Getting friends together

I did not sleep any better last night - if anything it was worse so John is being despatched to sort out the squeaky fan asap and, added to that, for some reason the pump has started going off briefly two or three times during the night and we cannot work out why.  Normally it means a toilet that isn't shutting off properly after flushing - whatever it is it is very annoying as I hear it every time.  We need to find out what is causingg it but at night I shall simply switch the pump off in future.  We don't have anyone staying so don't need to toilets to fast fill.

We were completing the wooden wall today - blimey that job took a lot longer than we thought it would what with one thing and another but eventually it was done.  My nails and hands look like I have been preparing walnuts.

It has felt a bit like lockdown the last couple of days being in the garden just the two of us working together - we do say we really enjoyed that time - we could get up and go to bed whatever time we fancied, we could wear what we wanted without fear of being seen and we only had ourselves and the cats to think about, feed and entertain and amazingly we managed all those weeks without any major falling out and got so much done.  

I can't see the island going back to lockdown even though there has been an increase in cases (as a result of more testing presumably) but if it does we wont complain too much - maybe we should just become hermits.  The only trouble is I think Mum would really struggle if we had to lockdown again.  I know it is so much harder when you are a person on your own.  Anyway no chance of hermitry this evening as we were having Sonia and Isabel up for a meal.  Since returning from Scotland Isabel is venturing out a little more often as her confidence is building. It has been a very hard year for her losing David so unexpectedly and then being isolated. She plans to return to Scotland when she is able to do so but in the interim she needs to get out and meet people.  Sonia is fabulous and I thought that they might well be able to chat away whilst I was serving the meal or John was getting drinks.

I had decided to cook a vegetarian meal as I know Sonia only eats a small amount of meat.  I had found a recipe for a chickpea and haloumi curry which sounded nice and was easy to make.  It was actually delicious and I would certainly make it again for anyone as the halloumi was a brilliant substitute for meat.  It was light and flavoursome.

I am so glad we decided to get the square plates/bowls from Paps as they are perfect for serving a meal like this and the white is a perfect backdrop for the food.

I had decided to serve with noodles as I thought it would be lighter than rice and when John first tasted the curry he thought it was a bit hot and noodles seem to calm the heat down.

Anyway there were no complaints from my diners as there were clean plats/bowls all round which is what I like to see if I have been cooking.

There is a link to the recipe but I will also put a link on my Food tab so that if you want to try it you can find it quickly and easily.

We didn't seem to have any trouble finding things to talk about and Isabel didn't seem phased by it and joined in which is great.  I think I am beginning to get a glimpse of the real Isabel before everything that happened this year happened and that is good. 

We rounded off our evening with some baby vanilla pannacotta and a compote of mango, ginger and mint which was light and refreshing.  After Sonia and Isabel left John and I cleared away and washed up.  We knew Sonia would get home ok - it's only around the corner but Isabel was driving, on an unfamiliar road but managed without problem.  It was a good night all round.