Practice makes Perfect: Anchored

One week from today, Mrs Scharwenka and I wish to celebrate 50 years of marriage (DV). We have ben considering several posible venues for a "Wedding Breakfast", that will, in fact, be a lunch.

One of the interesting places reasonably near by is the Anchor Inn, which has been reported to us as really coming up in the world under Head Chef James King.

We naturally wanted to try the place out in advance, and on a Saturday lunchtime, so Easter Saturday obviously provided an ideal opportunity for a "practice" lunch out. We took along Violamaths as a "practice guest", and she very kindly acted as our chauffeuse.

The food turned out to be excellent, and the atmosphere of the place was just right. Nearly full, but not overcrowded, with people evidently having a good time, and the service was efficient and friendly. We shared a "main size" Moules Marinières as a starter, and it was really outstanding. I followed with a rib-eye steak, Violamaths with some super lamb, and Mrs S with slow-cooked ox cheek on polenta. We were sufficiently impressed to decide on the spot that this would be a good place to celebrate next week, and we even reserved a number (somewhat indeterminate) of places in advance (something I very rarely do - something about tempting fate???)

This pub is just on the other side of the road from the Oxford Canal that has featured in many of my BlipFoto contributions. In our photograph, you see Mrs Scharwenka and Violamaths walking back towards the pub from the canal bridge, where they had been watching ducks on the canal, and generally regarding the canal in a benign mood, replete after a good lunch

This was a good practice session. We must practice this kind of thing more often in order to maintain our skills. Practice really does make perfect!