Day Two

Back from an evening out with walking friends, saying farewell to a couple who are heading south (primarily for health reasons). A sad occasion, but a happy evening filled with laughter.

The day started sluggish, I was woken in the middle of the night by a lorry clattering noisily past the house – Scotland Transerv need to get their a--- kicked for letting the main road into Oban go to the dogs.
Found it hard to go back to sleep and even harder to wake up properly.
I've decided to take my one pill a day at 8:45am; any earlier and I'll be stressed out all night for fear of oversleeping...
Once I was up I was fine, got into the swing of things, breakfast was the usual healthy affair: a mix of rolled rye and barley with fresh and dried fruit and berries, lots of hot water and some fruit juice to give it a bit of taste. Glass of carrot juice, glass of water, lovely strong coffee. Plus: lovely weather allowed me to have breakfast al fresco, reading my favourite paper.
Almost forgot time (what else is new?) and ended up running a bit behind on getting produce out of the garden and into the kitchen in time for lunch for a friend.
Salad of home-grown Lollo rosso, with tomatoes, avocado, a few shavings of carrot and fresh home-grown herbs, with a balsamico/olive oil dresing and a generous pinch of sea salt; plus freshly dug up potatoes and home-grown mange-tout peas with a fresh tomato gently cooked in olive oil. Yummy – out of the garden, into the pan! Nothing can be better.
Later I spent about three hours digging up more tatties, as well as dandelion roots and doing a general spot of weeding. Very physical work - my back and wrists don't much like it any more but it's satisfying in every other way.
Then it was time to get cleaned up for dinner at Soroba House Hotel. Had a G&T followed by a very small glass of white wine before switching to water. Chef Tim McKechnie did us proud. He produces wonderful meals with an imaginative, modern twist. (I must try his Sunday carvery one of these days...)
My choice was poached salmon with a colourful array of fresh veggies. Dessert was an amazing gateau (I think it was coffee-flavoured chocolate = moccha, with a hint of sea salt), beautifully presented with a "waterfall" of the lightest of frothy vanilla-flavoured cream.
When I got home I felt the need for a walk so took myself down the hill to the Corran Halls and back up again,  not too energetically so as to digest all the lovely food – I don't usually have breakfast, lunch and dinner...
A good day; the lovely weather helped. Miss the cat, though, really miss her!