I was up myself at 7am and enjoyed a leisurely coffee. Outside the weather was truly horrible with misty, grey skies and drizzle. What a difference to last week!
Mike called us at about 10am and we went to collect him, waiting for a little while until he finished what he was doing. Neither Keith or I are happy about him working on his own at the weekend as anything could happen with the machines that he uses. He was still suffering from a runny tummy so he said he would stay at home this afternoon while we went out on an Anniversary mooch.
Keith, Sophie and I set off at midday and, after spotting a strange thing in the hedgerow and doubling back to investigate (we are so nosy, but it looked like someone was having a horsey event and not a rave as we had suspected!), we made our way to the A43. The roads were hectically busy today and I have no idea why? Perhaps the horrible weather had driven everyone out to the shops!
We had been planning on going to Wendelbury near Oxford, but with the rain and mist, we decided to stay closer to home. I suggested a pub I used to deliver to on the outskirts of Towcester, so we headed there, noting how many pubs there were in the town itself.
Unfortunately, The Folly was a restaurant and not a pub so we couldn't just have a drink there. I am sure it used to be a pub three years ago? We slunk back to the car feeling ashamed and drove towards Shutlanger instead, passing by the now closed Towcester racecourse, which is a real shame as Keith and I have many happy memories of going there in years gone by.
The Plough looked empty when we arrived, but it was open and we were told to take a seat and someone would take our drinks order. On each table was a paper bag and at first I thought it was a goody bag for a party but then we realised it was a menu and cutlery! The bar staff were wearing masks and we ordered two halves of Guinness and a pint of lager for Keith (no good beer again).
We sat and chatted and more people arrived. They have a shop next door and the pub was very different from when Keith and I last went a long, long time ago. Two women on the table next to us were enjoying a huge afternoon tea even though technically it was lunchtime!
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| A bit of cheer on a gloomy day! |
We had one drink and then drove to Stoke Bruerne but we weren't keen on the pubs there. The Boat Inn looked a bit rundown and The Navigation had a huge car park which was full so we pressed on to Grafton Regis and The White Hart which is on the main A508. We had stopped here a few years ago and had a meal but today it was well and truly closed so we turned around in the car park and carried on.
By now we were beginning to feel a bit dispirited but we were determined to find somewhere good, so when we saw the sign for Yardley Gobion we turned off the A508 and looked out for a pub. It was a big village so it was bound to have something, surely?
We came across The Coffee Pot Tavern just before we left the village and parked in the empty car park. Inside, it was dark and depressing with a table occupied by two couples and a man sitting on his own. Keith gave up on the beer and chose a pint of lager while Sophie and I had two halves of Guinness again.
We found a table - "I am clean" - it said, and sat and chatted in perhaps one of the most depressing pubs I've had the misfortune to visit in a long time... There was no atmosphere, no attempt to cheer the place up on a gloomy Saturday and nothing to recommend it at all! Even the loos were closed!
We hurriedly drank up and decided to head back to Blisworth where we decided to go to The Walnut Tree. Keith and I visited once before, ages ago, and Sophie came here last year for a wedding, and the place was immaculately clean and welcoming.
We sat up on a little raised area in the restaurant and had a good look at the lunch menu, choosing a pizza to share for Sophie and I and a pulled pork roll with chips for Keith. The cutlery arrived in very crinkly plastic bags (reminded me of in-flight meals) and the bar staff were wearing masks again, which I do find a bit off-putting. Outside it was grey and rainy and the frequent trains sent up whooshes of water whenever they passed.
Both Sophie and I loved our chicken and bacon pizza. The cherry tomatoes on top were succulent and sweet, but Keith was unimpressed with his pulled pork roll, saying the meat was tasteless. His chips were good though but we weren't offered any as he only had seven!
By now it was almost 4pm so we decided to call it a day and head home. Mike felt slightly better when we got back and said he was looking forward to a Chinese meal this evening. Despite our late lunch, so were we!
It was lovely to lounge about and relax and outside the weather became even mistier and gloomier. Thankfully the high temperatures of the last few days had disappeared and the mercury was now hovering about 19c.
At 6pm we called the Chinese take-away in Broughton and made sure they were open and still delivering. We then cracked open a bottle of Champagne and opened our anniversary cards. 28 years today!
Our meal was lovely and the food delicious as always. Keith watched the snooker all evening and Sophie and I went upstairs and caught the last hour of Taken starring Liam Neeson. Swoon!
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