Lovely venue Carol, crumpets are at the top of my list so thanks, Absent, for the preserves.Sorry I've been so long but I've been making the cucumber sandwiches.I sliced the cucumber, and spread the slices on a plate. I then sprinkled the slices with salt and black pepper to draw the water out. The slices were dried by laying them on a clean tea cloth and covering them with another. I cut the bread very thinly, buttered it and made the sandwiches.I then,you will be pleased to hear, cut off the crusts. All I've got to do now is toast the crumpets so I'll be with you in a minute in the library with my toasting fork.