AFTER breakfast I get the Andouille sausage mixture out the fridge and we stuff the hog skins.

Then they need to hang up outside in front of a fan for an hour before going in the smoker at a very low temperature.

An engineer from SSE is coming out to change our electricity meter which means the power will be off for a while. Once he arrives and starts work Margaret and clear the outside ‘party urinal’ and put up the gazebo. Some of our local pals are coming later for a socially distanced outdoor ‘bookclub’ cookout and although the forecast is for great weather today, I’m not confident about the weather holding.

The mesh ‘walls’ for there gazebo I ordered from Amazon arrive and we get them up easily. They’ll be OK for keeping flies out the gazebo, but I don’t think the mesh is fine enough to keep midges at bay. Worth a try tho’.

Once the sausage is out the smoke I hang it up, spray with water and leave time in front of the fan while I go a walk up the lochside to get some quick video footage for a wee social video I’m making for the National Park.

The lochside is mobbed with folks despite the weather not being all it promised. not much sunshine, but it’s nice and warm.

I put the chicken thighs I trimmed up and put a rub on yesterday in the smoker so they’ll be ready for folks later. Everyone’s bringing their own stuff to throw on the grill, but I’m keen to have something for folks to munch on while the grill gets going.

Margaret’s made albondigas (Spanish meatballs) too…and a big bowl of potato salad.

I manage to get my eNewsletter designed, written and scheduled to go out automatically in the morning then go back to the house…it’s pouring rain and there’s a thunderstorm underway. Great weather for an outdoor get-together – glad we put the gazebo up!

The gazebo and smoker/grill shelter provide adequate cover when folks arrive and we have a grand evening…I think it’s about 3am when we get to bed…

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