Remembrance and Gold...

I really felt the benefit of the extra hour asleep this morning, and the lighter morning that it brought.

It was so beautiful out, David and I decided to have breakfast at Broadslap Farm.  I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to use my camera properly for the first time in ages, but I still can't find it!

I am sure I asked Eleanor to put it upstairs out the way of the dust, but whilst she can remember me asking her to put it somewhere, she can't remember where either.  David's had a look and can't see it which generally means it is right in front of him and I'm frustrated as I can't get upstairs to look myself.  In the end I had to settle with using my phone camera.

After a wonderful breakfast we headed up to Perth to get a few bits and bobs and some shopping

As we now have the use of our electric ovens again, I was visualising  oven based dinners, till David reminded me we don't have access to the kitchen from the house and have to go out the front door and over the building site to the back door.  Ok, maybe not.  Microwave risotto instead then :-))

Home to coffee and banana loaf then D began closing down the Gin Palace for the winter.   Still, it won't be long till April and the next official opening.

A relaxed but focussed evening planned as we have to make a final decision on tiles for the pool wet room/changing room and decide on furniture layout of Alan's new sitting room (he is moving into what is our current dining room to give him more space.  We will have a dining table in the garden room but not this one, which is too traditional for the contemporary new space.  It breaks my heart to say it, but this table and chairs will soon be for sale if anyone is interested.  Seats 8 - 10 and the centre of the table turns so you don't have to lean across to reach the  food or wine, or throw the salt cellar at your guests :-) 

I think it's only been used at Christmas and New Year and for a handful of dinner parties so all in all, probably been sat at less than twenty times.  We will never get back what we paid for it.

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Five years mum, five years since you slipped away and I walked into a future that would no longer contain your physical presence.    I can scarcely believe all that time has passed.  Things still happen to me and my first thought is "wait till I tell mum that!"

I've had lots of thoughts of you today but there was a particular one that slipped into my mind this morning, triggered by the menu at Broadslap Farm and it had me  breathless with laughter at the memory.

It was when we were in London together for a long weekend in 2003, with you showing me round all your old haunts when you were in the Met.  So many hilarious and some downright scandalous stories.  I loved seeing it all through your eyes.

On the Saturday night we had dinner in the hotel restaurant.  Perusing the menu, trying to decide what to have, the conversation took a turn for the worse, the result being me almost choking to death with laughter.

You  -  I think I fancy a steak Di, what about you?
Me   -  Hmmm....think I might have the lamb.
You  -  What does the steak come with?  The menu doesn't say.
Me   -  Yes it does, further down it says it comes with fat cut chips.
You (with your eyebrows raised so high they've disappeared into your hairline)  - Fat WHAT chips?!!!!!!!
Me  -  Cut chips mother.  Fat CUT chips!!!
You  -  I thought that's what you said!!  Oh my God, Fat C*nt chips!  Imagine putting that on a menu!!!!   I'm not asking for them!

One of a million priceless memories from that weekend :-))

Thank you so much for being my mum xxx