The unsquared debt

A couple of weekends ago, while at home, Ashley received a call from his boss, asking if he could do him a favour.

"Sure", said Ashley, and thought nothing of it.

The next day at work, the boss insisted that Ashley take me out for dinner, "somewhere nice", to say thank you and, it seemed, to apologise for interrupting our evening.

Ashley told the boss not the worry about it, thinking that he was just expressing his gratitude, and the dinner idea was really just a suggestion that would be forgotten about soon enough, so Ashley never really followed the dinner thing up.

As the week drew to a close, however, the boss urged Ashley once more, to take me out to dinner "on him - taxi, baby sitter, the works". Well, it didn't really work out that weekend, so we didn't take up the offer, and felt that the moment had now expired.

The boss then became more insistent, like he owed us this great debt and it was not sitting well with him. So we relented and booked into a restaurant that the boss had recommended. Unfortunately, the baby sitter couldn't make it, so yet another weekend went by the wayside; the boss's debt left unsquared.

Two Thursdays ago, we had it all set up - everyone was on board....I got the flu.

Monday....Missy Mopps got the flu.

....Restaurant was fully booked out.

...the baby sitter couldn't make it.

....Ashley going out of town next week.

It HAD to be Friday night or the boss would have kittens!

"Have you gone out for dinner YET?", the boss urged in an apparent exasperated sweat .

"We are going out tonight", Ashley was relieved to tell him.

"Good! It is easier to get an aircraft into Nigeria than getting you two out for dinner", was the bosses final frustrated word on the matter.

And so it seems the boss is correct. We don't get out much.

But we did go out last night and had a great evening. We went to La Belle Auberge, a fantastic culinary experience, that is practically on our door step.

Set in an old Victorian house and decorated in period furniture, the entire experience at La Belle Auberge is detailed, intimate and beautiful.

Chef Bruno Marti and his staff are award winners and the presentation of the food is pure art.

While you can order A La Carte, we decided to go all out try Table d'Hote; a "pre-set gastronomic 7-course menu".

Of everything I tried, I think my favourite was the Lobster Bisque - it was heavenly!

For dessert Ashley ordered this gorgeously presented chocolate terrine. It was wrapped in a chocolate and caramel chocolate "pear drop". It was almost too pretty to eat...I said almost.

Well, it was definitely a fine experience. We tend to love a great restaurant, such things are a bit of an interest to us, if "restauranting" could be considered "an interest".

So, thanks Boss. It wasn't that we didn't appreciate the offer, we just didn't expect it.