Background: Last month’s poor experience led to phone calls from three of us to the owners of Bavarian Manor, also the owner of Furlongs. It seems Chay extracted an offer of half-price if we would “make-up” at Furlongs. We accepted.

This time, we dined inside, November weather not to be endured even on the back deck. The owner greeted us – Mr. Tom’s table! With a straight face, he announced one small problem: the server from Bavarian Manor was unavailable this evening. A relieved round of laughter followed.

The menu is a one page list of comfortable choices. A handful of salads join a soup and soup special for the early round. Appetizers include chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, wings, sliders, quesadilla (2), mac & cheese, and onion rings.

            Entrées included two burgers, chicken Francaise, roasted chicken, lobster ravioli, salmon, prime rib, shepards pie, chicken pot pie, pasta primavera, and this evening’s special of Guinness beef stew.

            Most of us chose an entrée although one was an appetizer meal. All was considered very good.

            Service by a young Claire was good although nervous. (not sure if she had been alerted to our past! ha).

            The dessert list again was minimalist although two of us chose one of the three choices – apple pie, after Don asked of its origins. It was a good apple pie.

            Ambiance is an updated Irish bar – a 60 x 30 foot rectangle, with a long bard facing five TV screens is the main focus. Two inch thick slabs of wood comprise the table top, surrounded by comfortable enough wood chairs. The coffee pot was curiously placed behind us so the waiter had to clumsily ask to reach it, or it was conveniently placed so one of us could fill Ken’s cup easily, for the other way of seeing it.

            The average bill would have been in the $70-$90 range. Half-price made it feel really economical, and we made sure to tip on the whole amount.

            Parking at Furlongs is an interesting escape backing out onto Rt 145 unless one parks on the side. Off into the November darkness we drove with no time for the car motors to warm up.

            A thank you to the three complainers, oops, I meant feedback providers!

Discussion around the table caught us up on our lives’ events and allowed us to fix most of life’s problems, at least for a Sunday evening.

            A flashback to Bavarian was bantered around. And we sat open-mouthed upon learning of the death of one of a teaching colleague’s sister a year ago.

            Otherwise: the Teators had just returned from Portugal and Spain and jet lag; the Notars had returned from Hawaii; we inquired about Ken’s tests (the model is readjusting his waistline!); the Adamses had been to Italy, we hear; Den’s doings; Thanksgiving Day; changes from Thanksgivings past; grandkids; Lynda & Ross’s goings-on; Deb’s Sweeter Side and Facebook postings; Lutheran Church events; Christmas shopping; and a number of topics either forgotten or out of conversation range.