Don Kenny

Today I became a Godfather. Sicilian hot day in Brighton, I wondered up the hill clutching my bag of two bibles to Anna and Anton's house where Anna's mum and dad, and brothers and sister, Anton's Mum, the Godparents to be Brian and Anna and her family, and Lorraine all met up before going off to St Nicholas church. As befits a church named after the patron saint of sailors, it is set on a hill overlooking the sea with views of Brighton. Lovely interior too, and generally quite a lively and friendly church. But there was lots of aromatic smoke, which incensed me (arf).

I sat on the front pew with Brian and Anna, the two other Godparents. Only the lovely Christianne who lives in Australia and is currently on her honeymoon was missing. None of us on the front pew knew exactly what to do, and Brian told Anna that they might end up married by the end of the ceremony. For some reason I get a bit twitchy in important church ceremonies. I keep thinking something embarrassing will happen: that I will faint extravagantly or succumb, at last, to Tourettes.

Thankfully none of this happened, and I really enjoyed the Baptism. Oskar not terribly impressed with the water, which trickled from a shell, onto his head and cried briefly but with gusto. Klaudia being four now was picked up and perched on the edge of the font, where she tucked her dress up from the water in a way that was more 24 than 4. Then there was a new wide eyed little thing called Angus. The vicar, after conducting the baptism, and saying a little about what the children's names meant, then showered the surrounding children with some water just for fun.

I enjoyed the church service. And though the ceremony was lovely, it was simply a public enactment of what I have always felt - that I love Klaudia and Oskar and if it's in my power will do anything I can for them. It is a great honour and I did feel quite moved in the church.

Then all off to a local seven dials restaurant for a roast beef Sunday lunch. Lots of chatting in small room which was just right in size for our party. I sat next to Anne, Anton's Mum. Keith Anton's stepdad has not been well lately, and was very sad to have missed today, as he dotes on his Grandchildren.

Enjoyably, however, Anne told me about Anton's first career as a baby girl model. Some stories, I find, you can never tire of hearing and I listened again with great interest. Anton, sitting on the other side of his mother rolling his eyes.

Brian making Lorraine and I laugh hearing about his worst ever work day when the Olympic flame was carried through London. He works for a Chinese owned business, and is an official sponsor of the games. Managing the PR fallout was horrendous.

Then a long afternoon where we all sat in Anton and Anna's back garden sipping cool drinks and chatting in the sun. Eventually all the guest but me had left, and I helped with some light tidying. Just before I left The Wizard of Oz DVD was put on the TV. This sparked Klaudia into dancing and singing the Follow the Yellow Brick Road song, and Oskar into doing a funny little stampy dance.

I left, following the road down the hill, wondering about the paths my Godchildren would take, and feeling very happy.

Below Anton, Anna and Oskar, with Mark and Luke in the background - my co-Godparents Brian and Anna, and the old font at St Nicholas. Amazingly I didn't get one good snap of Klaudia.