What's in a name?

This morning I received a copy of the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway Food and Drink Guide 2011-2012 in the post. And there it was, my name in print as a contributor. It would have been even more exciting if they'd spelled my surname correctly. One of the few things I kept, alongside children and dogs and debt, was my first husband's surname. I always liked it and so, in spite of divorce and remarriage, decided to keep it. I know it shouldn't annoy me that people spell it wrong, but I'm afraid it does. A swift email was sent off to the Food and Drink Guide head office to tell them of my disappointment. I'm sure I'll get an apology, but the deed is done.

The good thing about having the Guide is that it's full of all the local places to go and eat which I never knew about. There are some which I've seen, but never bothered to go to, but now I think it's time to re-energise my passion for going out for meals and now we have the trusty guide to guide us, there's really no excuse.

I've also had a thought. I owe Mr Bassman a dinner when he and She Who Must Not Be Named next come down this way, so although the delights of Edinburgh have been already named, I'm thinking maybe The Dining Room at the Roxburghe Hotel might be just as good.

The Roxburghe Hotel was my first ever food review, but I never made it to the main restaurant as at the time I was given a choice of lunch or dinner and I plumped for lunch, which was in The Library of the said establishment. I made this decision as I felt I had more chance of not having more than a glass of wine at lunch time and thus being sober enough to write the damn thing in the first place. I felt it was a good decision on my part, especially as I was still a review virgin at the time.

Of course our choice of dinner venue will necessitate Mountain man and me going to check it out first, which will be fun. And then second, will be persuading Mr and Mrs B to eschew the delights of the grand capital. This, I feel, may be a whole lot harder.

In the meantime, spelled wrong or not, I am in print and I have the evidence to prove it. And what's more they want me back next year, which hopefully will give the powers that be the opportunity to get it right. Only time will tell.