It’s the fifth of March today. Nothing particularly specific about that, Easter isn’t until the end of the month, and it’s Mothering Sunday tomorrow.
It is the 11th anniversary of us losing Barney, but other than that it’s just the 5th.
March was always a busy and expensive month for me in LBH (Life before Hubby), with birthdays and anniversaries practically every other day.
This post isn’t about memories or birthdays etc, but a bit of a guilty confession.
About 6 months ago (yes, really), we were invited to supper by a fellow boater who had recently purchased her first ever microwave oven and was keen to try out some ready-made meals.
Hubby had done a couple of little jobs for her, and I drove her car to the garage when she’d sold it and we brought her back in ours.
None of this was an effort, chore or inconvenience and we were happy to do it.
We had a very pleasant evening, and promised to return the favour.
Well, we did and we didn’t.
We did insomuch as invite her over, but didn’t as we couldn’t agree on a date.
Then with one thing or another (house sitting, Maggie’s op, Christmas, visits to MOH and trips down South), it got pushed to the back of our minds.
And whilst I’m not exactly mad about it, I am cross, because it’s not like us to forget.
Although she didn’t approach me, she did engage Hubby in (a very long) conversation, and dropped a few not-so-subtle hints.
He had completely forgotten, and I’m about to put that right.
Yesterday, we put a little note in her post box asking if she was free one evening next week for supper. The choice of menu would be stew, curry or sweet and sour (either chicken or pork), and I listed all the ingredients I was likely to use. I asked her if there was anything she didn’t like, was allergic to, or would prefer, and to let us know by return of mail box so that we didn’t miss each other.
You may think this is a rather long-winded way of going about things, but it’s not as straightforward as entertaining, meal or otherwise, in the cottage.
Apart from the obvious space issue (I’m still debating whether to try and test drive our new fold up table), although I have dinner plates, I only have 2 bowls if she opts for stew. However that can be easily remedied as Hubby says he’ll have his in my glass mixing bowl.
No, the main problem(s) is that she is a fussy eater, though perhaps not necessarily through choice.
There are so many things she doesn’t like, and even when she said she liked vegetable stew (which is what was on offer when we invited her for the christening of our pressure cooker), there are certain vegetables that she doesn’t or can’t eat.
My easiest dish is a tomato pasta, but she can’t eat tomatoes or anything red, so you can see my options are somewhat limited.
The other thing is that she has her finger in so many social pies, is on various committees, helps out in charity tea rooms and has a lot to do with services in the Abbey, that her time is far more occupied than ours.
It sounds like you are really trying to accommodate her picky eating. I hope she does come for dinner and you have a lovely evening 🙂
She’s left us a note and is all keen to come for a ‘proper meal’. I’ve opted for curry and told her what I’ll be putting in it just in case. She’s usually good company, so we should have a nice evening.
Lovely 🙂
Our former neighbors were sort of like that. We always have a good time together but finding a suitable date is a challenge. The wife would always say, “Let’s do this every month.” We are lucky if we get together twice a year! Sometimes it’s just too much work to do the scheduling although I don’t have the food issues you have with your friend.
I hope she’ll enjoy her meal, though I shall have a dessert and/or biscuits in reserve just in case! Now we know she likes chocolate biscuits (any excuse to have them in the boat!) 🙂
Who doesn’t like chocolate biscuits?
🙂
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