It has been quite a weekend. Last night turned out to be quite cool: Luke’s birthday bash was at a pub in Sydenham, a fairly long bus ride away but straightforward enough to get to.. On the way, though, I had to drive around a large tree which had fallen in the road – quite a novelty. I got to the pub on time and, seeing no one else from my party there, got myself a beer and waited. A few minutes later – albeit long enough for me to start to worry whether I had come to the right place – my friends arrived and the party began.

We were there until fairly late. We drank and chatted, listening to music from the juke box the landlord had kindly made free for us*. I gave Luke a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel I have treasured since I read it at school, and now hope Luke will too. I got a taxi back at about half eleven: I don’t often take cabs, preferring busses, but it was late and I’d had a drink, so I had asked Sally to order one beforehand. It turned out to be a good idea, and getting home was easy. I had been chatting with Lyn online all evening – she’d stayed home – and I got back to her before twelve, tired, not that drunk, and happy with how the evening had gone. I hope luke had had great birthday bash.

*I suddenly noticed how many people have newborn babies these days – sprogs are appearing all over the place!