Book Club Christmas Lunch

We open the laundry and dining room doors to the breeze. Kahu goes off to do personal errands and I spend four hours eating and drinking with the book club 'ladies'. Very civilised and the food is amazing. Sarah brings potions and pots from her garden and general foraging. I discover more we have in common. When I get a garage again I'm going to fill shelves with rows of chutneys, pickles, and alcohol steeped in fruit. Like I used to. I'm just coming to the end of the stash from the old garage. I no longer know what's in it nor when it was made, but there's so much vinegar and sugar in everything it doesn't go off.  Book club is one of my favourite activities, always around food and wine. Today the emphasis is on filling our guts, motherhood, family and, lastly, books. One each from Secret Santa.

On the way home I lock up and take a quick run through the house which has gassed off a bit with the open doors. It's coming along nicely.