Adventures

You find us in Salisbury this morning.

We left Tupton in the pouring rain yesterday morning and went by taxi to the railway station.  Ordinarily we come to Salisbury in the car, but I decided that I didn't entirely trust it not to break down en route - and I very profoundly didn't want to break down on any of the motorways that we would be on.  We do have break down cover, so I'm not usually worried, but the side of the motorways on a Sunday would not be a pleasant place to be stood waiting for assistance!

The trains were quite pleasant, if a little crowded.  And the first train the we were on, the train to Bristol, didn't have any seat reservations.  It should have had them, but they weren't working.  This caused a few small arguments when we got to Birmingham, where a tidal wave of people embarked.  Not with us; nobody wanted our seats, but in the seats around us.  Still, we all got sorted out in the end,  and on we trundled.  I enjoyed the journey from Bristol to Salisbury.  We did have seat reservations on the very busy, three carriage train.  It follows, more or less, a route that we have occasionally taken in the car.  It's very pretty.

We came down to Salisbury so we could attend The Builder's brother and sister in law's golden wedding anniversary tea party.  It was held in the Radnor Hall out in Bodenham, near Nunton where his mother used to live.  His mother was at the party.  So was his sister and her family.  And his daughter and two grand daughters.  So were many of his nieces and nephews, and loads of grands, and many of Terry and Jenny's friends.  It was a lovely tea party.  Jenny and her assistants had cooked up a storm and there were sausage rolls and sandwiches and cheese straws and quiches and more baked things, and scones and cakes and eclairs and all sorts.  The tables were positively groaning with delicious treats.  The rain in Tupton had given way to glorious Wiltshire sunshine, so Jeanette, Rebecca, Evie, The Builder and I went for a stroll through Bodenham to look at the house where Jeanette was born, and to peer over the front wall at Terry and Jenny's place to look at the tortoises.  Then Terry drove us back into Salisbury (we had gone out in a taxi).

The Builder and I spent the evening out in the beer garden at the Old Mill, enjoying a glass or two of wine in the evening sunshine, listening to the river and the ducks, and eating cheese and apple and pate and crusty bread.  It was all very civilised :-)

It's been quite an exciting week in other ways as well.  I went out to the Pot Luck Pantry on Thursday as the main cook, and by default the duty manager, there not being anyone else to do it.  I had several volunteers to play with, but some of them were quite new.  So we kept it simply.  We had packets of sausages and loads of eggs in store, plus slices of ham and chicken and cheese, salady things, bread, a box of cream cheese.  So we had a Pot Luck Picnic, it being quite a peasant day.  You told us how many people there were in your party and we put together platters with a random assortment of picnic things.  People responded quite well to this - normally we have a comprehensive menu detailing all your options.  On this occasion you had to tell us of allergies, dietary requirements, dislikes and take your chances

A Pot Luck Picnic for one

and a sharing platter for six

I usually finish at the Pantry at 2, but this time stayed to 4 to cover for the afternoon crew who couldn't get there any earlier.  I had a great time, but I was a tad on the tired side when I finally left!

And, even more excitingly - someone actually came to look at the house on Saturday.  A real someone, who is actually looking to move house.  She stayed for about half an hour, looked round twice and asked loads of questions, so showed  a fair amount of interest.  But we haven't heard back from her so I don't think she's going to buy the house.  But where one person comes, more will surely follow. And there is, of course, the auction approaching.