Feasting and Fireworks

Well that was a really lovely weekend.  We didn't do very much - apart from eat, drink, feast and watch fireworks, but that was good enough!

It absolutely chucked it down on Saturday. It poured and poured and poured and poured!  We made a dash to the car, during one of the less pouring bits of the morning. We had intended to call out to Marsh Green for a few bits and pieces but when we got there we discovered that they were having a Christmas Market and the car park was absolutely chockablock full.  We gave that up as a bad idea and pottered out to the Garden Centre and then to Sainsbury's instead.  We haven't been to Sainsbury's for simply ages.  It was quite hard to get to for about 6 weeks.  They had the bridge by the station closed while they did road repairs up by the station entrance, so we couldn't get there by that route.  We could, of course, have gone along the main road, but they are doing major roadworks along there at the moment and the queues are quite substantial most of the time.  It's only a five minute drive to the Tesco in Clay Cross, so we've been going there instead. However, I much prefer Sainsbury's and now that the bridge is open again we are heading back there when a supermarket is required.

While we were out, Tabitha rang to tell me that Cally was going to a birthday party in Chesterfield, and did we fancy meeting them for a late lunch when the party finished at 2pm.  A nice thought, but perhaps not today.  We have foodie plans for later in the day!

It's a year since the Wingerworth re-opened after a full refurb and the acquisition of new owners. As a celebration (and given that this was one of  the weekends that people were having their bonfire parties - bonfire night was actually on Wednesday so people pretty much had both weekends to choose from), the people at the Wingerworth had a bonfire and fireworks party planned.  The bonfire was lit at 6:30 with the fireworks starting at 7:30.  We don't usually eat as early as 6:30, but I booked us a table for that time anyway, so we could go out and watch the fireworks. (This was why I didn't want to go out for lunch at 2:30!!!)  The Wingerworth is about a 2.25 km walk from our place and it had actually stopped raining, so off we headed on foot. And found that they had given us a table by the window, overlooking the bonfire and the fireworks.  No need for us to head out into the cold after all!!!

Wingerworth Pub, Saturday evneing

A huge bonfire down in the car park and beer garden

The view from our table, looking down on the bonfire

We had an absolutely delicious meal, washed down with plenty of wine and even a glass of port to accompany the watching of the fireworks.  We were on foot, so no one had to worry about driving home again!  The fireworks were spectacular and the car park was absolutely full of spectators.  Was a great evening.

A message from Tabitha.  Gareth had got the wrong day for the birthday party that Cally was due to attend.  It was actually on Sunday.  Did we fancy meeting them for lunch on Sunday instead.  Well, yes.  We can do that, or alternatively, they could all come to our place instead.  And that is what they did.  I did barbecue-style food, but cooked and served inside. It might not have been raining any more, but it was only about 8d outside and everything was all soggy wet.  Much more comfortable sat in our dining room rather than outside in the wind and damp.  Cally had already eaten, so she sat in the lounge room and watched telly and coloured in with the colouring books I had bought and played with our teddies and had a small plate of hot chips.  The rest of us sat at the table and ate sausages and steak and hot chips and drank wine (apart from Gaz who was driving home).  It was a lovely, if unexpected, Sunday lunch party.

We had our first frost of the season last week.  It looked very beautiful - but it didn't do our zucchini/courgette, cucumber or butternut squash plants any good at all.

Frost-tinged mint leaves and flowers

Twisted witch hazel in the frost