Jerome came to spend a weekend with us in Paris recently. We managed to grab a few snaps. I particularly like how Daisy and Calypso managed to work their way into one of the shots.

Daisy, Jerome, Aude and Calypso

Jerome and Aude

Daisy & Calypso, looking very sweet and happy that Daddy’s home!

Two little friends were very excited to see Matthew come home yesterday. After a prolonged sniffing session (just to make sure that I wasn’t some impostor), the girls decided that Daddy was indeed home and spent the rest of the day glued to my side.

After fighting with British Airways for her luggage, Dara finally made it down to Canterbury around 3pm yesterday. Looking surprisingly sprightly despite her long flight from the States, we decided to do a little bit of shopping in the afternoon, followed by dinner at home – then out onto the town to celebrate St Patrick’s day in style.

Matt and Dara in the back yard, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we’re having right now

Dara relaxes after a long journey…

Daisy spent most of the weekend looking slightly alarmed

Like all of our favourite guests, Dara has just bought a new camera. There were more flashes than the paparazzi.

Aude relaxes after dinner

Visits with old friends call for champagne. Matthew happily assumes his role.

We ended up at a local jazz club where we were promised jazz music with an Irish flavour – the only Irish flavour I could find was the Guinness spilled on the floor. After an hour of that, we headed out to our local Cuban bar to catch a little salsa music and a few mojitos – having given up entirely on the Irish theme.

Having lured Dara down here on the basis of a proper Sunday roast, I had to drag myself out of bed this morning to deliver the readies. I bought an entire cow – well, 3kg of cow in any case, so we threw an impromptu dinner party for a few friends to help us eat it all. We locked Daisy out of the kitchen, and she spent the entire two hours we were eating staring through the door at the rib of beef. Poor thing!

Highlights of the meal included me setting fire to a napkin and Aude dousing the table with a pitcher of water. Never let it be said I don’t throw an interesting party.

Also noteworthy was Daisy’s long-running hatred of Dara, the reasons for which we still cannot understand. But there was loads of unprovoked hissing and baring of teeth – most uncharacteristic!

Daisy seems to have reverted to kittenhood.

A well-deserved rest after cooking the Sunday roast.

Guests are hard work. The girls take a break after a weekend of entertaining.