“Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.”
Yesterday it rained. Last night it poured and left today cloudy and damp. The weatherman says it will get sunny, but I am skeptical. Right now I’m watching and have been watching the flotilla down the Thames. It is is the largest flotilla since 1662 and the reign of King Charles II and is spectacular! The Royal Barge looks gorgeous with its gold front and red on the rest of the barge, flags waving all along the front and sides, green fir garlands filled with red flowers draped along the sides and flowers in the middle just back of where the Queen is standing. The Havengore with Prince Andrew just floated by the BBC camera. It is cold and rainy in London, much like the weather here. The Queen has been plucky standing the whole time giving the Queenly wave.
My friends arrived yesterday and I took them on some of my favorite rides, ones Maggie and I used to take. We went all the way down to Chatham light then back partly on Route 28 and partly on back roads. Last night we had dinner at the Brewster Fish House, and it was fantastic. Both John and Michelle loved the small restaurant and their dinners. This morning we went to my usual spot for breakfast, and it reminded them of their Saturday breakfast spot. They’ll be back later to help with preparing dinner. Birgit asked for the curry recipe so I posted it in comments under yesterday’s blog if you’d like it.
I used to invite friends over for dinner more often than I do now. Usually I’d cook something I’d never made before or a favorite like the curry. It is always fun making and trying new dishes, and I’ve been lucky that most have been a success. All but one of my friends are willing dinner companions who will try everything. They may not like everything, but they dismiss nothing without a taste. I appreciate their daring especially after I’ve cooked all day.
Sorry to cut this short today, but I’m going to watch the pageantry for a bit then I have to make the appetizers and start dinner. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: cape cod, dinner, flotilla, Food, London, Queen, River Thames, seafood
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June 3, 2012 at 11:45 am
The Havengore, the rain, the crowds, Joey, the Little Ships, HRH standing the entire time, the commercial free coverage on BBC America, friends and family together this morning it is the Diamond Jubillee Thames Pageant and it is wonderful.
Facetime took us to family in London. They are singing on TV, we are bound for South Australia.
Terrific stuff
June 3, 2012 at 12:05 pm
My Dear Hedley,
Hearing the bands, the singers and the cheers all make me want to be there. I’d be waving my Diamond Jubilee flag and giving a hip hip hooray for Her Majesty!
June 3, 2012 at 1:47 pm
On CBS Sunday Morning, they explained that the entire flotilla down the Thames was dreamed up from a painting of a royal precession down the river from the Charles II era. They had to come up with something for this occasion that would draw the attention of the world and draw big crowds, before the Olympics, so the royal barge was a nice touch.
I made the mistake of calling my British colleague a European. He didn’t like that and corrected me by telling me in no uncertain terms that he was British. I told him that many people can swim from his place to France but I couldn’t swim from here to the UK
🙂
If our friends in Europe really want a real “United States of Europe” kind of thing, they are going to have to give up a lot of sovereignty to a central government. Then they can reserve this kind of Royal pageantry stuff to the trash bin of history. The failure of the Euro Zone proves that a confederation doesn’t work. Especially when some members decided not to join. We abandoned a confederation in 1779 to form a Federal Republic and then fought a Civil War to begin to define the powers of the central government from the powers of the states. It’s still being defined today.
Maybe the Brits should roll out the royals and float them down the Thames every summer and have an excuse to not work for a couple of days and raise a pint or two. Something like our Independence Day without the hot dogs or baseball.
June 3, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Kat
We got lucky yesterday and picked up a couple of tickets to the Diving at the Olympics. It is a daily effort as windows open and close and they are no longer available today.
June 3, 2012 at 10:43 pm
My Dear Hedley,
That is amazing that you were able to buy tickets to anything. I am a bit envious that you get to see part of the Olympics!
June 3, 2012 at 12:30 pm
But did your guests get a trip to the dump? That seems to be your favorite outing! (most frequent at least)
June 3, 2012 at 2:24 pm
im6,
The dump is a once a week event, just after the kitty litter is changed, unless I do some cleaning and throw away unwanted stuff. It is Gracie’s favorite outing, but one I could do without but have no choice so I grin and bear it. This week I have yet to go because it would have been yesterday or today, but I have guests and am making dinner tonight. It will have to wait until Wed. as the dump is closed Mon and Tues. regardless of the trash bags accumulating.
June 3, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Mostly cloudy here but the sun makes an appearance every now and again. Cold though so I have started a fire in the stove and hopes it will warm up my little cottage quickly.
We could see it all here too. Swedish television even had their own reporters there, a bit strange really since our and the British royal houses aren’t especially close and we barley care about our own 🙂
I rarely had people over for dinner when I lived in Gothenburg, but we had our breakfast mornings. That was a lot of fun and we used to demand things to eat that made it very difficult for the one hosting it 🙂 🙂
have a great dinner and evening!
Christer.
June 3, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Christer,
Time to start thinking about the Euros and a date between England and Sweden
June 3, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Yes very true 🙂
June 3, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Christer,
We got sun for only a few minutes. It rained again in the late evening. Right now it is a bit chilly but not as cold as you were the other night with the frost. I just had to shut my windows.
I loved watching the whole thing. It was a grand spectacule. The BBC was commercial free for the whole flotilla.
June 3, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Hi Kat,
Sounds like a wonderful day trip for your guests. Going out for breakfast is one of the small pleasures in life.
No sign of the famous bear? I guess he’s headed down Cape but I don’t know for sure.
Lousy weather up here. I saw the sun for 2 seconds while I was outside brushing the dog. It didn’t hang about for long. The cold breeze blew the clouds right back over it. The dog and I went for a walk later on and, wouldn’t you know, the drizzle started 5 minutes into it.
Enjoy your dinner and your guests.
June 3, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Hi Caryn,
Dinner was great. My guests left about 20 minutes ago. They cleaned up and I rested. The curry was perfect! The dinner of coconut ice cream with chocolate sea salt caramel was amazing. The taste was out of this world, and it was a perfect ending to the curry.
Lousy weather all day here too. We saw the sun for about the same amount of time. It was windy, a mighty wind all day and evening.
June 4, 2012 at 10:24 am
Now, I don’t like the idea of coconut ice cream but the addition of chocolate sea salt caramel would cure me of that mighty quickly. Did you make the caramel yourself and, if you did, can I have the recipe? 🙂
June 3, 2012 at 3:24 pm
The Jubilee was a hot item for us to watch too. Merry Old England seems to always be under water. They’re used to it but I loved the Queens custom made umbrella. I wonder if it will start a fad over there. We are finally free of rain here but the humidity makes outings uncomfortable unless we stay close to the beach.
June 3, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Zoey and me, wasn’t it fun ? I felt so sorry for the singers at the end bashing out “land of hope and glory” in a downpour. We wondered what was in the Queens purse…
Best Wishes
Hedley
June 3, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Z&Me,
The day in London was just awful. I felt so sorry for the singers on the Philharmonic boat. It was raining so hard you could see the sheets of it falling.
They were great umbrells, and I liked the flags with the Queen on them/.
We got rain again!
June 3, 2012 at 9:39 pm
We haven’t had much on the pomp and ceremony here, except what happens to be on the BBC. And they seem to like to play the same thing time and again. I watched for a bit until it started its third repeat, then it finally sank in what was going on and I went to something else.
I haven’t been to the Fish House in I don’t know how long. Too long! Makes me want to make the 48 hour trip and have a visit RIGHT NOW! That 48 includes the five hour dining session. I’m sure it would be worth every penny, I so enjoy the place.
Thanks for the recipe, I’ll be testing that on my birthday this week. I’ll let you know how it turns out. It sounds great, but sometimes my interpretation somehow goes awry and things take a turn. LOL
Carl
June 3, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Carl,
You gave me a laugh as we too wondered about the Queen and her black purse. She is never without one.
Dinner was perfect tonight! The crowd loves that curry. My favorite condiments are bananas, watermelon and apples. They cut the heat of the curry well.
Please do remember to let me know!
June 3, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Bob,
I had heard that about the last flotilla being during the reign of Charles. The Diamond Jubilee of a British monarch is so rare that it needed celebrating. I thought she and Philip were amazing standing all that time given she is 86 and he 90.
The Bristish chose not to take part, and they may have been wise in their decision given the financial problems of the union and the bailouts.
It being a Sunday, the crowds were huge watching this. I was amazed. I think it a great start up to the festivities of the summer. I always look forward to the Olympics.
June 4, 2012 at 10:29 am
Caryn,
I bought the sauce: Stonewall Kitchen.
After the dessert had been served and my friends tasted it, there wasn’t a sound except Ummmms. It was totally delicious. The salt was perfect with the rest.