Long Lunches at the Lodge and Birthdays in Cowley

Preparations began the afternoon before this lunch. Kate began the intricate assembly of her famous salmon pie and readied all the necessary components for assembly by 22:00 when we collapsed into bed.

We now know that the Lodge has a capacity of at least 12, that is, 7 adults and 5 offspring. Summer would have been useful for getting the kids into the paddock for a scrum or two but the lounge seems to have survived and the adults oscillated between the kitchen and dining rooms.

A sumptuous feast was prepared and Jason and Adele arrived bearing gifts and left bearing more gifts – the Charismas spirit is flowing thick and fast at the Lodge and we have decided to ignore the bank balances until at least January 15th!!!

Undoubtedly the heaviest Christmas in years but all the more worth it as Kate and I have had so few together with family in the past 10 years and this time we are at home for a change which means we are unfettered by travel baggage allowances and have discovered the joy of internet shopping…



Thanks to the Nottinghamshire delegation we will be hurling large steel balls around the paddock on Christmas day between courses as we try desperately to make space for mince pies between the roast and cheese board. Jason selected Boule for our family this year and is secretly so passionate about this game that he has deviously coerced his in laws into getting him a set too. No doubt we will be instigating an annual family tournament before too long…

True to form we hoovered the feast in less than 0.01% of the time it took to prepare and them Granny Gilly went into overdrive and autopilot and cleared all the dishes and washed the lot and left the place spanking clean for the next assault! What would we do without her? She earned herself a reprieve in the process and was collected chauffeur style by Simon yesterday and whisked away to Cambridge to see Jaclyn, Annabel, Isobel and Charlie (A.K.A. The Unit), for the evening.

Yesterday was Dales Birthday – Happy Birthday Dalsh!

Despite its proximity to Christmas, we were not prepared to amalgamate such a special day with a mere festival.

Richard was out of action and could not be managing surprises and parties, so Kate and I orchestrated a full on SA style braai in pleasingly mild (11degree)weather, at the Cowley lodgings.

The sun failed to make an apperance but no matter for we Africans! Wedged as we were between the church and the pub on James Street it felt rather fitting as a metaphor for wedging a birthday in before Christmas!!

This was undoubtedly the surprise afternoon of the past month for all of us. Dale was distracted by Kate and a nail bar where she resurrected her by now bitten to the quick talons into fine flourish of soft purple gel caps. But the time she got home, the fire was ready to cook upon, the salads were made and the meat marinated.

All hands to the pumps and we had the rest of the day to chill in the comfort of the rather charming house. It was so relaxing and pleasant to be dining on “home grown” food and in the company of some of our favourite people.

Rich and I fell asleep on the couches in front of a roaring fire in the living room.


Andy and Ryan kept it quietly stoked between several helpings of chocolate gattaux birthday cake (Andy doing his Grandpa proud by licking his plate and the cake plate clean!). There may have been a better place to be on the planet but frankly I think we had found it!

Oh and did I mention we even managed to find Biltong! In England Nogal! Lekker man!