Far from the Madding Crowd – A Weekend in Good Company

This weekend we had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights away. We were very kindly invited to stay at a six hundred year old cottage (belonging to my friend’s father), far from the madding crowd, out in deepest Suffolk. Along with two of my oldest friends (S & J) and their husbands (J & P), we converged on the small village of Chelmondiston late on Friday evening.

It’s not often we all manage to get together. They say the friends you meet at university are your lifelong friends, and for us it’s very true! Living so far away from your closest friends isn’t easy, but when we are together it’s like we’ve never been apart.

I really appreciated the chance to unwind somewhere other than our home and in good company.

On Friday we were welcomed by a warming homemade beef casserole, prepared by my pregnant friend J. Pure comfort food accompanied by a small glass of champagne, which was certainly a treat. We unpacked our frankly ridiculous amount of luggage, attempted to put the children to bed, and sat and chatted until very late.

On Saturday we indulged in a home cooked full English breakfast. Big E thought sausage, toast, and beans for breakfast was the best thing ever possibly only to be surpassed by chocolate.

We took the car in the rain down to The Butt and Oyster at Pinmill and indulged in pudding for lunch. I devoured sticky toffee sponge with toffee sauce and clotted cream, the husband and Big E gorged on double chocolate brownies with Belgian chocolate ice cream. Little E, who is too small yet to enjoy such indulgent delights was perfectly happy with her puréed peach and pear.

We wandered around the boat yard and let Big E walk along the jetty and stomp in puddles. He loved the boats. When we got back in the car he said, unprompted, “Thank you for taking me to see the boats Daddy.” My heart completely melted at his cuteness.

At tea time we munched on S’s delicious homemade pizza then watched the X Factor final on the telly box whilst chattering some more in front of the blazing fire. Little E refused to sleep in her travel cot for the second night in a row so the husband, Big E, Little E, and I all snuggled together in the big double bed.

The children woke fairly late on Sunday morning and we breakfasted on toast and cereal. I, after getting pretty much no sleep, fell into a deep drooly slumber on the sofa whilst S & J entertained Big E in the wet garden. Who knew you could have so much fun counting green tomatoes and nuts?

We had planned to have a Christmas lunch before we all headed out home but the pub we intended to dine at was bursting at the seams. After some driving around, the only place we could find to fit us all in was Pizza Hut, which while not the Christmas lunch planned, was still a very lovely treat indeed.

We always feel a little sad saying goodbye and both me and the husband feel so at home with our friends. It’s a shame we don’t live a little closer. I guess the distance makes us appreciate them all the more.

Here’s to many more good times shared.