My other book group

My other book group met today and left a chair for me!  Sorry I wasn't there.  You all look as though you are enjoying yourselves!

PS Note the glasses of iced water.  I almost miss all that ice!  There doesn't seem the call for it here.

The plot thickens!

 We still have a number of 'Chinese' ingredients in the fridge after last Saturday's Asian extravaganza so I scratched my head and wondered what to do with them.  I turned to Rick Stein's 'Far Eastern Odyssey' and came up with Lucky's stir-fried pork and vegetable soup.  I had most of the ingredients and free-styled the rest! We also had a quantity of sticky rice left over so I steamed it and made it even stickier and it sat happily in the bottom of our bowls as a base for the soup. It was delicious.

Stir-fried pork and vegetable.

After we had finished eating Peter passed me a plain brown envelope which contained the instructions on the right, my passport and another sealed envelope.   Peter is in Aberdeen on the day we travel so I am apparently going somewhere on my own...at least initially!   I have absolutely no idea where I will end up.  Watch this space!

Happy birthday

My first attempt at spring rolls - and they went down very well!

to me!  Well, not really yet.  I won't be ?0 until next Sunday but last night we celebrated with friends over a Chinese/Asian pot luck.   They produced wonderful food...only some of which we managed to capture on camera such was the rush to fill our plates and eat.     We managed to sit 14 although it was a bit of a squeeze and I ended up with my head in the old fireplace.  I got some lovely cards and some great presents and we had an excellent evening.   There was a lot of clearing up to do afterwards so we've had a lazy day today - a bit of light gardening in the sunshine and a bit more unpacking and sorting out after our return from College Station.  Still some way to go to get things back where they belong!

A bit of a squeeze

Several bottles of Prosecco...

Digging into the food

 

Unwrapping presents

More surprises

Lots of talking

Carol explores Norwich

Buses, vans, cars and cycles...they had just zoomed past.

I'm back in Norwich after a wonderful, rewarding and exhausting few days!  Drove up from London this morning through the rush hour traffic.   Dashed into the house, unpacked the car and headed off for the hairdresser...taking my friend Carol with me.  I thought she might like to explore Norwich a little.

Unfortunately I hadn't quite got the hang of the focus, but you'll get the idea!

Carol meets someone else with an A&M cap

Carol looks round Ruth's kitchen and gets ready to go out

Carol at the hairdressers - the before picture!

The after picture

Carol admiring the medieval church

Carol picks up a few veggies in a small grocers

Nice old houses and narrow streets. A friend of ours lives in the yellow house in the middle of the picture

More old houses...

Back at Ruth's house.  Time for another cup of tea!

It's a long day when you get up at 6.0 am!

A very early start so a little bit of TV to keep us all sane!

A bit of park time on the way home from nursery

King of the castle

After a day at nursery...

Saul prepares a snack to revive Grandma!

Brixton Market

A wonderful selection of fish

Greetings from London and from Brixton Market. 

I wandered around this morning after taking the grandsons to nursery and childcare.  Had to find myself some trousers to wear since the cases did not turn up at the airport at the same time as us. 

The selection of fish at this stall was amazing.  I wasn't keen on the pigs' noses.  They looked as though they'd been dyed red.  Someone thinks they are a delicacy!   And how about this!  I found a recipe on the Houston Press!

Pig's nose anyone??!!

On our way to Norwich

We're wiling away time in the KLM Lounge at Houston Airport, drinking coffee and nibbling the nibbles.  We need the time to unwind after the journey here.   We were merrily rolling down the freeway to Houston when the road closed and we were diverted to another freeway which headed south.  Not the direction we wanted to go in.  No useful map in the car so we ploughed on looking for a turning back east.  Found one eventually but it seemed to go on and on and not get anywhere.  In the end we stopped at a garage and asked for directions.  We were very close, but without the information we got we could well have missed hitting our road.  On our way then...only to encounter a heavy load which held traffic up for a good half hour.  Time was ticking away.  The car rental place closed at 12.00 and, even more pressing, the coffee we had consumed at Buc-ees was making its presence felt!  

We made it to Enterprise at 11.50 am and took turns to hurtle into the restroom.  Actually there was quite a queue returning and taking cars.  We got a lift to the airport after some struggle loading our 4 suitcases and two carry-ons into the back of a van along with the luggage of a father and daughter.   They asked to be dropped off at a terminal so that the father could help the daughter drop her bag.  They were away for about 15 minutes.  The poor girl from Enterprise (on her way home for the afternoon) was rather cross at being made to wait.  Eventually we arrived at our terminal and stood nonchalantly by the check in desk waiting to see if the young man would make any fuss about 4 heavy suitcases.  We think he was new because he checked them in without blinking.  Thank goodness!

Do not adjust your set....

Do you remember when a message would come up on your little television screen telling you not to adjust your set? Usually happened when something was going wrong with transmission.    Well in this case the message is to reassure you that you haven't come to the wrong blog.  I just thought I'd make some changes as we transition from one side of the Atlantic to another! I'm not sure I'm happy with the new look and may experiment a little more.  Watch this space!

We're ready and packed and about to go out for a last meal to Luigi's.  I expect we shall reflect on the visit over a bottle of wine...in fact we've been doing quite a lot of reflecting in the last few days.  Peter has enjoyed the whole work/academic experience.  I was less certain at first and worried about finding enough to do and fill my days.  Then there are the little irritations at things being not quite what you expect and are used to...and then it dawns on you that accepting the difference would be a good idea and, hey presto, you're enjoying yourself.  So it turned out to be a busy time, with a lot of socialising, a lot of concerts, visits here and there, plenty to do and plenty of time to relax and the pleasure of making friends with so many easy going, informal, welcoming people.

It's made me think very hard about how whether we do enough to put ourselves out for strangers.  I shall start annoying everyone by bouncing up and introducing myself at every opportunity.  Or at least, that's what I plan to do.  How long before I sink back into my normal British reserve!

P.S.

☆☆☆☆☆ These stars are for you Carol!  You know who you are!

Bootee production line comes to an end...for now!

Last pair of bootees to be knitted on Texas soil!   Needles are packed and yarn stashed until I get home. 

A wonderful send-off!

Polli

Another great experience of Southern hospitality...or is it just Texas?  Polli opened her house to lunch with the water aerobics group.  Beautifully laid tables, great food provided by the group and cards and presents!  I did not expect such kindness and generosity!   When I pluck up the courage I'll post a photograph of me in my new red, white and blue swimming hat!  I'm going to miss this group of lively, funny women...and don't they look good with their clothes on and their hair done!

Hand made by Jane

Thank you all for a wonderful farewell and I
hope we meet again before too long! 

Jan, Judy and Peggy

Raymonda and Sandy

Lynn, Jane and Jan

Libby, Anne and Sharee

Last Wednesday outing...

Concert hall

 The weather was supposed to be cool and grey today, but it turned out to be sunny and warm so Carol and I seized the moment and drove to Round Top.  First we viewed the concert hall, an amazing, almost baroque cabinet maker's dream, and then toured the garden.  Then we set off for Round Top itself, which is a small 'village' of restored houses/stores now mainly selling things for tourists.  We resisted the call to retail therapy and headed over to Royer's Cafe and pie shop where we made pigs of ourselves!   The BEST hamburger I have ever eaten and maybe the largest!  The fries were not great and the cherry pie and ice cream were quite unnecessary!  On the way back we stopped at the Antique Rose Emporium and looked at the plants and had a bit of a walk.   Wonderful weather!  A good day out!

Selfie!

Carol

Our destination

Our downfall!

Forgotten your glasses? No problem

Disgusting!

Mmmmm