Sunday 17 October 2010

these last days

Saturday 5:00 pm: "What would you like to drink?"
Sunday 3:00 am: "I really think I need to go to bed now."

It's been a fairly busy time work-wise over recent months.  We decided to invite old friends down. The weather has been much better than we thought it would be. We had a Roasted Vegetable Terrine (roasted red peppers, aubergine slices, goat's cheese) to start and Roast Pork with fennel and preserved lemon to follow (accompanied by roast butternut squash and chestnuts). Afterwards - and before the all -important cheese board - chocolate mousse tartlets. I can't say how many bottles of wine were harmed in the making of that evening but you get the idea. About one o'clock this morning we met our son coming home as we were going out.  He went to bed and we went to the beach to light Chinese Lanterns and giggle - I had a can of London Pride in my pocket as it seemed the right thing to do. All very pretty - ghostly white lanterns gently drifting off above the sea. Some crashed and burned - the lanterns, that is. 10 hours.

Later, an impromptu jam with 12 string guitar and Stylophone (oh yes!) on Spancil Hill and Wild Mountain Thyme before fatigue overtook us. Who says us middle aged people don't know how to have fun?  Possibly the neighbours. Next week I'll have to go to the bottle bank again - I've only just got rid of the late summer load. Not a single glass of Single Malt came into play.  Unlike now as I write. A nightcap of Bowmore's Legend is helping me prepare my entry into Dreamland.

This afternoon we wandered up the coast to the Ferry taking in the early Autumn sun - and a welcome pint of Guinness to "blow away the cobwebs" as my dear old mum used to say. The apple tree pictured appears to have succumbed to the reaper - or a reaper - which is a shame. Gradually we wandered back, walking into the sun's glare.  A casserole of beef, chestnuts and red wine followed by a blackberry and apple crumble - we foraged the blackberries ourselves, as you may be aware.

Tomorrow we have to wake up and go to work.  It'll be another high pressured week of teaching, meetings and unnecessary claptrap.  But these last days* make it all worthwhile.

*Hats off to Roy Harper for the title.  He seemed to feature heavily on Saturday night, too.

3 comments:

Brendini said...

It was a smashing week-end. I was particularly taken with that recording of Krazy and Ignatz by Dave Alvin, but couldn't find any CDs that had it. Is it on some spectacularly arcane recording known only to secret adepts of Americana?

Dave Leeke said...

Yes, it is indeed a spectacularly arcane recording. It's a bonus download from Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women. You should be able to access it here for 99 cents:

http://store.yeproc.com/artist.php?id=883

Or if you want, I can burn it onto a cd for you as we'll be meeting again in less than two weeks. If that is still not good enough I can send it via Postman Pat. Welcome to the "I want it and I want it NOW" generation.

Brendini said...

A CD would do very nicely, thank you.