Food, glorious food (or, a golf break to Breadsall Priory)!

We're not long back from our mini-break to Breadsall Priory near Derby to play golf.  It is a mixed trip organised by a couple of women at my club but we haven't previously been on it.  I agreed to go a few months ago when someone said they were going to have to drop out leaving awkward numbers.  Of course, once it came around, neither of us were really looking forward to it.  We didn't know who else would be going.  Would they all be old fogeys or mega rich/snooty etc??

As it happened our fears were misplaced.  They WERE mostly pretty old and there was a table of folk we wouldn't be bothered about spending a great deal of time with but there were 3 more tables of very nice people and our playing partners yesterday and today were great.   I knew both the women but not well but Rich hadn't previously met the male halves of the 2 couples and now he does and has a couple more contacts to play in Saturday medals with so that is good news.

(The mens' section can be a cliquey sometimes, not because they mean to be but people do just tend to play with the same people all the time.  The ladies' section is a bit more open - we sign up for Wednesday comps so tend to mix it up a bit more and have a lot of drawn competitions too.  So, if Rich's mates can't play he gets a bit stuck for partners.)

Anyway, back to Breadsall.  The weather forecast had been AWFUL but we got away with it.  It was chilly and cloudy and we had a few showers but none long lasting and there was a smattering for sunny spells too.  This hole below is probably the prettiest on the course - a gorgeous view of lakes and woodland.  The sun came out just as we approached the hill which was fortuitous.  The lake was alive with moorhens and their chicks, Canada geese and their goslings and the bluebells were flowering in the woods behind.

We didn't play wonderfully well but not badly either.  Rich held it together yesterday and I played pretty well today though which was gratifying and had 3 birdies too which is never bad!  We picked up a minor prize so another tenner voucher to go onto my account at the pro shop- must spend it soon.

Foodwise, I ate and drank whatever I fancied all day yesterday and today and je ne regret rien!  I didn't go mad but had a few glasses of red wine with dinner and a hearty hotel breakfast this morning.  I toyed with the idea of coming home and going back onto the packs for supper but this time I didn't.  We were hungry after our round having not eaten since breakfast time so we stopped at a pub a few miles from home and enjoyed a delicious early supper to round off our weekend.

Richard is out this evening playing darts (he was knackered and didn't really fancy it but off he went as duty calls) and I knew there would be no food in the house.  Also, we had had such a lovely, even romantic despite all the old folk, weekend together and I was feeling all loved up and cherished so I didn't want to return to real life with a crash.  I thought a nice supper together would ease us home again which it did.

The menu was a challenge.  Full of tasty looking, fattening options.  I so nearly said "hang it" and opted for one of:  pork belly with all the trimmings; big cheeseburger with chips and onion rings; or chicken masala tiffin dish complete with creamy curry, rice, dahl, naan, poppadum etc.  But, in the end, I choose more wisely and picked sea bass with scallops with prawn and pea risotto.  It was not a big portion but it was tasty and perfect; just what I wanted.

I need to remember that when I go back to proper eating again.  I have a tendency always to think that, if I'm having the "treat" of a meal out, I should go for the more indulgent option just because I'm allowed.  When actually the more sensible dish, calorifically speaking, might well be even nicer.

So, it's back on the packs tomorrow and who know what my upcoming weigh in will bring but, whatever the result, it will not be a disaster and we have had a great, sporting weekend.