On our way back from a really lovely three days and nights in Harrogate with David & Mandy. Kicked off with one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time, at a restaurant they’ve been to several times and which we finally managed to squeeze our way into too.
Started off with meeting the top notch bartender, Franklin, who knocked out some cracking cocktails, bringing my first mezcal-based one in a smoking cloche – am always a sucker for a bit of smoke and mirrors theatrical delivery! And the food was really fantastic – a crab ‘curry’ followed by a mix of pork and lamb as H & I shared. Seriously good nosh – we’ll be darkening their doorstep again..
On Saturday, we headed out for Hawksey’s birthday surprise (which David had let the cat out of the bag about earlier) – which was a session of clay pigeon shooting. Mands went last as she was a bit nervous and started with a bit of an awkward stance, which the chaps were trying to correct. Three rounds of different shooting targets later, she was the undisputed winner and I was second, though sporting a bruised cheek from where the shotgun had smacked into my chops as I wasn’t nestled in quite enough.. Most pleasing!!
Mands and I then popped into Harrogate town for a celebratory mooch round the shops – two new tops for me and some wildly exciting tea towels from TK Maxx – while the boys were on a man yomp with the doggies. Then it was back for steak pies and veg at the house – the local butcher Keith is somehow still going, with his long-suffering wife knocking out hundreds of pies a day, despite them both being in their seventies I think.
Sunday was Easter Day, a heady mix of cooked breakfast to give us the energy to ‘Easter-ise’ the house, make the salads etc and line the stomachs before Mands & I met their two adult daughters Charlotte and Laura in a cocktail bar for some cheeky 2pm ‘just us gals’ drinks. Before then heading back to meet the boys – all 10 of them – the 6 grandsons, the 2 sons-in-law and H & David for an Easter bonanza of pulled pork baps, chips, salads and a Cosmo or two!
Accompanied by some frenzied watching of Leeds (obvs the local team) vs West Ham in the FA Cup 1/4 finals – which went to an extraordinary 111 minutes of play plus 30 mins extra time plus penalties – and Leeds eventually winning. Oddly, David & Chris were the only Leeds supporters with most of the young boys wanting the Hammers to triumph…
We finished off the weekend with a lovely walk from Birstwith this morning, a bit uphill and down dale, across a gorgeous ancient bridge and thankfully, not past any cows – although there were two in a field giving us the major ‘I’d like to kill you’ eye. Two very happy doggies and Mad sis now under the table in a fresh air coma.
Always a pleasure to spend time with D&M – thanks hugely for having us – we will see you next at the house in Spain in June!! Hurrah x