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.
Lovely pictures of local wildlife!
Thanks very much, Sheree
A good year for buttercups! Great picture of the alpaca!
Thank you very much, Pauline
I love the shot of the alpaca in the buttercups, Derrick!
Thanks very much, Jill
Dinner sounds wonderful. Made me hungry
Thanks a lot, Drew
I love that you and Jackie go out on adventures every day. That OAP lunch looks quite substantial. I would choose the scampi every time. 😳
That would have been a good choice, Sylvia. Thanks very much
Ham, egg and chips is always one of my favourites!
Yes. Also a safe bet if you don’t know the standard of cooking in the establishment. Thanks very much, Andrew
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.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal. With a straw?
I didn’t know that was an Alpaca – I saw its head and thought it was a kangaroo! 😂 Sorry Derrick.
I love the photos of the alpaca in the buttercups! It looks like a lovely day.
It was, Merril. Many thanks
That’s a fine looking pub.
It is, indeed. Thanks very much, Gary
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.
Very many thanks, Uma. So many words have lost their original meaning because they have been applied as euphemisms.
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?)
Milford on Sea is very straightforward. Thanks very much, Helen
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!!! 🙂
Many thanks, Carolyn. Great joke
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?? 😉
A very light one sufficed. Thanks very much, Bob
The foals are absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks very much, Sue
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!!
Many thanks, GP. Tiny Tim was not easily forgotten 🙂
What a treat!
Thanks very much, Leslie
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!
Holy cats, indeed. 🙂 Thanks very much, Laurie
I like the picture of the goat! (I’ll try and read the whole post when WP lets me.)
Sorry you are having problems, Helen. Thanks for persevering
That’s okay, Derrick.
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.
I like Willie Nelson too. I think prices are pretty constant. The Wheel Inn is less expensive than most. Thanks very much, Susan
I feel a story coming on thanks to the alpacas in the buttercups. Those are such sweet photos.
Thanks very much, Sue. I look forward to it
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.
Me, too, Widders. Thanks very much
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.
We usually have a light lunch, but we occasionally have a more substantial one and a lighter evening meal. Thanks very much, Cynthia
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.
Not cooked, but good as it is. Thanks a lot, Brian