pilgrimage...

packing for the 'belt but struggling...

it's been a packed day. in work early and madly busy trying make up for the fact that i'm not back til wednesday... but, got a load done and left feeling like i'd made progress...

my pater visited from dublin today and so the afternoon saw us walking downtown and me doing a combination of work errands and last minute gb errands (purchased a pair of black trousers for ikon service and a load of travel size ablution accoutrements)

::

feeling very well fed after a seriously amazing meal in dean's on bedford street. we sat and convivially picked our way through the spread and chatted away.

le menu...
starter: spring onion pancakes served with gravalax and shredded cucumber
main: we shared a charcuterie board (chorizo, italian ham, salami and bread) and a veggie platter (3 great cheeses, artichokes, tapendade, asparagus with pesto, baby new potatoes dressed in creme fraiche, sun dried tomatoes, bread, olives).
dessert: flourless chocolate torte topped with a sweet beetroot ganache (yes, you read that right the first time, it is an amazing combination) served with creme fraiche.
coffee.

all washed down with a rather nice pinot noir merlot.

yum. and indeed yuuuuuum.
now i can hardly move.

::

in the course of prandial chat, was floored to realise it is 18 years since i was last in the town i grew up in...18 years... how did i get old enough for it to be that long? must make a trip... here

::

am getting collected at 7.15 in the morning and my one saving grace is that my travelling companions are well aware that at that hour of the morning (well at any hour of the morning pre-caffeine) i am monosyllabic... in truth i know dan and jonah's excitement at the airport is gonna cut through the fog of tiredness... dan has been counting sleeps, bless him...

talked to jude tonight on the phone. she's already on site. racked up the anticipation...

if you haven't seen it already, check out pip's greenbelt prayer. paul beat me to it and posted it on his blog. see harbour of ourselves over on the right there. made me weep. in the best way possible.

::

so. the dining table is piled up with all the essentials. i'm gonna have to redefine essential. i swore i'd pack light this year but it just ain't happening.

right that's enough procrastinating - must get packed up and bathed...

one more sleep...

yay.

LB, x.