Home again

The Gorse Fox didn't sleep well. It may have been because of the heat, or maybe it was the bed itself. Whatever the reason, he was restless throughout the night.

The hotel provided a good English breakfast with unlimited coffee. The Gorse Fox enjoyed breakfast in a sunny spot in the restaurant. Finally, fed and packed, he checked out but didn't leave immediately. He was hanging around to avoid the worst of the traffic - but also, he had noticed an old-fashioned style hardware store just round the corner from the hotel. A quick trip was required.

He waited for the shop to open then went in and chatted with the chap who ran it. We looked at his selection of pulleys and relevant hardware. There was nothing that would definitely satisfy the requirement, but there were some options that may be possibilities with some adaptation. Clutching his purchases he walked back to the hotel and made himself comfortable in the car.

The journey home was trouble-free and just as enjoyable as the journey up yesterday. Again, cruise-control was set at 70 and pretty much left alone for the whole journey. On the run up and back the little Fiesta managed to return about 52mpg... which was perfectly acceptable. (The Gorse Fox had been disappointed with the fuel consumption when he first got the car, but it seems to be settling down finally and he regularly gets the high 40s mpg... not bad for small petrol engine with an air conditioner and automatic gearbox).

The Gorse Fox got home at lunchtime and we had a quiet afternoon. The Gorse Fox went to the study to do the weekly admin.

Dinner was meant to be mince in some recipe or other. The Gorse Fox didn't fancy the usual chilli con carne or spaghetti bolognese... so he looked up some meatloaf recipes. He found quite a simple one which was referred to as "American-style". He adapted the recipe slightly - adding cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic - and a lot less milk (yes, milk!). Well, he must say that it turned out to be quite delicious and was definitely a recipe for keeping.