Edited by Cathy Winsor, Wednesday, 21 Dec 2011, 08:36
Yoga again this morning, I drove there and back in pouring rain, everyone is getting excited by the plentiful snow up at the ski resorts, they are all open. It was a busy afternoon preparing for a dinner party with friends. We decided it was a good idea to have neighbours over for drinks on a different day from other friends, so we’ll have another do on Friday. Philip & Rupert made lots of good recipes from Madhur Jaffrey’s cook book, samosas, spiced leg of lamb, chapattis and then a lemon tart for pudding. While they worked away in the kitchen I did other useful tasks like decorate the Christmas tree on the terrace. We have used the same battered Christmas decorations for nearly 20 years, mainly a large box of about fifty tiny hand painted Christmas figures that I paid just a few guilders for in Holland that are seemingly indestructible. I’m slightly worried about the tree lights getting wet and electrocuting someone, the tree is a bit exposed to the elements as most of the covered terrace is piled high with bits of conservatory.
The food was excellent, but for some reason conversation didn’t flow, it seemed to be mostly competitive things I have done/ places I have been to conversations between those we’d invited, who don’t really like each other anyway. The cats kept everyone entertained by competing for mice. One of the tom cats was convinced his mouse had climbed the curtain, I don’t think it had, but the silly cat kept clawing his way up to the rail and then falling back. They left just before midnight, one of the guests brought us a present of some delicious home made chocolates, I'm looking forward to eating those.
20th December
Yoga again this morning, I drove there and back in pouring rain, everyone is getting excited by the plentiful snow up at the ski resorts, they are all open. It was a busy afternoon preparing for a dinner party with friends. We decided it was a good idea to have neighbours over for drinks on a different day from other friends, so we’ll have another do on Friday. Philip & Rupert made lots of good recipes from Madhur Jaffrey’s cook book, samosas, spiced leg of lamb, chapattis and then a lemon tart for pudding. While they worked away in the kitchen I did other useful tasks like decorate the Christmas tree on the terrace. We have used the same battered Christmas decorations for nearly 20 years, mainly a large box of about fifty tiny hand painted Christmas figures that I paid just a few guilders for in Holland that are seemingly indestructible. I’m slightly worried about the tree lights getting wet and electrocuting someone, the tree is a bit exposed to the elements as most of the covered terrace is piled high with bits of conservatory.
The food was excellent, but for some reason conversation didn’t flow, it seemed to be mostly competitive things I have done/ places I have been to conversations between those we’d invited, who don’t really like each other anyway. The cats kept everyone entertained by competing for mice. One of the tom cats was convinced his mouse had climbed the curtain, I don’t think it had, but the silly cat kept clawing his way up to the rail and then falling back. They left just before midnight, one of the guests brought us a present of some delicious home made chocolates, I'm looking forward to eating those.