a weekend in the country

a recipe for a perfect weekend in the country:

1. your friend's dad's comfortable and pretty house

2. a roaring fire

3. several excellent cooks

4. 5 dogs, including two puppies

5. a box of wine (to clarify: a box full of bottles of wine. a box of wine is kind of crappy, and we didn't have one, thankfully)

6. a frozen-over golf course

7. a surprise visit from an old friend

8. the sunday times crossword

9. making curried butternut squash soup

10. seeing your friend in love

11. bacon and sausage from the local gun shop

12. driving home (thanks mom, for use of the car) with your good friends and their adorable dog

13. forgetting your troubles