Her birthday; so I duly rode into town, laden with gifts and smart attire.

Recent Michelin starred eaterie Timberyard was selected as the lunch venue all set for a midday kick off.

Except - at 1115 mu eyesight starts to flicker in the early warning signs of migraine. FML. 

I lie down and at 1150 She calls the restaraunt to discuss our options. If we don't show we get charged £40 cancellation; if we go it's £120 for lunch that I'm not going to really enjoy. 

She asks the restaraunt to let her know if they'll waive the charge as we're 5 minutes away; every intention of turning up until 45 minutes before when a random factor has stepped in. They say no, we have to charge you. 

At midday I think its passing and quickly don suitable clothes and we head on round. Again we ask - will you charge a cancellation fee? Yes. (It bills itself as a family run business...!)

OK, we'll take the booking. 
She has an oyster; I decline

Then terrine with gooseberry mustard and mussells with smoked butter.

Monk fish and qual, then parkin and rice pudding. All delicious.

Sadly after ordering finishing the mains and before dessert arrives, the migraine makes an unwelcome return. Exactly why we didn't want to take the chance....

They kindly but also unhelpfully delay our departure with a minature cocoa cake for the birthday girl; and I head off to lie down in a darkened room.

By 4 I'm fine (ish) and I've agreed to fetch the pup from his play date at Craiglockhart so feeling much brighter I head on out (grabbing supplies for dinner on my way to the bus stop) and am greeted by an ecstatic dog. 

To take the sting out of him, I do my usual walk to the bus stop round the back of the tennis place; bumping into Ni-O-La and for the first time meet her man Bill - I've know her for 15 years and never met him! She is livid that She missed this.

Home, and I set about a chicken leek ham pie with mash not pastry and eventually take my leave (and the dog) off home around 9. I sleep soundly after catching up with the boys who've  more or less made it home from a solo mission to Montrose. (3 shots on target in the whole game, none for the Binos.... at least they got the ground ticked off. You gotta love these free bus passes the kidz now have. I can't wait to be a pensioner (!) )


Pond life at Craiglockhart on the dog walk home