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.

Halloween

I made my first ever Halloween pumpkin head, I'm rather proud of him.

Westfield, part 2

I did get to have a quick look inside Westfiled and it's a very impressive thing. The drab exterior (and too familiar location) doesn't prepare you for what's inside, which is like a vast 21st century cathedral to consumerism.
I was reminded a lot of those white, glossy science fiction films like Logan's Run, Shape of Things to Come, The Island and Buck Rogers in the 2oth Century.
There's everything you could ever need to buy, restaurants to serve any whim you could ever have and just 10 minutes away on my bicycle.

Westfield

Popped down the road to take a look at Westfield, which opened yesterday, and specifically to take a close look at these beautiful Victorian railway sheds, which until now, I've only been able to admire from afar.
The developers wanted to demolish them but as they're grade 2 listed, they weren't allowed to. They now stand, proudly yet incongruously, as a bold symbol of our grand industrial heritage, next to an elaborate symbol of our own era, the shopping mall.

The Agbos

We had the great pleasure of having the Agbo family over for dinner last night. The Agbo family are Kwarmi, Marlene, Agnel and Jean-Charles. Ibolya is Jean-Charles's Godmother. Last night they were also joined by 3 of their cousins. I can't remember their names now but the youngest was called Simon.

These super intelligent boys, aged from 4 to 10, were very enjoyable company.