I've got your number

Community spirit on the 281 bus back from Kingston on Tuesday. Outside the new pub on the high street a very shiny, large black Maserati was being ticketed. The warden was smiling as he took a photo and his friend captured the event on his mobile. People on the bus were laughing and clapping, everyone started talking to each other, the whole episode was very amusing.
G and P were here on Thursday. They survived the excitement of seeing Teddington's christmas lights being turned on, I don't think Joe will be happy when the lights come down though! Grandpa bought him and Sylvie little wands with flashing lights on which are now the favourite toys of choice and go everywhere with us. The entire town was out for the occasion and we even managed to squeeze a mojito in on the way home.
We're just back from a very nice Christmas lunch with the Haines clan. The children behaved beautifully and were very amusing. Joe sadly now seems to have an ear infection and I think we'll be off to the doctor in the morning.

Go wild in the country

Keep expecting Bill Oddie to jump out in the garden this week. First of all we had a visit from a sparrowhawk who dropped by with her lunch, which looked like a pigeon. After she'd plucked all its feathers she didn't even leave any bones. It was very exciting and I was expecting a bloodbath on the lawn but there wasn't a trace apart from all the feathers. We also seem to have a tribe of very cheeky squirrels who've moved in for winter. Not content with getting into the shed and chewing through the handles holding up the bag of peanuts, they're now coming right up to the window to entertain Joe and Sylvie and tease Astro. We can get rid of the telly at this rate!
Apart from today's snow, Teddington is abuzz with the Christmas lights being turned on this Thursday by Peter Davidson. I think we're going to be visited by a few Dr Who geeks.
Sylvie and Joe have their parents evenings this week at nursery so God knows what they're going to tell me about Sylvie.

Disco Inferno!

Photos!

D.I.S.C.O!

Had a great time at Baby Loves Disco yesterday. The journey was almost as much fun, we took the train to Waterloo (each stop Joe shouting, This is Waterloo?) and then a taxi to Pacha's new home in Victoria. If you can imagine a chic Ibiza club, given a London edge then filled with crazed toddlers, you've got the picture! We managed to get a booth which was edged with metal beaded curtains. Most of the children were obsessed with the potential of the curtains rather than anything else but I can see how they'd work for an adult crowd. By about 3.30 most of the clubbers had reached boiling point and it became a much mellower less frantic place after that. The DJ also calmed down at this point and played some great old house and classic (not plastic) disco tunes and forgot about Queen and the Village People - both of whom my two loved I'm sad to say! But by the end of the day they had seen there was a better way. Joe and Sylvie had a great time bobbing about to the music and making friends, Joe was particularly attracted to the dancefloor. The upstairs bar was a buffet for the children and there was much stuffing of Orla Kiely/Mulberry handbags with all the free booty. Expensive baby sling one upmanship occurring too - most entertaining. And there was a bar for the grown ups - phew. So we stayed till the end and had a great time - photos are on Simon's phone so I'll get him to transfer them here.

Hey Joe

Big congratulations to Paula and Wynn who have brought Joseph Sior into the world. He looks lovely in the photos, hoping to talk to Mummy soon when she gets her breath back. Joe thinks Joseph is his baby because they have the same name...willing to rent him out P!!

Drink Bacardi like it's your birthday

Had Hodsons over for brunch yesterday. Laurence is 1 on Thursday so Joe sang Happy Birthday to each and every one of us in his honour. They're looking forward to a flight to Hong Kong on Wednesday with two small children so don't envy them that. Had a very soggy weekend what with the weather and Sylvie's fascination with Astro's water bowl! Spent an enjoyable evening at Hammersmith Apollo on Monday watching Michael McIntyre, it was funny watching single, childless people staring blankly as he told lots of married with children stories. Didn't much like paying £12 for two drinks though! Isabel from Joe's room at nursery baby sat for us so we could really relax. Costa is playing Christmas music back to back now so there can only be a couple of months to go now, have booked dinner at O'Fabulous for my birthday. Mr Ibbs told me they were celebrating Ireland's new son's victory - O'Bama. Zara and I are going to Baby Loves Disco at Pacha on Sunday with Joe and Taya - last time I was at Pacha I was with five gay men and a drag queen wearing a floor length fur coat - how times have changed!