Great day at Silver Vixen's brother's birthday celebration, yesterday. Journey was uneventful, and their pad was just a few hundred yards from the tube station. We gathered there first awaiting the last travellers then all made our way to the restaurant, where a table for 22 had been prepared.

Lunch was a lengthy affair, with gales of laughter blowing up and down the table. One nephew commented he had never been to a Belgian restuarant. GF explained that it was "nothing too special, but you must realise that the kitchen is only for the preparation of the food; it is not cooked as such. Like some Japanese food, Belgian food is always eaten raw". Said nephew was somewhat perturbed at this revelation!!! He was soon put out of his misery, however, when he saw hot food being served throughout. There was also a very strange conversation with SV's sister involving whipped cream, crazy foam, and modelling foam - this conversation floated in the realms of the surreal and a veil will drawn over the whole affair.

At some point during the proceedings, GF headed for the loos. These were laid out in an interesting arrangement of angled pods with glass brick walls. Disappearing inside GF lock himself into one of the pods. Meanwhile Sir Lancinglot, wanting a quiet word with GF, followed him in... but couldn't find him; gave up and left. A short time later GF left, realising he had been in the female pods! That probably explains why he had apparently vanished.

Later Sir Lancinglot caught up with GF and asked him if could ask for Urban-cub's hand in marriage. GF was a little perplexed: a) it came out of the blue; and b) if he wants her hand, is the GF still responsible for all the rest? With this in mind, GF pointed out that they were both adults now and that they should do what is right for them. Looking back on his choice of words, he wishes that he had been a bit more eloquent, but was rather caught off-guard.

After the meal Cousteau-cub was getting trouble from her jaw, so decided to opt out and head home. Everyone else headed back to SV's brother pad. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent chatting, mingling, chatting some more, and so forth.

We left in time to get a decent train home, arriving at the coast around eleven. Sir Lancinglot had fallen into a deep sleep on the train and took some coaxing to wake up and get off at their stop; but that achieved we continued along to our stop, picked up the car and headed home. A good day all round.