The family all came over for Bonfire Night yesterday, although the weather was drizzly, we weren’t deterred.

Ronan is, quite possibly, the perfect son. I’d been slicing onions on the mandoline (with a cutproof glove, obvs) and the joiner called to look at the work I need him to do. The onions were fine, I’d still got a couple to slice but the rest were gently frying and I just left them. Once we’d finished looking at the jobs to be done, we headed outside to check from there, just as Ro and the children were arriving. So we all greeted each other and I came indoors ten minutes later, by this time a bit late for all the onions to have been left alone. Ro had sliced the rest, stirred them in the pan, washed up the mandoline and cleaned the work surface.

Anyway, all went well. I’d bought a piece of pork shoulder and started cooking it fairly early in the hot oven, then transferred it to the warm oven because I had bread to bake, then put it up high again. Somehow, it was perfect. Fabulously crunchy crackling and cooked but juicy meat. I’d also made two batches of flapjacks, fried the onions very slowly over a couple of hours and made apple sauce. Wink made a crumble for pudding. I was going to bustle out and deal with the bonfire, but Ro pointed out that there would be blokes to do that, I could just leave it. I did mention he’s the perfect son? Instead, we made a guy. Ro had told Rufus about Guy Fawkes, a toned-down version, so I sacrificed an elderly pair of trousers and a shirt that I normally use for home decorating, we fetched half a bale of stale straw and got stuffing. Then the children had ice cream and Perdita went for a nap.

Weeza and Phil came in separate cars, so that the boot of each could be filled with firewood, so they’re all set for the next few weeks. I have plenty to share. Everyone seemed to have a lovely time, I certainly did.

I note from overseas friends on Facebook that it seems to be believed that Guy Fawkes is still an influential figure over here. One friend even thinks he’s a symbol of religious intolerance because he was Catholic. Er, no. It’s really just Bonfire Night, an excuse for a party. When political shenanigans get a bit much, some people mutter that maybe he had the right idea, but no one literally wants to blow up Parliament, nor do they hate Guido. It’s just an excuse for fun, fire and fireworks, nothing more. We are really not holding on to 400 yearsworth of hate, most people don’t know anything about the history. Sometimes, a sigh is just a sigh.

Sort-of-brother-in-law Alan makes very good bread, a mixture of spelt and rye. I had to abandon rye flour, except for the starter, as it was just too solemn and heavy. His is made with yeast, not sourdough, though. So I bought some spelt and added that, 50/50 with wheat flour to today’s mixture. We’ll see how it turns out, I’ll leave it overnight, then put it in the tin and let it rise for a few more hours before baking it.

I had an invoice today, from a company that my tree guy hired a digger from. However, I’d paid in advance, including a £500 refundable deposit in case of damage. I queried it, the DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY didn’t seem to know the difference between an invoice and a receipt, but it didn’t itemise what I’d paid anyway. I suspect it was ineptitude and not dishonestly, but quite poor, anyway. I trust I’ll have my deposit returned by Monday, or else I’ll be back asking about it. Rob has provisionally booked the digger again for a couple of months’ time, but I’m now doubtful that they’re worth sticking with, especially as the machine broke down twice. However, I’ll tell him what I think and leave it to him, because I prefer minimum stress nowadays.

There are quite a lot of firework parties about, but Eloise cat is completely unbothered. I looked up recipes for veggie burgers today. My friend the Country Smallholder has an excellent recipe, she brought some along to last year’s party – but the list of ingredients is massive, including beans, beetroot, mushrooms, quinoa, tofu and many flavourings. Considering there is only one vegetarian and this would serve at least 8 people, if not 12, I couldn’t face it. In the end, I’m sorry to say, I bought veggie burgers. 3 different sorts, so he has a choice – or I can cook them all, I’m sure they’ll be eaten. I completely forgot to buy Phil’s favourite beer: Adnam’s Broadside. I’ll have to nip out in the morning. Nothing but the best for my favourite son-in-law.

I’ve got work to do, just emails and general admin and I’m ignoring it. I must get on with it tomorrow. Half a day’s work, if I get down to it. It would have been so straightforward to do some of it, at least, today. But no, I have to take it to the wire.

Anyway, there is one thing I did, which I’m glad of. I have meant to phone our friends Mike and Ann for some time – we’ve spoken a couple of times in the past year, once I phoned and once Ann did. Mike’s memory has been failing for a few years, I’m sorry to say and he didn’t remember my name, but Ann thinks he’ll know me when he sees me. I’m going to check something – a meeting that needs to be rearranged – and may be able to call and see them next week. I’ve left it far longer than I should, I let the long, hot summer drift away from me. I meant to go to London on business and couldn’t face it, but I must deal with that too, at some time. But friends before business, at least in this instance.

One of the bits of admin is, quite simply, sending out the agenda for a meeting. I received a form that other committee members need to fill in, back in the summer. I asked what to do but, as it wasn’t urgent, I was told that it could wait until our November meeting. Haven’t the faintest idea where I safely stashed it. That’s why I haven’t done the agenda yet, this form must go on it, so I have to name it. No idea. I know the room where it is. I may even have filed it in exactly the right place. Stranger things have happened. Ho hum. I used to be so reliable.

I have, however, just put my (required) name badge in my handbag today, for a school tour on Friday afternoon. Not tomorrow Friday, next week. No leaving it until the last minute, if no actual effort is involved.

I had a cheerful morning in the kitchen, putting away all the things I bought in Narberth, stashing them in jars and labelling them. I moved everything to clean underneath and then made celery soup. It’s good to have the Aga back on again. I’d invited Wink in for dinner, so lit the stove in the dining room. It wasn’t especially cold, but not quite warm enough to sit for an hour. There had been heavy rain this morning, let’s hope it moves on before the bonfire parties this weekend.

I arrived home yesterday, a little before half past five, and my darling eCat was waiting on the doorstep to greet me. She’s on my lap now, being loving and trying to pretend to be cool.

I had a good weekend. I left before 5.30 on Friday, to be sure of getting to the garage before 10 – actually there before 9, but leaving later could have meant long delays on the M25. I walked up to my friends’ house, having refused their offer to pick me up, because of the commuter traffic. It was uphill all the way, though most of it a gentle slope. The steepest hill was Tim’s road. I walked past our house. It hadn’t changed. I had a lovely day with our friends and another called in for coffee, which was a great pleasure. F was very kind in helping me to sort out the house when Tim died and I love her dearly.

The car needed new rear brake pads, so I had to wait all day to pick it up and didn’t get to the caravan until half past nine that evening. Luckily, the rain held off until I was indoors with all the baggage. I spent Saturday evening onwards with Tim’s sister-in-law and her husband, whom I’ve adopted into my family too. They fairly recently moved to Narberth and have had a lot of work done in the house this summer/autumn. This made it difficult to live in, so they’ve used the caravan as much as they wanted. It’s the first time we’ve seen each other since the house was sold, though, because they’ve been on holiday when I was down before.

Sunday afternoon onwards, I was back on my own, being quiet and peaceful. I went shopping in Narberth on Monday – it’s a very foodie place to shop, with two butchers in the little village street, two greengrocers and two delis. I went to the one with the best cheese counter, for Welsh cheese and butter and then to the Happy Planet store, which is run by a woman who grows a lot of vegetables, keeps chickens and has all the produce in big containers, for you to fill your own. She can’t make much money, the prices are so reasonable. I came out with a lot of food, including several flours, seeds, nuts, all sorts of things. Some of it still has to be sorted out, I have been busy with other things today.

Wink is off to India in less than two weeks. She had an anxious day on Monday. Luckily she found out in time, because there was no publicity until recently, but India withdrew the option to obtain a visa online. This is basically because of Brexit. There’s an EU treaty, which doesn’t cover us any more. So you have to fill in lengthy forms, apply for an appointment, get more paperwork and go in person to get it processed. It’s actually worse than it was 20 years ago. Luckily, Wink allowed masses of time, because they don’t give leeway. There was an incident on the railway line and she was considerably delayed. It turned out, I discovered from the local paper, to be a pack of hounds that were being exercised, but some of them ran away onto the line and they were hit by a train, the one before Wink’s. Horrid.

She arrived ten minutes early, so hoorah for caution. All is well, though they’re going to post the visa – it is not possible to visit India on impulse any more.

This evening, I turned on the Aga. I think this is the first time I’ve waited until November, but it has been very mild. I’m so pleased to think I’ll come down to a lovely warm kitchen and be able to put away the toaster for the next few months. The family is coming over on Saturday for a bonfire and quiet fireworks. Zerlina had her braces off today and is very happy – her teeth are perfect now. She’s been so limited in what she could eat for the last 16 months, so has asked for pork crackling to be on the menu. This suits everyone except the vegetarian grandson, but I’m going to do hot pork rolls with crackling on the side, with bean burgers for him.