Thanks, everyone, for the comments on Saturday’s post. The day was a great success and the weather was, thankfully, warm enough for us to sit out on the veranda and enjoy our lunch.Now, I was so busy that I forgot to take photo’s of the table settings, dessert etc – but I do have a few photos to share with you – ones that I remembered to take, that is !
Justin, as always, is a star and helped me so much I could not have done it without him – the photo above is of him, as we were just getting ready for everyone to arrive (& serve them snacks, below). Over the nearly 10 years we’ve worked together, Justin has helped me host 100’s of people and helps everything to run smoothly – setting the table, laying stuff out, checking on drinks, clearing up etc. He remains calm and is unflappable (whereas I like to shout, throw things in the air, take swipes at hubby if he gets in my way & generally, get in a bit of a tizz !) so we are a good team.
The friends on Sunday included both old and new as well as neighbours. The men mostly sat on one side and talked farming all day *boring* and then broke their monotonous conversation with talk about boats *yawn* and cars *double yawn* (with apologies to all my male readers !) whilst us ladies sat on the other side and gossiped about the latest Tanzanian expatriate scandal/s, child rearing, Tanzanite stones, bandit attacks and holiday’s !
Everyone enjoyed the food and it all went quite smoothly. I changed my main course at the last minute, and instead of serving the Chicken Broccoli Bake I made the Spicy Chicken Casserole instead (you can see that marinating above !) I added red & green peppers & drizzled fresh cream over the top (see photo below, of one of the 3 dishes) which I didn't do when I originally posted the recipe on the blog.At around 8 pm that evening (yes, having guests stay on that late is quite typical of Sunday lunches here !) someone asked if they could go up to see the Guest Cottage, then someone else decided to come, then the kids all grabbed their torches and before I knew it, we were all (well lubricated with good South African red) staggering in the dark up to the cottage .... with excited dogs at our heels and hubby’s workshop askari looking at us in bewilderment as I gave everyone the grand tour ‘Kilimanjaro is over there – although you can’t see her now as it’s pitch black’ ….
Now on a completely different note, 3 great African blogs which I’d like to mention which I know that you'll all enjoy reading if you haven't found them already ….. first off, my *favourite* African blogger 'One Stoned Crow' is back and blogging from Namibia, so pop on over and say hello & welcome back & enjoy some of his magnificent photography.My brother-in-law Chris (who is the reason this blog exists, as he suggested to me that I start one all that time ago !) has recently started a blog 'Mpumalanga Journal' about his farm & life in South Africa & memories of farming in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Pop in and say hello and leave a comment if you like, as we all know what it’s like when we are just getting our blogs off the ground and how nice it is to have visitors from afar ;) and then my dear friend Jo, who I have met twice ‘in real life’ is back in the Sudan this week and blogging from there about all the exciting things she’s getting up to over there on her blog, 'Memorable Meanders'.
And .... welcome to all my new 'Followers' and thanks to everyone for all the comments and emails, too. Sorry I haven't had as much time lately to visit and comment on everyone's blogs but I hope to visit you all soon !
