Chloe and Anna

We met these lovely women in Kyrgyzstan 18 months ago. Despite feeling really ill on the trip, Anna was the driving force in the group. When she got home she found out she had stomach cancer. I visited her in London a couple of times, and now she is well enough to make the journey up here with her friend Chloe.

I warned them they’d need big coats - when they got off the train they were happy to come to Alnmouth beach for a stroll before I took them to Barter books in Alnwick on the way home, which Anna was keen to see.

By the time we got home it was warm enough to sit on the terrace with a cup of tea.

I made supper for us and Linda and Colin, the friends of a similar political persuasion, for a good night.

I made marinaded peppers and mozzarella on sourdough for starters. Then we had a main I made up - some left over roast squash, broccoli, onions, feta, pinenuts in an egg quiche mixture without the pastry. Pudding was using up frozen gooseberries to make a fool with cream and elderflower cordial. We drank some wine after the cocktails, which I called Amalfi Dream - vodka, Limoncello and cava.