41 feasts

Look at that piece of sunshine on a plate – a tried and tested antidote to this week’s grey skies and continuous rain.

These past couple of weeks I’ve been reflecting on how life might have been.  An old friend described ‘sliding doors moments’ – when a last minute decision or event, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s missed train, literally changes your life completely.  I was reminded of two such moments over Easter.

Twenty years ago I decided pretty last minute to attend a student pharmacy conference – my planned sailing trip had been cancelled and I had both money and time on my hands.  I literally can’t imagine my life had I chosen not to go – most of our Christmas card list and Facebook friends are from my time with the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association - along with stories I won’t ever tell my mother or my children (including my bench in Bath, the lock-in in London, precisely which part of my anatomy was elected Chair of the Curry & Kebab Committee…).  This weekend saw me celebrating at the 70th Annual Conference Ball – our dance moves haven’t changed in 20 years!

My other sliding doors moment was opening our home about eight years ago to a completely unknown person.  As part of a year’s internship with our church, Rachel needed somewhere to live and Jonathan and I stepped up.  Only after agreeing the details, which included providing an evening meal, did we learn that Rachel was a vegetarian – and us with our passion for raw fish and rare meat – oops.

The tale of Rachel (a lifetime vegetarian) and her conversion to a carnivore is a highlight in no 41′s annals.  She swears it wasn’t us, rather the rotisserie chicken in the local supermarket and the doorstopper sandwiches in Dene’s Deli that tempted her (but I can’t deny we weren’t a little bit relieved!).

Rachel & her goddaughter

Last week Rachel’s parents came over to visit – what with one thing and another they stayed with us – and that slight anxiety returned.  More than one vegetarian meal required.  Feeding ‘proper’ vegetarians.  The people that taught the person who taught me how to vary your protein intake (Rachel didn’t turn to meat the minute she moved in, I had a good six weeks of lessons). The tried and tested couldn’t be served three nights running!

Continue reading →