For the first time in ages, it feels like summer again. We’ve had a beautiful bank holiday weekend with temperatures in the mid-20s and clear blue skies. A perfect opportunity to celebrate what’s left of our summer…

We spent most of Saturday running around town getting last-minute things done for the wedding. Neil will be happy to know that I managed to find a tie… We had lunch at one of the pubs in town with a big beer garden – it’s gone through a total transformation now that the smoking ban has been implemented across the UK. Gone is the old collection of a few picnic tables, replaced with elaborate marquees, lighting, heaters and new tables to make the smokers more comfortable. The only downside to all this “improvement” is that you’re now sitting in the de facto smoking section if you choose to dine al fresco.

Nevermind. We did some al fresco dining of our own today – Jiri and Ann Marie invited us to Whitstable to eat fresh Whitstable oysters (which turned out not to be from Whitstable) and fresh sea bass cooked on the barbeque. If I’d been less stupid, there would be pictures of champagne and oysters on here, but since I forgot to insert the memory card into my camera until mid-meal, you’ll have to use your imagination.

The highlight of the meal was Jiri’s lightning-fast reflex in killing a fly, then a David Attenboroughesque moment when we fed the newly-squished fly to the spider outside. Jiri and I were eleven years old again. The girls weren’t nearly as impressed.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is good as well. Fingers crossed for another summery day!

Aude enjoying the summer sunshine

Ann Marie smiles for the camera

Jiri decides to play “who’s camera is bigger” and proves that I’m not the only one with a camera surgically attached to my hand.

Aude strikes a pose

Jiri

Matt enjoying the sunshine

The afternoon’s entertainment, provided by a squished fly, a hungry spider, and Jiri’s quick work with a sandal.

Aude appears unimpressed with the show

Jiri, on the other hand, is fascinated. Then again, he doesn’t have a Sky TV subscription at home.

Ann Marie manages to keep her sense of humour about the whole thing…

Dinner, packaged to go!

The sea bass was a success, too… Not much left for Daisy and Calypso!