A special night...

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For a special man.

It was my stepdad John's 80th Birthday back in November and although we had a wee celebration at the time, we decided to keep the special celebration to summer time and tonight was the night.

John and Norma arrived at ours about 3pm.  We had coffee and cake and a bit of a catch up.  They're just back from 17 days in Spain and looking very well on it.  Alan was delighted to see them, as was Lola, who kept insisting on bringing them the soggy remnants of her Ikea Goldie!  (Lola also has another tick above her right eye that is proving very resistant to being removed!) 

At 5pm we moved on to Prosecco (a wee whisky for John :-) before retiring to our respective rooms to get ready for going out for dinner at the Strathearn Restaurant at Gleneagles.  We didn't realise that neither of them had never been to Gleneagles before so we were pleased we'd decided on that restaurant.

The taxi picked us up at 7.15pm and we were in the restaurant enjoying an aperitif by 7.40pm.  

As ever the food was superb and the service beautifully attentive without being over-bearing.  There were a couple of minor hiccups in that they forgot one of the vegetable side dishes we'd ordered and the port David ordered with his cheese (cheese board in extras, what a choice!) but both were brought to the table quickly when we raised it, full of apologies and they didn't charge us for either.

When our meal was over we relocated to the Century Bar for drinks and to await our taxi, but we were having such a good time when our taxi driver arrived he offered to take another fair instead and come back for us an hour later.  We readily agreed :-)

When he returned our mood was very jolly!  These octogenarians know how to party!

We got home and they both said it was one of the best nights ever, which I am delighted about as I wanted it to be special.  We had a fab time too!  :-) 

Came home to the tragic news that Glasgow School of Art has once again been ravaged by fire.  Thankfully no casualties but tragic none the less, especially as it was in the final stages of the extensive restoration from the awful fire that destroyed it four years ago.  I can't help but have an uneasy feeling about the circumstances.