Kings and Swords

Rod and Jess are always wonderful hosts. Jessica, like her mother, loves cooking and makes sure that there is plenty of everything on the table. When we arrived there was a full spread waiting for us, so we set to with gusto and so began a lovely evening. I have a photo of the table when we arrived which I will post when we get home. [Edit: See here.]
We haven't seen R&J in a while so there was some catching up to be done. Jess is on leave for a week because, with no Select Committees appointed by the government yet, there is no work whatsoever for the committee clerks.
Bruce, who was also there, filled us in on his medical course, which he is now halfway through. At one point he mentioned that he had his sword in the boot of his car. Jess asked why on earth he needed a sword in the boot of his car, to which swiftly replied: "Have you ever lived in Tooting??" before proceeding to fill us in on his martial arts course, which sounds both great fun and great exercise. (I think he was joking about Tooting. Probably...)
Later on he did bring his sword out for us to have a look at, although he declined to do any demonstration as we had all been drinking, but four feet of spring steel blade with a solid pommel and leather-bound grip certainly looked impressive.
We moved from the garden into the house for dessert (fruit salad & cream and/or fruit fool - yum!) and the conversation moved on to politics in various forms. Starting off with how dull the election had been and the likely successors to Michael Howard, we eventually ended up on reform of the Upper House and the role of the nobility and Monarch in government. In turn this devolved in to talk about what reign names the Prince of Wales and Prince William would choose, and likely succession scenarios.
By then though, it was late, everyone had had seconds of dessert and we had discovered that a taxi could not be had to Wimbledon at that time of night for love nor money. Luckily R&J are well prepared for overnight guests, so Brett & I bedded down on a mattress in the lounge, while Bruce slept on one in the hall.
Only thing is, we now have to get back to Wimbledon to pick up the car to make a 1pm lunch date in Folkestone! Time to get up and start the day I suppose...