Chapter 17 #2
Cath raised her glass which, having now finished the welcome drink of mulled wine, had been recharged with a mellow and fruity red. Perfect.
They chatted and chilled, enjoying the treat of being spoiled by the lads, whilst trying some delicious, authentic Greek-Cypriot food.
The main course was served with a flourish, as Andreas brought in a huge dish of lamb Kleftiko, which came with sticky-lemony potatoes and a side dish of roasted Mediterranean veg. Yet more pitta breads arrived, ready to dip into all the delicious meaty juices.
Talk turned to the Christmas lunch event.
With the boiler now fixed, the focus had shifted to getting the kitchen back to full working order; unfortunately the ovens were still very much a work in progress, with Kev finding parts tricky to source, apparently.
Cath had spotted a leaky kitchen tap whilst making coffee on the clean-up afternoon, and Will had noticed a pooling of water beneath one of the porcelain pans when cleaning the loos.
So many repairs still do to and tradespeople to find – the pound signs were adding up on the costs side of Cath’s event balance sheet.
There was still such a long way to go, to make the venue shipshape. And they were rolling on stormy seas.
‘Hmm, we can’t really go ahead and advertise the event as yet,’ observed Will. ‘Not until we know it’s pretty much all sorted and in working order in the village hall. Especially the kitchen facilities. They’re key to the whole occasion. Plus, everything needs to be safety-checked.’
‘Right, well, you’ll be the ideal man for health and safety. Being an ex–fire officer and all that,’ observed Dan, hopefully.
‘Okay, I’m happy to take that on.’ Will accepted the role. ‘I’ll give feedback to the Village Hall Committee, too. There’ll be electrical reports to come in from Kev, and a certificate for the boiler system.’
‘He’s on it, like a car bonnet.’ Nikki gave a giggle. ‘Now then, where’s that red wine?’
‘So, Keeper of the To-Do List and Kitty.’ Dan turned to Cath with a smile. ‘What’s next on the event agenda?’
Cath had been pondering this, too, and whilst watching a property makeover show on the telly last night, had come up with a bit of a brainwave.
‘Okay, time is moving on fast. We can’t do everything ourselves, we haven’t got the skill set for a start, so at this point, I think we put out a call for help.
A bit like that DIY SOS, for any local tradespeople, keen DIYers, anyone who can give an hour or two of their time with some practical help to do up the hall. ’
‘Well, I’d be right up for it, if it means that hunky Nick Knowles turning up in our little village,’ said Nikki.
‘Me too.’ Dan’s eyes lit up, as Andreas leaned across to give him a playful punch on the arm.
‘No chance for you, honey. But yes, I think the idea’s brilliant, Cath,’ said Andreas.
‘It’d hopefully mean we can get a small task force together to move on with all those repair jobs, and perhaps we can freshen up the hall with a lick of paint too.
I’ll get a poster made. We can pop it up in the shop.
Oh yes, a call to arms with a paintbrush or roller. ’
‘Oh, I can see it now. It’ll be like Rosie the Riveter!’ Dan grinned. ‘“We can do it!” Go on, use the catch phrase too, Andreas.’
‘I like it! And it’ll be going up in the shop’s window first thing tomorrow.’
‘We can all help spread the word,’ added Will.
‘Thanks, Andreas, Will,’ Cath continued.
‘Let’s set a date and give everyone a bit of notice, but not leave it too long, either.
So, Sunday, first December, at, say, ten a.m.?
’ Oh my, December was nearly upon then. They’d settled on a date of twenty-second December for the event.
Flutters of panic hit her very full stomach.
‘Or do you think a pop-in session throughout the day might work better? What do you reckon?’
‘Well, a Sunday’s a good day. Most people are off work then, and I do feel a pop-in rather than a fixed time might encourage more to come along; they can fit it around their plans,’ said Dan.
‘We can help do shifts at the hall,’ said Will. Whatever might be happening between them personally, he was still here backing up the group, ready to give his time, and she loved him for that.
‘And what if we push for the community spirit angle, how the hall will be here for generations to come as well as for this wonderful Christmas do?’ ventured Nikki.
‘Yeah, go for it.’ Lily was on board. ‘I’ll see if I can get Mum and Dad on the case, too.’
There was a full house of affirmative nods from around the table.
‘Brilliant.’ Cath beamed.
SOS COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DIY was a go!
*
‘Well then, folks. It must be time for dessert,’ announced Andreas soon afterwards.
‘You mean there’s even more?’ Nikki gave a mock groan.
‘It’s a festive feast. If you’re not absolutely stuffed to the gills at the end of a meal in Cyprus, then we’ve certainly not made enough!’ He chuckled.
‘Now bring on the Greek-Cypriot pudding!’ Dan sang out, in the style of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and the figgy pudding part.
Andreas brought in a platter of honey-and-cinnamon-oozing pan-fried thin pastry squares. They looked and smelt delicious. ‘So, here are my Pitta Tis Satzis, served with my ricotta, honey and thyme ice-cream.’
‘All homemade, of course,’ added Dan proudly, looking to his partner. ‘He’s been working like a Trojan in that kitchen this week.’
‘Oh my, we won’t be able to move after this.’ Will chuckled. ‘You do realise we’re all staying here for the night.’
‘Wouldn’t worry me in the slightest.’ Andreas grinned. ‘I’d feel my feasting mission was accomplished.’
‘Blimey, we’re not going to be able to say no to that, are we. It smells divine, all sweet and Christmassy,’ said Nikki.
‘That’ll be the cinnamon and honey,’ added Andreas.
‘Bang goes my diet!’ Cath shook her head.
‘I think that was shot at the first course.’ Nikki nudged her friend, as they chuckled.
*
So, plans were ahoy for the Christmas event. Cath was busy making her list, and by the end of the supper club Cypriot-style evening as well as the DIY SOS Pop-in being actioned, a rota had been drawn up, with the group having their various ongoing tasks to do.
They were about to set sail on the good ship Festive Lunch with jobs aplenty, but were they about to hit more stormy seas?