Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year.

Love from us.

xxx

Waiting in the queue for Santa

Sunset at the Tate Modern

Elly cruising to the fridge

Look who's close to walking by herself!

Look what Mummy made

Not me....the hat! Mummy did a crochet course recently and has been having some fun with what she can now do!

Look what I made

Elly celebrated her birthday with her UK friends today (somewhat
belated) and I made her a Dolly Varden (or for some, a Barbie) cake.

She had a lovely day and more photos will follow.

Having a swinging good time!

Cheeky!

Hospital incident #3

This is now my third rollerblading incident.

The first two were in Australia a long long time ago (ie. before getting married). The first was a literal head-on collision with a fellow skater, breaking my cheek bone, and the second was a manhole cover that caused an abrupt stop and a ripped-up elbow. And each time we skated off to Melbourne's finest trauma hospital, the Alfred Hospital for a patchup. We were hard-core back then.

But now I'm older, though apparently not wiser. Should I still be doing this?

Friday night and I was out skating with the London Friday Night Skate team. Perhaps 10 meters short of the final junction I took the right side of the road to get to the front of the stationary traffic. Not sure how, but I ended up on the median strip where little round stones are embedded in the concrete. I landed on my right arm and one of the stones opened up a fairly big hole, perhaps the size of a 50 pence (or 50 cent) piece. Couldn't really see the wound that well due to the angle, but I could see underlying muscle... and blood, though not that much (dripping rather than spurting)

Hmmm... time for hospital and stitches again. Damn.

Our first aid team decided that I wasn't worth cleaning up, and did a fantastic job of wrapping me up instead. They (rightly) refused to let me skate to St Thomas' hospital, and got me into a reluctant taxi instead - for some reason he didn't want blood everywhere. Neither did I - I also preferred it to stay inside me.

Seven hours of NHS sponsored waiting later and I emerged - 9 stitches and an armful of bandage. Whilst on the 5:30am train home, I realised the really painful part was still yet to come - explaining it to Elly that daddy can't lift her or bathe her. And explaining to mummy just how dangerous skating can be...

Having lunch at the Teddy Bear's picnic

In the play pool

It's 30 degrees outside and Elly loves her play pool.

Waiting for the train with Daddy

Playing in the park

Happy Father's Day

Father's day in the UK is in June - that means Steve will be celebrating the Aussie Father's Day while we're in Oz.

There are Wombles on Wimbledon Common

After seven years of searching we finally found a Womble on Wimbledon Common.

Uncle Bulgaria (pictured with Elly and Steve) came out of his hole for the annual Wimbledon Village summer fair this year. Naturally we had to stop and grab a photo.

...having a ball

Having fun at Gymboree

Glastonbury

It was May Bank Holiday weekend and we packed up the family (our first trip) and headed off to the West Country to check out the home of everything new age, the heart of mystical Britain and where unicorns abound - Glastonbury.

In the middle of town there is an oasis of green hidden behind medieval gates - Glastonbury Abbey; now only ruins, the grounds were alive with tourists from all over the world wandering through amazing structures that merely hint at the grandeur that used to create awe and inspire people throughout hundreds of years.


Also on the grounds, though destroyed/mislaid during the dissolution of the Abbey, the reputed graves of King Arthur and Queen Gwenhwyfar.


Also in Glastonbury, on the way to the Tor is Chalice Well - a small garden paradise that surrounds an ancient well - we drank deep of the cool waters (it was a warm day) and bathed our feet in the healing pool.

And finally the Tor - we staggered up to the bottom of the Tor - there was no pram access, so we had to take turns climbing it. It's a long way up.

But we made it...

...and what a view!

On Glastonbury Tor...

...in a field of buttercups.
And wearing a cape...

Elly's new travel cot/tent???

We bought a new travel cot for Elly that looks a little like a tent - very cool and very comfortable! Though not sound-proof.

Pub meal

Elly enjoyed a lovely pub meal at The Star Inn (near Newbury) on the way to Somerset.

...the best baby in the world

Probably?

Someone is sitting up

...and she has her first tooth!

Bacon Vodka

In these days of swine-flu frenzy, it probably inappropriate to post links to various Bacon Vodka web pages.


This appears to be a legitimate product: Bakon Vodka

But these are home made versions: here, here and here

Is it wrong?
Does joining two good things make a super good thing?
(Actually we already have an answer to that: No, as proven by the creation of the Nachos Margarita on a ski holiday. And the immediate creation of a cardinal rule - No Margarita should contain cheese)

Picnic

"Wait a minute - these aren't chips!"

Playing with Dad

The chances of Elly throwing up in this position are much higher than toast landing butter-side down. The nice fluffy rug will not be the only victim...

Happy Easter

Someone likes spaghetti

They're my feet!

Ye Old Operating Theatre

Down a little lane behind London Bridge train station is a little known attraction; an old operating theatre from the early 19th century - build into a church roof.

These were the days before anaesthetic or even the concept of antiseptic. This is the sort of surgery you only took if you were going to die anyway. As a result the doctors needed to be skilled in the speed of their surgery - to get it over with as quick as possible.

That box on the floor is full of sawdust to soak up blood. The floor is actually a false floor, stuffed with more sawdust to prevent the blood seeping into the church below.  Would certainly liven up holy communion...

I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant place at the time, but it laid the groundwork for medicine today.  So I guess we have to be thankful.  (Bridie was especially thankful after looking through the metal instruments used for assisting childbirth)

Poohsticks Bridge

"...the game called Poohsticks, which Pooh invented, and which he and his friends used to play on the edge of the Forest."

And we found the bridge, on the edge of Ashdown Forest and we played Poohsticks - Elly won!

Steve tried to find his stick, but we think it either sank or got caught somewhere.


Steve and Elly on the bridge...nice day.

Hever Castle

Out of a random desire to go places and see stuff, we hired a car and headed off to Hever Castle.

This was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn - known for her poor choice in husbands - King Henry VIII.

But it also has a fantastic garden surrounding it; three types of mazes, rose and other flower beds, and a huge Italian garden. Perfect for picnics and getting away from the hustle of London life.

Elly on the other hand was learning new skills...

Kew Gardens again

We took Elly to Kew Gardens for our wedding anniversary. Where we had a lovely picnic.

Below is some of the disguised wildlife in one of the glasshouses - the Temperate House - can you spot them?

Here's some more wildlife hiding....still managed to catch them on camera!

Elly's 6 month birthday

On Saturday 14 March Elly turned 6 months old and we had a little family celebration!

Opening her presents was lots of fun, though playing with the wrapping was probably the highlight for Elly.  But neither were as much fun as eating her cake!

Red Nose Day

Wearing Stella McCartney t-shirt for Red Nose Day. It sounds more posh than it is. :)

Sitting up

Tummy time

Cheeky girl

Coffee time

Elly looking happy and alert despite almost no sleep for a couple of
nights at a local coffee shop.

Trying out the new sun hat

...is that pink I see before me.

Another gorgeous outfit Nanny knitted for me