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Monday, September 5, 2016

Family Catch-up

Sunday was time for a family catch-up. The table was set with one of my pretty hand embroidered tablecloths.  This one was rather special and has a bit of a story to it.  I had purchased it as a kit many years ago.  Don’t ask me why, I don’t really know how to do fancy embroidery.  After it had been hanging around for quite some time, Nicky claimed it and took it home.  Some time later, she gave it back to me for a birthday gift, all beautifully embroidered!

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Tablecloth hand embroidered by my daughter

Delicious smells wafted in from the patio as a Robin had a leg of tasty New Zealand lamb sizzling away on his Weber Baby Q barbecue for Sunday lunch.  It was a rainy day, so the BBQ was tucked away under the eaves.

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Yum, yum, lamb for lunch

Slathered with gravy, served with roast veggies, and a selection of greens, it was a delicious lunch indeed.  We had home made apple tart with whipped cream for dessert, plus a pavlova and strawberries, so no one left the table hungry.

Presents were swapped – Nicky had recently celebrated her birthday, and I received a belated Mother’s Day gift.  Which was a lovely bright souvenir tea towel from their travels.  And a lovely Tudor Rose pin – Nicky knows I love that period of English Royal history.

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Happy Mother’s Day to me

Daughter and son-in-law Nicky and Robert had recently returned home after four months travelling around England, with a quick whizz-bang trip through France, Venice, and Switzerland.  So we spent a very pleasant afternoon looking through their travel photos, played through our TV.  Grand-daughter Emma soon got bored with this, and took herself off with her computer.

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Emma found this much more interesting

Soon it was time for the family to head off home, but not before the obligatory family photo.  It was lovely to see them, and catch up with all their news.  Next time, we can bore them silly with our holiday photos!

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Nicky and me – oh dear, I’m looking old!

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Emma, Robert, Nicky, Megan and Robin

Once we had waved them off, the house returned to its more usual “quiet mode”.  Goodness – those girls are noisy!

4 comments:

Nancy J said...

Lovely to have them visit, and good timing, What a gorgeous tablecloth. I still have one my Mum did before they were married, so it must be at least 78 years old . A treasure.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Lovely family time. What a beautiful gift is your tablecloth. I could almost smell that roast lamb....my fav!

Janice said...

What a lovely way to spend the day. It seems Nicky has inherited your crafting ability. What a wonderful job she did on the tablecloth. Good to see it being used, not just tucked away "for good". Is Emma the recipient of your "All Breeds" quilt?

Sandra Walker said...

Funny how they bring such 'noise' to our homes, and the silence seems both calming yet kind of a pang of loneliness to it after they leave, right? Glad Nicky had a wonderful time, wow 4 months went fast...kinda thought maybe they'd find jobs and stay longer!