“There’s A Gate Up The Road”

Today we decided to sample the OAP lunches at The Wheel Inn. This community pub clearly doesn’t deal in euphemisms. ‘Old Age Pensioners’ stubbornly refuses to give way to ‘Senior Citizens’.

Jackie photographed the interior of the dining area and its bar;

I photographed the lunches. My choice of starter was whitebait with a very fresh salad; Jackie’s was a tasty paté with perfect toast and salad. Ham, egg and chips is what I chose for the next course; Jackie chose scampi, chips, and peas. We passed on a dessert. The meals are priced at £10 each for two courses, or £15 for three. I drank Ringwood’s Best (not now called Razor Back here), and Jackie drank Diet Coke.

Afterwards we continued further into the forest.

At East Boldre a foal could be seen among a group of ponies blending with the landscape.

Beside the steeply winding narrow road leading to East End, Jackie parked in a driveway while I attempted to

photograph ponies in a hillside field. This miniature mother and colt were the only two I could focus on clear of trees. After a quick snack the little chap followed his mother to pastures new, eventually turning away to seek his own spot.

A friendly gentleman informed me that “there’s a gate up the road” over which I could have a nearer view. With some trepidation I decided to give it a go. Following the rule of facing the oncoming traffic when on the road, I crossed over and wobbled up the edge of the tarmac.

I was rewarded by the sight of an alpaca tiptoeing through the buttercups. Tiny Tim would surely have made something of this: https://youtu.be/zcSlcNfThUA

My informant was correct. Leaning on a five-barred gate I was able to photograph a few more ponies and foals. I didn’t have to walk down the slope because Jackie brought the car up to the gate.

On our return home we thought we would nip down Tanners Lane to have a look at the coast. A couple of donkeys had other ideas.

This evening we dined on cold tandoori chicken with fresh salad.

48 comments

  1. A very reasonably priced meal. I think that we should have had a picture of you leaning on the five barred gate, a traditional shot if ever there was one.

  2. Truth be told, some of the euphemisms make matters worse. It reminds of the hoary-headed hypocrisy of the Classical age. The appellation ‘Old Age Pensioners’ carries as much dignity and sheen if not more than ‘Senior Citizens’. We have recently started using a term for ‘differently-abled’ folks in Hindi which loosely translated means ‘spectacularly-limbed’ or ‘heavenly-limbed’. All right.

    There would be no confusing the parentage of the colt. The walk up to the gate did produce more subjects. The donkeys seem guarding the portals to some secret world from prying lenses the bipeds have equipped themselves of late.

  3. When I first saw the pictures I thought the Dressed Crab were to wear polo shirts £13 each! It looks a nice place to eat – is it easily reachable from Milford on Sea? (and/or Fordingbridge?)

  4. Looks like a charming place to eat, with good food! and your smile says you are enjoying yourself and your wonderful lunch-mate, Derrick! 🙂
    Love the mention of tiptoeing through the buttercups! Now I’m thinking about Mr. Tiny Tim AND the oldies song “Build Me Up, Buttercup!” 😀
    Love the donkeys…reminds me of a joke…
    1st Donkey: Wanna’ cross the road?
    2nd Donkey: No. I saw what happened to the zebra.
    HUGS!!! 🙂

  5. The chocolate and white coloured mother and colt photos made me smile the most! 🙂

    The alpaca was well spotted; it seems they make very good guard animals for sheep and chickens!

    Judging by the size of those rather delicious looking meals i’m surprised you and Jackie felt much like dinner?? 😉

  6. What a beautiful day you had! I got a kick out the mention of Tiny Tim, you have a good memory! Horses, ponies and who would believe an alpaca!!? Thank you for sharing your life with us!!

  7. Good to have such a reliable informant. Wonderful pictures. And how well I remember Tiny Tim’s rendition of “Tiptoe through the Tulips.” I clicked on your link so I could listen. How did he sing in such a high voice? Holy cats!

  8. Village elders would have my vote. The food looks very good value – do you find places charge more in season? My sweetheart likes Tiny Tim, and the guy who dresses like a clown, but I’m not a fan of either. He did manage to get me to like Willie Nelson, although I know that’s quite another thing.

  9. When you got an itch, you just gotta scratch it! 😀 … I always found walking up hills to be, relatively, easier on the knees than going down.

  10. Lovely alpaca shot–nice colors and contrast and that head peeking through.
    Interesting meals for an everyday lunch…I eat yogurt and a piece of fruit….and yes, I have a small appetite, always have– but sure would enjoy having a bigger one.

  11. I think if I have a choice as to what to come back on this earth as, I’ll select a New Forest Pony, they have it made!
    As for that lunch I’d be hard pushed to down all that ham egg and chips let alone have it as 2nd course. Was that ham cooked? It looks cold and unappetizing to me. The chips and egg look fine.

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