Forgetting to take photos...

...of your guests is unforgivable if you’re in a habit of taking photos of everything, from food to uhh...pretty flowers. However, I have a valid excuse (I said valid, not GOOD). I was too engrossed in jovial conversation to bother with my camera. Our second engagement and housewarming party turned out quite nicely, considering the lack of guests 2 hours after the allotted start time.

We had pizzas and chicken wings again...but was saved by my good friend’s delicious Banoffee pie. It was heaven on the taste buds and according to her, required no baking at all. I solemnly made a note to myself to attempt having a gathering where I actually COOK something for a change. Food aside, my Fiance had the pleasure of inducting three new players to the game of Puerto Rico. It will keep you at the edge of your seat for hours on end! Definitely something to do on a cold winter's day.

The FHM playing cards, where each card displays a scantily clad female celebrity, were popular amongst the guys, with one guy enquiring politely as to which edition had them. I’m wondering if I can actually sell that deck of cards (without Mr Right’s noticing) to someone for £10 maybe. Our Foosball table saw a lot of action as well! In a surprise outcome, a less experienced player actually trounced Tups, our resident Foosball King.

In addition, I got to introduce a good friend of mine, who recently moved to London with her husband, to my Fiance. It’s been ages since I saw her! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she’s quit her audit job and gone into childcare. Brilliant! I think it takes guts to really search yourself and find out what it is that makes you happy, then say to your steady-income-but-boring-job “sod it all!”, and head off to do what you love.

One of the other topics of conversation that caught my attention was migration. A married couple, friends of my Fiance, are currently deciding whether to move away from London to another (warmer) country by January next year. Another good friend was contemplating when would be the best time to head “home” to Malaysia. I felt a little apprehensive, as a mass exodus of friends leaving the UK would be the last thing I want. Many say there is a simple solution – just make more friends! I beg to differ. Bonds of long-lasting friendship can but are not usually formed over superficial, casual meetings. Good friendships need that magical ‘click’. Plus you need time, a bit of sacrifice, coupled with tolerance, compromise and a good dose of humour to keep it going.

And that was what our party was – a roomful of hopefully long-lasting, good friends. Until our next gathering (this time with proper food? fingers crossed!)...