We went to the British Museum today; there was an exhibition of medieval seals and seal matrices (cheesily called 'Good Impressions'). Many were terrifically ornate, but I liked this relatively crude one, because the knight looks gleeful and it reminded me of Thelwell ponies. Then we went to Covent Garden; M bought some summer kecks and I got some sunglasses, observing the time-honoured 'don't pay more than a fiver, you'll only tread on them' rule.

Since last post, we've been to the Kings Road like the swinging Londoners we are - saw Spike, ate Moroccan pastillas, bought a cardigan and a new bin. Rock And Roll. In other news I have had a tooth filled, which caused the usual 'nasty silver amalgam with toxic mercury for £25 versus shiny white composite for five times that' dilemma. After much Googling I decided that the mercury wasn't that big a threat, but I still went for the white one - vanity, vanity. The hygienist gave me some miniature bottle brush type things which I'm supposed to use daily betwixt my molars as well as brushing and flossing. Hm, I give it a fortnight...

Yesterday, we spent the day with R and, briefly, O - here we are in a South bank cafe under a railway bridge. They are now affianced, and I have declared my intention to wear A Hat next autumn when the nuptials come round - I feel I am now sufficently ripe in years for such formality. After O went off to the races (hen party) the three of us ate noodles, wandered around, lay about in the park and explored Westminster. M's old KCL hall of residence is now a low-end hotel, but they still let him look around in a fit of nostalgia.

At the weekend M's aunt and uncle brought their grandchildren (the youngest of whom is M's godson) to visit us at home. Godson was duly given a nifty animals-of-the-world globe as a belated birthday present, with little somethings for his brother and sister so they didn't feel left out. Weather was glorious, and we had a walk, a meal at Carluccio's (great kids' deal they have: breadsticks, drink, various pasta or chicken mains and an ice cream for less than a fiver) and a game of jumper football in the park. For the record, the girls won by at least two goals (blush modestly).

Last night we took the bus down to Richmond to go to the artsy little cinema. We had time for a quick pizza first, but I had one of those moments of menu idiocy and ordered a regrettable salad instead. It came with undeclared baby tomatoes, unripe feta, too much dressing and an overwhelming sweet vinegariness which was truly nasty. I was of course too rushed and English to complain about it until we paid up. Anyway, was uns nicht tötet macht uns stärker ("shut up and Nietzsche food" - possibly the best comeback ever)... The purpose of mission was to see Das Leben der Anderen, which was a wonderful film - sad and compelling and surprising in places - if you haven't seen it yet, go if you can.

Saturday we spent in Folkestone visiting Debbie and Dan. Sunshine, seaside, Dan's own foul mudammas in the garden, afternoon tea in the tinkly-piano surroundings of the Grand, bidding on eBay for a nursing chair, fish and chips and the train home. Sunday morning we sorted out the garage, of which there was much need - I took snaps of tools, bin, blinds, table and anything we thought anyone could possibly want, posted details on Ealing Freecycle, and by Monday it was pretty much all gone. Still a large pile of bits of old kitchen for the tip though... beware, those planning to visit us in cars.

Too long since last post, sorry. Highlights of last week were
the lovely Ghada coming down to give us a brilliant Arabic workshop (we didn't have the swim we usually have whenever we meet up at conferences, but at least we had time for a pint), Sarah's acting debut in the Vagina Monologues (she did the older-lady one called The Flood), and a nice lunch with Kate in Hammersmith, with a stroll by the river afterwards.
Then I spent the whole weekend at my parents, taken up with celebrations for Mum's sixtieth. An evening do for neighbours and friends on Friday, then she and I went out for the day on Saturday (she got her ears pierced!) while the secret preparations were going on for Sunday's family party. Gunny made these sixty cupcakes, and my sister and dad did most of the planning and catering; both parties were very successful. Dad got her two botanical paintings, my brother and sister got her an iPod nano, I made her a lace shawl/scarf, and her siblings and mother got her an arbour for the garden - all seemed to go down very well.