This is newest top secret to be exposed . Nonna's Supper Club

Nonna is the Italian name for grandmother ,granny ,grandma and all the rest of the names we call our Parents mother. These are the ladies who tend teach us things,spoil and treat us and pass down family traditions. This Nonna is quite special and comes in the shape of Jill Greetham. A woman extradionaire who admits she has had a long love affair with Italy. There is a website you need to read about Jill and her family www.nonnassupperclub.co.uk . A brave and resilent woman who will not have had an easy journey through life. I have nothing but admiration for her and for her food and that is what I want to tell you about. Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of going along to eat at one of these special events she has started up. Who better to take with me than long standing friend ,Mary Oneil who used to live in Nunnington where Nonnas Supper Club is based. It was a set meal of tiny plates ,not so tiny even in Yorkshire terms. It is bring your own drinks as they do not have a licence. Even better as you can take your own tipple along without the hiked up prices you can pay when you go out to eat. We arrived at 6.45pm in time to eat at 7pm. Fast forward to 10.50pm when I next looked at my watch, where had nearly 4 hours gone. The answer was on a culinery trip around Italy as we sampled delights as the delighful bambinos served up the courses. They were as good as any professional waiters and did put some who work in 5 star restaurants to shame. Although Nonna and la mamma were looking after us too. The setting was in the garden surrounded by herbs,lavender and a good crop of peas hanging which I kick myself now for not taking a photo. The photos I have taken will take you through our dining experience which cost only £35. The finale or near finale was the best panna cotta I have ever had. We had gnudi, melon and parma harm ,veal, and greens even for me, who is the most ungreeny eater, they were cooked and seasoned to perfection. It was such a relaxed affair. The night was balmy and the food divine.The atmosphere what you get on the best holidays with friends I could have happily nodded off. I will not be watching the football, but if the food is anything to go Italy will beat the rest hands down. Word spreads quickly so recommend you get booked in soon as I am sure it will soon be hard to book a table at one of these dining dates. Jill did tell me that when time and virus allows she will be offering cookery days and I am sure you can guess which one I will be going on . So thank you Jill, Abi, Jessie and Jessies beau. All details are on www.nonnassupperclub.co.uk. There is a facebook page too

Well Summer is finally here and so was Marcus Aurelius

28 degrees here today and glorious. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going down to Derbyshire with a metal detector who sometimes comes on our land. He along with his friend had found some Roman finds in the local area and they were up for auction. It was an early start and oh my it was such a lovely morning which as soon as he got out of Yorkshire the Heavens opened and it was so cold. They were really excited as they thought they were very rare and very old in fact they were nearly 2,000 years old. I thought they may have been replicas the children had played with and left behind. Probably bought in Barnitts of York as replicas for the garden and were duly named the "Barnitt Bits". I fact they were the real Mccoy. One of the detector is friends with my Dad as they share gardeneing tips and talk about budgies. Before they went to be registered he bought them along for him to see. The grandchildren saw them too - what a lockdown History lesson that was . I went with a friend to see them in York after they had being cleaned up and always game for a photo opportunity asked if I could hold them. It was at Hansons who finally took them on board to sell. I even got a photo with Charles Hanson, who is sometimes on the television as he was selling them. They were articled as The Ryedale Roman Rituals and it was quite unreal as the reached the final bid and with a £60k auctioneers fee on made just short of a quarter of a million pounds ! It was the £185k bid that secured them. They went to a private buyer in London and so after living nearly 2,000 years in the countryside Marcus has gone to live in the bright lights of London. When they were first discovered James was not sure how to keep them safe or where to put them. He worked out on the rigs. So he wrapped them up in a yellow towel popped them in a plastic food container and stuffed them in his work bag and they went off shore for a while. So I think I am right to say Marcus since he was unearthed has had quite an interesting trip