Sometimes...

one can have an incredibly nice evening - especially when one has had low expectations.  The fact is, some of one's friends are able to provide brilliant conversation and fun and are just better on their own - they long to come to dinner parties, but they are just more interesting when they are not in a crowd. 

I spent some time today agonising about why no one wanted to come to dinner on 23rd September (otherwise engaged - or still making their minds up) - and then tonight Alex came around and suggested all manner of delightful events.  He can be rather unreliable (was v. late tonight, and had forgotten it was supper, not just drinks).  We now have a very full diary for the next few weeks, in part due to him - so it's another case of "love the one you're with".   We seem to be victims of "one dinner party" syndrome.  Someone invites us - we invite them back, end of.... now it appears that even people who we owe dinner to are otherwise engaged.  Must be something about 23rd September - perhaps it's a new moon or something.  No matter, things will happen eventually.  If people don't want to come, tant pis.  I don't actually yearn to have dinner parties, the idea is often more appealing than the actuality - but there have been some crackers - I remember that the Poker memorial party was very good, and some others... maybe they are going out of fashion.  Will I never cook Salmon en croute sauce a la creme again? - apparently, people used to ring up The Hole in the Wall in Bath to see whether it was on the menu - I can understand it, it's totally delicious... I need to find a few more reliably stunning dishes like that...I must confess all the dishes I really like to give people because they are reliably delicious are things which have a certain amount of sweetness - venison casserole, the great game pie, agnello al agrodolce - and all those ME dishes with apricots etc.

Must find the hunter and ring him about wild boar!