HELLO LONDON!

We had to travel via Chicago on United Air and all I can say is that they are a no frills kind of airline - none of the usual hand-outs that we've grown accustomed to even in cattle class - not even a bottle of wine with meals. Correction - you could have a bottle of wine but had to buy it $7 for one of those miniature bottles. But - we arrived at Heathrow early and must have been the first to land because we shot through so quickly that we were at Peter's just after 7 am - record time.

Peter lives just across the Battersea Bridge and Battersea Park is at the end of the road. It's a wonderful location - we walk past the Norman Foster offices and the donut building he designed, across the Albert Bridge (presently being renovated) , past the house where Scott of the Antarctic lived to King's Road, Chelsea.  What I love about London are the layers of history and unexpected surprises around every corner.  We love wandering along King's Road people spotting and boutique gazing stopping to have our morning cup of coffee at one of the Italian coffee shops - the shops of course are deeevine and the people fascinating. Just anyone who is anybody can and does pop up in King's Road. Being here is such a treat. Peter's daughter Jessica and her husband Symon, live next door and they share the garden and there is a constant flow of people and we never know how many people there will be for dinner. Peter went to Ballymaloe cookery school near Waterford and produces delicious food effortlessly like a magician. We've met up with so many of our family here - we met the twins born to Chris & Davina on the 13th May, Cathy (Stephen's daughter) who lives in a flat two doors away and Caroline and Lucy (Stephen's wife and daughter) spent a few nights here.

The twins Archie and Hugo Lanigan-O'Keeffe