bad ballet, chilli faux pas and lovely kendra's lovely birthday

This post is going to be a 3-in-1 bumper edition (lucky you) mainly because we didn't cook anything for three whole days. This was only partially planned, and by not cooking anything you do have to take into account the fact I did spend several hours simmering a chilli whilst reading Biggles, but we'll come to that.

So, other than getting up at 5am to entertain her grandson, the main reason Kay had come up was because her and Ana were going to Royal Opera House to watch the ballet on Wednesday night. This meant I had to get home early to pick Milo up, however who should we see walking up the road whilst we were counting stars in the frankly-freezing early evening, but mummy and grandma. Apparently there had been an almighty cock-up with the trains (South West trains' cock-up rather than Ana and Kayosaurus'), so they missed the ballet and came home with a bag full of consolation wine and beer. My original plan had been to get Milo into bed, and then cook up the massive chilli I'd been roped into to making for the Nursery quiz night on Friday, with maybe have a smidgeon for my tea. Instead Ana belligerently ordered pizza, and I sat in the kitchen occasionally testing the chilli whilst reading the aforementioned Biggles.

Friday then was Nursery Quiz Night and I know for a fact I was looking forward to a) wiping the floor with the other parents using my amazing trivial knowledge, and b) wiping the floor with the other parents with my amazing chilli. One of the other mums in our team had also made a batch so there was a certain amount of intra-team banter about whose was best. Banter which didn't take into account the fact they'd simply tip the five or six different chilli into a big saucepan and cook the lot up together. We came joint second-to-last as well.

Finally then, lovely Kendra's lovely birthday! Having spent the day in the car on a flying visit home I was more-than ready to be royally feasted by Mr Tom Aikens in Tom's Kitchen, which looks a bit like Ollivander's Wand Shop from the outside.

Anyway, in between discussions of Argentinian barbecue techniques, a discussion of whether Little Eyolf is Ibsen's funniest play, rugby and working with Jean-Luc Picard, the delightful company of the birthday girl (closer to 40 than me), Mr Brian Bolger (a New Zealander, and therefore only to be trusted marginally), and the super couple of the acting world, Mr Alan Alan of the Alan Alan's Pearce and Mrs Caroline "And then all her clothes fell off" Martin, Ana Louise and myself were treated to the following:

• Spicy crab cakes (me)
• Baked scallops (Ana & Caro)
• Beetroot & Feta Salad (Brian, Kendra & Alan)
• Steak (Ana & Kendra)
• The world's smallest Shepherd's Pie (me)
• Seven Hour Confit of Lamb (Alan & Caro)
• Cod and Chips (Brian)

It was all amazing, and my initial misgivings about the size of the Shepherd's Pie were allayed by it's moist densosity. I couldn't have had another, although I might have given it a go.