Yet More Grr-ing and Yay-ing.

Location: In bed (again)
Mood: Gettin' my funk on
Music: You Know Who (Willis)

I knew well and good, yesterday, that dinner was going to be An Event, so actually, I don't feel the need to beat myself up with a big stick about it. I prepared. I consumed only a small bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes before going to the gym, and this is what I did:

Ran outside for 37 minutes. Beautiful crisp, autumnal day, with sunset-coloured leaves drifting into the Tay. I tried to run as fast as the flowing water, but it was impossible. Such a beautiful run, spoiled only by the fact that a) I was running, and b) I passed a short fat couple walking along with their hands inside each others' trousers. I'm all for a bit of bum-fondling, believe you me, but I think I'd baulk at doing it along a public path. I said "whoa, cowboys," as I ran past (for some reason) and they leapt apart like they'd just encountered Javanese biting lizards in the butt crack. So they knew they was doin' wrong! Luckily I saw no-one else at all, else I might have stopped them with an indignant "can you belieeeeeve what I just saw, how outrageous, whatisthiscountrycomingto when short fat people can grope each other in public etc etc" and thus been immediately given a subscription to the Daily Mail. Still 'n' all ... ew!

Returned to the gym and did:
30 press ups (20 straight, then 10 later)
3 sets of 12 tricep dips
20 stomach crunches
10 ... hmm. Don't know what they're called. It's when you lie on your back, stretch one arm out behind your head and lift the opposing leg, straight, off the ground. You hold it for 3 seconds, then do the other side. I shall refer to them as Bastarding Sore Stomach Stretches. Anyway, I did 10.
20 minutes on the elliptical machine, on cross-trainer setting (two hills), varying the resistance from 8 to 13.

At the end of this I felt more than prepared for my supper - and thank god I was because it was delicious in every way. Ceegar and Meeper turned up at 5pm, bringing with them birthday gifts of a bottle of champers (mmm) and a new Pictionary game. We immediately got stuck in and found it rather hilarious. Instead of drawing pictures on bits of paper, the new version involves three plastic pieces on which you can draw - a small circle, a larger rectangle and a large plastic man. It was great fun, even though Meeper and I didn't really reach a meeting of the minds and lost to the others. It's ok. I'm a good loser, and the cheating, lucky bastards who won deserved it.

We left for supper at 7 and went up the A9 to East Haugh House Hotel. It's a lovely wee place, tucked off the main road and specialising in fishing holidays. We had 3 courses on a set menu for £45 - which is by no means cheap, but seems reasonable after you've eaten.

For starter I had red mullet on buckwheat vermicelli, with an oriental sauce (mostly soy), which was good. However, Fisher and Ceegar's duck liver paté was glorious, and Meeper pronounced her brie wrapped in prosciutto divine.

For main course, Ceegar and I had fillet and shin of beef, with celeriac gratin potatoes, asparagus and assorted other veg. The shin was wonderful - tender, flaked and bursting with flavour. The fillet was cooked just as I'd asked, and also wonderfully flavoursome. Meeper had cod with chorizo, which was excellent, and Fisher had duck - which I didn't try, but for which she had nothing but praise.

Pudding, according to Fisher, was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't have any - I had cheese instead - so I can't comment, but I will say that the cheeses were excellent. They were all soft, which was unusual, but as I prefer soft cheeses on the whole, that suited me just fine.

A lovely evening - and we returned to have a few more drams of whisky and watch the final of Masterchef. Rock on! Then bed, well content.

Now I must get up and see if our guests have stirred. I doubt it. It's only 11 am.