Earlier this week I lunched with my two daughters at one of our favourite places: Cafe Circa, inside the Scottish Antique and Arts Centre at Abernyte, near Dundee.
The entrance to the Scottish Antique and Arts Centre at Abernyte, displaying a selection of garden ornaments for sale.
Inside, there were signs of Christmas; our table was positioned near a decorative archway festooned with baubles.
Flora and me in Cafe Circa (Lorna took the photo).
I chose a dish I often have when I come here: a starter portion of fishcake with tartare sauce and salad. I sometimes add a bowl of chips, but Flora’s meal was coming with chips and she said I could have some of hers.
Starter size fishcake at Cafe Circa.
One of their specials of the day was beer battered haddock and chips, and that was what Flora chose. There were indeed a lot of chips, and even between the two of us we didn’t manage to finish them all.
Flora’s choice: beer battered haddock and chips.
Lorna opted for a vegan dish of leek, cavolo nero and sweet potato tart, served with a hazelnut and orange salad.
Leek, cavolo nero and sweet potato tart with hazelnut and orange salad.
All three of us very much enjoyed our meals, and didn’t have much room for anything else, but Lorna and I shared a slice of carrot cake to round things off.
Carrot cake and two forks at Cafe Circa.
It had been a slow and relaxing lunch, and as we drove home under leaden skies and falling rain, I drifted into peaceful slumber feeling replete and content.
Yesterday, Lorna and I had lunch out at Dunkeld House Hotel, on our way to House of Bruar for a bit of shopping. The weather had started dull and misty, but the sun came out and we enjoyed our 25 minute drive through the turning colours of autumn.
Once we’d settled ourselves in the warm lounge bar of the hotel (which was fairly busy with other diners and a couple of well-behaved dogs), we both ordered the soup of the day, which we’d been told was pea. It came with very soft white bread, little packets of butter, and a bowl of chips.
Pea soup with soft bread and a bowl of chips at Dunkeld House Hotel. I was being distracted by a dog at a nearby table when the picture was taken.
The soup was an attractive vibrant green, and I tucked in joyfully. Lorna was suspicious of the lumps floating on the top, and hoped they were croutons. She tentatively bit into one, discovered it was a bacon lardon, and proceeded to pick the rest of them out of her bowl. I didn’t even notice them, and consumed my soup happily unaware of the meat element. (Not that it would have bothered me if I’d known, since I’m not averse to such things myself.)
Blissfully unaware of floating pig, and happily peaceful with my hearing aids out.
We enjoyed sitting in the lounge bar, with the background buzz of other diners in a warm, comfortable environment. After polishing off our meals, we decided against having anything further, and decided to push on to House of Bruar, where we would have hot drinks and a snack. Lorna forgot to take any photos at Bruar, but she did take a couple in Dunkeld House Hotel grounds as we were leaving.
Autumn colours in the car park at Dunkeld House Hotel.
One of the delights of Dunkeld House Hotel is the long private driveway leading from the main road to the hotel. It’s a mile long and has numerous gentle humps to keep traffic at low speeds. It’s almost entirely single track with passing places, and every time we go up or down it we pass other vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. The little waves we exchange with fellow drivers, and the leisurely pace of the drive, make coming and going along the driveway a special part of any visit to the hotel.
View towards the village of Dunkeld, along the driveway at Dunkeld House Hotel.
Today, I had an appointment at 12:31 for my seasonal ‘flu and Covid jabs in the local hospital. Since the appointment was at lunchtime, we decided to continue on to a local eatery instead of going back home for lunch.
Successfully jabbed, and ready for lunch out.
We drove the short distance to the Dalmore Inn, on the outskirts of Blairgowrie, a handy place we visit from time to time when we don’t want to go far.
The Dalmore Inn, Blairgowrie
Having put in our order and received our drinks (milk for me, water for Lorna), we prepared ourselves to receive cauliflower and roast almond soups, served with warm rolls.
Ready for soup at the Dalmore Inn.
Lorna was relieved to find that her soup came topped with snipped chives, rather than lumps of meat, and we tucked in.
Cauliflower and roast almond soup with a warm roll and butter at the Dalmore Inn.
The soup was nice and thick, and the almonds were clearly noticeable as tiny nibs within the soup.
After our soup, we were looking forward to dessert. We’ve noticed before at the Dalmore Inn that they’re pretty good at puddings, so our hopes were high. We had both ordered their daily special: autumnal spiced parfait with orange segments, spiced biscuit crumb and orange sorbet. It certainly looked very appealing when it arrived.
Autumnal spiced parfait at the Dalmore Inn.
There was a good range of textures within the dessert, and the orange sorbet was exceptionally delicious, having a strong citrus tang.
Lorna agrees with me that, despite her off-putting topping, the pea soup was the tastier of the two soups on two days. However, life is all about variety, and we appreciated different aspects of our visits to both Dunkeld House Hotel and the Dalmore Inn. We often comment on how marvellous it is that so many eateries exist within a short distance of where we live, and that we’re able to support their noble endeavours.
On returning home, after tucking me into bed for an afternoon nap, Lorna popped out for a walk and enjoyed some autumn leaves still on trees, and carpeting the ground.
It was a gloriously sunny day in Perthshire yesterday, and we fancied a trip out somewhere. We settled on the coastal village of North Queensferry, about an hour’s drive south.
The sky was an almost cloudless blue all the way down to about Inverkeithing, but as we neared the Firth of Forth the cloud became much thicker. When we climbed out of the car, a cold wind blasted us with surprising force, and we hurried indoors as quickly as we could.
We’d decided to have lunch at The Shore restaurant, within the Double Tree Hotel, in North Queensferry. We’d been there once before, many years ago, and remembered that it had a good view of two of the Forth Bridges.
The sun was shining through the large windows of the restaurant, and the cold wind was soon forgotten.
The Shore restaurant in the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
We were seated by a window, with a fine view of the newest of the three bridges that span the Firth of Forth at this point. As we sat looking out at the Queensferry Crossing, we remembered the occasion, in 2017, when we walked across this bridge after it had just been opened. It was designed exclusively for vehicles, and pedestrians are not normally permitted to cross it. However, an opportunity was granted, through a public ballot, to celebrate the opening. The fortunate 50,000 of us who obtained tickets traipsed across it over a weekend in September. The walk was 1.7 miles (2.7km) long.
The Queensferry Crossing.
After perusing the menu, Lorna and I both opted for the Tuscan vegetable soup, which was served with sourdough toast.
Tuscan vegetable soup with sourdough toast.
The soup was packed with vegetables, including a lot of peas and different types of bean. We both enjoyed it, and found it hearty and filling.
Hearty Tuscan vegetable soup at The Shore, Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
It was a very slow meal, and before we ordered pudding I needed to visit the facilities. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sign with this wording on an accessible toilet.
Accessible toilet at the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
Inside, it was roomy, and very well equipped with grabrails.
Inside the accessible toilet at the Double Tree Hotel, North Queensferry.
Back at the table, we both chose the same pudding: tiramisu. It looked unlike any tiramisu I’ve had before, and wasn’t particularly appealing on first inspection, but in fact the taste far exceeded our expectations. It was light, creamy, and quite delicious.
Surprisingly tasty tiramisu at The Shore restaurant.
Although we didn’t have a view of the old Forth Road Bridge from our dining table, it was clearly visible from outside the building.
Forth Road Bridge.
This was the bridge that carried all traffic across the Firth of Forth here, prior to the construction of the Queensferry Crossing. It’s still operational, but open only to buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians.
Before leaving this neck of the woods, we felt it only right to admire the third and oldest bridge in this area, the Forth Rail Bridge. It took 8 years to build, and was opened in 1890. It’s a majestic structure, and one of the country’s great landmarks.
The Forth Rail Bridge, seen from North Queensferry.
Some years ago it was announced that Perth Museum would be moving into an old building that had been lying empty for a long time, but was in the process of being refurbished. In March 2024, it opened its doors in the city centre, and Lorna and I had been wanting to go and see what it was like. Yesterday, we decided it was time for a bit of museum fun.
Standing outside the south side of Perth Museum.
There is no parking at the museum, even for disabled badge holders. There are parking areas nearby, but the closest parking was closed off because of roadworks. This meant a longer than usual walk for me, which I found quite an effort, but I was glad I was still able to do it.
We were ready for lunch by the time we arrived, and the Stone Cafe was just inside the doorway, with a welcoming sign.
Sign welcoming visitors to the Stone Cafe.
Inside, the cafe was bright and airy, with very high ceilings and magnificent tall windows.
Stone Cafe, Perth Museum.
We did as the sign had instructed, chose a table and put in our order at the counter,
Sitting in Stone Cafe with a cloudy apple juice.
I chose their quiche of the day, which was presented as two small tartlets, containing a Cajun vegetable mixture. It came with coleslaw and chutney.
Cajun vegetable quiche at Stone Cafe, Perth.
Lorna was intrigued to try a ‘sausage’ roll containing vegetarian haggis and sweet potato.
Vegetarian haggis sausage roll with chutney, salad and coleslaw.
She also ordered tea, and was delighted by the size of the pot, which contained three full cups of flavoursome breakfast tea.
Breakfast tea at Stone Cafe, Perth.
Neither of us wanted anything else to eat, and we were keen to see the museum. I was feeling quite tired and wasn’t sure if I had the energy for walking around, but we decided to have a quick look and see what the space was like. At the entrance, Lorna spotted a couple of wheelchairs, and asked if we could borrow one. A helpful member of staff assisted us in unfolding it, and I sat myself down. My rollator was stored safely behind the reception counter while Lorna wheeled me off to look at the exhibits.
Sitting comfortably in a wheelchair in Perth Museum.
It was the first time we had borrowed a wheelchair like this, and it was quite a revelation. Lorna found it quite easy to push, and there was a lift to take us to the upper floor. I enjoyed being able to see everything without getting tired.
Admiring some stuffed animals in Perth Museum.On the upper floor of Perth Museum.
As always with such places, there was far more to read and take in than we had brain space for, but we enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and appreciating how nicely the building had been modernised.
When we’d seen enough, we went back down in the lift, collected my rollator, and trudged back to the car. I found the walk back more tiring than the walk in, but I managed it, and was very glad to settle into the car. By this time we felt we had room for a hot drink and a snack, and decided to drive the short distance to the Macmillan cafe at Quarrymill, on the outskirts of Perth.
The Macmillan cafe is a place we’ve been visiting for many years, and it would soon be closing for the season. It was good to be able to call in again and enjoy the excellent service provided by the volunteers who run it so cheerfully.
I was tempted by a meringue with fruit and cream, which proved quite challenging (but well worth the effort) to consume.
Meringue with fruit and cream at the Macmillan Cafe, Quarrymill.
Lorna was delighted to find that there was one scone left, and that it was a variety she’d never had before: prune and honey.
Prune and honey scone at the Macmillan Cafe, Quarrymill.
We both greatly enjoyed our treats, washed down with large decaf Americanos. We wrote a couple of postcards we’d bought in the museum shop, and felt as if we were on our holidays.
A few days ago, Lorna and I set off in beautiful, sunny autumn weather to meet my other daughter, Flora, for lunch at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry. Lorna was able to park in a handy disabled bay, and Flora and I paused for a photo outside the grand entrance.
Flora and Bennet outside the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
There are two dining options in the hotel: the Verandah restaurant, and the Stag’s Head Bar. We chose the bar, which has a lovely outlook onto the tree-filled grounds and the hills beyond.
View from the Stag’s Head Bar, Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
The bar serves both light meals and larger options. Flora went for fish and chips, Lorna had a vegetable curry, and I chose pea and mint soup.
Fish and chips with a little salad for Flora.Vegetable curry with rice, naan bread and mango chutney for Lorna.
Pea and mint soup with soda bread for me.
To pad out my meal, I ordered a basket of French fries. The difference in size between my chips and Flora’s was very noticeable.
Small, thin French chip with large British chip.
Fat chip, thin chip.
Not having any chips of her own (and being very willing to help), Lorna assisted both me and Flora in consuming our potato elements. As a result, she was too full for pudding, but Flora and I felt we could manage a little something.
I plumped for a coconut and Biscoff cheesecake, and Flora opted for a fruit scone.
Coconut Biscoff cheesecake.
Fruit scone with butter and jam.
Breakfast tea was ordered for Flora, Earl Grey for Lorna, and a decaf Americano for me.
Puddings and hot drinks in the Stag’s Head Bar at the Atholl Palace Hotel.
When we’d finished and settled up, we made our way through the thickly carpeted corridors of the hotel.
Ambling through Atholl Palace Hotel.
The building was opened in 1874 as the ‘Athole Hydropathic’, a kind of spa, containing accommodation, Turkish baths, and treatment rooms for those wishing to take the health-giving waters of Pitlochry. New owners took it over in 1913, upgraded the building, installed electric lighting and re-named it the Atholl Palace Hotel.
One of the attractive features of the hotel is the variety of seating options throughout the ground floor. There are many armchairs and sofas, nicely positioned to allow observation of the comings and goings, and engage in a bit of people-watching.
Armchairs for people-watching in the Atholl Palace Hotel.Sofas around a fireplace in the Atholl Palace Hotel.
It had been a very relaxing and enjoyable visit to the Atholl Palace, and as we left we enjoyed the floral displays outside the front of the building.
Floral abundance outside the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
Yesterday morning Lorna had a hankering for adventure, and fancied a bit of big city buzz. Since London was too far away for a day trip, and Edinburgh and Glasgow a bit further than she wanted to drive, she plumped for Dundee.
She’d heard of a hotel near the city centre that served weekday lunches in its rather swanky-looking bar, and the building had some architectural interest, being the site of an old jute mill. The mill had opened in 1822, and the modern bar had been given the name ‘Eighteen22’ as a nod to its history.
We arrived after a circuitous journey which included a long diversion for a very short piece of closed road in the city. The diversion signs seemed to be taking us further and further away from our destination, but the car’s navigation system came up with an alternative route, which very satisfyingly took us where we wanted to go.
There was a little light rain when we arrived at Hotel Indigo.
Arriving at Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
Inside, the lobby was comfortably laid out in a minimalist style, with artwork on the walls relating to the building’s past.
Soft seating in the lobby of Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
We walked through this area to the bar, which was empty, with no sign of any staff.
‘Eighteen22’, the bar at Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
Having checked with the receptionist that lunches were indeed being served in the bar, we chose a seat, sat down and got settled for our meal. I removed my jacket, put on my bib, and waited for someone to appear.
Ready for luncheon at the Hotel Indigo, Dundee.
After a while, Lorna peered over the bar to see if there was anybody about, but all was silent. She went back to the lobby and explained to the receptionist that there were no staff in the bar. The receptionist left her desk and went on the hunt for the barman. She said he would be about somewhere, but after a while of searching she came back and told us he had vanished. We sat there a little longer, and eventually decided we should go elsewhere for our lunch as it was getting close to 14:00 by this time. The receptionist was very apologetic, so we left on a pleasant enough note.
Lorna remembered another Dundee hotel she had once had a meal in when I was in hospital, and we decided to go there instead. She couldn’t remember the name of it but she knew it was near the Botanic Gardens, so we went off in search of it. We found it, got parked, and got ourselves out of the car. We had seen diners through the restaurant window as we drove into the parking area, so we felt pretty confident of obtaining a meal there.
Arriving at the Invercarse Hotel, Dundee.
Once inside the warm and welcoming lobby, Lorna spoke to the receptionist, who informed us that we were too late for lunch as they stopped serving at 13:45.
Back we went to the car, and wondered what to do next. The Scottish Antiques and Arts Centre was a 15 minute drive away, and we knew it served food all day. It happens to be one of our favourite lunch spots, so we were happy with the idea of going there.
As we were driving along the busy A90, Lorna accidentally turned off the road one junction too early and we found ourselves in the village of Inchture. That was no problem as we could simply drive through it, re-join the main road and come off at the correct junction. As we drove along the main street, Lorna remembered that there was a hotel in the village, and she was interested to investigate it. Moments later we came upon it, parked outside, and Lorna popped in to ask if they were still serving lunches. She reappeared from the hotel entrance with her thumbs up, and out I got.
Inchture Hotel, joyfully open for lunch.
Meals were served in a restaurant called The Priory, built onto the side of the original hotel building. There was a ramped entrance I could use with my rollator, and we were warmly welcomed by a helpful waitress who showed us to a table near the window. We settled ourselves in, very glad to have found a lunch spot at last.
Happy and relieved to be settled in for lunch at The Priory in Inchture Hotel.
They had quite an extensive menu, and I opted for a small portion of battered haddock with chips and peas.
Small battered haddock at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
Lorna chose the grilled goat’s cheese and roasted beetroot salad, which came with a little bucket of chips.
Grilled goat’s cheese and roasted beetroot salad at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
We both very much enjoyed our meals in The Priory. Despite the late hour, there were quite a few other diners in the restaurant, and the atmosphere was warm and convivial.
Enjoying lunch at The Priory, Inchture Hotel.
The day had not worked out as planned, but we felt pleased with ourselves for having an adventure, particularly as it had ended in a tasty and satisfying lunch.
Towards the end of last year I wrote a post entitled Ageing. In it I mentioned that my ability to concentrate had diminished. I said that I accepted this, and a sense of increased confusion, as a natural part of getting older. I think I might be changing my mind about that.
There are times when I feel that, at 96, I’m on an inevitable decline towards death. There are other times, however, when I feel quite the reverse. I believe I’m coming to the conclusion that whatever remains left of my life on Earth, it doesn’t necessarily need to include decline or diminishment.
In recent days I have begun reading John Buchan’s ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’ aloud to Lorna, a practice I believe is improving my concentration and clarity. The first time I tried it, I made many mistakes, kept losing my place, and had difficulty getting some of the words out. With each day of reading, however, my reading has become more confident and fluent. I feel I’m still making too many mistakes, but Lorna assures me that in only a few days my reading skill has improved dramatically.
Reading practice: a well-worn copy of John Buchan’s Hannay adventures.
Certain areas of interest and appreciation are opening up in my 90s that I had never anticipated, and these seem to be giving me a new zest for life. One of these is a love of colour. Lorna takes responsibility for purchasing my clothing these days, but I very much share her enthusiasm for dressing me in colourful clothes. My wardrobe now contains an array of colours I would never have thought of wearing in my younger years.
Here are some examples of my new-found love of colour, with many thanks to House of Bruar for supplying much of my current wardrobe.
Purple and pink.
Pink and pink.
Sunshine yellow.
Yellow and blue.
Red.
I suspect this appreciation for colour might have started with the purchase of my blue jacket, which was a birthday present made for me by Piob Mhor, and my blue shoes, which were made for me by RED Shoes in Wales. Before the shoes were made, I was sent samples of different colours of leather (for the outers) and suede (for the lining) and I enjoyed making my choice of Lifeboat blue for the outers and Petrol blue for the lining.
Prior to owning these shoes I had been in the habit of wearing off-the-shelf brown shoes for many years, and the new blue shoes put something of a spring in my step. I’ve been wearing, and enjoying, them for several years now.
Blue jacket, blue shoes
The most recent addition to my wardrobe is a multicoloured fleece jacket that I got a few days ago. I’ve been enjoying its warmth and vibrancy, and look forward to it brightening up the winter weather.
Lorna and I recently had our first visit to The Inn on the Tay, a restaurant with rooms in Grandtully, near Aberfeldy. We enjoyed it so much that we thought it would be a good place for a family meal in early August, when my son Donald and his family would be in Perthshire on holiday.
View from the Inn on the Tay’s restaurant. The Inn sits on the south bank of the River Tay.
On Friday 8 August, Lorna and I drove to Grandtully and met Donald and his partner Gail, my two grandsons, James and Sam, and my other daughter, Flora, for lunch.
Left to right: grandsons James (18) and Sam (17), Flora, Lorna, me, Donald, Gail.
Three of us had fish and chips, with Flora and myself having small portions and Sam having a large one. Lorna and James had pizzas, Donald had a pork dish, and Gail had cod. I think we all enjoyed our meals, I certainly enjoyed my small fish and chips, although it didn’t seem very small to me.
Lunch at The Inn on the Tay.
Neither Lorna nor I had room for pudding, but some of the party opted for white chocolate and raspberry parfait with chocolate ganache. It was attractively presented and seemed to go down well.
White chocolate and raspberry parfait with chocolate ganache.
After we’d said our goodbyes, Lorna and I decided to take a circuitous route home, driving a bit further north to Pitlochry and then home via the village of Kirkmichael. We stopped in Kirkmichael at the village shop, which also houses a small cafe.
Out and about in Kirkmichael.
I had a large cup of coffee and Lorna had an Earl Grey tea. We felt as if we were on our holidays.
Coffee on holiday at Kirkmichael Village Shop.
After our drinks, I was very ready for a snooze, while Lorna fancied a leg stretch. She left me in the car and walked along the nearby Cateran Trail. The sky was threatening, but it stayed dry, warm and breezy, and each of us felt content with our chosen pursuit.
One of our favourite spots for an interesting luncheon is The Rookery restaurant in the seaside town of Carnoustie. The restaurant is housed upstairs in Links House, the clubhouse of Carnoustie Golf Links.
Downstairs in Links House, Carnoustie.
Neither Lorna nor I have ever been golfers, but we both enjoy watching the game, and frequenting golf clubhouses. The Rookery has very good views of the golf course, as well as other points of interest.
Carnoustie Golf Links.
In addition to golf, there are trains to watch from the Rookery’s windows. The main east coast railway line runs through Carnoustie, just behind the houses seen in the picture below, beyond the 18th green. Unfortunately we don’t have any pictorial evidence, but we did see 8 trains during our recent luncheon, and once saw 13 on another visit.
The 18th green at Carnoustie Golf Links. The railway line runs just behind the houses shown.
We had a table next to a window, giving a good view of the 1st tee and the 18th green.
Happily settled in The Rookery, ready to enjoy food, golf and trains.
It was a dreich, grey, damp day and we both opted for hearty fish and chips.
Fish and chips at The Rookery.Tucking in to my lunch in The Rookery.
We very much enjoyed eating our meals with the interesting views from the window. As we sat there, what had begun as drizzle turned into heavy rain, and we were amazed by the number of golfers continuing to stream out onto the course. In fact, this was the wettest visit we’d ever had to Carnoustie and we saw far more golfers than usual.
There were a lot of Americans in the clubhouse, and I suspect many of those getting drenched outside were also from distant shores This may have been their one chance to play at Carnoustie, one of the courses that hosts the Open Championship, and I suppose they weren’t going to let a bit of rain put them off.
Our main courses had filled us up nicely but we felt we had room for something small and sweet, and both ordered one scoop of strawberry ice cream, which came all alone in a brown bowl.
Strawberry ice cream at The Rookery.
Lorna had been hoping for a wafer biscuit in her ice cream, but was pleased that the cappuccino she ordered afterwards arrived with a delicious shortbread biscuit.
I ordered an Americano, and organised it as I often like to, with the saucer turned upside down to raise the cup higher off the table.
My reason for doing this is that I find it very difficult to get my fingers in and around the cup handle if the cup is sitting inside a saucer. Turning the saucer upside down gives freedom of movement for the fingers, and is, for me, a much more comfortable experience.
When we’d finished our meal and left the building, I got into the car for a nap while Lorna took a walk to look at the sea. She had a large umbrella with her, made from clear plastic decorated with leaves, which gives the impression of standing under a tree. She didn’t stay out for long as the rain was very heavy and soaked her trousers in a few brief minutes.
View of the sea at Carnoustie from under a leafy umbrella.
In September 2024, I acquired my first rollator, or walking frame, as mentioned in this post.
My first rollator, in Ferrari red, September 2024.
Having become increasingly unsteady on my pins using walking sticks, this piece of equipment made a positive difference to my life.
For the past few months of using it I’ve been walking more confidently, but its design has meant that I was often pushing it away from my body as I walked. On one occasion this resulted in a fall, which led Lorna to wonder if there was something else on the market that would better suit my needs.
She discovered a different design with curiously backward-facing handles, that seemed to address the issue I’d been having. We had a look at these rollators, tried a couple of them out, and ended up purchasing what claims to be the lightest rollator in the world. My first rollator weighs 8kg, whereas the new one is only 4.8kg, so there’s quite a noticeable difference. There were 8 colour options, and I plumped for red again.
My original rollator on the left and my new one on the right.
I’ve been joyfully using it for the past couple of weeks, and finding it to be an improvement on the previous one. It’s also more compact when folded, and easier for Lorna to lift in and out of the car.
Yesterday, we took it for a spin to one of our favourite lunch spots, Ballathie House Hotel, a few miles from where we live.
Me with new rollator outside Ballathie House Hotel.
After a short walk in front of the hotel, we settled ourselves into the otherwise empty, and extremely quiet, drawing room for a relaxing luncheon.
Relaxed and ready for lunch in Ballathie’s very quiet drawing room.
As usual, the food, drinks, ambience and service were top notch. I selected tuna mayonnaise sandwiches, which came with excellent chips, and a freshly dressed salad.
Tuna mayonnaise sandwiches with chips and salad at Ballathie House Hotel.
Lorna went for the grilled vegetables sandwich, which was also served with chips and salad. She gave her sandwich 10/10, and we both agreed that the meal was perfect.
Grilled vegetables sandwich with chips and salad at Ballathie House Hotel.
The new rollator has been out to a few places, including The Causerie, a recently opened wine bar in Blairgowrie about half a mile from our house. The premises had previously been occupied by a succession of cafes and we were keen to see what the new incarnation was like. An attractive stained glass window panel had been inserted above the front door.
Inside, we found a peaceful haven of wood and wine, and exceptionally courteous and helpful staff. Seated comfortably, we perused an interesting menu, which offered virtually every savoury dish as either a starter or main course size.
Happily seated in The Causerie wine bar, Blairgowrire.
We both opted for vegetarian starters. I had hummus with roasted chickpeas, tomatoes, pickles and focaccia.
Hummus with roasted chickpeas, tomatoes, pickles and focaccia.
Lorna chose a dish of roast beetroot, scorched aubergine, feta cheese, walnuts and seasonal greens.
Roast beetroot, scorched aubergine, feta, walnuts and greens.
Both dishes were tasty, and small enough for us to have room for puddings. I went for their version of a pavlova, which contained yoghurt rather than the usual cream. The berries were huge and succulent, and the whole dish was light and refreshing.
The Causerie’s pavlova.
Lorna couldn’t resist trying the hot Cape brandy pudding, which she described as a cross between sticky toffee pudding and Christmas pudding. It was served with creme fraiche ice cream, and doused in brandy.
Cape brandy pudding.
Our first visit to this new neighbourhood eatery was a great success, and we’re looking forward to returning before too long.
Bennet McInnes 