A superb experience (again) last night at #LakeRoadKitchen Ambleside… (photos of just some of the dishes)

Our walk into the belly of Langdale this morning. Barely a soul about.

Morning espresso at #Mathilde’s Grasmere…

It’s obviously lunchtime campanology club in St Oswald’s, Grasmere today.

It’s Grasmere in the rain today and the 599 open top bus still runs!

Grasmere in the rain I’m grateful from whoever’s been out to arrange these sheep so they’re all facing the same way…

And I’ve just found out that the Futureheads have a Christmas Album. That’s my December very much sorted.

Just to say that this week I have had the most amazing scallop at #JǑRO. I was told it was hand dived and I have no reason to doubt it (the rest of the stuff at JÖRO was brilliant too - and the wine pairings…and the service…)

Luncheon: again. On the way home!

Luncheon: start of a culinary adventure!

Just catching up on last night’s #Strictly. Aljaž’s got a suit just like mine! And the shoes!

To be clear, it was a big acer...we don't possessa big acre.

So, we had a night away. On getting home we discovered the leave thieves had been. Our big acre was a mellowy yellow when we went - it’s now stripped. They were obviously disturbed because they left quite a lot in the garden.

Nice to have advised the Council on this. It has also been nice to see a point I made about the sequential test and the PPS4 Planning for Town Centres Practical Guidance being adopted in a subsequent piece of work supporting another Aldi scheme. www.placenorthwest.co.uk/aldi-gets-no...

Mrs.N’s been busy…

Luncheon: grilled sardines with pickled fennel and a salad. I’m feeling healthy!

Luncheon: because it’s Sunday. And a Lads outing. And we’re at #BreweryWharfTavren Leeds. Marvelmouse!

I've just realised my post yesterday afternoon was cryptic. My Garnddaughter was born at twenty minutes past five yesterday afternoon.

Luncheon: corned beef teacake with marmite cheddar, home pickled onions and carrots, and a Russian dressing (a concoction of ketchup, horseradish and mayonnaise). And then toasted to give it a crunch. Accompanied by a little manzanilla.

Lets be clear, this is Leeds!

Luncheon: a marvellously blokey event talking tanks, old motors, school dinners and Airfix. Sustenance: Yorkshire pud and oxtail, followed by liver, bacon & mash. Accompanied by a Barnsley Bitter.

Oh, looks like my first Spitfire...Conifer Green and a hard top (just for winter)...

My view of the stage this evening…

It’s the 14th October, I’ve heard a Christmas tune in a posh shop at Cheshire Oaks (They we’re apologetic…I was on a site visit); @plplanning.bsky.social ‘s had a mince pie…but we’ve done Waitrose and have full provisions for Mrs.N’s Christmas cakes and panettone…

Mrs.N’s been on fire this morning: every arrow within the 10 ring! (I was less accurate).

Like a trainset outside my Manchester hotel window…

At the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social National Town Planning Conference in Manchester. Lovely to bump into fellow Independent Consultants and those interested in the Independent Consultants Network

Kate and Sidney with the Motherlode… Beef and kidney pie with mushy peas, mash, gravy and crispy onions. Marvellous - but not quite as charismatic as at @nathbrudenell.bsky.social Accompanied by a glass of the mighty Merlot.

So, I’m in Manchester for the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social National Planning Conference. It kicks off tonight, so I figured I need ballast. It’s a trip to PieMinister! (Photos will follow)

Wednesday early morning amble: within the setting of the tallest listed building…Emley transmission tower.

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s parsnip, apple and ginger soup, with home grown apples, cracked black pepper, and swirls of crème fraiche. Deliciously warming!

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s mushroom and tarragon soup with lashings of cracked black pepper and swirls of cremé fraiche. That pepper makes it tingly on the tongue!

Morning walk, view towards Barnsley 7.35am. Autumnal chill in the air.

How spoilt am I today! I’ve got the crusts of Mrs.N’s home made Madeira cake.

Mrs.N’s black bread in the making. Guinness is involved…

Luncheon: smoked salmon with Mrs.N’s home made black bread, buttered, and her pickled fennel (with lemon). Lovely!

So, after a busy (and fun) day and a very, very occasional incursion to the Linked-In (about whisky), I fancied something different…a bottle I’ve not touched for probably 5 years. A Four Roses bourbon - on ice (as you do…)

Luncheon: roast tomato soup with pearl barley, split peas, lentils, paprika cream and crispy Parma ham. Lovely (don’t seem to have had soup for a while)!

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s been busy…homemade sourdough (toasted); homemade smoked mackerel pâté; and home pickled kohlrabi. I’m being spoilt!

McMillan coffee morning at the village pub. We didn’t get the message that we were supposed to bring an owl.

Luncheon: a mackerel and avocado salad. And Mrs.N’s freshly baked and buttered, milk bread loaves…

British Sausages

And good to see another Independent Town Planning Consultant on #bsky @planningpaul.bsky.social (And he’s responsible for a brilliant lunch!)

The magnificent chip butty. Mrs.N’s homemade chips between two crusts of her homemade bread. With salad cream…

Luncheon: I was taken to JÖRO at Oughtibridge and it was splendid! Marvellous food and a coffee… Next week’s Independent Town Planning Consultant’s lunch has a lot to live up to!

Luncheon: a salad with: Roast chicken Lettuce Beetroot Celeriac Tomatoes Potatoes with turmeric garlic and onion Greengage Fennel Red cabbage Cucumber Pickled kohlrabi So that’s my five a day until Thursday.

Luncheon (and what a lovely mess): baked sweet potato with cottage cheese and pumpkin seeds accommodated by a salad of grated red cabbage, tomatoes, greengages and baby beetroot. As I said, a lovely mess mainly caused by me wanting my beetroot in the mix.

Luncheon: orzotto pasta with peas and asparagus, with a scattering of grated Parmesan. Great for a summer’s day…and other days (fortunately)

Luncheon: slowly braised haricot beans in a picante tomato sauce fortified with Worcestershire Sauce and cider vinegar, gently heated through and served on Mrs.N’s homemade sourdough bread, toasted and buttered, topped with a generous scattering of grated Parmesan cheese. Back home, Chez Yorkshire.

Holy Zooks! Batmobile on the Bat Trailer on the M1. This Batmobile must be out of warranty. Could be expensive to fix?