Paradise

On Sunday we treated ourselves to a sumptuous lunch at 'Paradise By Way of Kensal Green'

I had beef

and Ibolya had pork, which was absolutely superb.

Ibolya said that Paradise is officially her favourite pub

and we'll definately be making it one of the very first public venues Little One will visit.

Boris Godunov

Ibolya and I had been looking forward to this weekend for ages. The first in a long time with no one coming round and no engagments to go to. And the last weekend, like this, being just the two of us.
So we did chores in the morning, picked up a Bugaboo pushchair from Marylebone (bought on Gumtree) and had a little trip to Westfield in the afternoon.
Saturday evening was a real treat. I cooked us duck breast in a port and cranberry sauce and the three of us had the great pleasure of listening to my sister Jane (Little One's Auntie Jane), singing in 'Boris Godunov' with English National National Opera, live on Radio 3, from the Coliseum.
It was amazing to think of our baby, hearing Auntie Jane, for the first time, over the Radio.
There were times when we really thought we could pick out Jane's voice, we kept saying to each other 'that's defiantly her'.
We listened throughout dinner, then in the bath and whilst Ibolya made muffins.

Spider

This beautiful spider has been spinning a web between the ends of our hedge, at the entrance to our house, all week.
I keep having to remember he's there and duck every time I leave and return from work.

Today he looked particularly wonderful as I looked up at him, against a blue sky, stripped with horizontal and vertical vapour trails.

3 Weeks and 3 Days to go

Week 37 and hardly anytime left now. We're even on the last page of Dr Stoppard's baby countdown. 

Ibolya is looking as beautiful as ever and that gorgeous round tummy is alive with activity inside. She loves to feel Little One moving around and she's beginning to think about missing it after the birth. 

Little One is now about 35cm long and weighing 3-4 kg. He's just got to do a little more fattening up and he'll be ready for the biggest journey of his life so far.

We visited St Mary's Birth Centre again on Saturday and we both hope so much that the birth will take place there and Ibolya will be able to have as natural a birth as possible.

Cildo Meireles

Beatrice was in town on Sunday afternoon so we took her and a friend to see Rothko and Cildo Meireles at Tate Modern.
The Rothko's didn't improve with a second viewing but the Meireles installations were quite fun. I really liked this one with clocks and hanging tape measures and lost Ibolya in it for a while.
My favourite was called Babel, a floor to ceiling tower of radios bought from the Canal Street area in New York.

The Day After Ranos

To help me recuperate from the night before and help me come to terms with life after Ranos, on Sunday morning I cooked myself a large breakfast and ate it in bed. Something I never do but did help quite a bit. Still in vest and dressing gown!

I then took a long soak in the bath. I wouldn't normally inflict pictures of myself in the bath on anyone but I really liked these pictures Ibolya took of Josie and I.

Ranos

The day finally arrived for the very last episodes of Sopranos. We've been watching the series as long as Ibolya's been pregnant so it's poignant and appropriate we finish now, ahead of Little One's immanent arrival.
We donned vests, dressing gowns and smoked cigars in honour of Tony and loved the finally 3 episodes. The final ending was controversial but personally, I thought it was fantastic and a beautiful way to end the series.

I'm just left now with that awful anti-climatic feeling, when you can't get something out of your head, which I first experienced aged about 5 when Jamie Sommers died in Six Million Dollar Man.

Our next series, the Wire, will start in the new year.

Claremont Square

Friday night and Ibolya and I went to Laura and Shirry's beautiful home in Angel, for supper and to admire their fantastic new kitchen. It's always a huge pleasure to see them and the very wonderful Kitty, one of our most favourite cats.

Bombfire Night!

Brent council cancelled the fireworks display in Roundwood Park! I'd been looking forward to it all day.

Happily, some kids in the scruffy park next door were having their own 'unofficial' display so we watched their's for a bit and drank some mulled wine, Ibolya had made.

We then went home and had our own, modest, display in the back garden.


and lit a couple of sparklers each

Obama

I woke up at 5.00 this morning, turned on the TV and Ibolya and I watched the first black winner of the American Presidential election, make his acceptance speech. It was a very moving and powerful speech which I think I'm always going to remember. Little One kicked and wriggled with excitement in Ibolya's tummy as we watched.

I feel proud of human beings today, optimistic and happy that our baby will be born, not only with a Democrat (nearly) in the White House, but with the 'leader of the free world' being a man of integrity, intelligence and goodness, who can only be a major force for peace and prosperity in the world.

Burn After Reading

Went to Vue Shepherd's Bush tonight to see the Coen Brother's latest 'Burn After Reading', with Ibolya and Jerry.

I'm huge fan of the Coen's movies and although it's far from their best work (Fargo, Miller's Crossing and Raising Arizona are my favourites) it's still a real pleasure to watch, very enjoyable and very funny.

Brougham Road

Sunday lunch at Stephen and Christophe's, joined too by our old friend and former flatmate, Kay. 

Saturday Night

We're trying to get to see a lot of friends before B-Day so we had a few over for Halloween / Bonfire Night festivities on Saturday night. Sadly, the weather took pay to the fireworks and sparklers I'd bought.
Dinner was, a selection of fine English sausages, carrot, swede and potato mash, peas and greens. Ibolya made another, sumptuous apple, pear and blackberry crumble.


Ibolya, looking very gorgeous

Rachel and Tim

Jess and Adam

Jerry and Alex

Jerry and I

Jerry and Robin

Georgi

Georgi came to stay with us for the weekend. She's been going to dog training school and she's so much better behaved and even more adorable than ever.

We had a lovely walk in the park on Saturday morning and Georgi found this nice big stick.