WE’VE just experienced one of those increasingly rare occurrences, a weekend when we’re not working, oh how the other half live.

So it was coffee in bed on Saturday morning at 8am, with the newspapers, Radio 4, the autumn sunlight streaming in through the bedroom window and not a single event, errand, task or chore planned for the whole day, just catching up on a few good reads for this time of year; Ted Hughes – October Dawn, Lawrence Binyon – The Burning of the Leaves, which rather suit the warm winds blowing and the marigold tree lines scuttering across the Ebble water meadows and up towards Clearbury Ring.

One thing we did have planned though, was a fat Sunday lunch down at the Breamore House tea rooms. It was an autumn pop-up event organised by Simone Smart, she of Ministry of Food Hampshire. I’ve never been to the tea room before but can now vouch it is the sweetest little brick and wood shed, with a counter and kitchen at one end and a series of trestle tables occupying the rest of the space. Outside, in a kind of courtyard there are more tables and across the yard is the entrance to the Breamore House museum.

What better place to hang out on a balmy Sunday afternoon.

We ordered and experienced yet another rare occurrence, well for me anyway, and that was really delicious home-cooked food which brought a smile to everyone’s face around the table. From the beetroot and goats cheese salad, rare roast striploin, dauphinoise, roasted vegetable, the richest deepest gravy, tallest Yorkshires and finished with melt in the mouth brownies and salted caramel ice cream. We were invited to take our own wine, no corkage, with the bill coming in at £20 a head. The smiles just got wider, especially as we had a driver to take us home for an early bed and an early start this Monday morning.

I do love the idea of an inspiring pop-up, whether it’s the Disappearing Dining Club who operate in London, or Lizzie Wallace’s local Fish Friday which happens over Wimborne St Giles way, once a month when she’s not too preoccupied.

Our next one is November 19 and in preparation, we have our heads stuck in a bottle of Isle of Wight’s Mermaid Gin this week, testing the concoctions of Olia Hercules, who’s mixing up a cocktail to accompany her food on the day.

It’s going to be a challenging week, especially as we’re doing a wedding for 150 guests at the end of it. Fortunately we love food, and people, and weddings, parties and gin, so a day at work is not a million miles away from a day off really which is probably why we have so few.