Jimmy Stewart's American Apple Pie

Tonight's post is a slow process because to be frank, I am absolutely sloshed. Usually a fast touch typist, tonight this is like typing underwater...

My lovely Walthamstow chums have been over for lunch and it was supposed to be a dinner and a movie affair - Barbara Stanwyck's wine soaked leg of lamb with Jimmy's Apple Pie to follow. These were both DELICIOUS but as we are having an unseasonally gorgeous weekend the six of us went to the Middle Lane Pleasure Gardens instead of watching Ball of Fire.

It's been an odd weekend. After lying fallow for 8 months or so - like buses, two have come along at once. For the first time since moving to Crouch End I had a bed fellow of the opposite sex last night. I am having to keep my eyes open with matchsticks this evening - not much sleep was had. But I was strangely disconnected throughout. Perhaps I was just hungry? After the promise of a nice dinner, turned out crisps and wine sufficed.

And then, after a big build up from Grace, ROD turned up on the scene this afternoon. Interesting. There's a touch of the David Essex about him, and as some of my readers know, I am rather partial to the gypsy lifestyle...

Over and above all of this was the absolute HEAVENLY PLEASURE of spending some time with Cary, Grace, William and the lovely and very zen Douglas Fairbanks. I do not see these folk often enough so a whole afternoon with them all was a springtime treat of the very best kind.

Barbara Stanwyck's Roast Leg of Lamb

"I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn.
I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety
and they won't need to paste my face with make-up."

Well, Barbara didn't make it to ninety, but she was acting almost to the end of her life in 1990, appearing in Dynasty and its spin off The Colbys. We got it slightly wrong in discussion around the dinner table, we thought it was Dallas - Ginger told us that she wasn't allowed to watch the mighty Dallas as in her house it was considered "too racy." I was allowed though and loved "the poison dwarf". Her hair was almost as long as her body.

There has been rather a lull in the cooking of the suppers. This is partly to do with much writing going on - working on the book proposal for Frankfurt and working on the cruise lectures. But also due to the sudden appearance of a new man in my life. Too much to tell, but suffice to say that this one is a keeper.

Barbara's lamb was very good - but not, in my opinion as good as Errol's. The soaking of the leg in a pint of red wine and a pint of white wine got full approval of the household. I think Barbara probably liked a drink or two. As the wine was glugging out of the bottles and on to the lamb Ginger was heard to exclaim, "Go Babs!"