Monthly Meet 1/6/16

I thought it was going to be moved alternate months to a venue more westerly

 

That's bad news Jon. Or you could attend the meeting, eat a small portion of Tiger Prawns, go to bed at 9pm with a smile on your face, arise at 4am for an hours' worth of coffee and work before heading out. Wotja reckon?

 

you must have been a figment of my imagination then Jon
thanks for the tea, my daughter will be pleased

 

shame won't make it now, have a good night and hope they accommodate you well ..
full report on the food please

 

just for your information this is why all the local pubs were closed.... well apart from swan in sandhurst, which seemed busy as I came back past ...
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/weald/news/mourners-pay-their-respects-to-96711/

 

Sorry as I am that somebody has died (the rumour mill was going nineteen to the dozen as to what actually had happened - see Lisa's post above - as we sat around outside eating our starters) it may just be serendipity which prompted Her Lamminess to pipe up that we should try the Queen's Head at Sedlescombe. It seemed most of the pubs in the area were closed for cleaning, or training or washing their hair. The Queen's Head hadn't read the papers so remained open. Hooray! We almost had a rideout from Hawkhurst to Sedlescombe; it quite took me back, except I was driving a car. It crossed my mind as we went through the traffic lights at Hawhurst that we hadn't pre-agreed rules for the 2nd man drop off, but by then it was too late.

The car park at the Queen's Head is of modest size and the proportion of Chelsea Tractors was high; nevertheless we all found berths (including Jon and his van). While he fiddled with Lammy's fuses [ahem] the rest of us piled inside. Oh golly - it seemed most of the population of Sedlescombe had walked to the pub tonight. There followed an anxious wait while the bar staff conferred as to how they could accommodate eight hungry and thirsty SECBers who hadn't booked. We took our beers and things outside, starters were served (I recommend the crayfish salad - Tiger Prawns hadn't swum this far south) and they turfed out a couple of tables' worth of folks from inside. Good job, actually, since Nicki was on duty repeatedly to turn on the outside heater, and started to lose interest in this job after turning it on for the tenth time. So when this accommodation was announced, we arose as one, and headed into the warmth immediately lest the generosity be reversed or more bikers arrived to usurp us.

There was banter; there were burgers (of decent size and even better taste according to Brother Black Hornet - I tried a bite and support that opinion); some tucked into big bowls of crayfish linguine (Father Roadwart made few sounds other than slurping for some time), Lady Lammy inhaled a main course sized dish of the crayfish salad and I bellied up to some fish and chips. Have I eaten better? Yes, but not in a pub and this was the best F & C I've eaten since the last time. The chips were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside; the fish likewise and actually tasted like it had been swimming around yesterday. All washed down with a pint of Harveys. There was Doombar and some Golden Ale or other of unknown origin - possibly thirst-quenching on a hot day. We all laughed like drains at Nicki's tale of boarding a lift filled with Big People and being the one to set off the 'Warning - Overload' voice. And with that still in mind, the young man asked if we'd like the Pudding Menu? Laugh? We nearly did.

I hope you will all forgive the quality of photography and the fact of including pictures of food - this is supposed to be a bike site for goodness' sake... But the Sticky Toffee pudding (mine...) I pronounced without embarrassment yet with a touch of understatement as orgasmic; Stars & Stripes favoured a crumble (my second choice), Black Hornet had been eyeing up the raspberry Pavlova all evening and Father Roadwart remained quietly busy making his cheese board disappear. Lucky Lammy blinked her eyelashes at us all and managed to blag a tester mouthful of everything - and became curiously animated thereafter. Hmmn... I thought it was alcohol which did this to girls. Oh well.

I really, really hope I can find my way back to this place. I vote that we at least consider it as a monthly venue. Perhaps we should have a chat with them and ask if we organise ourselves enough to be able tentatively to book for say, six people, could they cope if eight or ten turn up and would they have a sense of humour failure if just Lammy and Tom spend the evening telling the same joke over and over by themselves? There was no hot chocolate (Boo!) but the coffees were most passable. A super evening altogether with lots of Normal People being very normal. And it was nice to meet you, Mikey!

 

Hmmn. Pictures didn't upload before. Sorry everyone :-(

 

See report above. You missed out, Lisa...

 

thank you for you report Richard,
do wish I had come, unfortunately in this case I had to be a very bored mum at home being as I didnt know whether the queen and her geese would be able to accommodate us or the length of time it would take. (really don't like to leave her too long even if she is old enough)
have to say I agree and the food looks good and everyone was happy, well once Nicky was in the warm anyway and if o had of made it she would of only made half the trips to turn heater on
so ?? is worth asking if they could accommodate us? being as I'm sure you were all on your best behaviour and haven't frightened them all off bikers

 

We did have to stop Leila getting up on a table at one point, but other than that, we were decorous and model citizens. I think she and Tom have visited before, since at one point, the owner came over and exchanged Masonic knee shakes with Tom. So I will leave it to the Moderators In Chief to lead us forward on this important matter.