House warmed for 1/3

I might be living in a bigger house than I've ever done before (not counting my parental house), but that still doesn't mean I think it can contain all my friends at the same time. So I had a cunning plan: invite the PhD bunch over for dinner one night, organize a film night for the departmental film club another night, and invite the caving club for yet another one. The PhD's ended up being the first to both get and accept an invite!

The plan was that I would make some food, and they would all bring some too, and we would just have a nice evening. I decided to be rather geographical about it, and provide southern English food, and continental beers. I bought Belgian, German, and Czech beer, and ingredients for a personal version of Cornish Pasties. I prepared the latter the day before, and then on the day itself everyone could just make their own pasties with ingredients of choice.

Very punctually, all Brits arrived! Owain appeared with home-made focaccia (I love focaccia! And he makes good stuff!), and there were also a quiche, ice cream (oh dear, I have no freezer), special Yorkshire day fondant fancies (with little white rose on top!) and more booze. And half the courtyard was now filled up with bicycles. We were ready to get started!

To my relief my house met with approval. So much so that one of the ladies, who intends to move house, might go and look for a place in the same neighbourhood. I hope she finds something!

After some first drinks and the focaccia it was time for pasties. That worked out well! I had also made Bavarian potato salad. And the beer kept flowing. We spent practically all the time in the courtyard, as it was a very warm day, and outside there was a bit of a breeze. The atmosphere was spiffing! And at the end of the night, when several had to borrow bike lights to get home, as it had gotten later than anticipated, my house was nicely warmed. And it was also a nice pre-holiday-separation do, as the ladies would scurry off to various extremities of the country immediately afterwards. And at some point, I will go too, so I may not see them for a while.

I look forward to repeating the exercise with the movie fans and cave freaks! And there is so much beer left I will hardly have to cater for the next version!