Small Fry's art #onFingerling

I was quite impressed with his makeup skills. Better than her attempts later ;-)

My Cousin Colly #Montmatre

Oh we have just LOVED having Aunty Fona and the wonderful Colly with us the past few days. Although sharing a room with 2 babies under 2 did result in some very early morning rises. But still, super cute together, AND we got to see Montmatre on a warm, sunny, and quiet Wednesday morning.

Come back anytime!

Honest, there's a Sacré-Coeur back there

Puppy love #cousinsunder2 #thecutest

Happy Mother's Day #Frenchversion

Dansons les Capucines #sayinggoodbyeisnotcomedy

Today was our last chance to say goodbye to the wonderful Capucine. Her last show was this morning and she won't be back on the stage until October, when we will be living in Scotland. That's the plan, in case I forgot to mention it earlier ;-)

Fingerling and Crevette LOVED the show. I knew Fingerling would, and this time even sang along to the whole thing word for word (goodness knows she's listened to it often enough at home). But crevette was also thrilled, and spent the first 15 minutes of the show stock-still with her mouth agape. Plenty of clapping from both of them.

Little Colly and Auntie Fona got a fun introduction to French nursery rhymes, and to top it all off, it was a beautiful sunny morning.

Capucine is our favourite and we hope to keep seeing her in the future (helpful then, that I have a 1 year old that loves music).

Small Fry tries out rugby #andlovedit

To my surprise, he really did enjoy it, and was apparently quite good at it. Small Fry's best mate at school (Eliott) is a rugby player and invited Small Fry along for a try-it-and-see morning. Shame he won't be able to continue with it next year after all.

El Puma celebrates #bestcard

A chip off the ol' block #atleastit'sababytooth

Birds of a feather #stickto102rueTruffaut

Opened up the bike shelter to find we have a new family in the building: 

Making Progress #despitetherain

2nd trip to Rome in 8 days #thistimeforwork

At least I had plenty of updates...

SGE #Brussels #eyesheavenwards

Brussels, and Vigo, Spain. 2 places I hate going to for work, and yet I keep having to go and go and go again...

Actually, it's not Brussels that I don't like, because I do like Brussels, but the awful Seafood Global Expo that is held there in the Spring every year. Miles and miles of walking, eating randomly, mostly seafood, drinking at odd times, and being on the go for 18 hours a day. 

3 times now I have only made it bearable by staying with the wonderful Mark family - Lucy and Jonathan and their two boys, Joshua and Zak. They provide me with a home away from home...actually, more than that because in Brussels I have the whole top floor to myself, which is about the size of our whole apartment in Paris. But I also get a break from the craziness, proper tea, a place to chill and sleep in peace without paying a bazillion euros or listening to fights outside on the street (as my colleagues had to endure).

Maybe it was them, or not, but this year the whole show was a lot more fun. I caught up with the usual suspects whom you meet on these sorts of work jaunts, and went to some brilliant side events, all in the name of work. Plus I was with my lovely colleagues, who honestly can bring quite a bit of sunshine to an otherwise rather dull (and hugely expensive) event.

Still, wouldn't ever mind seeing the back of it...

Quite impressed with some of the branding this year

And actually made it in to Brussels itself this year, shock horror

Getting there #stomp

Holywood #thatjusthappened

So you know you've heard of those stories where the boy says to the girl, "we leave at 4, bring your passport, I've taken care of everything (childcare included)" No? Neither had I until El Puma actually, actually did it.

I found out we were going to Rome when I connected the departure time and the departures on the departures board. How exciting is that! And it's certainly one way to make 106 wives on facebook jealous and their 106 husbands rather mad.

When El Puma first told me that instead of one major birthday present for my one major birthday, I would be getting little ones on the 4th of each month, it kinda sounded a bit like an excuse for being not organised. I take it all back. The dinner and jazz club on my birthday were great, indian food last month was fantastic after drinks with a view over Paris, and this month, Rome.

Hats off.

It seems that the only thing the poor man can't control for is the weather. It was freezing and both windy and rainy. Oh, and flights. But more on that in a minute.

A dome. And St Peter's.

wind

When in Rome...

AND, the VERY unexpected treat on Sunday night were enrique tickets...perhaps not everyone's cup of tea to be fair,  but a fantastic and fun end to a fantastic and fun weekend.

Shame Easyjet did their best to spoil the fun, delaying their return flight by 3 hours. I had a rather tight 3-European capital cities in a day schedule, and we ended up ditching schmeasyjet for Vueling.

Still, worth it.