Playtime with Ruby

Florence

My youngest niece, Florence Bennett, on Sunday being ever so adorable and gorgeous.

Mother's Day Part 2

Here are a few more of the Mother's Day pictures.

Mother's Day Part 3: The Group Photos

The Girls

The Boysand the Children

Mother's Day

Mother's Day came to Caple Road for the first time on Sunday and it was a very special day. Extra special as it was not only Ibolya's first Mother's Day (as a Mother) but we also had her Mother with us and my Mother too. My sisters were also with us so that made 5 Mothers, all under one roof.
There's lots of pictures to follow, but in the meantime, here we all are, in our lounge, after our long lunch.

Ruby Meets the Sherringtons!

We had the enormous pleasure of Mark, Karen, Sammy and Aaron Sherrington, to stay with us this weekend. Mark and Karen are some of my oldest and dearest chums. I've known Mark since art school, over 20 years ago now. Their children, Sammy and Asa, like their Mum and Dad, are an absolute pleasure too and extremely good company.

Family

Mark and Karen gave us this book as a gift and we absolutely LOVE it.
It's a book of photographs, taken by photographers of their families. It's such a touching gift, from Mark's family to my small and very new family. And even more poignant to receive it on the same weekend that Ibolya's Mum is staying with us and that all my family are with us for Mother's Day.
We'll always treasure it. It's even got one of my very favourite photographs in it, by 10 year old Jacques Henri Lartigue, called 'In my bedroom, my collection of racing cars; 40 rue Cortambert, Paris 1905'

Squeaky Things

Ibolya's Mum arrived on Tuesday and is staying with us for the next couple of weeks. Here are a couple of things she's brought with her. A squeaky, rubber, piggy-bank

another squeaky, rubber mouse

1 part of a Russian doll

an Eastern Block era games console

Wise Blood

Some bits and pieces from our weekend.

Not strictly from the weekend but a great picture from Thursday's Mother and Baby group. Ruby and one of her chums, little Oscar

With the help of Andy and his van, I finally jettisoned 28 boxes of vinyl LPs, that I've been carting around for many years now

Saturday night at Stephen's. Mark, Stephen and I celebrated Stephen's birthday with wine, a very large cigar and watched John Huston's magnificent film, 'Wise Blood'

we also admired some of Stephen's recent acquisitions

Sunday morning, up very early to pack up the last of our fish for their journey to Andy's pond in Wales. They've definitely gone to a better place

These beautiful Hyacinths, that Matt and Caroline brought us, are threatening to burst into colour, at any moment

Ibolya working out on the parallel bars, in Queen's Park

Miffy bathed in some lovely light in Gracelands

A cable on our coffee table, looking a lot like a Brice Marden painting

Ruby's new (Paul Smith) rabbit money box.

Stephen's Birthday!

It's Stephen's birthday today! And to mark this special day, here are some pictures, I took earlier today, as I cycled through St James Park, of spring flowers in bloom.

Happy Birthday Stevie! See you tomorrow.