A night with the girls

I am the luckiest woman on earth. I sometimes feel giddy with happiness at all the things I have - a loving husband, a roof over my head I can call my own, a healthy-ish body, a family I adore and who love me unconditionally, a job that challenges me and allows me to be very flexible and a support net that is unbelievable. I mean totally out of this world amazing and unbelievable.

 

A few Fridays ago, I decided to have a night to say thank you to my support net. We are a large group and naturally, some closer friendships have formed over time. I had invited three of the ladies over for dinner. I was lucky enough to be working from home that day and started my day with porridge and fruit.  

Breakfast of porridge, yoghurt, Sharon fruit, mint and coconut shavings alongside the obligatory coffee.

I went to a body conditioning class at my local gym during my lunch break that day, which then allowed me to justify a real splurge for my meal. The night at the Dissenting Academy had whet my appetite for scallops. How fortuitous that we now have a new fishmonger in the area - Prawn on the Lawn is just a 10 minute walk from my house AND it's on the way back from the gym. A quick tweet to check they had scallops in stock and a few minutes later I was the proud owner of these beauties:

Scallops and salad

Lucky me, the British Boy had simultaneously forgotten to take his salad to work, so all I had to do was give the scallops a sear, toss the salad with dressing and dig in!

The highlight of the day, though, was the night with the girls. I had whipped up a slowly cooking, but easily thrown together vegetarian chili served with brown rice, home made guacamole and corn tortilla chips.

Brown rice, guacamole and cilantro and lime for the feast.

The largest pot of butternut squash, sweet potato and black bean chili ever.

It was delicious and I've been enjoying the left overs for quite some time (there is still more in the fridge), yet the best part of the evening was spent chatting, laughing, sharing embarrassing stories and feeling connected and supported. I loved it. Thanks, my ladies.