I don't know. You have absolutely no international visitors for months and months and months ...

... and then you get two lots almost at the same time. Although not all of them actually stayed over, but just came for lunch on Saturday.

The second group were a former colleague, Kelly, who lives in Washington State in the US of A., her (British by birth, American by choice) husband Steve and their two daughters. They came to lunch three years ago, at about this time of year.  This time I also invited Bea, who also used to work with Kelly, and her partner Steve. Two Steves.  Fortunately not as confusing as it might have been!

It actually rained on Saturday morning. Proper rain - just not enough to fill the water buts. But more than enough for me to decide that on this occasion we would have lunch inside.  So we tidied up the dining room, extended the dining room table so we could fit 8 around it and shoved one end of it back up against the fireplace so we had room to walk around.

Of course, by the time the visitors all arrived, the sun had come out and the afternoon was lovely.  We decided to stay inside, since we had got all set up!  We had Cornish new potatoes, and a huge big salad, and I made crumbed chicken pieces and I grilled sausages and I made tomato and beef burgers to go with it all.  And for dessert I re-stocked my ice cream van treat stand with more cakes, more popcorn, and more mixed fruit and nuts.

It was a great afternoon.  It was good to see Kelly, Steve and the children again.  It was good to see Bea and Steve too, but we see them more often than once every three years!

(I forgot to take photos - sorry :-( )

Sunday was also a lovely day.  We spoke to Stella and Tony in the morning, and to Lindsey. We had spoken to Matthew on Saturday morning. We were just missing Simon and Wendy - though Wendy doesn't seem to have a Skype account.  We pootled out to Marsh Green for a few bits and pieces.  The Builder watched the British Grand Prix - on the telly; he didn't go to Silverstone in person.  I mounted an attack on the bindweed that was trying with determination to strangle our beautiful twisted witch hazel tree. I don't think either of us watched the Wimbledon Men's final. But we did have roast beef and new potatoes and veg from the garden for lunch, with some lovely wine that Paul and Carol had given us the previous weekend. And the sun shone.  You'd almost think it was summer!

The poor Builder is now even more toothless than he was.  He went to the dentist this morning for a post-extraction and plate fitting check up.  I think he only expected to be there three minutes.  While he was there he mentioned that he was having trouble chewing because of three crumbling molars.  The dentist looked, x-rayed and pondered. The Builder, I suspect, thought he would be sent away and told to make another appointment. Instead, the dentist decided to whip the offending teeth out then and there. Something of a surprise in the day.  The Builder was even more surprised when I came home from work this evening bearing a bottle of mouthwash for him.  Whisky does count as an effective mouthwash, doesn't it?