Weekend 20th21st February 2010

And so the weekend arrives, no different to the rest of the week really! Mr was at work on saturday, and was out rabbiting and shooting on sunday. As a strict vegetarian, I am finding Mr's new found interest in shooting a little difficult to reconcile. I find any sort of violence towards animals abhorrent, however, it is not for me to dictate what others do & don't eat (apart from my offspring at present ;-) ) So, I have to weigh up whether, if Mr is going to eat meat, would I prefer him to be purchasing mass factory farmed products, where he has no input on the upkeep /slaughter etc, or is it better for him to pop out once a week and shoot himself a pigeon, trap a rabbit, which has lived a wild and free life? Obviously my ideal solution would be for him to become veggie, but that will never happen, so I wave him off on a sunday, and allocate him a drawer in the freezer, and that constitutes my total involvement!

We were out for a meal on saturday evening. I was really looking forward to this. A babysitter was organised and posh frock dusted off. We had checked with the hotel in advance that there was a vegetarian option, and were assured that there was. We arrived and met the other people we were dining with. Once seated, our starters arrived. The vegetarian option was a fan of melon with berry compote - a pretentious label for 2 small slices of melon and some defrosted berries. The main I knew was mushroom risotto, a favourite of mine. It arrived. It was smothered in parmesan cheese. I made Mr try the cheese, just to make sure, before summoning a waiter, who confirmed, yes, it was indeed parmesan. Any self respecting vegetarian knows that there is no such thing as vegetarian parmesan. The waiter removed my dinner and the manager appeared, making excuses that all the vegetarian meals had been prepared like this, and I had not said I was vegan. He emphasised, that he himself was vegetarian, but he ate cheese. I really did not want to begin an argument about cheese, so I very politely said, that I did eat cheese, but not those that are produced using process using calf rennet! They brought me another meal, cooked fresh which was delicious, however, all my table companions had finished eating before it arrived. The dessert course was a mousse, I felt the manager was testing my vegetarian principles by putting the gelatinous pud in front of me, and looking for a response! How rude!! I did not disappoint him, and said, thanks, but I know that I have a fruit salad ordered. When it arrived the fruit salad dessert was the starter - just chopped differently and served in a different dish. Thistle Hotel, you do not win marks for imagination in the veggie food department! It was lovely to have an evening away from small people, but the first thing I did when we got home, was to go round to their rooms and kiss each sleeping child.