London December 2020
December 2020
Pictures from London in December 2020.
John's Pictures

East Meon on the Heath
Tuesday 1st December 2020
Clocked off from work a bit early (having worked late the previous evening) to try the newly released 2015 vintage of East Meon Berrygarden around sunset. It was very nice.
Rainy Wine on The Heath
Thursday 3rd December 2020
Another trip to the heath with some wine, this time the first of a case of Rossignol Trapet's 2014 Gevrey Chambertin.
Christmas Tree
Friday 4th December 2020
Put up our christmas tree this afternoon/evening.
Forty Hall
Saturday 5th December 2020
Drove to Forty Hall in Enfield in the morning to buy a case of their newly released 2018 vintage, and then later on took a bottle to the heath to try. Unfortunately it was faulty though! So later on instead tried an excellent 2005 Nuit St Georges I'd recently ordered from Fingal Rock in Monmouth.
Heath with Erika
Sunday 6th December 2020
Managed to persuade Erika to come to the heath with me with the promise of an ice cream. So we sat together for a while at my favourite spot, the barrow, having ice cream / lollies (despite near freezing temperatures) followed by some more Nuit St Georges. Lovely.
Wedding Anniversary
Tuesday 8th December 2020
Mine and Chie's wedding anniversary. So we took a flask of tea for a late morning stroll to the heath - like an elderly couple - followed by lunch outside the Pineapple.
Davenport on the Heath
Thursday 10th December 2020
Having put in long hours Monday to Wednesday at work to get something finished off, I rewarded myself today by finishing a a bit early, and doing the only thing I ever get to do these days in terms of recreation - having some wine on the heath.
Mist and Fire
Friday 11th December 2020
Went for a misty walk on the heath around sunset, then later on in the evening went and sat in Jeremy's garden for a bonfire with some wine.
Curry on the Heath
Saturday 12th December 2020
I made some curry in my Zebra billy can and took it to the heath to eat for lunch.

Sunday 13th December 2020
East Meon and an awkwardly eaten since of cheddar and potato pie on the heath for lunch, then a fire in the back garden later one which I partly used to cook a Sunday roast of sorts.
Goodbye The Pineapple
Tuesday 15th December 2020
One last mounrful lunchtime visit to the Pineapple on the eve of it being forced to close again. Later on an early evening walk to Hampstead Heath.
Temaki Sushi
Wednesday 16th December 2020
Had temaki sushi for dinner (the one you assemble yourself) including umi budo (sea grapes).
Wine on the Heath
Thursday 17th December 2020
Took delivery of a Fire Trough in the daytime. Finished work for the year at lunchtime, and went and met one of the regulars from the Pineapple for some wine on the heath and a chinwag.
Day Off
Friday 18th December 2020
The whole company had been given the day off today, so rarely I had a day off while Erika was still at school. Of course options for things to do are a bit limited at the moment given all the restrictions, so I just did what I always do, and headed to Hampsted Heath.
Saturday
Saturday 19th December 2020
Two walks to Hampstead Heath today, one in the morning, one in the late afternoon / early evening. Lebanese food whilst playing Monopoly for dinner.
Almost the Winter Solstice
Sunday 20th December 2020
Another day where I did two trips to Hampstead Heath - once for sunrise, and then again later for sunset. Sort of a trial run for the winter solstice, and the weather was nicer for it today.
Actually the Winter Solstice
Monday 21st December 2020
It was good in way that we'd also marked the winter solstice the day before, as the weather was much nicer then. Today it was more of a grey solitary trudge to be on the heath at dawn. Later on practiced setting up a tarp using taut line hitch knots in the garden.
Day After The Winter Solstice
Tuesday 22nd December 2020
Almost as though the winter solstice was turning into a three day event, today I went down to the Thames to meet Andrew again, and actually drink some of the mead I had got for the solstice itself, but hadn't fancied. I can't really reccommend it.
Home Haircut and Hampstead Heath
Wednesday 23rd December 2020
The girls had another go at cutting my hair in the morning, then yet another walk to Hampstead Heath in the afternoon.
Christmas Eve
Thursday 24th December 2020
Dragged the girls down to the Thames hoping for a festive stroll along the river, but it turned out to just be cold not much fun. So we cut our losses, headed home, and then surprisingly I managed to drag them out a second time for a walk to Hampstead Heath around sunset.
Christmas Day
Friday 25th December 2020
Christmas day at home, of course.
Boxing Day
Saturday 26th December 2020
Not much to report. I went for a brief walk to Hampstead Heath. That's about it really.
The Day After Boxing Day
Sunday 27th December 2020
Whatever you call it. Did a bit of pruning of the grapevines in the back garden in the morning. Dragged the girls to Hampstead Heath for a walk in the afternoon, then they headed back home while I hung around a bit longer to meet Christian for a quick glass of wine by the barrow.
Monday
Monday 28th December 2020
Attempted to get some smokeless coals to light in the Fire Trough without any kindling. It wasn't very successful.
GevCham on the Heath
Tuesday 29th December 2020
More wine on the heath - this time good old Rossignol Trapet Gevrey Chambertin.
Wine by the Thames
Wednesday 30th December 2020
Went down to an old favourite spot - the Angel in Bermondsey - to meet Andrew for a glass of wine by the Thames (another outing for Dermot Sugrue's Storrington Priory). The pub of course is closed, but the outdoor space next to it which would normally be its de facto beer garden is public land, so amenable to BYOB.
New Year's Eve
Thursday 31st December 2020
Marking the end of 2020. Good riddance.