Portobello Market

We had a lovely day out today - went up to Portobello Market and had a browse. Alex stayed home with Daddy and the girls and I went with Grandma. It was absolutely teeming with people - not suprisingly. We got there around 10 and by midday you could hardly move in places, but it was enjoyable. We poked through all the antiques - my mother likes antiques, not that she can afford London prices - and the new stuff and acquired a few miscellaneous bits and pieces, though nothing big. This is a pizza place with half a mini in their shop window - Olivia had a piece of pizza from there later in the day and it was very nice.



None of us is particularly interested in silver, but I like the way these pots were displayed... And here's my mom and Olivia wearing her new hat (a replacement for a somewhat similar (in style though not in colour) hat that unfortunately went missing, we think at Farnham Maltings Fabric Sale).

And a flower display I liked, and the wall under a bridge near the top end of the market - just a few bits and pieces, from our day out. I didn't take that many more photos - just too many people about to get any really good shots.

Tiger/Alexosaurus

Here's Alex just come back from a friend's birthday party - he had his face painted as a tiger (obviously) and is wearing his new shirt, which he got for his own birthday. Grr, watch out - Alexosaurus is about!

Birthday Party Weekend

Alex had his birthday party on Saturday, at Build-a-Bear Workshop - he's been asking for a BABW party for nearly a year, so it's obviously something he was really thrilled about. They had a lovely time, all of them making bears except one who brought a bear she had made recently at another party and got an outfit for it. Then we went to McDonald's upstairs and had some lunch and it was sorted.


And here's Alex with a boat he made from a kit he got as a birthday present - he and Sarah worked on that Sunday afternoon - it's come out fairly well.

Another exciting week in store (though no snow, I hope) as Grandma Kathy is coming to visit on Wednesday - the kids are looking forward to that (as am I, of course). And next week - no school as it's the half-term holiday. Expect a slew of photos, if I get my act together!

Now we are six

Chocolate, by request of the birthday boy - new recipe, looked kind of fun. Very easy, very rich.

Blowing out the candles - not a flattering picture of Olivia, but oh well, it's the only one there is of this!

Showing of his booty - lots of books, a few other things. No doubt his party on Saturday will gain him all sorts of tat lovely toys from his friends.

Sunny, melty day

We had quite a bit of sun today, though it was still cold, so there was a bit of melting - it was quite slushy by mid afternoon, though it's due to get down really cold tonight (-4C or so) so it will all freeze up again. But I love the way sunlight looks on snow - here it is in the morning before it all began to fall off the trees in big chunks - and drip on your head every time you walked outside!

Back to normal tomorrow, it looks like - school is open, and hopefully the airport will be working properly, as Geoff is due back from a business trip to Spain tomorrow evening. Poor guy missed all the snow - though I'm sure there will be remnants left when he gets back. They are predicting more on the weekend, but I think more likely the usual London kind - flurries or perhaps a light dusting.

More of the white stuff

There was indeed going to the park; there was building of snowmen; there was the making of snow angels, the throwing of snowballs and the general mucking about in snow while celebrating with all the friends from school not actually being in school. And of course, that merriment was followed by freezing fingers and toes and noses and piling of clothes on the radiator at home... Lots of photos (though not of the clothes on the radiators, I admit) can be seen here...

Snow Day

7am phone call from someone at school to say, school cancelled and did I have the password to put an announcement out on the local radio station (this is to keep from kids doing stuff for pranks) and could I call everyone I knew and let them know.


The kids, needless to say, are totally thrilled. We've never had school cancelled for snow before (which is fair enough, as we've never had a heavy enough snowfall to cause problems). There's about 8-10 cm on the ground (3-4") and it's still falling. They are saying we could get up to 15cm by midday and although ironically I laughed with my mom on the phone last night and said it would never happen here, I believe it now... Actually, when I went to bed I did think it still really looked like a snow sky and wasn't altogether surprised to see it this morning.





These photos were taken about 7.15am - it's darker in the photos than it was outside, though it wasn't fully light yet. The kids (who got out of bed and dressed faster than I've ever seen before and certainly faster than on a school day) had to go out and have a play, though I have told them we're not going to the park until later - 7am is a little early for me to want to troop to the park to build snowmen. Anyway, it's not like there's any danger of the snow going away - it's nice and cold out there.





It will be good for snowball and snowman building, too, as it's the right kind of snow - heavy and packable, but not too wet. Just right! I'm sure there will be even more photos later after our trip to the park. Now I know some of you live in places like Wisconsin, Colorado and Finland where there is proper snow all the time in the winter, but hey, this is London - it's pretty unusual for us. Apparently it's been 18 years since schools in this part of London had to be closed for snow. Or so I heard through the grapevine this morning!

Chariot/Snow

Bit hard to photograph, but here's a Roman chariot. Astonishing what kids will come up with to do when they are bored (this was inspired by Alex's current school reading book, which is called Roman Adventure). The girls made this from a shoe box. And some other things.

And here's the current view out of the back door - it had stopped snowing before, but seems to have started again. The kids will be very disappointed if it doesn't last until morning, so I do hope it does!