Paying out money to the Dentist, the Optician and ....................

Lets start with what I finished with last blog post - my teeth! The offending tooth is out and what an odd experience it was as well..................Everyone at the Highland surgery was so kind, and when I was eventually levered out of the loo's (where I'd been having a gentle sob!!) Mr Gittins the dentist who did the deed couldn't have been kinder. Josie his nurse was an absolute love as well and between them and the medication I really knew very little about the process and slept most of the rest of the day following it. For anyone who has to undergo something major or is just plain terrified - I would highly recommend having the work done under intravenous sedation. It's by no means cheap - but like everything in life - you get what you pay for.

In actual fact - I seem to have done an awful lot of paying out over the last few day for bodily necessities.....an eye test yesterday at For Your Eyes Only (http://www.devoneyes.co.uk)/ meant new distance glasses, new reading glasses and new prescription glasses.............. that little lot plus a spare pair of readers came to a couple of hundred quid - but it was a very thorough eye test, followed by a great chat with Charlotte the owner where she helped me find the right frames for my face. In actual fact for 4 pairs of specs, it wasn't that horrific - and of course the great thing with a smaller shop such as Charlotte's is you get great personal service... so again - you get what you pay for.

Today has also been a paying out day - but for far nicer reason. SOH and I went to visit the Dartmouth artist Simon Drew - he works in pen and ink with an emphasis on wildlife and everyday subjects, with a real whacky / quirky edge and as we found out today, he's a thoroughly lovely chap! We have purchased some fantastic prints to put in the newly re-furbished (well, almost!) upstairs restaurant.

The whole of Salcombe is geared towards the sea; pictures of the sea, old and new, Salcombe itself, boat / sailing artifacts etc, and I felt that we needed to do something different to stand out from the rest, hence, the purchase of about 15 assorted framed prints, oh and a beautiful mirror from a nearby antiques market! Oh yes, and a particularly gorgeous necklace to go with my wedding dress..... more of that in a moment.

Firstly - back to the re-furb.......... well, what more can I say really. The upstairs still looks like a building site, delays on getting the 'nosing' for laying new stair carpet and the fact that re-painting various bits meant that the carpet fitter - Doug the Rug - couldn't do the carpet laying this week as planned but has PROMISED it'll be finished for this weekend..........

Carlton the builder says they're in the process of finishing off plastering and tiling in the Hobbitt House for the en-suite bedrooms, but I'm almost too scared to look at that yet. My new friend Brian at Capricorn Imports assures me that the furniture will be delivered on Monday late morning, but its no good I'm not going to feel any easier until it's here and all looks good!!

The first patio still looks like a tip but the awning should be being installed on Monday or Tuesday and then we have 3 days to get everything ready for the Christening party here at the Victoria Inn on Mothers Day............. phew!!!

I had the second fitting of the wedding dress last week, and when someone with the experience that Barbara the dressmaker at the shop has (30 + years) then you know you're in good hands - except for when she pricked herself with one of the many pins she was using to nip, tuck and take up and promptly spot bled on the front of the wedding dress..... now, surprisingly, I took that all in my stride!! I know it'll come out and I pick the dress up next week..........

SOH and I have tried to get out with Rosie to the beach at least once a week, and if we haven't been able to, then her new 'Auntie Clare' comes and takes her out for us. This picture was taken round by Bigbury Sands on a day when it was bitterly cold and with a real biting wind. But it blew the cobwebs away and Rosie had a great run around on the beach.

Talking of Rosie, we have broken the first rule we made when we bought her - and that is forgotten she's a dog............. Truth is we were getting utterly fed up and also exhausted by Rosie whining and wailing at 5 / 6 in the morning, and then finding because she'd got so upset she'd pee'd in the kitchen. We did just about everything - fed her as early as possible, took her water up early on, took her for a late night walk (we're talking 12 / 1 o'clock!!) still she'd cry and pee. So where has she ended up??? Yep - you guessed it - on a little furry bed, with her favourite toy in our bedroom.............. and has it worked - YES!!!!!!!!! No more peeing, we get to sleep in till a sensible time of about 8.00a.m, and she is also a lot happier!!! Does she sometimes sneak onto our bed at about 6 for snuggles - yes..................... :-)

As for the business at the Victoria Inn itself - well actually we are doing quite nicely thank you! Sunday lunches are getting to be very popular every single week and this Sunday evening we were quite busy as well - in fact we did almost 100 covers - which for a crap February day (cold and windy) was a really good day! Last night we had a major local company bring all their area managers in to wine and dine - and boy....... did they wine and dine!! David one of our barstaff and myself were still trying to lever them out of the door gone midnight, but they were fulsome in their praise and everyone had a great night.

St Austell do great wines as well as beer and on the advice of Kathryn from the wine team we now do a New Zealand wine by the glass - a Sauvignon, and my goodness she was spot on - that just flies out of the door.

Talking of wine, I expect I'll have a small vatfull tomorrow night as it's my pre-wedding dinner and I have about 17 - 20 people coming to help me celebrate..... 7.00 at the Victoria and then 7.30 at Catch - a great little intimate restaurant in Salcombe run by two fabulous people - Micha and Donna. I'm not having my bash at the Victoria because I know I wouldn't be 'off duty' as such and also, I couldn't really be as relaxed (loud.......) as I no doubt will be tomorrow night! Plus, I rarely drink (well I rarely drink at all these days!!) in front of customers and I don't think it's right for me to be seen tiddly - not good for mine or the pubs reputation!

This wedding is turning out to be everything I've every dreamt of and tomorrow night is no exception. My very best friend Tanya is coming down, and my many new Salcombe friends are coming along as well.......... so if you've any sense - stay away from Salcombe tomorrow night - but if you listen hard enough....... I'm sure you'll hear us (me)!!!!