The girls and I went out on Friday night to the Milton to celebrate Maura's birthday which is at the beginning of January and very nice it was too.

I had 'twice baked cauliflower and smoked cheese souffle' - which was scrummy - and then poached salmon on a bed of noodles tossed in sesame oil with mushrooms. It was lovely but Myra's chicken looked and smelled delicious and I think her choice was the best!

Interestingly, her description used the words 'sous vide'. Johanne, our expert linguist, said sous meant under and vide meant wide... so what does that make the chicken?

We left Anne's car there and took a taxi home so yesterday morning, Anne and I walked to the Milton to pick it up - no kidding! My pedometer said it was 7,886 steps and we reckon that is about 4 miles.

We did do the marathon walk to and from the Milton ...was that last week. So I reckon we walked about 8 miles on that occassion.
Anne says we aren't quite at the 4 minute mile (more like the 14 minute mile) but we are on the way! :)

Loved your videos, Gary, so decided to try again with mine!
The Night Garden in Arbor Court.

I must apologise for the state of the house. If I'd realised it was going to be on the video or indeed had notice that the scene was going to be so enchanting, I would have tidied up first! Please do not notice the bread knife sitting so close to a small child!

Just remembered...

Yesterday afternoon, while I was sitting in the back room watching 'X Files', a movement on the embankment caught my eye.

It was a deer!

It was unimpressed by what was growing in our garden and quickly moved onto Trish' next door in which it found a delicious bramble plant and ate all the leaves off it.

Anne said later when I told her about it that they were plagued by these cute little animals when they lived in Upper Lochton. They ate everything they tried to grow.

Well they didn't fancy my perewinkles or ferns much!

Sunday afternoon

What was I saying about going to the Milton on Valentines night? How much was I looking forward to trying an 'amuse bouche'? :)

Well my anticipation has been enjoyable for as long as it's lasted but all good things come to an end and this one is no exception...not that its end will be the reality of enjoying the meal - no.

I received an email from Ian yesterday saying that we had missed our chance, the restaurant was fully booked that night but they could offer us the 13th for £5 less per head.

But we all know the 13th is no use...we have gone full circle and are back at the Headbanger's Bash and 'The Tailor of Inverness' :(

In retrospect, it isn't a good night to go out anyway. Is it? Everywhere will be filled with romantic couples!

Do we really want to be in amongst the love struck? Possibly not.

Thursday evening

Been a while, I know, but I've been so busy lately and I'm not stopping long...there's a programme on the TV at nine o'clock tonight that I want to watch so I've got about twenty minutes :)

I read everyone else's blogs before I started writing - Kelly will I come down and kick you or have you already done that yourself. I make mistakes like that all the time so I know how frustrating it feels (I'm talking about overlooking dates) when you muck things up :(

Ian and I are going to the Milton on Valentine's Night for dinner!
"Well," you might say, "they've never done anything like that before..."

Nor would we have this time either if Ian hadn't sent me an email of the forthcoming attractions at the Woodend Barn.

I saw that they were putting on a production called, 'The Tailor of Inverness' by a company called Dogstar whom I have vaguely heard of, and so I emailed back and said that I would like to go and see it.

Back came an email from Ian. he was very sorry but he had organised a 'Headbang' for that night (13th February) and it was really very difficult to fit the schedules of the various members of the Headbang Gang into any one evening...so it couldn't be changed :(

Realising, I think, how I would be gutted he offered the Milton instead - the following night. There you go!
And here is the menu for the night:

Valentine's Menu - Friday 13th and Saturday 14th February

Champagne on arrival

***

Amuse Bouche

***

Baked Crottin of Goats Cheese
rolled in Almonds with Pawpaw and Avocado Salad & Orange Reduction

Presse of Homecured Smoked & Fresh Salmon

Sauce Maltese & Caper Berries

Warm Filo Tartlet of Confit Duck

Black Pudding and Caramelised Apple with Pear Conserve

***

Fillet of Angus Beef and Braised Brisket

with Herb Crusted Potatoes, Glazed Shallots and a Red Wine Jus

Poached Loin of Monkfish wrapped in Spinach Mousseline

Beetroot and Potato Rosti with Horseradish Cream

Mozzarella, Aubergine and Beef Tomato Schnitzel

with Cassoulet of Haricot Blanc

***

Assiette of Chocolate (for two)

Passion Fruit crème Brulee

Selection of Ice Cream and Sorbet

Selection of Cheeses

I had to look up a few things in the dictionary.
An assiette is a dish with several little dishes on it, an Amuse Bouche translates literally to an amused mouth - it's a little mouthful of food on a plate to tickle your tastebuds and a crottin is a small cylindical cheese!

Saturday teatime

Ross is fast asleep on the couch in the back room with one of my Christmas blankies over him and I've come upstairs to get organised to go out.

Luca and Carole left here at the back of two to go to 'Molly's birthday party' and I went up to have my shower and wash my hair for tonight.

What a cosy afternoon I've spent since the shower, catching up with my recordings of 'Waking the Dead' and 'X Files'. Great stuff.

Luca was an angel as usual while he was here.
I have never known a child who actually looked forward to going to bed.
You carry him upstairs saying, "Time for a wee sleep," and he agrees!
"Sleep," he nods with a smile on his little face.
You put him face down in his cot and he takes hold of 'Ted Ted' and closes his eyes!
Remarkable.

When he and I were going downstairs this morning, he caught site of the phot frame I have which is divided into three parts.
"Luca, Cade, Braeden!" he said as he pointed to each photo.

I think I'd better replace the photos with more up to date ones. The photos of Cade and Braeden were taken when Braeden was just a toddler!

Braeden doesn't look much older than this and this is August '05!

Friday morning

Well, the man from 'Homeserve' has been out to see our droopy cushion and has diagnosed 'television seat'.

He inspected the springs and checked the density of the foam and said, "Technically there is nothing wrong!"

I think he felt bad, because he cleaned the chewing gum stain off the cushion which hadn't been registered yet as a problem due to... do we all remember? - the fact that only Ian's name was on the warranty and so only he could organise for someone to come out.

He also alerted me to the fact that the cushion nearer the window on the other setee was beginning to show signs of 'television seat' too!

You know, I'm just thinking - that mean that a chair will definitely have a droopy cushion within a year. That can't be right, can it?

Managed to go for a walk yesterday afternoon. Just a wee one with Anne and Kujo, around the Burnett Park. Little is better than not at all, yes?

When you are over, Lucy, we will take a trip out to the Finzean farm shop for a coffee if we get the chance.

I was there yesterday for a coffee with Anne. I've been before a couple of times.

It's just a small place but the cakes are lovely and they have a huge picture window with a lovely view of the valley and the hills beyond.

Johanne and Anne are coming round for a coffee this morning so that will be nice! I better go and hoover. I think I will open the chocolate and cherry biscuits out of the Christmas hamper you sent, Lucy.

Anne won't have one. She said she was going to Weight Watchers last night. That's why she had a slice of 'orange and almond' cake at the Finzean farm shop yesterday. The condemned woman's last treat!

Thursday afternoon

Busy day yesterday!
I drove down to Glasgow to pick up Ian and pop in to Granda's for a wee visit to give him his belated Christmas present - pyjamas, socks and toffees.

Ian had said to meet him at three so I decided to go down a bit earlier and drop in on Mary.

I had sent her a text message but since she had left her phone in the car when she had arrived at Julie's, she got a bit of a shock when she opened the door.

I, on the other hand, having failed to get a reply from her the whole way down the road was seriously worried about whether she would be in or not, especially since I had decided not to stop on the way down and was now in desperate need of a toilet.

Believe me, had she been out, one of her neighbours would've had a visit from a strange woman asking to use their loo!

Mary told me if it ever happens in the future to go to Winnie, the neighbour on their right who would take it in her stride! :)

Leo is really into The Night Garden. Check the toys in his tray - Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy! :)

He had forgotten me when I came in but we rebonded thanks to our mutual appreciation of the programme.

You should try and catch it on CBeebies. It's great. It's made by the company that made The Teletubbies!

Mary thinks it's great too and so does Luca. I can't upload the video of Luca watching it (still got a problem with uploading them) but have a look the next time you're here.

Which won't be long now, Lucy! :)

I caught Mary in the middle of clearing up the kitchen. What a girl she is, she never stops working. No comments please about how two sisters can be so different!

Ian and I met outside Granda's home. He had taken a taxi from the city centre. I was sure I could find the home but I got a bit lost and had to phone Ian from a pub carpark. I was actually only one street away from where I should have been so I was quite pleased with myself.

"Your car is filthy!" was the greeting from Ian when I finally arrived. Not clean, I'll grant you but make up your own minds - is the car filthy?

Granda was on good form and for once did not usher us out of the door. He was happy to spend time with us. We had a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit and sang a couple of songs.
At one point, Granda referred to me as Ian's daughter. Ian laughed his head off...I'm not sure how I feel about that :)

I don't have any photos but Ian has.