yes, prime minister

The organisation I work for* recently received an invitation for a number of people to attend a private tour of 10 Downing Street and I was one of the lucky ones pulled out of the hat to participate.

No. 10 is the Prime Minister’s home and office (although the Blairs really live next door at No.11 – we saw young Leo’s swing set in the backyard) and contains all the pomp and history you would expect of such a place. We were shown around by the Prime Minister’s private secretary (who I assume would be the equivalent of the Sebastian character on Little Britain [although I didn’t ask – even though there was question time – he was nothing like him by the way]) who had some good stories... the only one of which I can seem to remember right now is that when the weather is warm Tony likes to get out of the cabinet room and read his very important papers outside in a sun chair ... just like a normal person... so there you go.

*the organisation is involved in lobbying the government regarding voluntary/community sector reform and I guess as such has connections in reasonably high places which is why we scored an invited… in case you were interested.

is it nice?

Nice hit its peak around the 1920s as a summer playground for the likes of Coco Chanel, F Scott Fitzgerald and Isadora Duncan (who dramatically died when her scarf caught in the wheel of her convertible as she appoached the Hotel Negresco). It was pretty clear when we arrived that we had missed the boat by about 80 years. Authentic small French shops and restaurants do exist, but you have work hard to seek them out amongst the more abundant tourist traps. Away from the main towns the charms of the Côte d’Azur are easier to appreciate: dramatic cliff sides, beautiful sea and a warm, sunny climate.


... and maybe a long lost relative?

spring.... well maybe one day

No, I haven’t just been lazy and re-posted the winter photo under a different heading. What you are looking at is the second month of what’s supposed to be spring. At the start of winter we were doing okay. 7 degrees isn’t really that much colder than 13 degrees, and you can even get used to 2 and 3 degree weather after awhile. So yes, during October, November, December, even January, we thought we were doing fine. We even became so cocky as to appreciate the experience of a ‘real winter’ – going so far as to suggest that reports about the horridness of London winters were perhaps a tad exaggerated. But you see, that was before we realised that the winter was NEVER GOING TO END. It’s actually gotten worse – February and March have not only been cold, but rainy and windy as well. If you look really, really closely at the tree you may be able to make out tiny, tiny buds starting to appear. We continue to live in hope.