I’m currently sat in the conservancy of the old family house. I came up by train yesterday: it was time for another visit ‘home’. Apart from a few different nicknacks on the shelves, the place is pretty much as I left it.

Today will probably be a quiet, uneventful day – I don’t want to intrude on my parents too much by insisting they take me here, there and everywhere. But tomorrow…tomorrow will be special. I’ve arranged to go visit Esther in Crewe. I haven’t seen my old learning support assistant in seven years. Of course, we chat quite often over facebook, but since I moved to London I haven’t seen her. The woman who helped me through my degree and set me on my way in my masters; the Esther of a thousand coffees and lunchtime chats; .the only person in the world who I could discuss James Bond with without being frowned at; that’s who I will see tomorrow.

Sat here in the conservatory, so many photos look down on me: graduation photos, wedding photos, photos of my nephew and niece. So much has happened in the last seven years – so many awesome, awesome things- that I can’t wait to tell Esther. Where will I begin? The Olympics? Python? The cafe in the park? Guy, our cat? I can’t wait to chat with her about Happy and Glorious. I want to tell her all about London, all about charlton; all about life in that chaotic, insane maelstrom so different to the quiet world up here. I have so many stories to tell her. She might read my blog, in which case she may know a few of them already. But there is so much more.

I am, I suppose, a different man to who I was seven years ago. Indeed it feels like the entire world has changed since I last saw my old friend. I’m a Londoner now, and London changes people. At the same time, I’m still me, Matt: blogger, filmmaker and bum. The question is, will Esther recognise me? Will I recognise Esther? I suppose we will see tomorrow.