William the Conqueror & Bloggy Friends

Have been doing some research on my mother-in-law's side of the family, courtesy of Ancestry (dot com). She is from Texas and her family have been in the USA for generations, which often means that, unlike more recent immigrants, no one really knows where they're "from".

Turns out that one piece of the family goes straight back to the 1st Baronet Percy, whose family are now known as the Dukes of Northumberland and they live cosily in Alnwick Castle. (Pronounced "Annik", by the way.) Otherwise known as Hogwarts!! Fancy that!

Like many Anglo/Americans whose families came over centuries ago, she can also trace her line straight back to William the Conqueror. I'm now wondering whether I should be curtseying to my husband and children!

On other domestic fronts - If you listen to the Queenager, she'll say that I'm opening our house up to Internet stalkers this weekend, and indeed, if she told me she'd issued an invitation under the same circumstances I might have something to say.

As it is, two of my oldest bloggy friends (in blogging terms, that is) are coming to dinner with their significant others. Melissa, otherwise known as Smitten by Britain, and Meagan, aka The Lady Who Lunches - so excited. (And don't worry, I've met them both before.)

I was going to go all out and do only British food but that's both exhausting and a bit corny. Instead I decided to spend some time yesterday making some lovely little napkin ties:

Being made from strips of old t-shirt material, they're also hip, trendy and recycled.

(Bit like M'self.)