LIZ FIELDING

PLAY TIME!

Well, the book - SCOOP! - the one with the ice cream van and set amongst the villages of Upper Haughton, Lower Haughton and Longbourne, is now with my editor which means I have a day or two to catch up with the knitting, read without guilt, and play. 

I'd better make the most of it because another deadline looms and I've no doubt the lovely ed will have a few ideas of her own about what more it needs.

So what have I been doing?

Well, on the understanding that all work makes Jill a dull writer I've been in London for the annual Mills and Boon author lunch.   Lots of opportunity to catch up with friends I hadn't seen for a year.

I had coffee with the lovely Kate Hardy before lunch - and she let me play with her iPad.  Lovely piece of kit but I'm still not tempted.

Pre lunch drinks was a noisy affair.  Fifty plus authors have a lot to talk about after a year!

I had lovely company on my table.  Here's the delightful Jennie Lucas who I first met in New York several years ago, and Mandy Ferguson, Mills and Boon's Managing Director. 

On the right is the  yummy Kate Walker who I was fortunate enough to be sitting next to, with Michelle Reid and Jackie Baird behind, and on the left, the lady who can do fabulous things with hot Italians, Lucy Gordon

I also took time out with the dh to explore the Museum of London, and rediscover the City where I once worked, many years ago.  Driving down Fleet Street, up through Fetter Lane and High Holborn.  Familiar names, but very little looked the same.

One of the other joys was that, since I was staying at the Charing Cross Hotel - where we had lunch - I had a bird's eye view of the Eleanor Cross (Cher Reign Cross...) newly restored and gleaming like a wedding cake, as well as Nelson's Column.  Brilliant location.  Will definitely stay there again.

After the hectic London bit, the best beloved and I went on to Surrey for the Christening of Cora Rose, our grand-daughter, now nearly eight months old.  Definitely sitting up and taking notice. 

She was Christened the lovely church of St Andrew's in Croydon, built for the servants of the toffs who workshipped at the parish church. 

It's quite small, but very beautiful, with this stunning font which was painted by Cecily Mary Barker, creator of the Flower Fairies, who also worshipped in the church.

It was a joyful occasion, part of the morning service - all the dd's yummy mummy mates brought their babies and they all behaved beautifully - with the entire congregation taking part and welcoming Cora Rose into their community.

Here are the three generations, together.  I just hope that Cora Rose (in a hundred year old family Christening gown from her Daddy's family) has inherited her mother's height genes!