I'm quite happy with a jar of Branstons

[LouP19]

Morning all.

Talking of Toast Toppers, he took 2 tins of that as well. Yes, really.

My pantry is now full of Heinz cheese ravioli and Tesco sausage and beans.

The best chilli I have ever eaten was in America when I nannied and my boss made a vat of it for the Super Bowl and on top was diced ham, melty cheese and crushed nacho's sprinkled on. Absolute heaven.

Not wildly enthusiastic about borlotti to be honest. It's the texture that I loathe. I will eat pretty much everything and anything, but just can't do some beans. Or parsnips. Or pears.

Anything else, I'll happily nosh.

sugarice - that sounds absolutely divine. As long as I can pick the beans out

*Frank, it was fantastic enough that I still remember it 25 years later.

Frank - I don't like Butter beans - and that's texture, so I know where you're coming from.

Bloody hell sugar it must have been good!

Actually I can still remember the taste of some chicken I had in Thailand twenty odd years ago. How I would love to eat that again.

This is like we're all hanging around making idle conversation, waiting for Lou to come home from her party and tell us all about it. I feel like an anxious mum waiting for her little d to come home from her 1st night out!

Evening all,

First off it's quorn mince for me, but I do like extra red kidney beans thrown in for good measure. Luckily they don't disagree with me too much! I like it quite spicy with a bit of cheese on top.

Well I went to my friends house and chatted to her for a bit. Met her partner and chatted to him for a bit. Then after a couple of hours we wandered to the BBQ. And this is the bit where I feel I've let you all down.

There were a LOT of people there. And most of them were from an Amateur Dramatics Society. Plus there were 2 hot tubs.

I'd like to say I was brave and I 'went for it'. But I wasn't. My gut immediately was 'I wouldn't enjoy this if I was feeling 150%, let alone how I'm feeling now'. And so I made a swift exit.

It was one of those occasions where I instantly recognised I'd feel far lonelier there than I would at home on my own.

Please don't be mad at me. I bought myself a Home magazine from the Co Op and some crumpets instead.

Oh Lou, you haven't let anybody down!

For what it's worth, I would've done the same thing! xxx

Don't blame you, sounds a nightmare - like "Abigail's party". Crumpets and a mag sounds like an excellent way to spend Sunday afternoon.

I came back home and did a bit of weeding and washed my car. Had an urge to do something very practical!

Am dram and hot tubs - that could be plot of an interesting 70s comedy.

Don't blame you for coming home but friends sound nice and sounds like you had a productive day.

Don't blame you! That would have struck the fear of God into me. Hot tubs!

I mean genuinely - the very idea of getting cosy in a hot tub with people I don't know well.

Oh Lou, your self awareness is amazing!! Its whats got you this far, and it will keep on pointing you in the right direction, my little Weeble. Come and clean my car for me? I`ll make you a lovely veggie dinner!

What is it with hot tubs?

Agree with you Lou, and would have made a very swift exit.

Did they have pampas grass?

I know you mentioned Derbyshire before - the village is not Royston Vasey? Did you notice anything odd being BBQed ? I am just shocked at the hot tubs!

Can't imagine anything worse, Lou. I'd have run and found comfort in weeding!

(I bought a fantastic chili plant at the festival, so expect loads and loads of Multi-coloured, fiery chilis. I'll send you some for your next chili con carne - if I don't kill it, as I so often do.)

Hot tubs at a barby sounds a bit swinger-ish, best off out of it. I'd sooner weed and read too !

Amateur Dramatics.... And hot tubs? Argh, you wouldn't have seen me for dust Agree about 70s comedy Gigondas...

So IMO you continue to be as wise and level-headed as ever LouP!

Jeepers. Someone I work with once invited us all to a barbecue at his house - and he had a hot tub

You are very wise LouP

Went to a friend's bbq party, she is very am dram, as were most of the party-goers. It was horrific I dined off it for ages. They were nearly all at various stages of affairs, petty jealousy simmered about the director's choice of casting and they seized on the innocent in their midst, me, to take their turn to offload. It was like an episode of Midsomer Murders minus the corpse.

Thanks everyone, glad to know I'm not alone. I just looked at the garden and instantly thought 'No way'. It was hosted by a 'big cheese' in a local village, so I gather there were quite a lot of important people there,... But the hot tubs just put me right off! To be honest I've never really socialised in big groups/parties anyway, and I'm not sure I can do it now. It was perhaps a lesson in taking things easy a bit, I need to stick with 'familiar' for the next couple of weeks at least I think.

Anyway, I did have a nice couple of hours with my friend beforehand though, plus met her partner. So I did go out.

I came home and had tomato puree and melted cheese on crumpets. Lovely. It is really nice to have a couple of days break from it all before it will no doubt ramp up again next week.

I'm at a BBQ getting drunk on vodka lol.

Take things at your own speed, I've learnt that