Autumn weekends II

Mid October. A gloriously sunny Saturday. We breakfast on these raspberry and ricotta wholewheat scones, then decide to get out the house and actually do something, go somewhere. We head to Richmond, half an hour on the overground, but a different world. The river, younger, than we are used to seeing at our usual haunt of Southbank, populated with rowers and canoeists, leafy banked, sunlight sparkling. We walk in Richmond Park, beneath trees and through browning bracken, startling deer. Later, Petersham Nurseries for the first time, for tea and cake. Lemon and poppyseed (me), carrot cake (him). I long more than ever for a garden. In the evening, dinner at H's. She serves pan after pan of the most delicious food, spiced aubergine, sag paneer (with homemade paneer!), daal, pilau rice, raita, popadoms that crack under thumbs. We drink beer then head to pub in Kentish Town, the sky clear, the air cold. On Sunday, a trip to the Tate where Anna and I try but fail to get into the Gerhard Richter. We settle for the Tacita Dean in the Turbine Hall instead, and a walk by the river.

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I've got a long weekend this weekend, Bonfire Night in Norfolk, mulled perry and sparklers. Anyone else got plans?