Christmas Day

Often seemingly underwhelmed by her adventures Bess keeps up the cool facade.

'Wrap me up and pop me under the tree....I can't wait. I am really excited. Really I am.'

An early morning Christmas poo ensures we are up and at em' for a wintry park walk with the Gilbert-Burkes. Amelie came dressed as a bear.

Back home, Mike checks on Delia's 3-D 'How to cook' website. The internet is a wonder.

Mai in our Stockwell grotto.

Christmas feasting begins with sushi.

Mike: 'Did I tell you about being selected to ride the Etape du Tour?'

Bess: 'You did, yes.'

Post dinner:

Snoozebot no.1

Snooze-bot no.2

Christmas, c'est fin.

Les vacances de Noel chez Stockwell Ferme

'Ah, bonjour. Je cherche un arbre de Noel - avez vous des arbres de Noel? Ah, chouette. Oui. Un s'il vous plait. Merci et Joyeux Noel!'

..... Dear Santa. Thought I would email you to be quicker. Please fix it for me for to ride L'Etape du Tour in 2010. And if it's possible, please can I have a new bike for it. Thank you. Mike (31 years old).

Snacking

When small bears are hungry they forage for tasty morsels; mice being a favourite.

Awful hairstyles part 1

Knowing what we know (from only recently leaving our teenage years behind us) of the need to express oneself through ones own hair fashion, we take a deep breath at the possibility of this one coming home from the hair cut shop in the future.

Dinner date

So, who do you think showed up on Sunday armed with champagne, smoked salmon, dauphinoise potatoes and a pair of Ugg boots for Bess??

George did. And dressed to impress too!

George: 'Darling you look ravishing; may I have this dance?'

Post-peleton parachuting

Later on at the Gilbert-Burke residence...

Unable to get in on the earlier bike action Bess more than makes up for it and straps into a bungee harness for a little parachute practice.....

One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four thou.....

.....guys? Guys?! Hey guys?!!.....'

Amelie watches on from her Bumbo throne.

'Tsk, amateurs'

Christmas Peleton

Richmond Park

Saturday 12 December

Minus 18degreesC or thereabouts

A hardcore of adults and babies arrive at Robin Hood Gate for the inaugural Christmas Peleton. Jolene the camper van provided a superb base camp from which we fortified ourselves with chai, soup, beef wellington sausage rolls, stollen and 'frosty fancies' before taking a tour of the park on our bikes. The sky was mainly bright and the approach to this first event, very positive, so it was promptly decided that a summer version might attract more crowds.

Watch this space.

First serious ride since Bess was born. Huffin' n' a puffin'.

Elusive alphabet cubes

Bess: 'Yup - thanks - I can just about get it...just....stretch.....out....my left hand....

.....ah, rats there it goes........

.....hah.....got you alphabet cube, you slippery fish!'

Love thing

George and Bess hanging out.

Keep your hands where we can see them kids.

Hug a hoody

Last month we showed Bess looking very seriously at the options for government.

She's very politically active you know.

Dressing to test big Dave's stance on youth; he couldn't resist.

Facial hair

L-R: Beardy, Clean Shaven, Beardy

Bess: 'Yeah I just went on line and bought a Gillette Pro Series 5. You should try it you baboons'