Three meals out

 

It has been a busy weekend.  On Friday I met up with the mum's from the parenting course I recently did.  It was nice to see those that could make it and to catch up on all their news.  We met in the cafe at the Emmaeus Community centre in Portslade. I had to take Nat with me and he was fairly well behaved.  I left him at the table while I went to order our lunch, when I came back the girls told me he had been telling them all about Father Christmas giving him a chocolate.

The other night the local Rotary club came down our street with their float and huge inflatable santa.  They play Christmas music and ring all the door bells to collect money.  When they saw Nathaniel they called Father Christmas over with a bucket of chocolates and let Nat choose one.  He was so taken with the experience that he has been telling everyone he sees all about it.

Anyway the lunch was delicious.  I had some hot fruit punch to drink and some lovely spicy butternut squash and sweet potato soup.  Nat had a tuna sandwich and then we shared a slice of lemon cake.

After saying good bye to the girls Nat and I popped into the Emmaeus community shop and I managed to pick up a couple of bargain items for Christmas presents.

Yesterday afternoon Seb and I popped into town to go Christmas shopping and David took Nat shopping with him.  I did quite well and only have two more people to buy for.  I am not sure whether everyone will like what I have bought them as we are on a bit of a budget this year but I am just relieved to have found something for everyone.

Decorations in our downstairs toilet  - tasteful . . . NOT!
And I am still waiting for someone to come and
 replace the broken window.

Last night we were invited over to dinner with David's friends Olive and Keith.  We had a really lovely evening.  They were about nine of us and it was nice to meet all their other friends.  The house looked all cosy and Christmassy with an open fire burning and lots of candles and lovely holly wreaths.  Olive had cooked the most delicious curry dishes - all fairly mild which suits me just fine.  There was a very tasty rice dish, a lovely chicken curry.  My favourite lentil dahl and another lentil and spinach dahl and a prawn curry too.  Then all the usual trimmings - naan bread, pappadums, chutney etc. For desert there was a nut strudel, fruit salad or strawberries.  We were enjoying ourselves so much we completely lost track of time!

Today we went to Church.  David was serving on the welcome team so we arrived early and the boys and I enjoyed watching the band rehearse.  The hall looked really lovely with low lights and Christmas fairy lights hanging from the ceiling.  I sat with my friends Chitrani and Gill which was nice as I haven't seen either of them for a couple of weeks.

This evening we went over to my parents house for dinner with them their students Diana, Carlos and Ehab. 

All in all a very relaxing and pleasant weekend but my good intentions of being restrained and trying to lose some weight before Christmas have been completely abandoned.  Talking of which I feel a bit peckish . . . . anyone for a mince pie?