Another long lunch with Gino.

Wake at seven to another fine day, after breakfast and a shower, I practise my Tai Chi in the garden and then put Norman on his lead for his "get to know you" walk with Betty and her schnauzer, Nellie. We walk with them as far as the little bridge, with Normy taking his usual position about five paces behind everyone else, but he does seem happy to be back in a pack. Betty and I chat about our children and grandchildren as we walk, and the first outing passes without incident, so we arrange to do it again on Friday morning. When we return home, at a quarter to eleven, I provide Norman with fresh water and a few biscuits, then get on my bike and cycle to Rosemary's house in Beverley, where the Poppy Seeders are meeting for coffee. I arrive at ten past eleven, to find Felicity, Hanne, Annie and Thelma already in attendance. Rosemary provides me with coffee and a slice of excellent lemon drizzle cake, which she has baked specially. We are sat in the lounge, as the weather has clouded over, but the magnificent garden lies just beyond the window pane. A largish lawn gives way to bushes, several of them rhododendron with spectacular orange and lilac blossoms, behind which are mature elms, chestnuts and beech, that tower to almost eighty feet and lend the garden a degree of seclusion, shade and peace. The party breaks up at twelve and Hanne and I walk Felicity back to Albert Terrace, where I stay and have a cup of tea in shangrilala land, the name that Felicity has given to her pocket handkerchief size courtyard, which lies at the back of her house. The sun has now broken through and for a brief spell, it is hot. I had planned to swim today, but my brother in law, Gino, has phoned and wants to meet me at chequers, the micro pub, at half past one. I leave Felicity to her lunch at twenty past and cycle the sort distance to Swaby's Yard, arriving in time to order a half pint of the latest "Wold Top" real ale. Gino arrives at twenty to two and buys me another half, whilst ordering the same for himself and then sitting down beside me. He has been having a tough time at work and had a counselling session this morning, which focused his mind on priorities. Afterwards he decided, as the sun was shining, that this afternoon he would like to be in Beverley, so rang me and drive over. I took a couple of lamb chops out of the freezer this morning, to defrost for dinner, so suggest that we cook in the garden, as I have plenty of salad and some whole meal pitta bread. Gino has parked by Saint Mary's church, on a meter and only has an hour, which is long enough for one more half of Wold Top, before he goes to fetch his car and I cycle home, calling at the supermarket for some extra lamb steaks on the way. My house is two miles from the centre of Beverley, but by the time Gino has found his car and driven to Tickton, I am already home. For short distances, bike beats car every time. I run the extension lead into the garden, plug in the grill and the toaster and then we sit in the sun and prepare salad and a marinade for the meat, out of black pepper, salt, cumin and coriander, both powder and fresh leaves. During our last two family holidays in Holland, Gino and I have invariably done the cooking, so we are a well practised team , and by half past three dinner is ready. We slice open the toasted pitta breads and then load them with salad, grilled lamb, roasted peppers and top  off with mint yogurt. I still have three quarters of a bottle of my Father's Day, Chateauneuf Du Pape and the powerful red wine sets off the lamb to perfection. There are few things nicer than cooking and eating outdoors with friends and so we pass a pleasant afternoon eating and chatting, until it is time for Norman's evening walk. The old boy is in a very good mood, as he has had the fat and the bones from the lamb, in addition to his tin. We walk down to the little bridge, the sun still warm, even though it is already past seven, above our heads swallows swoop acrobatically, as they harvest the evening midges. Gino leaves about half past seven and after he has gone, I clear away the dinner things, wash up and then sit at my desk, reading through a pile of papers that Gino has asked me to look at. By half past eleven, I have had enough, my eyes are closing, so I call it a night and go to bed, after first letting Norman into the garden, for a final toilet of the day.