Come Dine With Me!

This morning, while I was sitting in the conservatory doing the crossword, I thought I heard the sound of a burner firing up on a hot air balloon. Thinking it must be something else I didn't look around but when I heard it for a third time, I looked up to see an enormous balloon hovering over our house!

I called Keith and then I went outside to see it slowly drift away. It was completely silent until the burners were lit, and it looked lovely against the grey sky.

Apart from the morning excitement, not a lot has happened during the day. Mike came back from Brixworth and then went back again as he's at a party tonight. Sophie has been at work and Keith went to the football in the afternoon leaving me to relax on the sofa with a couple of recorded programmes.

Luckily, Sophie finished at 6pm as tonight was the first of the 2016 Come Dine With Me meals! Fiona was hosting and the theme was Spanish. I'd bought a new red top and a Spanish hat and I needed Sophie to help me put my hair into a low bun. On the way home from picking her up we called at the Chinese take-away van in the village so Sophie and Keith could order their dinner.

Once home I did my make-up, Sophie did my hair and I got dressed before heading off to Northampton. I had told Fiona I was going to be a little late as there was no way I could have made it for the 7pm start time!

Lynda and Andrea were already there and sipping Sangria...

They both looked fabulous! I loved Lynda's moustache which did come off pretty early! Andrea looked very glamourous in a Flamenco dress while Fiona also looked great in her outfit and her hat was the same as mine!

The 2016 Come Dine With Me challenge begins!

Fiona had worked very hard with the food and before sitting down to our starters we nibbled on peach and cured ham wrapped in Basil. For our starters we had a medley of mushrooms, ham, guacamole and olives served with crispy tortillas. Delicious!

For the main course, Fiona had literally slaved over the cooker to make us a huge Paella...it was beautiful!

The wine flowed (Cava, white Rioja and various reds) so by the end of the meal I definitely felt a bit squiffy! We enjoyed a Spanish cake and ice-cream for dessert and we all agreed that it was a lovely meal and a brilliant start to the year's round of dinners!

Keith and Sophie came to pick me up and we gave Lynda a lift home. It was great to realise that the clocks go back tonight, so even though we arrived after midnight, it was still Saturday really!