[summer in the south east]

Yesterday brought beautiful sunny (gasp!) weather and friends for lunch. After giving Della and Julian the grand tour of Poppy Cottage, we chatted and basked in the sun nursing our fruit-filled glasses of Pimms. Our tummies growled, telling us it was time for lunch. I had promised a meal with an Italian flavour so we sat down to antipasti of salame, olives (dressed in olive oil - of course - pink peppercorns, and dried fennel), mortadella (I did relay the story, after we had eaten, of the dead horse etymology) and lots of crusty bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic. Yummers. Della was rightly proud when declaring she knew exactly what to do with the bread: "One must dip it in the oil and then the vinegar." Quite correct, then your bread does not absorb too much vinegar. We then enjoyed lasagne with a huge green salad (lettuce and fennel). For desert I had made individual pots of tiramisu with plenty of liquer. Three hours later we finished with proper coffee (espresso!). We certainly needed the walk which followed. We recently discovered a footpath just two houses down from us. It was very easy (too easy!) to be swept down the hill and happily arrive at the bottom of Hindhead Common. The views were beautiful. We came across horses and even a deer. An hour and a half later came the hike back up the hill which did not impress us. With memories of tiramisu on our lips we sluggishly pulled ourselves up the path. Once at the top we all commented on how that wasn't too bad a climb actually...in between huffs and gasps for air. We sprawled out in the garden as the last vestiges of light diminished and vociferously agreed that this is what England is about: sun, walking, food, and friends. I couldn't agree more.