Back to normal

I was in London on Monday for some work I'm doing for a magazine. I had to interview someone in Vauxhall and got to the interview by walking along the river from Waterloo. It was a lovely day and took me along the river path opposite the Houses of Parliament, passing Lambeth Palace. Job done, I walked over Westminster bridge and up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square to soak up some of the atmosphere of the parade of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. I was too early to see the parade but managed to see some of the action on a big screen in Trafalgar Square before being squashed and squeezed as I fought the crush to Charing Cross station. 

Here is a lovely shot of the girls with our neighbours Mathilda on her 11 birthday - September 11. Yes, Mathilda was born on September 11 2001. I can't imagine what a frightening day that must have been to become a parent. Mathilda is moving to London on Friday with her parents, our lovely friends Janice and Roger. We are thrilled they are making a move they have wanted for years, but will miss them as they have become our closest friends in Hastings.

Yesterday Florence lost her first tooth. She was absolutely thrilled and wasted no time popping the tooth in the pocket of her tooth fairy pillow hoping for a coin to appear overnight.

It was gorgeous weather so we walked into town for the annual Seafood and Wine Festival, held on the beach. It's our favourite event of the year in Hastings, with 50 odd stalls selling seafood, wine, cider, cheese, fresh bread and more. I stuffed my face with smoked mackerel and organic chilli sauce on sun-dried tomato bread. We also tried a mackerel wrap, fried octopus and fish gougons, washed down with local cider and beer. We met up with a couple of families from school, as well as Maria and Lol, and spent the afternoon on the beach in the sun.

In the evening we went into Janice and Roger's for pizza and wine while talking all the way through Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor. Very funny. However, let's just say that as a result of a thoroughly enjoyable day and evening, the tooth fairy may have fallen asleep and forgotten her responsibilities on the coin delivery front. Flo woke and was very cross to find no money left for her tooth.  Some slight of hand, soon fixed that and a coin miraculously appeared, moments after me helping Flo search for it.
As I type (it's 12.16pm on Sunday), Rob and the girls are in bed playing Top Trumps, I am still in my PJS and we are contemplating a second day at the Seafood and Wine Festival, with a different group of friends.