A Sunday Birthday Lunch

 

 

 A family birthday lunch.  What to wear?  I went for smart comfort.  Always do, don't I?
 

Well, the "good" news is that I broke my cycle of several weeks, getting out of Peacock jeans and into a skirt for a change.  I'm loving those jeans so much that I'm finding it difficult to think of a different bottom half.  They've become like a second skin!

The "bad" news is that I drifted towards Woolovers.  Again.  When will this end? Spring, maybe.

I wore the side-button cashmere merino jumper in a light grey to deliver my pressies.  For accessories I chose a grey taupe glass bead necklace from N St J Paint. earrings from Claudia Bradbury (which you have no chance of seeing with all that hair!) and a grey Wink leather bracelet.

The Zara leoprint scarf and black Gabor boots finished off the OOTD.

As overwear, my Zara ecru jacardi.

But then I peeped out the window and saw it was raining.  So I switched to my M&S raincoat.  And then I went out the front door and the heavens opened.  Back into the house to grab my MS rainhat.

And yes, there is a bit of "a sack tied up in the middle" effect with the belting on the raincoat, but did I care?  No I did not, I wanted to stay dry and warm.

We met up at Hotel Jerbourg.

It's set on a cliff top, facing south to the sea.  I took some shots on arrival, but although the rain had cleared by the time we arrived, it was a bit hazy so the views weren't that clear.



A lovely cliff path runs along past the hotel.  It's a beautiful area for walking. But I was wearing heeled boots, so no walking for this Pout!

Step away from the Petanque too, Pout - heeled boots, remember?

Dining with a cliff-top sea view; the carvery.

 

The lovely little birthday person excitedly opened his pressies, which he was so pleased with.

 

And now, food shots warning, peeps.

Yummy crab and prawn thermidor, the flavour was pretty perfect; The Photographer's scallops.

My Big Fat Carvery. Kinda embarrassing, eh?  A bit of an unnecessary waste of food resources, I admit, but half went back as it was it was just a little too much for this Pensioner's tummy.

 

And the naughty stuff!!! Oh, the pastries, cakes, pies, tarts and cheesecakes on display which are offered for pudd were just off the Richter scale.  No photos, that would be too painful for us all! 

Obviously I would have been silly to even attempt a nibble at one.  But I have made a mental note to self to return for a coffee and cake ... very soon!

So my dears, that was my lovely lunch with lovely family celebrating a lovely little boy's birthday.

 

 Hotel Jerbourg for Sunday lunch - highly recommended; please visit if you're in the area.

And I leave you with this photo I found on the hotel's website.  Some Guernsey cows.  Pretty, huh?

They are quite simply the best dairy cow in the entire world!  The milk is so creamy, so yellow ...

A la perchoine.



Three Days In The Life Of A Tired Pout

Monday, Day 1
Performing hospital day-patient taxi duties for The Photographer.

The Photographer "enjoyed" a routine annual investigation under anaesthetic, so needed taxi-ing.  Not a dressy occasion by any stretch of the imagination but I felt like dressing a bit smart.  Ladylike.  Rebelling from recent jeans and woolly rut. Thankfully!

Black Peacocks polo, M&S grey wool skirt, Clarks heeled lace ups (absolutely beautiful to walk in).

I wore my N St J Paint glass beads and earrings.  Thought the look was a bit 60s.  Again.  Or maybe 40s, with those shoes.

Next jacket.  My old Tie Rack silk scarf in black, grey and beige.

(Oh look, the scarf's got a huge L for Ladylike!)

The Photographer appreciated my efforts and actually volunteered a compliment rather than the usual of me bullying coaxing one out of him.

I've said it countless times before, but put me in a little skirt and some comfy heels and I strut around the place like Lady Muck!  Does a particular outfit change your strut?

Pick up TP from hospital, later than expected (all is pretty much good with him).  Fast ready for my fasting blood test early next day. 

Tuesday, Day 2

Take self to  early morning fasting blood test. 

Looking tired.

Jeans now creeping in, but still making effort with Next jacket and Artigiano sleeveless top for easy nurse access.  Jewellery reduced to simple stud earrings.

But I've been awake from 2am with sciatica pain, planning the toast, coffee and sleep I will enjoy after early morning fasting blood test.  Arrived at doctor's surgery in good time but without blood test form, forgotten due to lack-of-sleep daze. 

She tells me that normally she'd just pop down the corridor to sort it out with my doctor, but he's skiing on a far-off mountain right now.  And no she can't test as per the tests I've had like clockwork for the past umpteen years, because this year my doctor may want to test something different.  So the message is clear: no form, no blood test. Nurse refuses to succumb to my bullying charm to squeeze me in later when I've dashed home to collect the form (a 20 minute round trip) as she's chocka but helpfully finds a mid-morning slot for me with other nurse at other surgery.  

Toast, coffee and nap experience delayed but still do-able.  Am taxi-ing The Photographer to and from his voluntary job today as he can't drive because of anaesthetic yesterday, so I drop him off at office and head home.

I work at staying awake and blocking visions of toast, coffee and nap rewards after blood test.  Arrive early at other surgery, hoping for earlier slot to speed up my rewards. Other nurse sees me at the appointed time and has several attempts (stabs) at my arm, peruses alternative arm then gives up to consult with colleague. 

After due consultation they decide that my arms make me a "difficult" patient and I must be referred to the "experts" in the Path Dept at our local hospital.  Initially, they offer me a walk-in slot of 12pm (with toast coffee and snooze rewards now just a fading mirage).  However, experts decide that a "difficult"patient needs a designated slot so am given slot early the following morning.  Go home, devour toast and coffee but snooze window no longer available as they faffed so long that I am now getting close to TP pick up time.

Fast again from teatime.  Sleep reasonably OK.

Wednesday, Day 3

Early morning fasting blood test, now desperate for coffee and toast.

Efforts at Ladylike now abandoned in favour of jeans and woolly, a long East cardi.  Still wearing nurse-friendly top.  No effort made to jewellerise (yup, spellcheck doesn't like the word but I do!)

Refreshed after reasonable night's sleep.  Arrive early at Path Dept, now desperate. Turns out "early" is relative.  My early was to theirs just too early, all is locked up.

Stomp around outside, thinking of toast and coffee once more.  No nap required as slept reasonably well.  Toast and coffee thoughts take me back to Dept door.  I bang bullingly loudly on it.  Door is unlocked without comment by scared young girl, and I am let in.

I rip off my woolly and present my arm.  Experts are a little deterred by bruises which have now appeared from yesterday's stabbings.  They manage to find a thin oil line in other arm and ... eureka, they do indeed strike oil!

I'm outta there, home to toast and coffee (tasting even better than yesterday's) and you know what, I didn't need a nap ... but I had one anyway.  It was fab-u-lous, dahlings!

A la perchoine.