I have just got back from our meal feeling totally stuffed and content.
The girls are good company, and in total there were 16 of us, which include the organiser’s husband, daughter, and four year old grand daughter.
In truth, she had mentioned the child a couple of weeks ago, saying she was very well behaved and asked if I minded. I said I wasn’t too worried and asked how everyone else felt. Judging by the comments this week, they weren’t too happy, but went with the flow.
There were two large tables in the huge conservatory of the restaurant and two smaller ones which seated four, so we had plenty of space to move. I’ve been to places where they cram you in like sardines and if you want a potty break, EVERYBODY has to stand up to let you get by.
The little girl was active and wanted to pull all the crackers. She hit her knee and started to wail, her Mum obviously tired as Nanny did most of the supervising. I felt something by my feet under the table and the child was scrabbling around on the floor during our starter. She wanted the toilet next so her mother had to take her.
I had a prawn cocktail, which was very nicely presented with brown bread on the side and a pat of real butter.
Other choices were pate and toast, or carrot and coriander soup.
I chose turkey for my main course , and this was served on a huge platter with roast parsnips in a side dish. The little girl had a smaller plated meal, but for a four year old it was too much. She had three or four mouthfuls which Nanny had to feed her as she wouldn’t feed herself and Grandpa got cross with her so we had more tears.
To accompany the turkey, there were sprouts, carrots, cabbage, yorkshire pudding, stuffing, a pig in a blanket and roast potatoes, again very nicely presented.
Other choices were gammon or smoked mackerel.
For dessert, I opted for cheesecake (what, you’re surprised??) though the little girl had ice cream (two spoonfuls) then wanted to curl up on her Mummy’s lap and go to sleep whilst she was trying to eat her own meal.
There was a mix up with the desserts and her husband had her cheesecake. She’d told him that’s what she’d ordered for him, when in truth it had been Christmas pudding, so she’d had that first, then finished off the ice cream.
Other choices were Belgian Chocolate Mousse or Christmas Pudding.
I apologise for my pictures being so dark, but I still haven’t figured out how to use the flash on my phone camera yet!
I counted 9 bottles of wine, but stuck to soda water as I’m no drinker, and that was free, so tonight has cost me nothing apart from my reindeer which went down very well. I’d taken an extra one for the little girl anyway, which she unwrapped, bounced it across the table cloth, then broke off its head and ate it, leaving the body for Nanny to wrap up and take home. They left first as both were tired, and Mum had an early shift in the morning as she works for a bakers in town.
It was a good night, in good company and the food excellent value for money as the three courses were £13.95.
I left at 9.45, thanking everyone for their generosity and reminding them of our venue for this coming week. Hubby was waiting for me outside with the dog. Apparently, she had been restless and when he tried to leave her at home, as soon as he shut the door, she started to howl, so he had to bring her with him. She’s curled up beside me now, fast asleep.
Wow, that was certainly a wonderful dinner and excellent value. Way too much activity and too late an evening for a 4-year old. No wonder she was acting up.
I think it was a case of a single parent who doesn’t get out much and no babysitter. I’ve seen far worse to be honest……. my great niece was terrible at my Mum’s 80th party, and my niece, her Mum, simply yelled at her across the restaurant which spoilt the day for my Mum and embarrassed the rest of us.
Certainly not the best way she could have dealt with it. I think a lot of the time little kids just get bored in these situations and that’s what does it.
Kids do tend get bored and tire easily, especially as there were not other children there.
Yes, exactly. At least if there are other kids around they can go off and play.
I’m glad there weren’t as there was nowhere they could play as it was the evening and cold, so couldn’t go outside. This venue is very popular in the summer for weddings, and of course we have the park and ducks too then.
Well, good then as you say, that there was only one child there.
It will be interesting to hear the feedback about it, if any, on Tuesday when we play our final game of the first round.
Yes, it will.
watch this blog space………….. !!!!
Will do Di 😊
Sounds lovely. Good food well worth the splurge! I’m surprised she took a 4 year old as that wasn’t much fun for a child.
I think it was a case of no babysitter and Mum being a single parent. She wasn’t too bad though, but I think most thought it wasn’t a good idea. However, she was down at my end of the table so out of everyone’s way and we all ha d a good night with a singsong at the end.
That sounds like a lovely party. Mum needs to save up if you do this again next year, so she has sufficient money for a baby sitter. You handled the child and all very well, but some venues aren’t suited to a tot, and a sit down dinner is one of those in my opinion. Maybe it would be nice to take up a collection so the single mum has money for the sitter next time. My own family has a young baby in it now and of course the grandparents want to see the child, so she comes to everything that’s planned. I’m hoping that as she gets older her parents will leave her home now and then. It’s harsh, but kids ruin adult events for me. Obviously not everyone feels that way, but to me? It depends on the event. And the tolerance of the adults obviously. Good on you for having tolerance! 😀
The Mum didn’t actually play for our team and was there at her mother’s suggestion, who does. There were a couple of other adults there who weren’t related to our team either, but it was a good crowd.
I remember how my great niece spoilt my Mum’s 80th birthday (it didn’t help when her Mum, my niece, yelled at her across the restaurant), but that was a lunch time venue and there were other children there. They were related to me too and were well behaved. Whilst I can appreciate the situation, a four year old at an adult event probably was not the coolest move. Still, at the end of the day she was at our end of the table which didn’t affect the majority of our party. It was still a good night though.
Tbh good food= good mood😇
Oh yeah!