The Remains of an Evening

Outside the sunshine held, inside, the table groaned under dishes of food as we seven stalwart book group ladies sashayed in with just three husbands present instead of five.
The missing two appeared to have cast iron excuses, although His Lordship looked like a little boy whose pals hadn't wanted to come out to play.

He realised that he was completely out numbered by chatty ladies and chose to retire to the kitchen after hurriedly finishing his meal, and be chief washer -upper even though there was a mechanical dishwasher nearby.

We toasted our longevity as a book group with flutes of bubbly outside on a beautiful lawn under trees, before going back inside to sample as many of the dishes as was seemly without appearing greedy.

This morning of course I regret my lack of restraint on both the food and alcohol fronts, but it was such a lovely evening and well worth the hangover.

Thank you Anne and Nick for being such welcoming hosts.

This of course was not all that remained from last night, but simply my doggy bag.