Le Club House, Thenay France

It is an odious task to run away from your own cleaning lady but worse when you are hungry and accompagnied by an equaly hungry person having just finished heavy garden work.

I found myself in such a way and decided at the entrance to the front yard, to reverse and seek food or drink elsewhere.
Knowing of the lunches at the Club House we drove there at 1:30 pm to find it empty except for a small team of two eating there.
The Restaurant, bar, pub is settled on a old race circuit and has a patio looking at onto a lake. The inside has a dark purple feel and a central bar dividing the eating area from the coaches for evening drinks.

No need for aperitif we were hungry!
With a started of Chèvre chaud, this one had the cheese inside little fried wrapped pastry on a bed of lettuce salad.
We were asked if we wanted wine, we say yes and a bottle of Chinon arrived.
Main course was, steak and chips (what else). The steak was bigger than my hand and the chips occupied the rest of the space on the plate. It was made clear by the manager of the Club House that smaller steaks were not permitted on the premises.
Fighting my way valiantly, while sipping water and wine I came to the conclusion that I would not eat that evening.
The term tight as drums, sprang to mind, no need for desert or coffee. There was no more room!
We settle the bill of 35 € for both meals.
It turned out the young Claude had given us a wine that was more than we had thought but it was beautiful and perfect for the meal so we didn't complain.

We drove back home ready to deal with the cleaner and a nap.

Laura M Brown's: The Do's and Don't of Book reviews

I've been thinking about doing this on this blog. So I'll try and follows these rules and see if I can do it:

Laura M Brown:

Book reviewing used to be the purview of the elite. Now, thanks to the Internet, everyone's a critic. Your online book reviews can make a real difference: people almost always scan the reviews of a book before they make a purchase decision, and your insights can be a big help.
We're all familiar with the rant review--the one that either adores or despises the book. Writing a balanced review is more difficult, but it's also more helpful to your fellow readers. As you brainstorm, think from your readers' point of view. What information would be most useful to them? What do you wish you had known about this book before you read it?
These dos and don'ts can help.
Do:

• Include some description of the book as well as your opinion. Put the book in context.
• Be specific. Say why you liked or disliked the book. Throwing around adjectives like "terrific" or "disappointing" doesn't really tell the reader anything about the book. What exactly what terrific? What was disappointing?
• Consider the projected audience for the book. Was it written for a specialist audience? A general reader? What kind of reader would get the most from this book?
• Take a stand. The ultimate point of a book review is to make a recommendation. Your verdict doesn't have to be an absolute yes or an absolute no. Offering a nuanced opinion of a book often makes a more interesting review.
• Give your review a title that reflects the content of the review. Don't just use the book's title as the title of your review.

Don't:

• Don't go on too long. Unless you're writing for the New York Review of Books or the Times Literary Supplement, your readers are probably not looking for an article-length review. Online book reviews should be brief and concise.
• Don't fall into the trap of summarizing the book. Provide just enough summary so that your points are clear to your readers.
• Don't trash the book because it wasn't what you expected. Unless the book was misrepresented, it's your responsibility to understand what you're buying before you buy it. Trout Fishing in America isn't really about trout fishing, and Fear of Flying is not for nervous travelers.
• Don't spoil it. If you're reviewing a work of fiction, don't give away key plot points or the ending of the story.
• Don't be nasty. If you didn't enjoy the book, don't be insulting or snide. Let your reader know calmly and unemotionally why you were disappointed.
• Don't give the book a bad review if you're really mad about something else. If you bought the book online and experienced bad customer service, don't take it out on the poor author with a one-star review and a rant about shipping delays.

In this new, more democratized world of book reviewing, you have a big responsibility--both to authors and to your fellow readers. Book reviewing online can be loads of fun, and if you provide really useful insights, you might even develop a following as a reviewer!