West

...field shopping centre at twilight.

Another full day in the City of Busy. My attempt to send a parcel to myself in France, to beat the silly Ryanair baggage charge was almost thwarted by the local DHL centre quoting 5 times what I'd been quoted on-line, but salvaged hopefully by another service.

Lunch out with my baby godson (and his Mum) in a local stately home was a real treat - and Katherine much enjoyed the burst of countryside in the city. W was as charming as the mere two other times we've met in his short 7 months, delighting in getting as much lunch as possible on the outside as on the inside. He's a wonderfully cliched chubby fella who giggles when you tickle him under his chin. I feel bad being so far away from my godchildren, but perhaps I can be one of those godmothers who proves her usefulness in later life. I did get to spend a fair amount of time with my other godson today, learning his views on such diverse topics as what one thing would you buy in the whole shopping centre, how would a French snake say house, and why there is a shortage of blonde Lego hair.

My goddaughter is still sort of quarantined with her brother, though I should probably have got over my paranoia of me being able to carry the contagion back to Conor (who is allergic to the jab and would inevitably have some terrible reaction to the illness). All very unlikely I'm sure (unless you've seen that Contagion movie, of course).

Home tomorrow. Early start, and rain forecast back there mean I hope Mr B gives me the afternoon off.