Most of today revolved around The Thesis. However, there were also a couple of interruptions to the otherwise full-on assault of the written word. There was food to buy, puppies to take for their hair cut and an unscheduled lunch at Odiham. There was also an unexpected discovery of a doll’s house.
Normally the girls go to Kate on a Thursday but for various reasons, mostly involving relatives who usually provide baby sitting services being in Spain, we had to make it a Saturday. Now, it was originally in the morning (as per normal) but because of a five year old’s birthday party in a soft play centre, we had to reschedule for the afternoon.
This caused a problem when it came to the timing for lunch. I had to drop the girls with Kate at 13:30 which meant leaving the house at 12:45. I then wouldn’t be back till gone 14:00. We think midday is too early for lunch and 14:30 too late. Mirinda solved the problem by suggesting she drive us up to Kate. I then solved the lunch issue by suggesting we eat at the Holly Bush.
As we left the house Mirinda then suggested we go to Odiham instead of Frensham. As an idea, it was superb. We set off.
A long time ago, St John’s at Odiham used to be our restaurant of choice in our part of the country. Sadly it closed down and a couple of new restaurants have taken its place over the years. The latest one is called El Castello, which Mirinda thought might be Spanish (it’s Italian) so we thought we’d try it out.
While Spanish would have been nice, I’m not sure it could have competed with my grilled sardines. I’d picked up the menu, read the first page then snapped it shut declaring I knew what I was having. I didn’t need to look any further.
Mirinda, surprised at my sudden decision, said she’d try and find out what I was having (a little game we play). It didn’t take long before she declared I was having grilled sardines with a look of distaste on her face.
And they were delicious. As was the anti-pasta sharing platter and the calamari we had to start. In fact, it was a veritable Italian feast so big that we didn’t need dinner later.
It was interesting to try and work out what the place looked like when it was St Johns. I distinctly remembered sitting at a table with Bob and Claire on the far side of the above photograph (beneath where the mirror now is) and there was some sort of room divider in the centre of the restaurant. Mirinda said, when it was just us, that we always sat behind where we were currently sitting. The place looks completely and utterly different so it’s all purely conjecture.
After lunch, and having received a text from Kate saying we could pick up our sheared girls at 16:00, we wandered down to the two second hand/antique shops on Odiham high street…that’s not called High Street…Jenny.
Entering the second, Mirinda burst out with delight when she beheld a massive, three storey doll’s house which should fit perfectly in the doll’s house slot in the Library. There followed a lot of chat with the woman who owns the shop regarding changing the price and delivering it to our house etc etc but Mirinda, rather than just buy it, sensibly said we’d have to measure up the slot first.
I was all for it (if it fits) until Mirinda told me I’d be in charge of redecorating the whole thing. I told her I was quite happy with the candy pink it was already painted in though the felt carpets were a bit urky. She just smiled and shook her head.
It was at about this time that Mirinda declared that the antique shop was like a 3D Etsy. She loves Etsy and was overjoyed when she realised she’d just entered an analogue version. Even down to having to pay in cash. An antique shop all round.
And, of course, we didn’t leave empty handed. Mirinda bought a book and I bought a lovely wooden model yawl.
Mirinda said I knew far too much about such a little boat.
We then picked the girls up and returned home for more editing, reading and formatting…as you do.
On the way to Odiham we popped in for petrol and Mirinda declared that we had to have Max showered and bouffanted. I decided to video it. The video is embedded below. I realise it could do with a bit of judicious editing but I can’t be bothered…particularly given I’ll probably be the only person to view it anyway.
