Articulate

It’s such a beautiful morning. I spend so long faffing around in the kitchen that I almost miss my pump class and then, by the time I arrive, the studio is stoved off, there isn’t room to swing a cat, let alone lift weights! I quit while I’m ahead and decide to hit the road for a run before  the sun gets seriously sizzly. It’s a good move as I have the 7km Sun Run in less than a month and I really need to knuckle down to some training! As always, it’s such a pleasure to hit the ground running, but I’m so frustrated at my low levels of fitness. I used to be a machine, now I’m just a rickety old rust bucket! I’m working on the premise that the more I train, the fitter I’ll feel!

Later, we do our usual Saturday thang and venture out for coffee and groceries. It’s a busy day in the kitchen as we’ve got friends to feed tonight. My trainer Kathy, and her husband Colin, and Tracey and Nick, from NYE are all coming for dinner and it’s all systems go in the kitchen. For once I’m pretty organised. I get the dips made in the morning, the dessert done in the afternoon and do the prep for the mains before the guests arrive!

It’s such a lovely evening we have drinks and dips out on the balcony; we feast on Sweet Chilli Sour Cream, Roasted Pumpkin and Cumin Dip, White Bean and Spicy Tomato Dips and dunk crudites, tortilla chips and pitta toasts with wild abandon. For mains, we have Crisp Skinned Fish with Mustard Butter which luckily is just as yummy as David and I remember it.

After the mains, we give our stomachs a siesta and hit the deck to play some games. First up is Articulate; it’s kind of like charades, but you use words instead of actions. We play Boys V Girls and to our abject humiliation, the boys beat us. We’re ready to avenge our defeat. But… not until we’ve had dessert.

Dessert is my speciality a la maison; Sticky Date Cheesecake which is heaven on a plate. As it doesn’t have a biscuit base, it’s easy to make and I think,  healthier to eat, but that’s just my opinion! I narrowly avoid a sauce disaster, I almost give the sauce to my guests and then remember I haven’t added the cream! Doh! Luckily, I rectify mistake and we all eat happily ever after!

Post dessert we engage in more game playing. This time it’s Cramium which is a universal brain game, with charades, word games and brain teasers. The Girls are so ready to beat the Boys. And beat them we do! Revenge is sweet! It’s a great evening and we have tons of fun! I love weekends!