Celebration

The usual Saturday, with music group session and son, until early evening, then back home to get ready for this evening's meal with Derek & Rita to celebrate Derek's recent big birthday. This was the outcome of my trip to Drogheda when I did some restaurant research and plimped for Scholars restaurant as a suitable location for our meal.

I'd just got back from braving a heavy hail shower while getting petrol when Carl arrived at my place. Off we went in my car to Ashbourne to pick up D & R, and made our way to Drogheda and the restaurant. The room is beautiful, our table was nicely situated, and first impressions were excellent. Im afraid, though, that I came away rather disappointed. My chowder starter was the highlight of a so-so meal, and I summed it up afterwards as 'lacking in finesse'. To be fair, I seemed to be the only one who came away with negative feelings, but I stick to my guns and say that three of the four main courses were presented disappointingly, and that my dessert (pictured) was actually quite bad.

Once again, despite s few trial shots, I somehow managed to miss the moment when Derek was embarrassed by the arrival of a little sponge cake complete with birthday candle, accompanied by a staff rendition of Happy Birthday. You can just about make out Rita's wrist watch in the left-hand image, which proves that she was there.

We drove back to Ashbourne in the rain and enjoyed lovely cups of coffee and a short auditioning of Derek's new sound system. Carl and I got back to my place around midnight.