Bellerophon symbol, variation 7 jonath.co.uk
Friday 31st December 2004

So, anyway . . . today was our, erm, 'dinner party'. M**** had to go to the doctors in the morning for something and, meanwhile, I had a few items to buy from town to enable the meal to happen, as it were. We needed weighing scales, an electric hand-whisk, side plates, a table cloth, bacon, and some kind of baking tray thing. From about 1pm onwards (or whenever it was I got back from town . . . maybe 13:30 . . . I dunno) it seemed we were doing pretty much nothing but preparing this meal. The main course involved loads of peeling and slicing up of vegetables, you see. Also, the main course could be made in advance (good job it was, as it turned out) and also the pudding, as that was just a roulade.
All these pictures are getting ahead of me. That first picture was taken at 19:49. People were meant to turn up at 19:30. I think Anna turned up first, followed by Mouse and Simon shortly after. And then that second picture, at 19:51, that's not long after the, er, starter was served up. The starter was this kind of cashew nut, apple, watercress and avocado salady thing, served in avocado half-skins (see picture) with some kind of vinaigrette dressing (lemon juice, olive oil and French dijon mustard) . . . erm . . . is this too much detail? Anyway, that third picture was taken at 20:11, probably not long after the starter. Lots of hands moving around here. The picture above on the right (with the wine bottle) was taken at 20:15. The picture with Mouse and Simon was taken at 20:53 (yes, I know it's an awful picture, but it's kinda funny). And that one of me, at 20:57, when I was doing an impression of a kind of hunchbacked, leary waiter. You kinda had to see it, really. Oh, and looks like the cheese board turned up at 22:20. Must have been a four-course meal. Was the cheese last then? I dunno. Anyway, looks like Wensleydale with cranberries, some kind of Bavarian smoked something . . . erm . . . that must be Boursin, in the foil dish thing. Not sure what the blue one was or the other two . . . probably mature Cheddar and 'Lancashire'. That last picture (well, until New Year's Day) there (to the right) was taken at 23:30 . . . things are starting to get blurry. Looks like we're playing the 'Rizla Game' or whatever you call it. You get the name of someone famous stuck on your forehead and using yes/no questions you have to work out who the hell it is. I'm hopeless at this game, asking questions like, "Was I a silicon-based life form?" Anthony and Liz had arrived whilst we were in the middle of the game, but I think it ended soon after this picture was taken.