Thursday 19th December 2024

Very weary this morning…Aki cycled off to the fishmongers…I languished in bed until 1045! Got up for tea and porridge. Tidied up in preparation for our dinner guests. Lunched on a quiche I'd purchased at Belle Epoche on Upper Street yesterday. Took a call from the NHS...doing a survey on ex-smokers and lung health. Cleaned the bathroom. Walked over to Waitrose to get one or two items ahead of tonight's dinner party. Chris arrived first, followed about ten minutes later by Katrina, and Tony turned up around 1830. We sat in the living-room area, and I served them winter berry bellinis. The syrup seemed to set off an explosive reaction when the cava was poured on top, and my first effort fizzed over the top of the glass! We sat down to a roast sweet potato and tomato soup starter, followed by Aki's baked cod on mashed parsnip and carrot, with boiled potatoes and dill, and my brown sugar chocolate tart with ice cream. Chris was on good form...he regaled us with a very funny story about his cat. His son, Charlie, has finished shooting the final episode of "Stranger Things" and is on the lookout for work, though I'm sure a long rest will be much appreciated. His daughter Levi starts touring as backing singer/dancer with Self Esteem again in the New Year. We swapped Christmas presents before they headed off...I was much relieved that Tony hadn't already read the book we'd bought him, "My Battle of Hastings". Aki and I loaded the dishwasher before bath and bed...