Back on 11th April 2009, our good friend 'C' came down to visit us from London, and we took her to Strada at Brighton Marina...


Well, a lot's changed in eighteen months...


But not the decor in Strada, obviously. That was the scene yesterday afternoon, when 'C' made a return visit to Brighton for a bit of eating, drinking and toddler wrangling. Lisa does like to be beside the 'C' side, especially when the meal's on someone else, and as luck would have it, she insisted on paying for our food as a wedding present. That's the kind of friend I need to see more often.

It's interesting to note how much happier they both look when Amelie's not in the picture. But if you're wondering where the little foodie had got to, she was busy at the other end of the table...


The irony is that she looks fatter in the first photo.

We ordered Amelie a pizza from the children's menu, but I think there was some kind of mix-up in the kitchen, and they gave her the bariatric version. It was the size of a wagon wheel. And she ate it just as quickly.

Anyhoo, the last time we saw 'C', she was brushing past Louis Theroux outside Euston Station. This time she was brushing up on her childcare skills. Having had the guided tour of Amelie's bedroom, she presented the girl with a book called 'My Pets', before asking her to name all the items on her picture abacus. To be honest, we only leave that out to impress guests.

The meal at Strada was particularly nice. It gave Lisa the chance to demonstrate her favourite football chants...


... while Amelie moved on to her sixth slice of pizza...


And to think I only sat next to her because I thought she'd never finish it.