an accidental dinner

Coming to Bosnia is not a step into the complete unknown for us. About 4 years ago we spent a year in Bosnia, and are still in contact with lots of people. Since our arrival we have been involved in a flurry of coffees, drinks and dinners catching up with a variety of people, most of whom have done sterling work for us in finding somewhere to live, sorting out pet issues, visas, you name it. To say thank you we held decided to cook everyone dinner as I don't think we would have ever made it to Bosnia without their help.

This is not as selfless as it may sound. Firstly, the whole concept only came into being because I was trying to send a text to our landlord asking him round at 8pm (in order that he could sort out the washing machine - but that hadn't been mentioned in the message). I wasn't really concentrating, sent it to the wrong person and the next thing I knew quite a few people were coming over for the evening. Being English I was, of course, far to polite to correct the my mistake so dinner for 8 it was.

Second, and never being one to pass up an opportunity, I took the chance to get those attending to help us move furniture around the house. Beds went upstairs, others came downstairs, tables came downstairs, coffee tables went into storage. I'd have put money on the bed not making it upstairs, but the boys adopted a never say die attitude and against long odds the furniture is all now where I want it. The Bosnians were not convinced that it was an ancient English tradition to move furniture around on being invited to dinner, but lavish supplies of Tuzlanska Beer and Croatian wine helped convince them in the end.