Gone skiing

I have found the only way to beat the jet lag is to just keep going.! Lunch at Chelsea Arts back for a nap and off to see Sue and Gren Collins. Wonderful dinner and conversation and a tour of the amazing amount of work S and G are doing on their home in St GEorge's Square. They did the first bit last year, and are now finishing the last of it .. mainly the huge lounge area. Their place was fabulous to begin with, and will simply be magic when finished .

As per Maggie's request we were at the News agents early Sunday to pick up the last edition of the News of the World. For this news junkie it is a fabulous time to be here. The phone hacking story will not go away. All the Murdoch family members have arrived here in London including Rupert...There have been various inquiries about hacking into phones for some time, but aside one reported going to jail years a few years ago this whole story has been pushed under the rug

Sunday lunch sees us off to Seven Oaks for one of those fabulous Sunday lunches that really only happens in England. Our wonderful hostess, Lela Weavers, hosted a lunch for fifteen people to celebrate Mandy Leacock's birthday. And she had had fourteen for dinner the night before!!

Lots of champagne to start, a lovely started with asparagus and quails eggs(mentioned because they are such a nuisance to peel)three legs of lamb, two different sauces, and I lost track of the vegetables when we got to seven different once... And I lost track of the puddings on the way to the best cheeses... All washed down of course with lots of wonderful claret.

Train back to London and a stroll by The Goring Hotel to observe the Basil's Beach Bar installed in the garden.... complete with sand, and boat...Too funny. Basil's is a very famous bar in Mustique and he apparently came over for the opening. I have not determined why there is a Basil's bar in the Goring Garden but if you are in London this supper have a look. Perhaps the Gorings felt they had to do something after the Middletons decamped after the wedding.

Monday..Peter to Queens for Real Tennis and Sue and I to the Chelsea Arts for Lunch in the garden... We were to have dinner with Henri Brandman, one of our great old friends Henri is now a solicitor in some demand in London and had to cancel at the last minute due to sudden flurry of new clients.... See above story re: News of the World!

We went off to see a new play... new version of Yes, Prime Minister. Cannot say we loved it, but could have had something to do with the really uncomfortable seats in the theatre.

Tuesday night found us heading to the Boisdale Belgravia Jazz Club to see Cousin Alice.. Alice plays a sort of combination banjo ukulele Actually is a niece of Angela Melville(Barbados) and we love hearing her when she comes over. So it was a fun treat to hear her in London.

Wednesday, to us to Motcombs for lunch with Wendy Kidd and Tony Greenberg Tony is a new friend met this past year in Barbados. He retired from his medical practice just this past year at eighty years old. It was fun to be back at Motcombs... we used to go all the time years ago with the Isserstedts.. brought back lots of memories.

And we had a gathering in the garden at Chelsea Arts --put a few people together that did not know each other, but knew us. Sometimes the stranger the mix, the better the party!

We walked Thursday to Kennington to visit Walworth Garden. This is a one half acre site behind the Kennington tube station. We have a lovely friend, named Kevin Moore who runs this facility and we felt it was time to see it. On one little site, there are lessons on gardening to train young people in work in this field. Many of these have been at risk in some way or another and are now employed. They also give lessons to everyone from school children, to neighbours, to adults with emotional problems, to bee keeping,. They provide a contract gardening service which helps pay for Walworth... It is a wonderful idea which is working so well. Kevin is most modest about his success, but it really was a stunning visit.

To lunch with Kevin Mandy and company at a place called Brunswich cafe... Not to be missed if you find yourself in Vauxhall.

We went to the National Theatre to see Zoe Wanamaker in The Cherry Orchard.--this is a very hard ticket to get and you can see why. The whole cast is, as ever, simply perfect. All through this performance of a difficult play, you could hear a pin drop.. Nearly three hours flew by in a flash... And a lovely walk back to the hotel. The whole south bank of the Thames is now so fun and lively, and it does take ones breath away to stroll along looking at the buildings light on the other side... especially Westminster.