good times with good friends...

This weekend we had one of our regular visits from Nicky and Mark.  It is always easy with them - we have known each other now since they bought Mum and Dad's house in Emba and get on well.  They always plan to come at about 11.00am and are invariably late but we don't mind then we spend the day together, they stay overnight and then return home after breakfast.  They always say it feels like they have been away on a holiday after spending time up here in Droushia and they have been in all weathers!!  True to form they arrived nearer 12.00 today but who is counting?  The weather wasn't due to be good today so we had planned the whole day at home - and good job as we had thunderstorms and a powercut!!!

Bless them they came well prepared with drinks and entertainment in a massive Jumbos bag - you would have thought they were coming for a week!!!

We chilled for a while catching up on what has happened since the last time we were together.  Nicky and Mark have a busy time working so we like to make sure they relax as much as possible whilst they are here.  What is good is that Nicky's mum knows my mum and so we plan to get together periodically and have a meal together which is nice and it will be nice for Mum to have something regular in the diary.

We always have a laugh playing games so after a light lunch of wraps with bacon brie cranberry and lettuce the girlies challenged the boys with a game of Them and Us (the girlies were appallingly bad) then Say what You see (like catch phrase before embarking on Risk.  We were due to play this last time but someone forgot to check that we had the requisite number of dice in the box!!!

It took forever to get the game set up and the rudiments of the rules sorted (although they seemed to change depending on whose turn it was at the time!!!) and I was obliterated after the first round which made me realise that being the last player is a complete disadvantage!  Anyway I had supper to get ready so I didn't mind too much but the other three started to get uber-competitive and before long World domination was happening right at my dining table!!!

Tonight's menu started with home-made chicken, pork and orange pate with a side salad - I think I was a tad over generous with the portions but the pate was good even though I say so myself.  Then we had Cyprus roast potatoes, carrots, leeks, green beans and peas with pork tenderloin served with a cream, ginger, lime and mustard sauce.

We had to have a bit of a rest before tackling the pudding which was a home made pavlova with vanilla cream and cherries and mint.  To be honest it was too much too late and we all felt stuffed as we contemplated bed - Nicky and Mark are early to bed and early to rise which is absolutely fine in our books.

We had a lovely day and it was good to catch up...