Bec and Betty Jean say goodbye to the gang

Sad day today. Had a gorgeous lunch at Gail's. Betty Jean came after she had her poor little finger re-dressed at Chelsea Hospital. (That's a whole other story!)
Anika, Sandra, Meena, Gail and Thelma gave us a framed picture with photos of each of the babies and some pics of Queen's Park. So sweet and they are all so beautiful. They grow so quickly. I still remember swapping birth stories at my place when they were all only a few weeks old. Feels like a few days ago.
Starting to hit home now.

Guinevere Wolkenstein

Little Evie was born 3kg at the hideous St Mary's in Paddington. We had a really gung ho midwife who managed to motivate me to get Evie out in only four minutes of pushing. There were no scary consequences and we're enjoying getting to know each other already.

Evie looks like BJ who looks like Julian. Julian can't see the logic and now thinks we conned him when we said Betty Jean was definitely his daughter. (Our postie is black so I am off the hook there). Julian has been the model husband and I honestly can't believe my luck. He takes care of all of us, so that I can be with Evie. It's lovely.

The nights are long, but I do love seeing her little face, even at 1am, 3am and 5am. We had our first big outing today. We went to Kew Gardens and saw the Henry Moore exhibition. I don't love Henry Moore but you can't beat the setting.

We're trying to decide on middle names for Evie. I nearly convinced Julian that Camille was a good name, but then I confessed that it's one of Prince's codenames and I think it put him off.
Here are some pics of our expanding family.

Due to some technical difficulties (technically I am too tired to do this properly), some of the images will be horizontal when they are meant to be vertical. Twist your head to the left to view.

This is Betty Jean enjoying the Zurich scene. As you can see, Zurich is pretty boring though we stayed at a very nice hotel. Julian woke her while photographing her, and scared the bejesus out of her. She was crying for about 30 minutes.


Julian is a bit obsessed with photographing Hotel De Nice. I have lost count of how many photographs he has taken of Rue de Rivoli in Le Marais from the hotel's balconies.

There are so many of these on the castle walls that you would think they were available at Ikea.

This is the entrance to the castle. The walkway used to be a drawbridge. There is a pretty sheer drop into the forest below.




Here is the chapel. It is a (relatively) newer part of the castle. About 1600s from memory.

Sling shot fodder.

One of two defenses. If you happen to be able to get through this gate, boiling oil can be poured on you from a hole directly above where Julian was standing.

This room houses some of the oldest non-religious frescoes in Europe. This was the drinking room. The castle inhabitants were so paranoid about fire - and rightly so - that they got pissed well away from the main part of the castle. I guess this fresco was the ye olde version of Sky Sports.

This is the theatre. Julian's dad an his brothers put on plays and the posters are all around the walls. Very 'Sound of Music'.

This is the apartment block we stayed in. Interesting
decorating style.

This is the view from the back of the castle from the garden.

Simon and BJ playing

This is the older Wolkenstein castle which is now a ruin. Julian and BJ and Simon went for a walk up there.

Julia and BJ.

Family Wolkenstein.

Cousin Ossi with the executioner's mask on.

Wolkenstein ruin outside the town of Wolkenstein. Julian was desperate to use his credit card in one of the shops but it's a strictly cash economy in outback Austria.

One of the rooms in the castle.

Believe it or not, this is the view of the garden from the loo.

Betty Jean took this photo. She has a real knack.

The Wolkenstein Family Crypt.

BJ at the hotel on Lake Como.

Partied out.

A little Sheila. E in the making.

Betty Jean really did have the time of her life behind Notre Dame. She chased pigeons til she collapsed. Nice for me an Julian too as it was very near where he proposed.

Front view of the hotel at Como.

And a good time was had by all. It was a relief for Simon and Jacquie and Julian to put half the ashes to rest. Betty Jean has officially hit the terrible two stage. It's too painful to talk about. But on the whole, she is still super cute so we forgive her.

The trip was a huge effort and Betty Jean, Jacquie and I have Julian to thank for his super human organisational (and motivational) skills. We love him.