Lunch

The Gorse Fox and the Silver Vixen headed up through West Sussex into bandit country. We were meeting with the Gorse Fox's little sister and Trevor. We had chosen The Crown at Chiddingfold as a good halfway point, and it was quite a while since we had been there.

It was another stunning day with temperatures up in the very high 20s. Our journey had been trouble free but it was clear that the traffic heading for the races at Goodwood was finding life tedious in the other direction.

We arrived a bit before the others and sat and waited for them out the front so we could direct them to the only remaining car parking spot.

We settled in for lunch. It was a good and varied menu and we all tried different offerings. The Gorse Fox tried some Korean BBQ chicken as a starter and then a very tasty burger with bacon, stilton, a fried egg and salad. Everything was beautifully presented and tasted wonderful. The waitresses were charming, helpful, and had a good sense of humour which made the whole experience really quite special.

As you might guess we chatted about the family, about holidays, about health, about Ellie and also  what we had all been up to. Clearly J&T make the most of being in easy striking distance of London and seem to get up there to the theatre and various events quite frequently. They resolved to set up a matinee and take the Silver Vixen to see "Motown The Musical" in early September. (The Gorse Fox is not really into that sort of thing so he'll probably find something else to do for a couple of hours before we all meet up afterwards for dinner).

It was well after four before we paid the bill and said our goodbyes. As a rule we then try to set a date for the next meet, but knowing we will see them next weekend at Urban-Cub's, we left it for today.

Lovely quick run home - and then frantic rush to open up the windows and get a through draft in the house. Orangery was registering well into the 40s, and whilst the house wasn't too warm, it was a bit stuffy.

Quiet evening ahead.