Saturday 9 February 2013

Dinner Party

Tonight the farmer and I are giving a small dinner party for three dear friends.   As befits my advancing age I am spending the day gradually getting ready for it, rather than rushing about at the last minute as I used to do.

But if there is anything nicer than eating with friends on a cold, February night when snow is forecast again for tomorrow; and sitting afterwards by the log-burner and chatting and having a drink, then I can't imagine what it can be, can you?

The only slight 'fly in the ointment' is that I am cooking a large piece of rib of beef which I bought for Christmas and didn't use and I feel it has been in the freezer long enough - and getting beef just right is not my strong point - so keep your fingers crossed for me please.

And speaking of flies in the ointment, yesterday the farmer used an expression I have never heard before.  There are of course colloquial expressions in the UK (as I suppose there are all over the world) and they are often regional.   I can't remember what prompted his exclamation but whereas I would have said, "there is more than one way to kill a cat rather than choking it with cream" he said "there's more jam than Hartley's" - ever heard that before?

14 comments:

Dominic Rivron said...

I've not heard it before. It reminds me that Ulysses -of which we were conversing about not long ago- is full of sayings, just as Shakespeare is full of quotes. Who was the first to say "he's not as green as he's cabbage-looking" for example? Was it a current expression or a coinage of Joyce's?

Gerry Snape said...

no nor me niether...but it's a goodie Pat...congrats to the Farmer!!

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

I never had heard it....And we say (rarely) there's more ways to kill a cat than choking it to death with strawberries, which, come to think of it, is far less sensible a saying than the one about cream. I've never heard that cats have a fondness for strawberries.

kristieinbc said...

I'm terrible at cooking beef too, even though I am not a bad cook. You are braver than I am if you are attempting it for guests! And to be honest, I haven't heard of either expression. :-)

Susan said...

Sounds like a lovely evening. I've heard "there's more than one way to skin a cat". I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US so perhaps this is an old trapper saying? How about 'it's colder than snake snot' or 'hotter than blue blazes'? Those I know came from my West Virginia roots. Funny how when you use these sayings when the younger adults are around, they look at you like you are crazy! Guess that means I officially 'over the hill'! Thanks for your post, and for your engaging blog. You are on my must read list with coffee each morning!

jill said...

Hope you have a lovely evening Pat its always nice to spend time with friends.No Iv not heard that one before but we do learn something new everyday.Love Jill xx PS hope we are not going to get too much snow !!! x

angryparsnip said...

I have never heard either of the two you mentioned. I like @Sue, have heard "their is more than one way to skin a cat" but I never liked it so never got in the habit of using it.

cheers, parsnip

rkbsnana said...

Never heard that one...always heard more ways to skin a cat which never made much sense as I know no one who skins cats. On Forrest Gump he speaks of having more money than Davy Crockett. I had never heard that one either and didn't know Davy Crockett had money.

Heather said...

I love regional colloquialisms and haven't heard of either of yours, but then I'm a southerner.
I'm sure your guests will enjoy the beef, even if you are not satisfied with it. Have a lovely evening.

A said...

Good luck, I'm jealous of the evening you're set to have!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

It sounds like a wonderful evening - enjoy!!

ArtPropelled said...

Hope the dinner went well. You described such a happy scene of friends chatting around the log fire.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's more than one way to skin a cat here in Australia too - never liked the expression. I think the following are regional here ' mad as a cut snake' - 'flat out as a lizard drinking' and definitely "he/she has more front than John Martin's" a large expansive department store in the city, a building very much part of South Australia's history.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks to you all for popping round. Wish you had all been sitting round our dinner table last night.