Memories

The venison casserole is plopping even as I write. I observe at the bottom of the recipe that the recipe was devised by the chef at the Boars Head Hotel in Ripley. I'm instantly transported to Ripley where we stopped on the way home after a day out with friends. Our friends were newly married then. The Fox had been best man. We were staying a few days with our friends in Harrogate. This particular day we had a trip over to Fountains Abbey. We'd been there once before, many years before, when our friend was still single.

Fountains Abbey is a beautiful spot, in an idyllic valley. The valley bottom is lushly green whilst the slopes around are increasingly tree covered. Fortunately the National Trust, who own the property, lend electric buggies so disabled people can go down to explore the peaceful abbey.

On the way back, as I say, this time we stopped at Ripley for a drink & were tempted to stop for a meal. The bar was convivial & the menu looked interesting. However our friends were on cat-minding duties so we reluctantly left to get back to feed the cat. Not for the first time, we struck by the disadvantage of pets, especially when they're someone else's!

Nonetheless it was a good day, with fond memories.