From Kuma's amazing cookbook.

Thank you to Mia, International Woman of Mystery for the wonderful gift cookbook.

Tonight Nadia and Roy and Noel came to dinner.

Here's the menu.

Entree of Peach Salad - warm peaches, asofetida, olive oil, coriander, tarragon, lemon juice served on lettuce with black pepper and toasted almonds. It was fantastic. Angelata chose that one.

Main of char-grilled polenta and served it with a tomato & onion salsa, roast red peppers and pickled zucchini. It was very good. The polenta (a favourite of Shell's) and the surprising salad were both from Kuma's book.

Thank you Mia!

Dessert of Italian cake "Amaretti" (half price at Bianca's Continental Store in Bigsplat) and cherry sorbet (which Angelata made a couple of weeks ago).

Penny wise, pound foolish.

Our day in Bigsplat today - shopping. We're finding it difficult to live within our income. Gray did find some work today though - for later in the year - an audio engineering job. Yay.

Despite having to use the credit card to pay for groceries (I really hate that) it was a good day. We bought lots of useful things and Roz got her huge long swim. I have a notice to go an put up at the shops, a couple of sporting things that we should sell on account of our knee. So, that might bring a little money in to help out.

The landlord will soon fix our oven and I'll be cooking again. Roz and Francesca have been helping Angelata with her garden so that will help. Angelata studied permaculture a long time ago. Her gardens are frightful looking things full of newspaper and bits of rock and very untidy and uneven (maximising the surface area she claims) etc. but they have been known to produce good food so...

Gray and Trouble had a breakfast date, Roz did laps at the pool, Gray went to an interview and we did lots of rather dull chores. Also bought a blanket, a birdbook for Frond and a brown felt bowler (hat), I guess the brown hat is for Roz, but I'm wearing it right now and it feels very comfortable.

Mannie.