Anniversary

Sunday 15th June: It's the anniversary of the first time Ibs and I snogged. It was about 11.30 at night, outside Latimer Road Tube Station. We always celebrated this day as our anniversary but now we're married, the 7th July will take president although the 15th June will always remain a very significant and special day for us.

Tutsi

JosieIbs's tummy
At lunchtime, we set off on the Overground to Blackhorse Road (40 minutes door to door and £1 cost!) to go to Rupert and Helen's new house. We had a lovely afternoon, with a BBQ, beers, wine and Rupert gave me a massive listening list to download. We left not before Rupert had played the tune which we will always be mine and his 'our tune'; 'Sowing the Seeds of Love' by Tears for Fears.

At home I made Coley fish fillets, with streaky smoked bacon, asparagus and lemon maionaise. And we watched Part 1 of a brilliant documentary about Quincy Jones that I'd recorded a few days earlier.

Courgette Cake

Stephen and I haven't had a drink and a good long, thorough, chat, with just the two of us, for ages . So what I'd intended to be a couple of drinks and early home to get on with my household chores, turned out to be a really lovely long night at the Rocket in Acton. We sat in their beautiful dining room and mixed pints, with wine, food and caught up on many things including this blog, Stephen's book and Little Blob.

Ibs, went to Shorditch to see an exhibition of photographs by students from Newport University. They'd produced a magnificent book to accompany thier show with some absolutely stunning work.

Saturday 14th June: Got up early , cleaned and made crumpets for breakfast. While I hoovered, Ibs sat on the lawn, cross legged and talked to her parents, trying to work out how to get her Mum to visit in August.

I also took a good look round the garden. Like the life that's so quickly developing in Ibs' tummy, life in the garden is exploding and in full bloom. Ibs' tiny strawberries have just turned red!

At lunchtime we went to Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, popped into shops and looked at tiles for the bathroom. On the way home we stopped by Gracelands, who did the catering for our wedding. We both ordered courgette cake, hoping it would be as good as Claire makes, which it almost was.

We then had a look in Retrovius but were aghast at their overpriced, but lovely, furniture. We passed this beautiful VW Camper Van on the way.

We also passed this Monkey Puzzle tree, the pink car is one of Ibs' favourites but I can never remember what it's called.

Came home and Ibs made a fantastic lunch of gnocchi, pesto, rocket with Parmesan shavings. Gorgeous. She then rolled up her top and sun bathed her tummy so that Little One could get some vital vitamin E down him. Ibs tummy is growing by the day and is becoming a perfectly rounded bulge. Mike sent a really nice email to Ibs saying 'congratulations on the fat tummy'.

We talked about when we might begin to feel movement inside and Ibs thought that the butterflies she experienced the other day might have been the first sensations of movement. It might also have just been wind?

We had a good look at our fishes, one is causing us great concern as he doesn't seem to be able to swim horizontally and eat properly. It's fabulous to see the fishes without the netting we usually have over the pond and old 'big bollocks' the patriarch of the pond, over 10 years old, is looking as impressive as ever. The dilemma is what to do with the poorly fish. We both think he might have to be destroyed but don't know and can't face, how we go ahead. We also know that, as much as we love the pond, it's too great a risk to maintain once Little One has arrived. A three year old boy died in a family pond yesterday.

The rest of the evening was a very rare treat for us, with just the two of us, lazing around in front of the TV, with the cats. There was an excellent documentary on BBC 4 by Rich Hall about the history of the Western.

Although I still haven't started to get on top of all my chores, we're off tomorrow, to go to Rupert and Helen's new house in Walthamstow for a BBQ.

On Monday we get the results of the blood tests from the hospital and already I'm filled with nerves and apprehension. We both wish we could get another scan, the next one isn't until July, just see be able to say helo to the Little One and check he/she's stil ok, moving around and hear that incedible little heartbeat.

Fish and Chips

Ibs phoned me at work this morning to tell me she was in Southwark. So I cycled over to meet her at Tate Modern and we had lunch of Fish and Chips in the 7th Floor Restaurant.
I can't remember the last time we had lunch together during the week and it was an absolute, complete and utter joy to see her, eat together and have some time with her in such a wonderful environment. I just loved it and the cycle behind Waterloo.
Meeting Stephen at the Rocket for a beer at 7.00.

Museum Taven

Thursday 12th June
I've been meeting my dearest, closest and oldest (they really are all old now) friends Stephen, Pete, Mark and Mike, at the Museum Tavern (opp British Museum) for going on 20 years now.

Last night, as always, was absolutely fantastic to see them. We reminisced far too long about Wimbledon, argued about Ken Livingston and caught up on our lives since last seeing each other, about 3 weeks ago. I told Mike and Mark the news of our little one, for the 1st time.

Unfortunately, I have no memory of the evening after Stephen suggested ordering a 2nd bottle of wine and I'm not quite sure how I got home?

My route to Bloomsbury took me past one of my most favourite buildings in London. These conjoined, modern, beauties are just off Kingsway. The square building is the HQ of the Civil Aviation Authority. I love the way they are paired together with a walk way, umbilical cord, between them and their opposing forms, beautifully proportioned square and circular, and clean elegant lines, are just wonderful.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this lovely old Austin.

Hampton Court

Wednesday 11th June

Ibs' work colleague and exceptionally good friend, Sarah, had organised a Bob Books night out at Hampton Court to watch the Jools Holland Big Band.
We had a terrific bbq at Sarah's, before hand, and it was great to talk to Ibs lovely work friends.

I was amazed to find out that Ibs' boss, John, is probably only the 3rd person I have ever met to have not only heard but loves the Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello album 'Painted from Memory'. It's one of my top 5 albums of all time, as it is John's too and I had to play it, in it's entirety, the next day.

I hadn't played it for about a year but still sounds amazing. It's lush orchestrations, unforgettable memories and heartbreaking 'torch song' lyrics, makes it one of my very favourite albums.

Little Wormwood

Ibs told her boss, John, the news of our little one. She'd been dreading telling him, shed lots of tears when she told him but he was incredibly sweet and lovely about it.

It was a gorgeous, beautiful evening when I finished work and cycled my old route home (through the parks, round Notting Hill, down Westbourne and into Potobello road) to meet Ibs from work. We decided to stop by the Thai restaurant we used go to when we lived in Brewster Gardens. It's a fantastic little place called the Thai River. It's 'bring your own' and you can eat outside on the edge of the park. It was lovely to see the park again, Little Wormwood Scubs, where we spent so much time with Pepsi and used to love walking and running round.
We cycled back, up hill, to Harlesden and watched a touching film about Annie Leibovitz.

Puglia, Italy 31st May to 7th June 2008

Ibs and spent a week, with friends, in the Puglia region of Italy. We stayed in a converted Trulli, which are ancient olive and grain stores. They litter the landscape and give the region enormous distinctivness. Our place had a fantastic pool and loads of space. Each night we took it in turns to cook and got lots of use out of the clay oven and bbq grill.

The 1st couple of days we spent by the pool and a further 3 at the beach on the Adriatic side of the coast. A couple of other days were a wash out with thunder storms.

We visited local towns, Matina Franca, Ceglie Messapica and Locorontondo. Nice enough places but nothing compared to the glories of Neapolitan coast or northern regions of Italy. Puglia is very agricultural, covered in ancient olive groves and vineyards but is very much a backwater, lacking historical or cultural significance. Still it's good value for money as Italy goes and would be a great place to take a family.

Here are a few fairly random snaps.

Our Trulli

A neighbouring Trulli that hasn't been converted and white washedOn the roof of the Truli

Ibs, on the roof, showing off her bulging little tummy
I love Fiat 500s and there were loads everywhere. My friend Karen will like these too and I thought of here whenever I admired a passing 500.


Food!

These weired looking KKK dolls were in a shop window

A baroque plaster freeze in Martina Franca

Such an Italian, visual, cliche

Ranos Friday, 30th May 2008

Back, after a week's holiday but before catching up on the rest of the past week's events, I can't miss the opportunity to mention what a fantastic night we had at Stephen's on the Friday before going away.
The 1st night we've had a Ranos night without work the day after and we fully intended to make the most of it.

In honour of Tony, Mark provided vests, I Cuban cigars and Stephen and Mark both wore dressing gowns and slippers.

Discretion and good manners prevents me revealing the full spectacle in pictures but here are some of the debris.

We gorged ourselves on 4 episodes (not that I can remember what happened in them), heaps of curry and lashings of beer and wine. A truly enjoyable night and cycled home, very happy, at 2.00am.