social

Well... Jess has had a very exciting time today. Usually the highlight of her day is the arrival of the postie, who can be relied on for  a dog treat. Today she (and we) had....VISITORS!

First of all, while D and I were enjoying our morning coffee on the bench,, came Joanna and Aidan. It was Joanna's birthday yesterday and she was bringing me some of the cake she had baked - a pistachio cake decorated with rose petals and accompanied by figs poached with cardamom. Oh it was so lovely (to look at and to taste). Thank you Joanna! We all sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed coffee and conversation (see extra for Jess's happy face) and suddenly it was noon. How did that happen? The postie arrived and gave Jess her treat and Joanna realised that she had once looked after him when he was a baby. It's a small, small world.

For the next hour or so, I caught up on the housework I'd neglected for the past week and just as well I did because halfway through the afternoon, while D was doing his yoga on the lawn, a car pulled up and I heard a woman say "Don't you recognise us, David?". Well, I would have recognised that voice anywhere, even though I hadn't heard it for 23 years. It was Putzi and Andrew, who live in South Cumbria and were up visiting local gardens. We worked with Andrew at Furness General Hospital before we were married, and he and Putzi were were very kind to us. Even after all these years, conversation flowed, tea was drunk and the afternoon went by until suddenly it was after 5pm. How did that happen? Jess wasn't too sure, though, about the two wire haired daschunds who had invaded her property - the oldest one was a little bad tempered...you can see her reaction in the photo.

The Smiths decamped to Arbigland and I made and ate the quickest dhal ever and then savoured the cake.

Finally it was time to go to drumming. Jess had a run out in the car and got to be made a fuss of by Fiona.

Good stuff, but tiring. I think work will be a rest tomorrow after all this socialising!

Todays walk: Stepford Round 3.9 miles