M&S

There are so many ways in which I’m a bad hostess. The guys don’t like the instant coffee I have so they walk two blocks to Spar every morning for coffee. I should buy a coffee press and proper coffee, but I haven’t gotten around to it. As a tea drinker, I’m oblivious to what is acceptable for coffee drinkers.

I made three dinners for them and that sort of wore me out. They made pasta one night and we ate out one night. I made eggs for breakfast twice I think, the rest of the time I just put stuff out and let them help themselves. They are the perfect guests in that they are very self reliant. Happy to take public transport or call Uber. Happy to pitch in with cooking and cleaning. They enjoy walking the dog. It makes being hostess much more chill than with people you don’t know as well or aren’t as comfortable with. I’ve always thought of Joe as my older brother, so I think of him more as family than as guest.

This morning he went to the Turkish barbers--all the barbers here are Turkish, something to do with hot towels--then the post office and the baker’s. Carlos and I went to Marks and Spencer’s, where we got two of the New Year’s Eve “Dine in for two” specials. Choices included salmon, beef bourguinon, coq au vin, duck a l’orange, rack of lamb, lamb shoulder, and goat cheese tart. They got salmon, I got the cheese tart. For 20 pounds, your dinner for two also comes with an appetiser, a side dish, a dessert, and a bottle of wine or sparkling wine.

Knowing a big meal was ahead, we went for a long walk on the Lagan towpath, having lunch at the lock keeper’s inn. I didn’t take photos on the towpath but I have just looked at the photos on my camera and found: Joe and Carlos at a gate at Killyleagh Castle--note the 1666 date.

Me and Joe on the ferry from Strangford to Portaferry:

We could be siblings, right? And here are Joe & Carlos on the ferry:

So nice to have a camera whose photos stay still when you upload them.
We ended our week together perfectly. For Christmas, I bought them tickets to see Nativity: What the Donkey Saw at the Lyric. Carlos was involved in the theatre for many years so I wanted him to experience Belfast theatre. The play was hilarious. Much better than I expected. The writing was funny, the songs were well harmonised AND funny. It was a great way to end a great visit.
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