Another October nearly over

We’d a splendid day yesterday with old friends Claire and Richard and their daughter Steph (whom we first knew as their elder son Stephen).  Steph had to get back to her computer by 2:00 pm, so had a somewhat rushed lunch, but we enjoyed her company very much.  Martyn had made a broccoli and cauliflower soup, and I’d knocked up some baguettes to have with cheese and charcuterie.  I made the mistake of cooling them across the wire rack, rather than lengthwise, so have invented a new concept: the boomerang baguette.  

The choice of cheeses was not helped by Sainsburys’ substitution policy.  My order of cheddar with truffles was replaced by Wensleydale with apricots and amaretto.  Fine, I guess, if you like a cheese that tastes like Christmas cake, but 90% of it is now in the pig bin.  (Friends report Sainsburys sending doggy chews and treats when they had ordered cat food.)

Fortunately, the Ossau-Iraty, old Gouda and Brie de Meaux passed muster.  The assiette de charcuterie comprised salami, prosciutto crudo, mortadella and baked ham (bought the old-fashioned way from Fortnums) so we’d enough variety.  And there were leftovers for today’s sandwiches.)

It’s sad to see the sun so low in the sky, though it still has enough power to warm the sitooterie on good days, sometimes with a touch of help from the heaters.  We’ve resolved, despite rocketing energy charges, to heat the conservatory on fine winter days: after all, we’re going to be dead a long time.  

On which subject, we got Claire and Richard to witness our signatures on updated wills: making them sing for their supper, as it were.  Having had estimates of upwards of £360 from sundry will writers, we’ve just used the old drafting and updated the details.  Bit of a racket, this, eh?