Saturday, December 19, 2009

Coffee with…


Potato crisps, mint sausage rolls, cheesy bits with a spicy flavour, mini chocolate éclairs and Joy had made a strudel which was so much nicer than Christmas cake. Although Margaret and Malcolm will be leaving in January (it can’t all go wrong again) they are doing Christmas for their children and grand- children and I admired the prettiest piece of seasonal décor I have seen; a gold tree with tiny lights placed on a mirror Margaret had spotted at a boot sale which fitted exactly a circular table she had and the table was scattered with tiny glass ornaments she had bought from Bastins - our El Cheapo store. Pure Glass Menagerie.


Margaret had a proper stable but I preferred my actors and why have a glitter ball in a stable? Margaret said it was probably the moon but in a stable?? Poor Jackie was bruised from a fall – can someone please find out how to stop terrible cramp – but spirits were high and we reminisced on our various traumas over 24 years of friendship and how each of us have had our load lightened, in turn. by the quartet.


Malcolm popped his head round the door; and was offered strudel.

‘Has it got nuts?’

Did he have an allergy? But no…

‘I like my nuts,’ he said helping himself to a luscious piece.

It was sherry instead of mulled wine – must have got it wrong but there’s plenty of time yet and we have another date after Christmas.

15 comments:

Kim Ayres said...

20+ years ago, I lived in Brixham, Devon, and there was a Bastin's there. A wonderful cheapy shop.

However, I do remember one year they had all their Xmas bumf up for sale at the end of August. People were still wandering about outside sans t-shirts and lobster-red sunburn, while out of this shop came carols and tinsel spilling onto the pavement...

DILLIGAF said...

I'm allergic to all nuts - unless they're well hidden in a recipe. If ther's a 'nutty' taste it ain't for me.

Mind you that led to me discovering pork scratchings behind the bar so what the hell?

Pat said...

Kim: what a dream scenario - January would be ridiculous but August - perfect!

Four.D: I do hope you haven't the sort of allergy that is death threatening. Taste is one thing - curtains quite another.
Pork scratchings is the devil's snack."

Kevin Musgrove said...

I can do festive in August. I drag out the Morecambe & Wise shows, pig out on cocktail sausages and smile at small children.

We should have got a glitterball for the crib.

Pat said...

Kevin: oh dear I fear I am leading you down the primrose path.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Oooh, look at your new profile photo, you're lovely as usual, Pat.

I can just imagine you girls laughing and chatting, it sounds wonderful even in my imagination.

I go nuts for nuts, mmmm.

Pat said...

GG: glad you like it - my son took it last night. There's MTL's shoulder.

Queenie said...

I too prefer strudel to Christmas cake. But mint sausage rolls? Eh???

Glad you had such a good time. Try Google for cramp advice.

Pat said...

Queenie: I will (google). My Mum used to swear by clutching a cork in bed. Jackie tried to get out of bed to relieve the cramp and fell and bashed her face and head. But she's tough thank Heaven.

Z said...

I wondered whether the picture was new or whether it had been there for a couple of weeks and I just hadn't noticed. I'm glad GG mentioned it - it's lovely.

The tree is very pretty. Do your friends know about your blog and read it? Some of mine know that I have a blog, but no one has asked for its name to read it - I think they feel it would be a bit weird, like reading my diary! Mind you, they probably think it's like one of the scandalous, naughty ones!

Pat said...

Z: glad you like the photo - I was tired of the red shirt.
Like you these friends know about my blog but only one of them has a computer and probably feels she knows all about me anyway:)

Anonymous said...

The EMBLOS brought back star anise from Germany in November for a proper Gluehwein. We're saving it for Christmas Eve after the kids are in bed.

Cheers.

Pat said...

Randall: and will there be strudel?

Madame DeFarge said...

It sounds divine. I'm very impressed by the food, especially the thought of the strudel. And like the new photo, very glam.

Pat said...

Madame.D: fortunately none of us like mince pies or Christmas cake. But I do like my mulled wine.