A weekend without football or the quiz - what to do??

We actually went out on Friday evening!  For the home birds we have become it was a big move.  We always take Rich's mum for a meal and to see the latest episode of The Hobbit in January and Friday was it.  I met them at the cinema complex straight from work and we went for a (carefully selected) meal at Coast to Coast.  It was delicious but my choices were TINY!

I picked a chowder to start which was weirdly served inside a crusty cob loaf.  Obviously I didn't eat the cob but putting it inside the cob basically meant I only got a few mouthfuls.  What a swizz.  If you are ever tempted by this choice, pretend you can't eat bread and ask for it to be served in a plate and they wont be able to hide behind the bread and will have to give you decent portion.

I then picked a classic Caesar salad (dressing on the side of course).  Once again - minuscule!  So pathetic that I actually complained nicely to our very pleasant server.  She had the grace to look embarrassed and took it back to double it up.  But honestly, a tenner for no more than 6 spoonfuls of lettuce, 4 croutons, a dusting of parmesan and 4 fresh anchovies??!  The other meals were fine - not great but I wouldn't have complained.   Gah!

I'm not a major fan of the Hobbit franchise.  I have found the previous 2 instalments too swirly and BIG with a dearth of plot.  But I actually enjoyed this one (to a point).  I don't know how anyone can say that Orcs are fighting machines though - they seem absurdly easy to kill when even hobbits and dwarves can despatch them with a single swipe of a sword!!

We had a decorator in over the weekend to do the ceiling and high bits of the stairs and landing.  So Saturday once shopping and chores had been done, we headed out into the murky gloom.  I was bored of our local walks so we headed back to Bamford for a walk I used to do often but haven't done for a couple of years now!  It was hillier than I remembered|!  I used to jog up the lane with my(former) friend Shelley (although I think I walked the really steep bits).  I was struggling walking it yesterday!

Anyway, here are the pics:

We started at Bamford and headed down Joan Lane past the golf course and out towards Hathersage.  As you can see, the snow is disappearing fast.

We walked up a long rocky track to a small cluster of gorgeous farm houses then up a couple of steep fields towards Bole Hill Wood.

Admiring the horses and their view down the Valley at the stile leading into the wood.

After the wood we hit a back road which follows the contours of the hill round to Bamford Edge.  The light was tantalisingly just over there.....I was hopeful that we would see it once we rounded the corner.

A slightly different view of Win Hill for a change.

Bamford Edge to the right and Win Hill to the left.  It was gorgeous but sadly the sun had just disappeared....grrr....

All in all, a lovely afternoon's walk which we rounded off with a couple of drinks (red wine for me....mmmm) in the Anglers' Rest.

Today has been good too.  The snow eventually buggered off and the golf course opened.  Hurrah!!  Rich joined my club on 1st January and today was his first round as a member.  It certainly suited his golf as he trounced me! I had thought I was 100% recovered from my lurgy but I suspect that carrying my clubs up the steep hills was a step too far as I was absolutely knackered after only 14 holes.  I couldn't seem to take in enough oxygen so kept getting light-headed and faint when I bent down to pick up and clean the ball!

But nice to be out for the first round of the year.  Gotta start somewhere.

And, even better, when we got home the decorater had nearly finished and luckily I still like the grey I have chosen for the big wall....phew!  He's done a better job than I had thought possible on the ceiling too which is great news.  Now Rich and I will have to crack on and finish off the woodwork and the walls we can reach.  Not long before we can have the carpets we have already paid for down.  Oh come on!!

In diet news, I'm still frustrated.  The scales are still EXACTLY the same as on Monday morning, to the 0.1lb.  Grrr  Please let me see even a tiny movement downwards??  Pretty please....