Friday 31 January 2014

Thankful Thursday: A Day Out With Catriona

Catriona goes back to school next week.  She is a weekly boarder but will not get home for the first two weekends.   I thought it was about time we had another day out together.  Coincidentally her Mum had to go into the practice today so when I asked Catriona last night if she would like to go and see The Book Thief today she was very happy to do so.  So at 9am we set off to play a couple of games of croquet (Thursday is a club day).  Then Catriona suggested lunch at The Groove Kitchen.  This is a place that I pass almost daily and yet have never been into.  I have been missing a lot.  The service and lunch was good and having looked on Trip Advisor I see that I have been missing far more than I realised.  I shall be back.

"If I make silly faces you won't put it on your blog!"  - Got that one wrong didn't you Catriona?
A large milk shake whilst waiting for lunch (taken with my phone in less-than-perfect light).
Coincidentally we met friends at the cinema and watched The Book Thief.  I had tried to read the book on the strong recommendation of a lady at croquet.  I struggled and never got very far.  One of the friends with whom we watched it this afternoon said that the film was better than the book.  I do not think that there was a dry eye in the cinema by the time it had finished. 

Of course there was the mandatory sitting in the sun having an ice cream on the way home.

The day ended at 11.30 at night when Wendy and Martin, Jamie and Catriona eventually made their way from The Cottage up the drive to bed (or for Wendy and Martin to pack for their trip to Wellington after their last patient this afternoon).

How could one be anything other than very thankful for such a wonderful day?

22 comments:

  1. Catriona had a super babysitter for a day. Lots of treats.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catriona would say that she'd been looking after me for the day Red. She has that sort of sense of humour.

      Delete
  2. I loved the book!
    Catriona looks a real smasher in that second photo - she'll break a few hearts when she's older. As for the first photo - that's cruel!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I enjoyed the first portrait.

      Delete
    2. I'm sure she will CJ. I could have been even more cruel: that was quite a mild face Catriona was pulling. She would have been just as accepting, though, whichever I'd published. A creature of the modern Facebook age is Catriona.

      Delete
  3. I'll have to have a look at The Book Thief

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found the book very hard going Adrian and didn't get very far with it. The film was excellent though.

      Delete
  4. I'll have to have a look at The Book Thief

    ReplyDelete
  5. It does look and sound like you had a great day. I read the Book Thief two years ago (as I keep a list) but have to confess I really don't remember it now. I listened to it as audio book in Swedish and I guess it might have been in one of my "sleepy" periods! Maybe I should try the film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funilly enough Monica, the lady who recommended it to me thought it was one of the best and most memorable books she had read. It all depends on our feelings at the time I guess.

      Delete
  6. zulke dagen moet je koesteren.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a lovely day for you both. The Groove Kitchen sounds quite funky and my kinda place.
    I haven't had the chance to view The Book Thief as yet, but it's on my list after seeing the trailer.....I have many movies to catch up on....maybe this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is quite funky Virginia and the food is very good too. Looking back at the film I can see that it's a bit 'clunky' in parts but it's an excellent film and well worth seeing.

      Delete
  8. How lovely! I too struggled with The Book Thief, but didn't know there was a film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank heavens, Frances, that I'm not alone. Everyone seems to have thought it was a superb book and quite a few people recommended it to me. The film is a bit 'clunky' in my opinion but is excellent and well worth seeing.

      Delete
    2. Oh, goody. Now I can really say it. I HATED that book, and was bored our of my mind. But I did finish it.

      Delete
  9. Ha! I love the funny Catriona! I was so, so painfully self-concious on front of a camera when I was her age, but then times were so much rarer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catriona is certainly not self-conscious. She is very out-going. I think she's a product of the confidence she's gained at the schools she attended and attends and the modern Facebook age.

      Delete
  10. A lovely day indeed! For me, the bit about sitting in the sun having ice cream held the most appeal :-)
    It will be months before we'll be able to do that again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meike I enjoyed that bit too. Summer will soon be with you though. The film was really quite emotional.

      Delete
  11. My youngest daughter and I have been discussing watching The Book Thief. I think it will definitely be on the list for next week.
    Young Catriona looks like such a character! :)

    ReplyDelete