Will we ever be Ready...

Panic has set in Chez-Nous in our quest to get everything ready for our visitor tomorrow.  We may live in a bit of a tip most of the time but NOT when we have guests!  I am so glad that we don't provide accommodation as a business because we would just get stressed to the max particularly this time of the year when the weather is so unpredictable, and we would have to change the name of the villa - Villa 10b is hardly inspiring is it?  We could, as seems to be quite fashionable over here, name it after ourselves by joining our two names - Villa Joji sounds vaguely Japanese, serene and ordered, very Zen!  If our friends Trevor and Vicki make it over here to live they could call their home Villa Trevi which has a certain Italian ring to it, all marble and fountains.  As for my Mum and Dad - theirs would be called Villa Moron - enough said!!!  Talking of Mum and Dad they are both poorly at the moment, Dad on the up though as Mum goes downhill, both with chest infections - we have told them to sod the expense and keep WARM - we didn't move out here for them to be poorly - without them we have no crib partners.

Anyway I digress.  John started on the outstanding essential DIY and suggested that I spent the morning having a cook-in and get some meals in the bag so that we don't have to spend loads of time in the kitchen when Vix is here.  

That was a good idea and so I prepared three dishes in advance, a sausage, chorizo, bacon and butter bean ragout, chicken meatballs with a lemon and pepper sauce and the chicken and preserved lemon tagine as Vix had asked to try that.

The cats took advantage of the bedroom doors being opened and crept into our room (they are not allowed in the guest bedroom) finding our bed unmade they decided that it would OK to snuggle down and make themselves at home.  Chivs did have the grace to look a little guilty when I took the camera in but MM didn't even move a muscle.  I kind of think she is still working the anaesthetic out of her system as she is a little more lethargic than usual.

Having watched the clouds scurrying over and hmmd and haad for a while I decided to try and get a load of washing out of the way - as John pointed out there was a stiff old breeze which would help with the drying but it was chilly all the same.  Fortunately it did dry enough that if I ironed it any dampness would be ironed out and even I have to admit there is nothing quite like the smell and feel of freshly laundered sheets.

We have a clean and tidy house now in readiness for Vix - even the dining table has been set for the three of us so that when we get back from the airport tomorrow we can settle down to some ragout and a good old chin-wag.  It certainly doesn't feel like five months since we saw her last but the internet makes it so much easier to keep in contact nowadays.

Talking of the internet I was contacted by Paula from the Masons Arms Pub in Odcombe - when we lived back in England in our house in Fennel Way we used to frequent the pub regularly (not so much when we were in married quarters as we were on a savings offensive) and partake of their wonderful food.  They kindly let us have their camping field to host John's 40th birthday which had a Village Fete theme with barbeque and Jazz band followed by breakfast in the pub for those hardy souls that camped overnight.  I always used to help Paula with creating marketing blurb (flyers, posters etc) for all the different events she used to host and act as computer consultant when she had problems.  Although no longer just down the road I am still able to help her so today we were working on a flyer for some forthcoming events.  If you do not know their establishment check out their website http://www.masonsarmsodcombe.co.uk/ and if you are ever in the area looking for somewhere to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, or camp or B&B or let the children/dogs out for a run then give them a go - there is even an in-house microbrewery!

Whilst on the subject of food, my preserved lemons have been a revelation and were so easy that I have taken some more oranges and lemons and started to preserve them which takes about three weeks.  I like Moroccan cooking which calls for preserved fruit in quite a lot of recipes - the intense flavour and piquancy cuts through fatty meat perfectly and adds an extra dimension.  If you have thought previously that you don't like meat and fruit together keep an open mind and try it with preserved citrus and I think you might change your mind.  Preserving also allows me to continue with my pledge not to throw anything away - even the bitter pip strewn oranges that come from my Mum's neighbour!

To go with my existing badges John says that I am nearly ready to be awarded my ironing badge although I still have quite a way to go to reach his standards and, let's face it, I really have no excuse these days not to do the ironing and with limited space in the house it is better to get it done and out of the way.

So finally today before I close I thought you would all be pleased to know that our little lovelies are back sleeping together snuggled up in their basket.  If my postings are sketchy for the next week I know you will forgive me but our guest comes first!