My Parisian houses

My framed cross-stitch tapestries hang in our Cape Town flat.

I have been completely absorbed in finding out more about my grandmother Nellie's family, that it is now time to get back to my letters.

April is a special month for birthdays and anniversaries in our family.

So I dipped into my pile of letters that Mom preserved for me and the letter of the 30th April 1987 triggered lots of memories.

Fred and I had gone into Paris to buy pieces of original ceramic art to celebrate our 8th anniversary. I was sharing it with Mom and sent her a portion of the brochure so she could see what the ceramic houses look like.

The pieces are still in my lounge, one or two got broken or a little chipped but otherwise they have survived the decades.

Sometime later I found a cross-stitch pattern and made up two pieces as they looked very similar to the Parisian houses we had bought. The cross-stitch tapestries hang in the flat here in Cape Town and I still enjoy looking at them.

For our anniversary in 1987 we had dinner at a French Bistro on the Seine River. I mention to Mom that it had a great atmosphere and we had lovely seafood.

A few days back Shawni sent me photos of their evening out to Hippopotamus at the Museum Hotel in Wellington to celebrate their first anniversary.

She and I are a function of the masterchef phenomenon and share a love of yummy food beautifully presented.

Her menu choice: Beef fillet, beef cheek cannelloni, braised short rib with truffle mash and roast marrow.
Craig's choice : Venison with pickled beetroot, poached prune, salted caramel ganache, chocolate chilli crumble.
New Zealand oyster's to start and French Champagne. Yum.

I wonder what my Mom would have thought of that menu!