Cheesecake

So how much will Buddy hate me for this photo (and publishing it on the Internet)?

The camellias

Camellias in Isabella Plantation. There were quite a few winter blooming shrubs in bloom.

The disputes of the wallabies

Doot-do-do, I’m eating my cabbage, yummy cabbage.

That’s a tasty leaf you got there.

Hey wait a minute, that’s mine!

Maybe we can share?

Or maybe not now that it’s got your slobber on it.

Or yours.

The mismanagement of the social diary

Do y’all remember that Andy Griffith episode wherein Andy is overwhelmed with social engagements? A dinner party and a bridge night. And he reckons that he can go to both if he skips dessert. But the problem is that he goes to dinner at the bridge folks’ house and then he shows up to play cards after the dinner party is over.

Yep.

We were invited to a family party this weekend several hours away by car. The Vol-in-Law isn’t especially close to his extended family, but he really wanted to show off his new boy – especially since he’s the first of his generation to reproduce.

The last time we went up there we did have two social engagements. A traditional wedding in this quaint East of England village and then a wedding reception back in London with yummy margaritas made with real limeade smuggled in from the States. We actually did go to both.

And did you know that champagne does not mix well with tequila? I’m saving you the two-day hangover by telling you now.

This time we didn’t have two social engagements.

But we got the day wrong. (And by we, I’d like to make it clear that I’m taking corporate responsibility for the actions of another member of our family management team.)

Because of the baby, we went up the night before so we’d be fresh and ready for the day long party. Only as soon as we arrived, after packing and dealing with the baby. And did you know how much stuff you have to pack for a baby? And then driving up and checking in. And then we discover that we got the day wrong. And the party is almost over.

So we change out of our baby food decorated clothes and run up there. Where Buddy appeared for a quick photo call (at one point there were four or five cameras flashing and popping in his face), which Buddy loves. He’s ready for his close up now.

And then we go back to our bed and breakfast. And that’s it.

Oh, except for the travel cot which Buddy mistook for some kind of Dick Cheney approved interrogation cage and just would not use. And the bed that was way too small. And the heat that went off at two in the tiny room with no insulation – meaning it was hot, hot, hot and then freezing cold. So no sleep.

But all was not lost. For on the way back we stopped at Woburn Safari Park, where we petted wallabies.

down home taste

I didn’t actually give him SunDrop, I mean do you know what’s in that stuff?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Soltice sun

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year and also the Vol-in-Law’s birthday. As we did last year, we took a walk in the deer park.

It was very cold and the lake was frozen over

And the pond was frozen over, too. And we learned that ducks either can’t read or just think that it won’t happen to them.

Frost on flowers

A hard frost on a gerbera daisy left at the local crematorium.

Is this the sort of rubbish…

….that passes for art these days?

South Bank, London near Waterloo Station

To boldly go

Regular readers may remember that I collect floral tributes. The curious custom of laying shaped and decorated wreaths on graves and at the crematorium. Since we go walking in the graveyard on a regular basis to cool fractious tempers (Buddy’s and mine), I’ve been able to capture even more.

Mostly floral tributes are just flowers, a wreath, maybe a heart shaped wreath. But sometimes they’re little works of art that capture something about the personality of the dearly departed.

Like this:

I can certainly say I’ve never seen a Star Trek floral tribute so I was quite excited. I told the Vol-in-Law about it and the Superman one I’d seen the same day.

ViL: On the same grave, I suppose?
ME: Oh, yes. You don’t see many like that.
ViL: I guess geeks don’t die very often.
ME: Or maybe they usually don’t have enough friends to actually bring floral tributes.