HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY TWO DARLINGS

Grandpa and Granddaughter heading for a dip in the waves

We shall be celebrating two birthdays on Sunday 1st  August. Mr EM's shares the day with our beloved Australian granddaughter pictured here hand in hand together last Christmas, on the breathtaking white sands of Jervis Bay (http://www.southcoast.com.au/jervisbay/ ) New South Wales. She will be three and he will be ahem (cough) a wee bit older. 

Sadly only Skype will reunite them on Sunday, nine hours and some 11,000 miles apart. But we shall be celebrating with our other children and will raise a glass or two to our far flung family. 

Happily Mr EM and I will be going travelling next week, slightly nearer shores though as we are off to our house (ruin) in France. Just a few days to prepare it as best we can for the following week when eldest daughter and boyfriend are joining us. And lots and lots of happy brocanting to do as well!

I will be sure to take my camera and new phone with its own excellent camera, so hopefully plenty of jolly pictures for you all soon. So sorry about my long period of absence but apart from some other 'stuff', I have endured the total breakdown of both my internet connection and my mobile which resulted in the inevitable struggle with unhelpful phone store assistants and more useful, though expensive, "helplines".  On the bright side I have found a great new colourist and hairdresser, who wielded a pink Parlux hairdrier so beloved of Faux Fuschia gosh, wow! 

BTW Blighty, I have started searching for my photo of the snake's dinner and will post it asap I find it! And dear elite band of followers, if you have never read Blighty's blog, go there immediately!

Break the silence, buy radios for Burma « Protect The Human

Break the silence, buy radios for Burma « Protect The Human

Catch Up Miscellany

Decorative entrance to venue of Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair

Charming Ukelele Lady in the Tearoom

Helpful and talented seamstresses do alterations

Beautiful Japanese visitor to my stand

Beautiful Japanese visitor's hat

Nice Chelsea Shop!

Even Nicer Chelsea Shop!!!

Silk animal print rose headband 

Tracey@ The Vintage Bothy at Newbury Racecourse

More luscious goodies from Tracey

Tracey's vintage fashion rail 

Did I buy? Yes I did! 

Happy Shopper! (Having stashed bargains in car)

Back to The Oval this weekend

We are off to London tomorrow to enjoy our last flat minding weekend for daughter and boyfriend as they return from their wonderful World Cup holiday in South Africa next week. Pity about those footballers, but it hasn't affected the great time they've had with their old and new SA friends. 

The roof terrace overlooking The Oval cricket ground

I had a very successful Antiques Fair at Chelsea Town Hall where I showed my old Durham and French quilts, Uzbekistan coats, and other old textiles. Afterwards our son joined us in Kennington to be 'chef' and cook up a tremendous roast chicken following Jamie Oliver's recipe. We were fascinated at the array of ingredients required as for us a French roast chicken needs a lemon and some butter under the breast skin. We also loved his recipe 'book'  -  aka his laptop! We sat out to eat on the fourth floor terrace as dusk fell and continued to chat as the stars came out. We overlooked the darkened and world famous, Kennington Oval cricket ground. Because of its proximity and the low lights we were able to see something of the night sky and stars above London. Son's girlfriend amazingly is an astronomer. I  proudly earned my astronomer badge while in the Girl Guides and as a family we are all fascinated by the stars and space travel which enlivened a lovely evening, accompanied by Australian wines.                                                       

How many veg are in that pan?

World Cup winning dinner is served!