With work commitments significantly lighter now my event season is over I appear to be turning in to a domestic goddess. I’ve rustled up a full monty Sunday lunch and even baked a cake – both firsts since I moved to Norfolk 6 years ago; hard to believe I was once a ‘proper’ cook (yes, I do have a certificate to prove it!). While on the subject of food, Shucks in Thornham, a very cosy yurt with a roaring fire, is my new favourite place for breakfast. Their Huevos Rancheros is to die for, the copious amount of chilli a perfect cure for autumn snuffles.
The house is being cleaned to within an inch of its life and some chair covers I started making more than 2 years ago are nearing completion. I just wish the light didn’t fade so quickly now – putting the garden to bed gets curtailed ever-earlier with each passing day… One of the benefits of going ‘on the waggon’ (shall I pause as you pick yourselves off the floor? Don’t worry, it won’t last for ever) is the unleashing of new-found energy – well, it’s either that or my endless boot camp sessions are finally paying off.
On the work front there was good news for three of our web clients with the publication of the October FEI World Rider Rankings, most notably for Ros Canter who has climbed up to 6th place. Oliver Townend finishes the month in 11th, and Piggy French 12th.
The best fun last month was undoubtedly a trip to London with Growler. She, perhaps ill-advisedly, enlisted my help on a shopping mission, and I actually rather enjoyed sitting in splendour in a large armchair, while two young assistants (who looked like they should still be at school) trotted back and forth from shop floor to changing room as I gesticulated towards various clothes rails. G tried on dress after dress only for me to say ‘No, looks like you are on the Starship Enterprise’ or ‘No, much too much like a bridesmaid’, let alone ‘too long’, ‘too short’, ‘too green’ etc… the poor thing, I must have battered her in to trying on about 25 dresses, the dodgy ones invariably part of my selection! I just wish I’d taken photos 😉
From the West End we went on to Shakespeare’s Globe, via a delicious dinner at The Swan (I thoroughly recommend this place, even if you aren’t going to the theatre). I’d been super-efficient buying really good seats, and they were worth every penny. King Lear is one of my favourite plays (it was my A Level Shakespeare text) and the performance was brilliant.
Another Growler date was a trip to Northants for her confirmation. I have to admit that the only church doors I’ve darkened in recent months have been funeral related, so it was a pleasant change not to have to fill my pockets with hankies… although, on the basis that the very charming Bishop took great delight in flicking water over large chunks of the congregation, some folk probably did need something absorbent.
The service was followed by the biggest Sunday lunch I think I have ever consumed, at The George in Stamford. Gosh, October really does seem to have revolved around food – best climb on those scales, it could be ugly.