...........night out..........

The Boss and I went out tonight for a meal with D and V and B and S.......we usualy go out sometime in every school holiday.

Tonight we trekked up to Affetside village to the newly refurbished Pack Horse Inn....rumour has it the refurb cost £600 000!

The inn is on the old Roman road Watling Street and has been there since 1442. Behind the bar is a skull believed to be that of the executioner of the Earl of Derby who led Royalist troops in a particularly savage attack on the town of Bolton during the Civil war and was executed on 16th October 1651 for being a supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The menu was a tad peculiar as the starters were all a touch airy-fairy and the main courses all traditional Lancashire fare.

The Boss had garlic and pink peppercorn mushrooms with chorizo and warm ciabatta followed by Lancashire lamb hot pot with braised red cabbage and fresh baked bread. I went for Manchester scotch egg with mustard cream and spicy ketchup (the eggs were, I think , Guinea Fowl and the surrounding was black pudding and bread crumb) followed by Steak and ale pie with root vegetables and hand cut chips........the food was fantastic and the bill was reasonable........our share was £55 ........and that included 3 pints of Hyde's Original, 1 pint of Manchester's Finest, a glass of white Zinfandel and a cappuccino.

We were there three hours..but I had to come home to make my own coffee.......a latte macchiato with a cinnamon top!

Now it's time for bed!

Das vidanya moy padruga.

p.s. my friend Larissa from Siberia emailed me today, full of excitement, she has just won a prize for leadership in education...........a brand new Lada car!......all those exchange visits have paid off for her!