Preparing Terrier 32678 for its trip to Bodiam

A great day with our friends Al and Liz. First there was lunch of cold meats and cheeses served on a wooden platter accompanied by olives, tomatoes, celery, apples and pickles with fresh bread, cheese straws and cheese biscuits.

Then it was in the car and off to the 7th annual Kent CAMRA Beer Festival at the KESR at Tenterden. We've been to most of them over the years, having a souvenir glass from each occasion including the glass from the original 2009 festival.

With over 50 beers to choose from as well as ciders and perrys there was no chance of making any significant headway through the list. We did manage 5 each; I sampled Goachers Real Mild 3.5% (Maidstone), Old Dairy Red Top 3.8% (Tenterden, just behind the railway station), Leeds Midnight Bell, a full bodied strong mild, 4.8% (Yorkshire), Mauldrons Suffolk Pride 4.8%, a full bodied copper beer (Sunbury Suffolk) and Kent Enigma a black IPA, 5.6% (Kent Birling) And the interesting thing was that I could taste the difference even after the 5th glass. Often the beers become similar if you have too many. But not this time!

Inbetween beers Al and I enjoyed the ambience of the platform, watching people come and go, trains arrive and depart. Liz and Susan on the other hand went shopping in Tenterden and enjoyed the more gentile pastime of sipping tea in a tea room on the High Street.

We arrived home just as the rain started but what we thought was going to be a deluge turned out to be about a half hour's event. The beer in the afternoon didn't unduly affect the preparation of the evening meal - chicken balti, pilau rice, broccoli, naan bread followed by lemon suprise pudding.

Oh, and by the way, we were only drinking half pints.