Sorry about the long silence

Things have been remarkably busy in my world and the last two weeks seem just to have vanished.  It was busy last week with lots and lots of teaching sessions.  Julia and I had the first year Geography and Environment students in the first half of the week and the final year Construction and Surveying students in the latter part of the week.  The week, which had loomed in a threatening manner over the whole of the previous weekend, in the end passed off relatively painlessly.

The previous weekend had been busy too. I had volunteered to work three weekend shifts at the University's open days.  Each open day, irritatingly, falls on a weekend when we were already doing something on the alternate day!  On this occasion, we had Roger and Kate, Bea and Steve and Richard coming for lunch on the Sunday.  So we did all the shopping for our Sunday feast after work on Friday. I went to the open day on Saturday (and I must say I had a really good time).  I even had time for a glass of wine in the pub after work with some of my colleagues.  Then I went home and did some gentle preparation for Sunday's feast.

And a feast it was.  Richard told me quite sternly that self-praise is no praise.  But I must say that I really was very pleased with my steamed pork and ginger wontons and the steamed prawn and squid wontons.  (I have treated myself to a new bamboo steamer and it's LOVELY).  I was really, really pleased with my fried vegetable spring rolls. I wasn't unhappy with my crumbed pork and Japanese curry sauce, nor my fried noodles, but I do those quite often so was relatively confident.  We had Chinese style chicken with a plum and soya sauce and various vegetables for our main course and rather boringly fruit and cream for dessert. There was, of course, a lot of wine. There was soft drink for the drivers. I really enjoyed the afternoon.

And then, after the visitors had all gone away I had a lovely snooze in my armchair, while The Builder washed the dishes :-D

And now we are at the start of a new week, in which thing look much, much quieter. The weekend just gone was beautifully peaceful. Nothing at all of any interest happened :-)  And there's only five weeks to go until the start of the Grand World Tour!!!

Do you like our new mantel ornament?

Marlo. Saturday morning, early