Here we are again, after another busy two weeks, this time with a lot of it having been spent creatively in the kitchen.  Happily, also with glimpses of beautiful countryside, a dash of culture, plus a little time having been spent creatively in the shed, hurrah!  This is commonly known as 'a holiday'.

Me and Mr Cooper kicked-off our holiday experience by hosting a dinner party.  Previous to that, I had left the hot and steamy kitchen full of young male chefs late on Thursday night, saying 'see you the week after next', to exchange it for another busy kitchen on Friday.  This one was not so hot and steamy, and I was promoted to actual chef, leaving me with Mr Cooper at the sinks at times.  I suppose he is still just younger than the combined age of three of my normal kitchen compatriots, but sadly not as quick on the chopping and washing front.

Saturday night saw us all feasting on slow-roasted leg of lamb, rosemary roast potatoes plus a selection of Persian salads.  As most people get even more excited by the dessert selection, I had factored this into my preparations, and we then enjoyed chocolate truffle torte, strawberries with raspberry puree and fresh cream meringues.  I do not mean that we chose what to eat from the above, we just ate it all!

Lots of fun was had, and it certainly set us up for the holiday week ahead!

My brother Mark and his youngest son Jem arrived on Tuesday morning, and after a light lunch, we sped away to the north of Petersfield, to show them both the two abandoned tractors that we had come across on our walks.  On the walk towards them, we paused whilst Jem enjoyed playing in an abandoned JCB. (We know how to have a good time, here in the country)

The sad news is that, although nothing is impossible, these two Masseys are very far gone.
So breathe a sigh of relief, Jayne, we are not expecting Philip to bring them to your farm for a restoration project!
Here are Jem, Mark and Mr Cooper looking very young and fresh before two tired tractors.  Not a good end at all for a pair of hard-working vehicles.

We then set off for a pint of beer to cheer us up, at the Pub With No Name, with me pausing only to do an 'art shot', because that is what I do.

We cheered ourselves up a little more when we got back by scooting down to 'The Travs' for a swift pint, before returning to enjoy a sausage feast. This was accompanied by another selection of salads, and also my son John.  He was not on the menu, but had come over to share in the festivities.

The next day saw us setting out fairly bright and early, to explore the delights of Selsey, a nearby seaside town.  Me and Mr Cooper are thinking of re-locating here, and we would love to meet anyone who doesn't look totally surprised and say 'Selsey???!!!' as if totally amazed, when we inform them of that fact.  Mark and Jem enjoyed the Selsey experience very much.  We looked around a house that me and Mr Cooper would like to move to,* then enjoyed a cafe fry-up, pausing on our drive back to wash it all down with a pint from 'The Crab and Lobster' at Sidlesham, one of my most favourite areas.  This is where me and Mr Cooper had our first wedding reception together.
The countryside here reminds me of the Fens, where I grew up, but with a lot more trees, the best of both worlds.

Later that day, we kept with the saltwater theme, and enjoyed a walk round the sea front in Nutbourne.  Such a beautiful walk, and only two fields away from the main road.  This walk helped us work on our appetite, as it was the night for an Indian takeaway for six, as both Sam and John were coming over (Sam much prefers an Indian takeaway to a sausage selection, particularly if it is from 'Memories of India,' just down the road from us at Bosham.)  And, if you are a member of the local gym, which we are, you get 15% discount on food from there.  A really good reason to attend classes, use the gym regularly and go swimming, between lashings of dhal and Peshwari naans.

On Thursday we had a day of culture and education, as we visited Fishbourne Roman Palace.  After our 3 hour visit, we really had learnt a lot, particularly as we had joined in with the guided tour.  And as is usual with learning more, we also realised that there was so much that we didn't know, mainly about Roman history!  It also struck me that it had been a while since I had visited what is sometimes described as a 'place of interest'.  It certainly also gave us lots to talk about, both during pre-dinner drinks down at 'The Travs', but also during that night's festive fare, a Shanghai Steamboat.  This was followed by poached apples topped with caramel shards, the apples being from Marks' own apple tree.

Early next morning saw me saying goodbye to Mark and Jem, and heading off to Midhurst with 10 paintings, which were destined for the walls of 'The Olive and Vine' where I was joining in with the annual Madhurst celebration of music and the arts.  Above are my two picnic paintings, 'Celestial Picnic' and 'Terrestrial Picnic' and in the picture below, Fluffy really does seem to be in heaven in the final one of the triptych, 'Fluffy Goes To Heaven'.

As I was busy that morning being an artist, Mr Cooper was assuming his very important role as 'Grandolph' as Rachael, Ben and young Henry came to stay for the weekend.

Here is Mr Cooper taking his role very seriously....

.....and perhaps now looking even more surprised than Henry at the height of the tower.

Here is one where they both look lovely, but one of them is looking on especially lovingly.

The next couple of days revolved around a couple of walks to The Travs, making sure Henry had a sufficient nap in the middle of the day, doing some much-needed garden maintenance, and roasting gunard one night, then creating a more classy dish the next  of 'poulet saute au vinaigre'.  Mr Cooper really loved that one, as he told me during the meal most effusively.  This also could be due to the fact that he had followed his couple of pints by a large gin, before quenching his thirst with some white wine.  Luckily, the second appearance of the chocolate truffle torte pleased everyone else around the table.

Sunday came all too soon, which meant we waved goodbye to Rachael, Ben and Henry, then got the fondue set out of hibernation, ready for Molly and Sam, later that evening.  As well as grating copious amounts of cheese, I made a classic old school dessert, treacle tart, ensuring butter and lard were used in the making of the pastry.

I had forgotten what fun it was to have a cheese fondue, especially with Molly and Sam, not forgetting Mr Cooper too.  The only disappointment was that the fondue wasn't large enough, but a game of 'Cards Against Humanity' soon put smiles back on our faces. (Especially mine, as I won!)

Another good result from this week of gaiety was that the first illustration for the cookery book was completed.  Here it is, hot off the paint brush.  And, wonder of wonders, the next one has already been started.  I have just got to get the idea for the third, now.

 Anyway, I hope you have lots of ideas if you need them, and not too many if you don't.  Plus, if you have a house for sale, I hope you have a stream of viewers.  If, like me, you are feeling a little sad and frustrated, just remember that Mercury is in retrograde at the moment, until the 3rd September, so just keep plodding on, and smiling!
Till then, don't plod too heavily, and do try to smile brightly!

* All sadly theoretical at the moment, as we still have a house to sell!