Catching up ....

It's been a bit hectic since my last post, both socially, gardenwise and professionally. And, I'm sorry to say, I've forgotten to post a photo of my onions (ooer, missis!) but will do soon!

Socially, we had a lovely trip up to town to meet one of Diane's brothers, Jonathan, and his wife and we went to the Dean Street Townhouse (guess which street it's on?!) for an excellent lunch. The atmosphere was superb - a bit like a Brown's for grown ups - with a really relaxed atmosphere, comfortable seating and friendly service. I began with a smoked haddock souffle followed by steak and chips and ... couldn't manage a pudding, sorry! My steak was cooked exactly as I requested, just on the right side (or for many I guess it would be the wrong side) of medium, as was Jonathan's - although his was on the other side of medium. The chips were lovely and chunky too. Both girls had fish - pollock and sole - and both were delighted. They, and Jonathan, managed puddings too and these were received rapturously: chocolate fondant, apple pie and treacle tart. Also on the menu was a really good looking steamed ginger sponge for two to share - yum! This was washed down with a nice bottle of Prosecco (as aperitif and with the starter) and a lovely Sangoivese, Pieno Sud, from Sicily to go with the mains. Although I couldn't manage a pud, I did manage to try a pudding wine which I enjoyed but have forgotten the name of - wonder why, hic!?

Prior to our Saturday trip to town I'd been across to Borough Green on the Friday evening to the excellent (and very busy) Raj Tandoori for a convivial evening with five old mates from my former hockey club - if ever you're in mid-Kent and fancy a curry, I really recommend this place. One of the guys lives fairly close by, another lives near me and three still live in North Kent, so it's a convenient spot to get together. It's just a "normal" Indian restaurant, but does what it does very well. And then, on the Sunday, we went down to Brighton (in horrible wet weather) and took Emily for a roast dinner (it's all they do on Sundays) at the Park Crescent - what a fantastic little local boozer that is - a good pint of Badger, really friendly staff, great stripped floors and furniture and a bohemian (well, it is in the student quarter of Brighton!) crowd (excluding me, of course, but as my maternal grandma was from Bohemia, not really!). The best bit, though, was that they were playing the album "Hold Time" by M Ward. Now, I'd never heard of him but he's really great and the album is on my Christmas list - if you don't know him, imagine a cross between the Flaming Lips and the Fleet Foxes. Brilliant.

Professionally, I've been busy writing an ILM accredited Level 3 programme for a new provider and a new client. I deliver the first day on Wednesday 24 November, so it's all been a bit hectic, but I'm almost there now. I'll be glad when Wednesday's out of the way though.

Finally, I've been doing a bit of gardening. I had a really good tidy up a few weeks ago and it's looking good (except for my greenhouse, which blows down if my next door neighbour sneezes) and today I harvested a few more brussels and carrots, lifted my first ever turnips ("Tiny Pal", which you eat small) and picked the last of the raspberries. Having done this, I then pruned the canes, collected a few runner bean beans (is that otiose, or pedantic, or clear? It's meant to be the latter but see the picture if you're bothered!) to plant next year and bagged up a load of garden rubbish to be taken away by my friends from the council.

Looking back on it, one of the best weeks I've had for a good while.