The promise of something new

Amidst the warmth of old friends and the gentle smell of the first sweet peas, we ate and drank and laughed until our sides hurt. It was perfect. One of those fabulous afternoons spent around the kitchen table in the orange kitchen with The Big Black Dog lolling at the feet of each person in turn, sluttily lying on her back to have her tummy tickled, and The Siamese Princess hopping from lap to lap. In the blink of an eyelid, the afternoon passed and the sun sank behind the mountain.

There's just something so lovely about an extended lunch with old friends. And what could be better than the promise of a new friend?