Leaving the UK (T)

In the photo Eddie is trying on some piece of a sandwich box. We've enjoyed catching up with friends through out June, the boys are changing so much at the moment that there's always something new to show off. From Friday, we'll be out of the UK for the rest of 2007, spending a fair bit of time with my parents in Port.

Like Arnie, possibly like Tim, but unlike Tony, we will be back.

Facebook (T)

On the recommendation of Sam & Becca, I now have a facebook account as well.
I'm not sure how this will pan out, particularly the relationship between the blog and the facebook wall. Other bloggers, I believe, have been lost to facebook.

The Sixth Sense (T)

Japan (T)

We're going to Japan in early July, partly a work visit for me, plus a holiday where we'll visit Kyoto and Tokyo. To get into the spirit this week I've enjoyed another Haruki Murakami novel, his recently published After Dark. I've been working my way through his old novels this year, so good timing that he's just published a new one. When I was in Japan earlier this year, the same trip I bumped into A Nancie, I was struck by how industrial Tokyo feels; unlike other rich Western countries, the Japanese are really not ready yet to give up making stuff.

(Wembley) Stadium Rock (T)

On Saturday night Sam and I enjoyed a trip to Wembley for the bombastic British rock band Muse; most bands who grow successful enough to fill a stadium have to drag and expand their songs into the arena, Muse on the other hand would make little sense anywhere else. Wikipedia says "The band is known for their energetic live performances and frontman Matthew Bellamy's eccentric interests in global conspiracy, extraterrestrial life, theology and the apocalypse."

Uncle Sam will fix it (T)

Eddie has this wooden London double decker bus, which we gave him at Christmas, made by a neighbour of our friends Dom & Dale when they were living in East Preston. The bus suffered the wear and tear of considerable attention from Eddie, and the front axel gave way and the wheels came off. It then sat in an upper cupboard in our bedroom, for a period of some months. Somehow Eddie got the idea that Uncle Sam could fix it, so one morning in March he pointed up to the broken bus and said with the heartbreaking confidence of a 2 year old, "Bus broken, Uncle Sam will fix it". He'd say these each time he looked up to see it, and so we took the opportunity when Uncle Sam paid a visit on Saturday, to get it down and hand it over. Uncle Sam, with the close attention and support of Eddie and his friend Vinnie, duly did fix it, justifying the faith his nephew & Godson had placed in him. The bus is now back in action, wheels restored.

Parks (T)

We've been enjoying the London parks in the summer, and this weekend we're catching up with as many people as possible at another picnic in Regent's park. First, though, Sam & I are going to see Muse at the new Wembley stadium on Saturday night...

30s (T)

Sam & Becca in Balham on Friday night, celebrating Becca's 30th. I also celebrated my 30th in Balham a few summers ago.

Fashions were different then, I guess.

Diamonds aren't forever (T)

The biggest story in London at the moment is the exhibition of Damien Hirst's diamond encrusted skull. The Sunday Times' art critic Waldemar Januszczak says "I've never done anything quite as goosebump-inducing as going one-on-one with this fabulously unnerving masterpiece in diamonds....as Hirst is a multi-millionaire now...the diamond skull's cheeky insistence on the transience of earthly riches is as pertinent to its creator as it is to every fabulously rich collector in history. If Hirst weren't as rich as he is he could not have afforded [the £14 million pounds it cost] to make this piece. And yet the chief point it makes is that riches mean nothing. Brilliant"

Anita took the boys there today to see it at the White Cube gallery in Mayfair.

Wig On Peers (T)

One of the last days in Perth, we had some fun with Oma's old wig.

Back in the U.K. (T)

Everybody tells us it's been raining, but of course we don't believe them as the sun is out and all is fine. Eddie is exhausting himself and me by categorising each piece of traffic - it makes more sense doing that in Armadale, WA than in central london. Amongst other things, he has a new category 'racing car', which he ascribes to suitably sporting and fast looking cars.

Here's a very quick video walking through the trees in Perth.