T O T K a t

We went for a picnic in St. James's Park yesterday and took my camera for a walk . Picked up lunch in the Sainsburys "Market" at Victoria and strolled through the park, waved at the Queen (she wasn't in) and trundled up to Piccadilly Circus. (Flickr versions here.)

Lunch was a nice French flute with brie, duck pate, a couple of chicken kebabs - one marinaded in sweet chilli and one in hickory sauce - and a pile of olives. After that, we wandered through St. James's Park, back up to Buckingham Palace and through into Green Park then on up to Piccadilly, via a detour through Jermyn Street, finally ending up on Wimpole street for a glass of Guinness in The Toucan. As if that wasn't enough delight for the senses for one day, we rounded it off with dinner in Steff's (small, bijou little place covered in pink flamingoes and very gay - specialities include SPAM salad, amongst more "normal" dishes.).

no, we have no lawn :o)

I was lucky enough to be able to work from home today (always a mixed bag, that. i end up doing lots of hours but can slob about in trackkie bottoms and a hoodie and drink tea until it makes me sick.), but more than usually nice was the weather and the wireless network. This afternoon I spent 3 hours working in the garden, on a folding chair, in the sun. It really did wonders for my mood (it's been a trying week this week) and I almost forgot that laptops need power after a while.

I'm so looking forward to having a slightly bigger garden when we have the bathroom knocked down. OK, so we'll have to pave the hole where the bathroom will have been and that's not going to be easy and it won't match the rest of the paving, but... it's going to be great.

Another picnic! This time by the river in Putney. And it just so happened there was this here boat race going on...

It was a nice and sunny day, if a little chilly for a summer dress and bare legs when the sun went behind a cloud. Goldie won the first race and Cambridge the main race. All in all rather exciting even if we only saw the first 30 seconds or so as we were at the start of the race course and had to listen to the rest on the radio.

I was very glad to be able to take my camera for walkies again, though I'm starting to really want 2 more lenses to go with the all-purpose Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM lens. The Image Stabilisation is nice and the focusing is rather quick, but it just isn't tele or macro enough. So, at the macro end I'm looking at the Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 macro lens but that's a bit pricey for a start (and a bit slow on focusing, but then for macro stuff I generally don't need it to be quick. And I've not even begun to look at telephotos.

Fabulous egg! But first there is a chicken to roast and eat and lemon souffle and fizzy wine... and I'm covered in garlic from preparing the chicken.

The sun is shining and the windows are open; we even sat in the garden on Friday to eat toasted hot-cross buns with tea and probably will again today (minus the hot-cross buns). This has to be the nicest bank holiday weekend in a long time.

Chicken is in the oven and the veggies are raedy to go on in a bit. *dribble*

Himself is off on a Gentlemen's Walking Weekend in the back of beyond, so I'm at home with my own devices...

So I'm playing with my devices. I spent a happy hour in one of the local charity shops, almost buying some top name clothes for almost no money, but various small problems stopping me; there was a Chanel dress and jacket which fitted perfectly everywhere except across my ribs, which was a real shame because it was silk and wool and only £15. Though I did buy a hand-made kameez and dupatta in a faded orange with embroidery all over it, a pair of fabulous purple cord trousers and a black linen shirt.