Blackfriers Bridge

Black Friers bridge, pictured, opened in 1769 after nine-year's effort; it was the third crossing, supplementing the ancient London Bridge dating from several centuries before, and Westminster Bridge. Initial shoddy work, followed by many extensive repairs and a good deal of 'patching-up' - which continues today as we can see - required a new-build and officially (re)opened by Queen Victoria one century later. Yes, Portland stone. The gun-metal grey building at the bridge's terminus is Ludgate House or home of United Business Media while the tall one the Shell Centre (Por..t ..l..and .. stone).

At the photo's bottom, the small barge-like thingy has always been a curiousity as I have observed it in various locations on the Thames. The signage gives it away: "I eat garbage."

Katie and I go to the hot yoga then home for dinner where I make that tried-and-true recipe: rice and beans (thank you, Eric). The kids decide to do a "sleep out" in Katie's room so they drag their buddies to the third floor and spread them across the floor. They also bring other crap until I say: "Enough!" which gets the usual why-do-you-have-to-spoil-our-fun and all that. Upstairs I overhear Stephen Fry read Harry Potter and I hope he got paid - 67 CDs and all wonderful. How Fry keeps his enthusiasm through seven volumes beyond me. Katie also reads the Shakespeares one of her Christmas presents: "The Hobbit" by Tolkein, which Eitan and I discuss walking to the football pitch. We agree it would be pretty cool to live in a tidy hole in a shire in The Midlands somewhere. Though the pipe would have to go.

Eitan, listening to the BBC radio news: "The world is a bad place, mostly."

Me: "Do you know what small talk is?"

Eitan:

Me: "It is when I try to talk to a dude even though I don't really care what he is saying."

Eitan: "Well, there is a difference between small talk and pestering."

Me: "You will do your chores today."

Eitan: "Do you really think anyone in the Premiere League had to do chores when they were a kid?"

1:03PM and no sign of Katie.