This is my serious face …….

We’re in Manchester for the weekend - not the best of timings having been in London last weekend. Originally, we’d booked to see Layton and Nikita (Strictly fans will know exactly who I mean!) on Sunday night, but then we had the offer of discounted tickets to a show in The Lowry for today - hence the weekend away. 

Of course, we have to visit Lili on our way - and she’s as gorgeous as ever. More alert, almost rolling over on her own, and wonderfully responsive. G is now besotted with her - he really didn’t know what to do with her at the ‘baby’ stage.  She’s recovering from having her tongue-tie snipped. Poor Solveig has been struggling with Lili’s feeding for ages - but her perseverance has meant Lili’s thrived and put on weight. But eventually her breastfeeding support group suggested this might be a tongue-tie problem. Unbelievably, she found no support from her health visitor, so had a private consultation which confirmed the condition and snipped the tie there and then. Now Lili has to relearn feeding, but hopefully things will soon improve. We just can’t understand why this hadn’t been picked up before. 

We see ‘Coram Boy’ in the afternoon - a mixed bag of a production which we quite enjoy despite its weaknesses, and the music is excellent. 

Then it’s on to Manchester which is typically wet and miserable - our brief summer seems to have long gone. Despite the rain, scenes around the open air screening of the cricket are full of enthusiasm, Indian residents watching the last stages of the World Cup final. We’re eating in the Indian Tiffin Room, and just as we sit down, there’s a shout of celebration from the staff - India have beaten South Africa. There’s such a lovely atmosphere as the restaurant fills up with watchers from the square who’ve come to celebrate. 

Our meal is excellent; the focus is on street food and I enjoy a delicious masala dosa while G goes for a Keralan fish curry. 

We walk back through Manchester drizzle, noticing the juxtaposition of the old and new. Ahead of us are new towers of metal and glass, rising up skywards, but in front of them stand graffitied remnants of the old city. Railway arches stand grimy and uninviting, while above the viaduct, the back of the City Road Inn clings on, still open after 175 years.  And in further juxtaposition with the weather, a couple walk towards the city centre. It is Saturday night after all. 

My mind, however, is a very serious Lili, with the Manchester street scene as an extra.