Calm a lama down

Who'd have thought it.....a lama in Vauxhall.

There are all manner of 'wild things' in this neck of the wood but the lama was a real surprise today on our visit to the city farm with the Gilbert-Burke family. Sadly the farm is closed on a Monday but the wire fence did little to stop us eyeing up the chickens, cows, horses, rabbits, geese and lamas. All of whom looked street tough and probably witness to many things you won't see down on a country farm.

Mother, Bess and cow

Rufus menaces a rabbit.

Bess, with her undercut, passes a remarkable resemblance to a quiffed blanco lama (not it's real name).

Bess and Amelie chat about the animal magic.

Bess demonstrates how a chicken lays an egg.

Political bears

The current climate for political debate has infiltrated minds old and young.

Bess considers the options....Gordon, David or Nick.

Mirror Mirror

When it's grey outside there is nothing better than cosying up under a plastic yellow sun.

Modern art for babies

We are a little out of synch chronologically, but never mind. Here is one of our darker posts thus far....

Before our trip to Stamford, Bess and I went on a day trip with Will and Mai to the Tates. Starting at Tate Britain we took in Turner and the Masters downstairs, but avoided the young upstart, the Turner Prize, in favour of a three o'clock Thames Clipper ride over to the Southbank and Tate Modern.

Here we gingerly pushed Bess into Miroslaw Balka's 'How it is', which (in my humble opinion) was a little disappointing. More impressive on the outside than in. It was rather like walking into a felted room where a light bulb has blown. Or perhaps I miss the point. Here we are exiting the gloom....looks exciting yeah.

Upstairs we hit the Pop Life - Art in a Material World exhibition. Here is cyber Bess - the day glow room was something of a surprise for one so young.

Away from the art we settled in the bar for a restorative drink and a salute to St Pauls. Spot Bess bigging up the Wren's masterpiece, alongside Mai and Will cutting some cool silhouettes.

Bess and Madeleine and new beginnings in Stamford

This weekend we took the Audi for a spin to see the growing Walsh family in their new home in Stamford.

It was the second meeting for Bess and Madeleine. A distinct interest was shown on both parts in the other on this occasion.

Sadly Bess' first swim is not documented owing to the anxiety of taking our camera into the local pool at Stamford where 1,012 children were 'letting off steam' in every square inch. Suffice to say that she looked a little uncertain of her swimsuit and a little ill at ease in the rather tepid water. Some twenty minutes of twizzling her around passed and then came the inevitable challenge. To dunk or not to dunk? Mike dunked. Bess spluttered out some expletives and we all left the pool rather hastily. Over a Twix in the reception we all decided that it was a positive thing to have done and agreed that Madeleine had not suffered as a result of the same baptism, indeed she is quite the little mermaid now....fingers crossed for Besso!

Back on the playmat, there are some subversive moves going down.

KaAAAPPPPOWWWWW

THAAAAWWWKKKKK

By Saturday nightfall, a curry seems in order. Nice work Bombay Cottage.

And one Bess-wari Naan please...

Cheers Madeleine.

Out at Burleigh on Sunday, meeting some canine pals and a Polish looking bloke.....

Egg head

Sunday breakfast provides an excellent opportunity for recreating the baby in the medium of food.

Spot the difference. It's not oeuf-ully hard. Groan.

Even more fun to be had in zooming around the kitchen in a new cardigan. Bess, we said fun.... want to try a smile?

Anyway, thank you Aunty Doreen for the cardi and hat. Bring on the cold snap... Bess is ready for it.

Bess does Brighton

Brighton's foremost 'hosts with the most' eased our post wedding exhaustion with plenty of good food and fresh air. Fueled up we headed to Ovingdean, only to be brought to our senses by a wave crashing over the sea defence. While the baby escaped unscathed, all the adults soaked up Neptune's special greeting. To recover, we took tea and cake under the cliffs before heading back for a roast chicken. Yum - thanks guys.

MTD (Uncle Drummer)

MTD and Bess hanging out at Paul and Julie Williams' wedding this weekend. Riding the cymbals of her mind, the girl had a good time. Here we capture the concentration as she runs through a particularly complicated drum solo...

Birthday

Mike is 31!

Thomas, the master baker, shows how a Victoria Sponge should be done.

Alice and Ellen kept Bess away from the cake. Down Bess, down.

Back at home Bess faces interrogation from the bear police about the missing cake....

....and cracks under the pressure.