THE BEST IS STILL TO COME...

Suzi was still in the restaurant with Fifi, who was wiping chocolate-pudding from Suzi’s face. (You can take the girl out of Glasgow, but not Glasgow out of the girl.) It was a glorious Saturday in May 2005 and all the talk was about how our migration south was going, talk which continued afterwards as we walked across Blackfriars Bridge and down the Strand, where we ended our day-long get together with drinks in the Aldwych.

That was the first of several super visits to London.

In December we met-up with Fifi, who took us in the evening to a Zinc bar, where, thanks to her, we were plied with complimentary champagne. Innumerable glasses later, and after finalising Festive plans, taking pics on Regents Street and then saying our cheerios, Suzi and I felt we also couldn’t say cheerio to London without a stroll to Trafalgar Square. The Christmas tree that’s gifted annually to Britain by the people of Norway was what we’d gone to see – and for both of us, it was quite an emotional sight.

Early in the New Year we were back in the capital, this time stepping off the train in Farringdon. With Fifi and Matthew we celebrated two birthdays by pre-meal imbibing at a Malmaison and eats and present-exchanging at a delightful French restaurant in Smithfield. Then, shortly before we returned to Scotland in May, we visited them at home, explored the London Museum, late-lunched at Carluccio’s, near St Paul’s, and rounded off the day with liquid dessert at one of their favourite watering-holes, the St John.

Great times, great memories, and for us it was even better when Fifi and Matthew reciprocated and headed south. Our Brighton year was truly magical, but the best times were when they came to town.

We’ll never forget: catching sight of them on their first jaunt, waiting in the sunshine outside the Mrs Fitzherbert’s and then relaxing in Hotel du Vin; being with Fifi when she popped down and bought a dress for a friend’s wedding in France; in Ha Ha, where the complimentary gifts on this occasion were tickets for Daisy Miller at the Theatre Royal; munching at the Real Eating Company – or was it Barneys? – on one of Brighton’s few rain-sodden days; sipping with Fifi on her own at the Mrs Fitzherbert’s - indoors this time - while having preceded that by dining at the newly-opened Carluccio’s. (Oh how ‘Carluccio’s’ has come to figure in her and Matthew’s lives!) But the icing on the cake, the most wonderful 24 hours of our Brighton sojourn, was a shared Yuletide. On Christmas Eve, Fifi and I called in at the Montpelier Inn, where minehost wondered if this was a new lady in my life. The ‘new lady’ looked fantastic, but he was relieved to hear that she was my daughter and she hadn’t usurped cute Suzi, who I explained was along the road a piece. She and Matthew were attending a midnight service, and by the time that was under way Fifi and I had moved along the road a piece as well and were in The Windmill. It meant so much to Suzi that she had Matthew at her side, and so much to me that as Christmas Eve became Christmas Day, Fifi was at mine.

On the big day, in glorious sunshine, we all met up again on the sea front, inhaled the good air, and went indoors for seasonal tuck and trimmings at Tables 88, in The Granville, where the food was as good as the fun. We were four incredibly happy people experiencing one of the best Christmases ever – in one of the best-ever years.

But Suzi and I think the ‘best’ is still to come!

To add to our many Brighton photographs we’d love to put another one in the album. It would fill our hearts with joy. It hasn’t been taken just yet, but we know the setting: somewhere near the Pier, maybe eating ice cream in the sun, and laughing, with at our sides Fifi, Matthew - and Angus!

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