CHODA

Here is Madeleine at school, armed with my umbrella and a book for show-and-tell (I think Kipling).

Sonnet arrives home late following a CHODA meeting (me: sprawled on the coach watching football, waiting patiently for dinner. Ah, mid-life). Sonnet BTW is Chair of CHODA (the Courtauld History of Dress Association) whose web blurb states: this year "will mark the 42nd anniversary of the establishment of post-graduate studies in the history of dress at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Since 1990 CHODA has existed to provide a meeting point for former students of the course, and to provide financial help for students on the course. The annual conference plays a major role in bringing together researchers in the field outside the Courtauld, and in fund-raising for current students." This year's event to honor Sonnet's professor Eileen, who retires after 40 years. Eileen a towering figure in the academic fashion seen and not somebody to be triffled with. Sonnet was a favorite student in 1997 who has delivered on her expectations.

I'm considering coaching, if that is word, our school's lunch-time girls chess club and today I meet, well, the girls. There are eight of them, age 8s and eager to talk, chew sandwiches and play chess. In my favor, I know most of the moves but otherwise am not particularly qualified - as Sarah points out while taking my Queen. Hmmm. On campus, I duck in the assembly hall while Year Ones have lunch. It is a noisy affair and I spy Madeleine, who stairs at me with a look of surprised concentration: "Is that dad?" and "Am I in trouble?" racing through her mind, I'm sure. Tonight Eitan allowed to watch the late night game - Netherlands v. France - and Aggie will babysit.

T90s

Eitan has been relentless in his pursuit of a pair of Nike football boots and so today he is rewarded with a trip to the Kingston Mall. Since Sonnet at CHODA, I am solo with the Shakespeares and shuffle them about from soccer, to birthday party then BBQ in Wimbledon. Somewhere in there I double up the sports store. Eitan's first choise is day-glow colour ("just like Michael Owen!") but since they retail for £159 not a chance. I steer him to the lads section and we are disappointed when his first choice, the Nike T90 Laser in red, not available to size. He does get the yellow and here is Nike's advertising from earlier this year: "The Total Ninety Laser boot has a significantly big ’sweet spot’ through unique precision rings - that help control ball spin and trajectory. The Laser’s upper, with its innovative circular-pattern PowerZone - emblazoned with a “90″ and the words “Swerve”, “Precision” and “Power” is inspired by visual cues from the ripples that emanate when a stone is dropped in water, according to the designer."

Nothing like a little science to raise one's game. From Eitan's point of view, the day could not be better.

Correction: Eitan tells me that his first choice of boots not day-glow but rather "lime-green" and they were £130 not £159. For the record.

Into The Light

Laurance before tying the knot. The services at Clint Eastwood's lodge overlooking the valley and the OP. Laurance remains on his feet throughout.

Eitan upset about missing the second half of the Russia v. Spain Eurocup match (past bedtime). He awakes this morning in a foul mood, tired and grumpy. Sonnet is out the door for the Choda Conference she chairs this year, leaving me with the kids (Madeleine re Eitan conspiratorially: "he sure is whinging dad. Are you going to punish him?") All he needs is a hug, which I give him, and he instantly shifts to a better mood. If life were always so simple. The cup final, to be played Sunday, is between Germany and Spain who defeat the Russians 3-nil. We are pulling for Spain all the way given several players in the Premiere League and Eitan knows them and their stats (thank you, trading cards). On the school playground we sort out the match, which will be watched with a few other boys at Joe Y-H's houses Sunday evening. When I tell him this, Eitan excited enough to almost blow his cover and give me a kiss, before he pulls back and races off to the classroom.

Today

Returning from Paris, I pick up Eitan and Madeleine this afternoon as Sonnet chairs the CHODA Conference at the Courdault Institute of Art. On the walk home I ask Madeleine if she has had any Big Thoughts like where the universe ends? She instead describes seeing an elephant swim with its nose above water (she then draws a picture for me when home). I sing during the walk, which raises Eitan's ire. When I ask if girls are looking for smootches I go too far and he sulks. Last night a car bomb in front of Mayfair's Tiger-Tiger club was foiled - the police estimate over 1,700 could have been killed.

4AM

Adam on the Lower West Side.

I'm in New York the first-half last week to visit Tim and Kitty, who had their baby five weeks ago. Not all babies are cute and this one is way cute. I forget how remarkable a newborn, and to see her on the bed struggling to understand her limbs brings back memories - none, of course, being about exhaustion or nappies. Eitan and Madeleine's early years, despite struggling with a wack job business partner and the telecoms Internet boom-bust, were great times. You really learn about your marriage, I'll say. Sonnet and I were at first afraid (terrified) of leaving Eitan alone and so he slept with us... for about three weeks until Sonnet put the Kibosh on that one and he got his own room. Nearly immediately he began sleeping through the night. Madeleine, on the other hand, kept us awake for months, refusing to seed the battle for hunger or comfort. Remarkable first impressions, Dear Sir. Today Madeleine confirms her Tom-Boy status and we do the checklist: climbs trees? Check. Likes sports? Check. Hates Barbie? Check. Jeans or a dress? Jeans, of course.

Back to the moment: it is 4AM and I'm still on West Coast time as I blog now. Sonnet and I have dinner earlier with Sonnet's colleague Malissa who is the senior curator at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. She celebrate her 50th in Europe+London to attend the CHODA conference, which Sonnet chairs. Years ago, Sonnet was an intern at the de Young and so Malissa recommended the Courdault Art Institute and wrote Sonnet's key recommendation (Malissa an alum). In large part our being in Britain is due to her, God bless. Malissa knows everybody in the dress-fashion-design world and boy is their catching up a conversation. While Sonnet away, Malissa tells me that she and everybody are thrilled Sonnet has achieved: "she makes us all look good." Amen, brother.

Upper West

Katie in action

Mid-morning Wednesday we buy the papers, make our calls or emails and I overhear my sister discuss The Op-Ed Project which is something she clearly loves. It has momentum and every woman I meet wants to be involved somehow and has something to contribute - a sure sign she is onto something good. A best thing about Katie's life is that everything is generally within two blocks: greasy diner, pedicure, Korean fruit & vedg, yoga, coffee ... the park nearby for running and best friends all within walking distance. I can see why hard to leave NY once sorted. In London and yesterday, I shuffle the kids to swimming, football and performance class while sonnet at CHODA. Afterwards we nap - a forced activity for the sprogues - who wants to sleep on a beautiful Saturday? Eitan and I have a deal for the German-Spain Euro Cup final Sunday: as a week night, he sleeps extra-time. The boy does not complain and will watch the game with Joe-Y-H and others at Joe's house with friends, several German. Eitan roots for Spain BTW as Torres plays for Manchester United and Fabregas the lead scorer for Arsenal. It's like watching the NFL and rooting against a city because you hate the airport - it's personal. Eitan and his gang know more about their players then, well, anything. I cannot keep up with the sponge who has stats on anybody playing tonight. Including the bench.

Madeleine does her homework which is to describe her summer. She asks: "are we going to Vermont? Paris? That Hotel?" She also remembers "the sprinklers."

I pay Madeleine five-p every time she reads "a" instead of saying "ah" while completing "The Treasure Chest."

At the hardware: I give in and buy the kids alarm-clocks (not sure where my mind was on that one). Eitan's goes off at 6:05AM this morning, yes Sunday. Madeleine upset because hers not first. God.

Will somebody make this bad weather go away? Who would have thought in April we worried about a draught after the driest winter/ spring in 200 years. Now the Midlands are flooded and Sheffield's river Sheaf over-flows. The city unprepared, of course, for the rising - people evacuated by helicopter and boat. In London it comes and goes but grey and overcast since April, it seems. Today the kids beg off football but I take them anyway. Madeleine scores a hat-trick (three goals) and is the Player Of The Day. From there we do various indoor activities as Sonnet is at her Choda conference. When Eitan attends a birthday party I take Madeleine for ice cream and we amuse ourselves making rock candy.