An outing

We did not participate in the first wave of lunchtime diners to TB yesterday, but, the weather being bright and warm enough (when the sun shined), we decided to join the second wave. TB being last visited last November (reference 1) and last noticed in March (reference 2).

But first up is the resurgent lupin, a seedling bought in the midst of a road solidarity event last year, which has survived for a second year. A flower I rather like, but which I have failed to grow, at least with any success, and the field was abandoned to the slugs - which seem to be particularly fond of lupins - some years ago. BH has now taken over with the potted version - which can look very pretty when the dew is on it, first thing in the morning. Plus, in the case of the snap above, a spot of snow left over from before breakfast. As previously noticed at reference 3.

First up, a stroll into town to stock up on essentials like INR, wholemeal flour, and kippers from Craster. Which last we hope will go down better than the last lot, which were rather dry and disappointing. Home to put on serious woollies, then off to the Blenheim, all up running and ready to receive us as 12:30.

The tent noticed at reference 2 was now opened up in the approved manner. But the sun was out and we chose to sit out in the open. Several other groups dotted around, enough to make the place seem alive, not so many as to make one feel virally uncomfortable.

The menu had not changed much since last November, but the burger now came with cheese sauce as well as cheese, which I was not sure about, and the alternative was build your own burger, rather after the fashion of pizza places where you choose your own toppings. All a bit complicated, so I went for something called piri (or perhaps puri) chicken. This was a flattened half chicken, very much the sort of thing sold as poussin and chips in places like Côte Brasserie and (the late) Café Rouge, but not as crisp and accompanied by a rather hot orange sauce. Plus a version of the thin chips served in McDonalds and Paris. Plus the little tub of coleslaw in mayo that we knew well from last year.

BH settled for the reliable fish and chips.

Followed by the chocolate brownie, both reliable and sweet. The whole taken with Yellowtail (properly known as '[yellow tail]', made in Australia by people originally from Sicily), washed down with Jameson (made in Dublin by people originally from Scotland).

An unusual brick on the way home, unusual in that it was a completely off-piste shape. Presumably some kind of speciality item. The other brick (bottom in the snap above) was a proper shape, rather like those put out by the Dorking Brick Company, but from some rival operation called Southwater, not before seen. But I  did not think it right to carry off either of them. Maybe two more Jameson's and I would have attempted one or both.

Made up for the bricky disappointment by winning at Scrabble - by a quite respectable balance, even before I counted up the penalty points, fifteen or so on this occasion, doubled for these purposes.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/11/last-orders.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-blenheim.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/04/not-good-start-for-public-houses.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/07/changing-guard.html. Our first go at Yellow Tail.

Reference 5: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/10/last-call-at-blen.html. The Dorking frog might be slightly deeper than that above. Need to get them - or their images - side by side.