Christmas afternoon - I'm having a little nap! For some pics of our Christmas Day have a look at http://www.jodie.bell.btinternet.co.uk/Christmas2004.htm :)

This exquisite fellow was in the butterfly house at Blenheim Palace which we visited a few months ago. It was filled with such delicate fluttering beauties, incredible to stand amongst them. 

My friend the successful Artist....I think this is the first painting Beth has sold at an art show (but I could be wrong!) - awesome stuff Beth :) Go the Merredin Art Society!! 

Beth - how big was the Christmas cake you were making in this shot???? Love the hat :)  

I call this... 'Soccer Buddha'. That would be the Arsenal matchday program to the right, on top of the scarf I bought at the Arsenal vs Rosenberg Champions League game, and atop Buddha's head is a Real Madrid cap. I bet I come back in the next life as a flea for this... 

Stu & Bill at Cath & Bill's place for Christmas drinks with... Ralph the dog! Ralph is Cath & Bill's new 'pet' and when he sits tucked to the side of the sofa and you catch sight of him for a second you'd swear he was real! He's soooo soft and cuddly - Ralph that is :) 

Shame on me - it's been weeks since I last posted a picture of my precious darling Lauren! I do have some more recent ones but I need to sweet talk my scanner into working before I can put them up. So we'll just have to admire the little angel in Baby Gap in a pic from October :) 

Hello from my sick bed - fluey virusy thing leaving me with no energy and making me sleep for hours - Stu just sent through this lovely shot taken at his work's Christmas party in early December... I love this photographer, whoever he was - he made me look nice!  

Our beautiful Christmas tree by night... 

A week in the life of Jodie:

Work - 8.30 - 6pm.

Monday - 'Quiet Night' at home with Stu - no TV, computer, just us and dinner.
Tuesday - Arsenal v Rosenburg at Highbury (Arsenal 5, Rosenburg 1 - awesome night)
Wednesday - Principles of Biospychology lecture
Thursday - Evolution + Nature/Nurture lecture followed by drinkies at the 'Duck & Dive', classy student pub
Friday - Drinks and dinner with Cathy at the Long Room in Queens Park, excellent night out.
Saturday - Train to Wadhurst for Marie's birthday weekend, then off to Tunbridge Wells for some Christmas and food shopping, then off to Iain's for dinner. Stay at Iain's after a superb roast beef and veg dinner.
Sunday - Up early, back to Marie's, prepare lunch for 9 people, eat lunch, play with Thomas and Arthur, get train back to London at 5pm, get home just before 7pm. Put washing on (no clean underwear dammit!), put rubbish out, hang washing out, tidy flat, cook dinner, and pass out!

6 days off at Christmas. Bring it on!

Thomas and Arthur both love their dressing up - knights, cowboys, pirates, clowns, Aunty Jodie's hat coat and scarf! Over the weekend Thomas dressed up as 'Aunty Jodie', 'Grandma', 'Maman' (Mum) and 'An Old Woman'. Psychologist-in-training Jodie finds this female-focus fascinating as his dominant male role model is currently on tour in Afghanistan, and Thomas is surrounded by adult females!

After a few hours of dress ups, shrieking, merry pure laughter and playing crocodiles we finally managed to convince Thomas and Arthur to play the 'Sleeping Game'. It only lasted about 30 seconds before Thomas got the giggles!! 

It's cheeky chappy Arthur! You just know he's going to be a handful when he's older as he certainly knows his own mind! He's such a sweet heart! 

Commando the pigeon

"A bravery medal awarded to a spy pigeon who flew intelligence out of occupied France during World War II has sold at a London auction for £9,200. The rare PDSA Dickin Medal was awarded to Commando the pigeon for helping British secret agents unearth Nazi military tactics." Metro, Wednesday December 1, 2004

Do spy pigeons know Kung Fu? Are they weapons trained? Do they gamble in the casinos of Monte Carlo whilst sipping on martinis?

Ho Ho Ho
It's past December 1! Our Christmas tree is now up! And look what's hanging on the bottom right of the tree - it's my glitter-jacket-wearing reindeer!!

I love the utter bizareness of this shot. We walked past this nude Action Man/Ken doll for a few weeks and he would be in a different pose each time. Sadly he went missing after this shot was taken. Bring back Nude Ken! 

Stu's photography here - Canary Wharf at night. I think these are the offices opposite where Stu works. I love the overexposed look.