Thank you all so much, you are very kind and it’s lovely that you have all given Gus such a warm welcome.

I had a disappointed text from Ro this morning, as we had all expected to go over to Weeza’s house to celebrate Zerlina’s birthday.  He’d got presents and everything, and now was at a loose end.  I suggested he and Dora might like to come over for lunch, and invited Al and co. too.  This was at 11 o’clock, Zerlina has a nap sometime after 1, it was necessary to serve lunch about 12.30.

Kindly, Al prepared the vegetables, runner beans, courgettes and carrots.  I had a pound of minced beef and four pork steaks in the fridge.  By 12.35, a large lasagne and a pork, onion and red pepper stir fry had been prepared and cooked and I’d been to the supermarket and bought puddings (there are limits, darlings). The champagne was already in the fridge, the Sage and Ro laid the table.  Grannies are supposed to be able to put meals on the table at short notice.

I was just upstairs putting Zerlina to bed (all the children were adorable, ate their lunch and had second helpings) when Weeza phoned to say she was waiting for the all-clear to leave hospital, and it was agreed that Ro and Dora would visit with us this afternoon and the rest of the family another day.  She rang again when about to leave the hospital and we were over there about 4 o’clock.  She and Phil were very relaxed and happy, and Zerlina was thrilled to see her baby brother.  She was so excited when I told her he would be there when she got home.

Pictures, darlings.

He weighed 8 lbs 6 oz, which is a whole kilo* heavier than his little scrap of a sister did at birth – and she was 11 days overdue, too!  He is, as you can see, quite adorable.

In order of appearance, Ro, Ro, Dora, the Sage and z, Z and Z.  And the fat cat that z chose as a present puts in an appearance, too.

*Bilingual, you see