A lunchtime treat

Today dawned sunny and mild, and we had a relaxed morning before going to The Hare at Loddington for lunch. The pub was already busy with people and a group of cyclists were gathered around a table having a great time, all dressed in lycra!

We were shown to a table in the restaurant and had a good look at the lunchtime menu. Sophie and I ordered breaded mushrooms to start, while Keith chose the prawn cocktail. For our main courses, Sophie and I both opted for the Woodland chicken (in a deliciously creamy sauce) while Keith picked the fish and chips.

There was a delightful atmosphere and it was great to kick off the Christmas celebrations by having a meal cooked for us. I get the feeling that tomorrow will be hard work! The meal was delicious and our chicken was accompanied by mash (me), rice (Sophie) and vegetables. We even found room to share a cheesecake for pudding. It was a lovely thought that we didn't have to cook tonight! Over the meal, we discussed our plans for Berlin which is just around the corner. We're all very excited about going back after such a long absence and looking forward to seeing the changes.

After the meal, we returned home and relaxed. Sophie fell asleep on the sofa and I sneaked a peek at It's A Wonderful Life. I can't watch this film without crying so it's not a good idea to see it with anyone else in the room, and I really think that Sophie should watch it one day (but without me!). 

We played Scrabble in the evening and enjoyed Manhattans, expertly made by my daughter, and they tasted really Christmassy - I think it's the red Vermouth we use. I won both games, much to the annoyance of Sophie!

We received a card from our new neighbours today which was lovely - they said a big thank you for the warm welcome we'd shown them which was great!