On a cheerier note...

After my rant of t'other day I feel a cheerful post coming on. A recommendation, in fact. Because one of the highlights of our drive north last weekend was stopping for elevenses at The Water Mill in Blair Atholl. Having had breakfast at 5.30am, we'd already had service station espressos, but now we were ready for something more soothing.

Di had a distant memory of the tearoom at this old mill, and had us off the A9 and diving down the loop road into Blair Atholl before we knew it. And there, just off the main village road past the Atholl Arms Hotel, down past the level crossing, was this lovely old-fashioned place with wooden tables and benches and a choice of decent tea (Earl Grey and herbal as well as standard). And scones. Lovely big scones, still warm in the middle, with butter and jam as you wanted. And fabby bagels - I sampled Di's; to have both would have been sheer greed.

And when we'd finished we bought a loaf for the next day's purvey which was as soft and cakey as you could wish, and square home-made oatcakes, and a big bag of their wholemeal bread flour. And - lest you think we go in entirely for this healthy stuff - champagne fudge. Hmm.