'HASTE YE BACK' AFTERNOON TEA

Jeanette organised a marvellous afternoon tea for a group of my new friends as a farewell. The table groaned with high calorific sandwiches, savouries, scones and cakes all prepared by the guests, and washed down with French champagne and, of course, the ubiquitous tea.



Paul, my golf buddy, prepared an exotic gateau for the occasion, appropriately themed as the 19th hole:



His wife Teresa apologised for the putting green being brown. She had offered to sort through all the mixed assortment of sprinkles and pull out the green ones but their larder only had the chocolate variety. I thought a brown green was perfectly acceptable as it's the colour an Australian course will turn when scorched by the summer sun.

The mention of summer sun revealed that there is some pent up longing for holidays in Australia, so we can expect a few guests. People hereabouts still seem a little flummoxed that I have actively chosen to be in their country in winter - and managed to survive the coldest winter for many years. Dawn checked through her diaries and reckoned 1984 was the last winter to match this year's conditions.

There were a few bits of news to catch up on from over Christmas and New Year. On Boxing Day, Lavender's house burned down but apparently the fire service volunteers included a couple of local women who thoughtfully made rescuing some of her personal belongings, such as photos, a priority. Nevertheless she is now in a temporary home, still shocked by the experience. Everyone agreed that the New Year's Eve ceilidh had been a great night. Plans for upcoming January social events - Mahri's birthday, the WRI dinner and Burns night - were discussed. Life will keep ticking over.

Tea eventually gave way to champagne again. We toasted 2010.

"Haste ye back," they said.

"I will!"