Birthday girl

And welcome to Blipfoto @SusannahF! 

A warm still day with a little rain.  We breakfasted separately on the picnic breakfast from the baskets brought to our rooms.  This year’s highlights were a ‘pain suisse’ filled with nuts and cheese and a quite farmyardy yoghurt with a fruit compote.  Jonathan, Susannah and I walked round to the castle at quite low tiède and sat on the rocks for ages chatting to each other and to two men who were staying at the statics where they came every weekend and walked together.  

When we got back to Inver, V was talking to Rob who stood us Kombuchas and coffees and then we drove further down the loch to Otter Ferry to a pub called the Oystercatcher where Susannah opened presents, an Ardlanish blanket from J and a notebook from us.  We didn’t really eat any lunch but good local beer and crisps did the business. There were a huge amount of wasps in a way I haven't experienced for a while. Susannah got stung. 

Everyone went for a nap to limber up for dinner, although I don’t tend to nap so read Inver Chef’ Pam Brunton’s thoughtful book on the derivations of Scottish food and culture but much more erudite than that sounds.   And at times profoundly sad. 

We had the tasting menu tonight to celebrate multiple birthdays and as always it was exquisite.  Wonderful leafy garden plate with tiny slivers of vegetables on daubs of powerful sauces and a smoky broth followed by very fresh slivers of mackerel and pickled gooseberry. Amazing mutton plate accompanied by tiny lamb stew topped with a savoury custard.  Burnt strawberry and rose semi-freddo.  The tastes went on and on and to top it all Rob pointed out an osprey circling the lock and we heard the curlew calling on the way back to the bothies.