A to Z of Date Nights: H is for Herd/Home

A to Z of Date Nights

H is for Herd and Home

In the last couple of months, Our Sidekick has got a job. Now, this is great but because it’s retail his shifts can be different each week. Now, this week he’d been put on a late on Thursday so wasn’t able to babysit.

Rather than surrender, Chris was not deterred. He had a plan. We were down to Herd and Harvester as they both do takeaway and start with H. Jaxon has been coughing a lot recently too so actually staying home instead was good because we could check on him and be right there if he needed us. While Chris was feeding Jaxon and doing bedtime, I nipped to the supermarket and then to get the food. I spoke to the pharmacist about cough medicine for Jaxon’s cough – it’s been sounding chesty but they only had the dry mixture. (Actually following a conversation with the nurse at the Drop-In on Friday morning – Cough medicine is sort of all sugar and no kick. There are plenty of less sugary alternatives and so far so good). I’d also grabbed a bottle of Cloudy Lemonade to have with our dinner.

Anyway, after solving the cough medicine conundrum I headed into town for the food. First challenge was to find somewhere to park. I ended up parking round the corner and then putting my head down and walking as fast as I could in the dark to the restaurant. I felt like I’d parked reasonably close but then when I got out to walk back, it felt like ages!

Waiting in Herd, Pull the Udder One!

When I arrived at Herd, it was a little bit busy but not too busy. I thought someone would have acknowledged that I was there even if it was just to say “Sorry, we’ll be with you shortly”. Well after 10 minutes and another guy coming in and semi-queue jumping, I was debating going elsewhere. It was nearly 8 pm and I was hungry. I was prepared that there would be a wait for the food while it cooked but if I knew I was going to be ignored I’d have gone elsewhere or phoned my order in maybe.

While I was stood there Chris was sending me herd and burger jokes. When I commented by text to Chris about the guy half queue jumping he texted “Perhaps he was just too cow-ardly to follow it through”. The thread went on for quite a few messages. When Chris said I need to catch one of the servers. I replied with “Pass me my Lasso!” and a silly gif.

Now here’s where a question rose…I was offered a drink while I waited for the food. If it was you, would you have expected to pay for the drink? I’ve been elsewhere for takeaway and have been offered a free drink, while I wait for my food but this time I was charged. Now maybe that’s normal and it was only £1.50 something so not a major deal but I just wondered what the consensus was out there.

The food arrived and I repeated the head down charge back to the car. Set Waze to send an ETA to Chris and headed home.

Home, Sweet, Home

While I’d been out, Chris had got glasses and plates out on the coffee table in the living room. The candles were lit and the lights were set to “Relax” or something like that. He apologised that one of my candles wouldn’t light so he’d started a new one. I explained that was fine, I knew that one was dying and it wasn’t a problem.

We munched through our burger and chips while catching up on The Apprentice. It’s definitely more Chris’s cup of tea than mine but I generally sit there heckling or just laughing at the level of stupidity that strikes some weeks. We also watched Travel Man, I kept shouting “Been there” when we spotted places that we’ve been to in the past. Amsterdam was very exciting as we’ve been there. The Iceland one – I couldn’t respond to but I want to go one day! Yes added to the Wanderlust list.


Our Community Group has started back now following the Summer Break but date night is still happening. With continuing help from Our Sidekick’s babysitting services. We have been able to make sure we have a proper date night.  I jokingly said that we needed to try and do an A to Z of Date Nights. Of course, with Chris being the kind of guy who doesn’t want to turn down a challenge. He accepted my slightly crazy idea.