photographer. I'll be posting my photos on here as well.

More later...