We had an ace night last night.
We realised at about half past seven that we were too tired and fed up with the day to do anything useful. We thought at first a takeaway, but of course it is midweek in January, and every single takeaway in the village had closed for the purposes of hibernation, rather like our taxi service.
In the end we went round to the Indian restaurant across the road, which was open, although not terribly busy.
Actually we were the only customers there.
This was rather nice in that it meant that instead of sitting eating our dinner by ourselves, it became a rather social affair with the waiters, and we had an informative hour of catching up with local gossip.
I was rather enchanted to hear their horror at the plight of the poor Turkish waiters from the other end of the street. It seems that they have been living in the cellar, and possibly all deported since Immigration came round a couple of months ago. We were all equally shocked about the living conditions of some of the Romanian immigrants in the village, some of whom have been sleeping in shifts in a single shared bed and sending all of their cash back home.
It is brilliant to know that not many years ago, Indian immigrants were suffering these conditions, and now they are so much a part of the civilised way of doing things that they were as horrified as we were. It made me feel hopeful for the world, their grandparents’ struggles were not wasted.
When we woke up this morning it was to discover that the world had turned white whilst we slept.
There wasn’t enough of it to be proper holiday snow, and it didn’t matter, because we are not going to go to work tonight anyway, but there was an inch or two, and the world had become muffled, so we were pleased.
When we took the dogs out we discovered that it had fallen on the top of an exciting layer of ice, which made walking more of an adventure than it usually is. We went up to Booths for some ethical shopping. This means a scramble up a steep banking and over the fence into the car park. Obviously Booths has a perfectly good road leading up to it, but it is a detour from our house, and the other way has a rascally feel to it, which I quite like. I wonder when one grows out of this sort of thing.
As it turned out, climbing up the steep banking was not too bad, but coming down was another matter altogether. I slipped over and slid halfway down, landing in a snowy heap at the bottom.
I scraped the skin off the heel of my hand. I have noticed ever since how very much one uses that bit. It is
The purpose behind our Booths trip was that we are entertaining friends for dinner this evening.
I am looking forward to this with a mixture of joy and trepidation.
It is some taxi driver friends and my friend from the bank.
You might recall that the bank manager was cross about the last time.
I know that I will enjoy the evening very much indeed. They are absolutely the best company imaginable, and make me laugh so much I forget to behave properly in a decently respectable manner. The problem is that when we get together we are all so happy and expansive that the drink is sloshed around with great good cheer, and then the next day I am not very well.
Last time I was not very well the day after that as well.
Mark finished wiring the lights into the living room and I cooked dinner.
We are having a Turkish dinner, made of lamb and vegetables and simmered for ages in red wine and cream and smoked paprika.
Somehow cooking took me almost all day.
I have made puddings and a cheeseboard and some bread for a starter.
It is going to be ace.
All the same I know that I am in some peril.
Keep your fingers crossed that I do not accidentally forget and drink too much.
