Of Etchings and Beef

It's been a hectic weekend socially. T and I took Friday off work which was just as well since it had been another insanely busy week of deadlines. During the day we did the majority of our Christmas shopping. I'm a pretty brutal shopper. I decide what I want to get and then I launch a guerilla style assault on the shops till it's done. This meant that by the time we met back up for lunch I'd covered some serious mileage and was knackered. I did get a fairly major self-indulgence though which I hadn't planned. I'd decided to get my dad a Victorian print and dutifully pottered off up Museum Street and had a look-see. I did find a beautiful little portrait for him but I also found a something for me too. It is reasonably well understood by those who know me that I adore the work of Piranesi, the 18th Century master of copper plate etching. The shop I obtained my dad's present from had a few examples of the Roman Verdute etchings and to cut a long story short after much deliberation I bought one, and it's utterly beautiful - he really was astonishing.

Friday evening rolled around and brought the work Christmas party. This year it was fancy dress, the theme being black and white films and TV. this presents a bit of a problem for the bearded as the 20s to the 50s were noted for being highly non-beard friendly times and I really struggled to come up with characters I could carry off. In the end I opted for Fred C. Dobbs, the character in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" played by Humphrey Bogart. T went as the second Mrs. De Winter from Hitchcock's "Rebecca", and she looked beautiful. We didn't win the best costume prizes but we did get drunk and have a good time.


On Sunday I cooked roast beef and all the trimmings for several of my friends. I got a 9lb 12oz joint of beef rib and as always, William Rose Butchers did not disappoint; it was delicious. I shall be having beef sandwiches for a few days to come too. Mmm.

And then there was much cheese brought by my lovely guests and a drink or two to round off the afternoon.

This is one of the several plates of cheeses, truffles and other goodies.

I'm back at work with avengence but it was such a lovely weekend that it really isn't so bad, though I'm grateful I only have another three days of this craziness before I can stop for the holidays.