A BREAKFAST GUEST

This morning we had a friend of my son's to breakfast,I made Scotch pancakes with hot strawberry sauce and cream. We began to eat at eleven and finally left the table at two ,we were so busy telling jokes and swapping tall tales that we forgot the time.

The boys went to run a few errands and I cleared the kitchen before heading off to pick walnuts. The ones I put into brine last week for pickling turned out to be too old,the shells having begun to form. This week picked them for eating at Christmas time. Getting the flesh off the blessed things is a work of art and can be very messy as the nuts contain a dye which can stain the skin a very dark brown. The colour takes weeks to wear off and if it contacts a work surface bleach is the only thing that will shift it.

Our guest returned with my son ,he had brought us a huge container of iced cream which we ate with wine berries and lavender vodka..very decadent indeed and very nice. We could not persuade him to stay for dinner,so we parted at around five. For some reason we were all tired and our friend went off to have an early night.

For dinner I cooked a loin of pork in the halogen oven and served it with a big tray of roasted vegetables and some special bread which was a part of yesterdays baking.

Tired though we were we were also hungry and we all tucked in with a will, even so there is plenty of meat left for sandwiches later in the week and of course a small treat for each of our cats.

The coming week promises to be very busy as we the kitchen is(fingers crossed) to be refurbished this week. New worktops a sink and a new gas hob,I hope all goes well. The problem is that the job is being undertaken by the estate and a more inept bunch of Laurel and Hardies it would be difficult to imagine.

I am planning a birthday party for the young man who was our breakfast guest today,he is a member of the gaming group and it is a long standing tradition that the gamesters celebrate their birthdays with a feast in our kitchen. It is great fun to entertain such a wonderful group of people,and a very great pleasure to bake each one the birthday cake of his choice.

Having young people about the place keeps us oldies young at heart ,listening to their laughter and watching them, when they are relaxed and happy is a pleasure and well worth a birthday cake or two.

The sun has almost set and I am ready to sleep,cats,owls,foxes and the new karaoke night at the local permitting. Good night to you all,sleep well.