“Christmas comes but once a year”

Except in times of pandemic, that is. I’m sure we’re not the only family to have had a bundle of Christmas presents left high and dry after the lockdown prevented us from getting together until now. This weekend, we finally met up with Edward and Amy (and Oliver their French Bulldog puppy) and were able to exchange the remaining parcels between us.

I was thrilled when I opened the beautifully wrapped parcel from Amy and found a new “hosting book” inside.

We’re both fans of Papier and their lovely designs. My soon-to-be daughter-in-law (18 days!) knows me well too and chose this great pattern. I love it.

Inside are pages set out to record all the important details of memorable meals at home, shared with dear friends and family.

There are also pages for recording the recipes and other details too.

I wondered if Amy had caught sight of my current “Guests and Menus” record book?

It dates back to the early 1990s and I remember receiving it and wondering if I’d ever use such a thing? Nevertheless, I began to write down the details of lunches with friends (this one was with a bunch of other school Mums who used to meet up for a gossip session every so often)

Of course, the stories the headings prompt are many and varied and it was fun looking through the book and remembering wild times 😉

Some rather more sedate occasions too, in the company of our very sweet neighbours, the last one of whom died just a few weeks ago. All four of them were such active members of our small community and are very much missed.

A rather more recent record has all the details of one of the last occasions when we sat around the table and shared a good lunch and several bottles of wine. A classic long lunch with plenty of laughter and much fun, I recall.

I’m so glad I scribbled down all those notes of what we ate and who was there; all those simple suppers and long weekends shared with friends.

Just how did Amy know that I had just four pages left in that book?

How lovely to have a new one - thank you Amy xx

(and thank you, Edward, for the very beautiful bottle of gin and the perfume too xx)