Monday morning bits and pieces

It's been a really enjoyable weekend. We haven't done a great deal, but it's just been easy, and fun. Not all our weekends are like this.

One of the contributing factors has been the fantastic crisp, cold, bright weather. The quality of light makes a big difference for me: even the moderately scabby Feltham skyline looks fantastic in bright sunlight. And the countryside looks fantastic. It's really uplifting.

On Saturday morning I took older son and RTL for a walk at Bedfont Lakes Country Park. Then I gave my mother-in-law a lift to the airport, and then I took younger son to Staines for a spot of chav watching (and some shopping). Back in time to take RTL for her second walk of the day; we get the kids to bed and eat together.

Yesterday followed a similar pattern - a couple of good walks, including a really enjoyable wander around Virginia Water (pictured), as well as a traditional family-style Sunday lunch featuring a free range chicken. Last week we had a free range organic chicken that cost £9 - the Aston Martin DB5 of chickens. Talking of Aston Martins, in the evening I watched Casino Royale with the boys. I'd not seen it before, and I was quite impressed with Daniel Craig.

Several wines made an appearance over the weekend, including a nicely complex Domaine Chandon Vintage 2002 - one of the bestAussie sparkling wines I've tried - and also a reticent, savoury Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2006 (£7.99 Waitrose), which emerged from its reductive shell on the second day to show supple, midweight plummy fruit.