Alison

For the first time in 18 months, we saw our friend Alison this evening. We last saw her just before we got married when she called round for a brew! We keep in touch via text and FB but busy lives, children, and the overhauling of houses means that we tend to be really crap at getting in the same place together!

However, despite this, we always fall quite easily into silliness, raucous laughter and the drinking of plenty of tea - "The Dunwoods are here, put the kettle on!"

We also had the pleasure of meeting her fella, who we were both quite taken with in the short time that we were there. What a chilled out, relaxed chap. Makes me very happy for Alison, because frankly, she has had a pretty crap run of it. I think my circumstances are pretty dire sometimes - they were a walk in the park compared to some of the ridiculous behaviour that she has (and I suspect continues) to deal with.

Despite that, she has always maintained her dignity. She is a stronger woman than I will ever be.

So thanks Al - next time we'll bring wine and make an evening of it!

Finally finished processing the photos from Dads party on Friday night.

It's been a peculiar day. Have done lots of sorting out on the computer - culling in excess of 22 thousand photos from the last 6 years, backing up everything and doing some systems maintenance, in between visiting different people, doing the housework and managing to keep my levels of tea maintained.

I have also learned today that some people are never happy and have expectations that I cannot live up to. Interesting that those expectations are not applied to themselves. Playing nice, going out of my way to be accommodating and forgiving, turning a blind eye to a person's inability to live up to my expectations leads me to be not only disappointed and angry, but apparently also makes me the bad guy. I would ponder on how this is so, but frankly I don't care. It's childish and I am too old to be engaging with that sort of behaviour.

"As a rule, there is no surer way to the dislike of men than to behave well where they have behaved badly.
Lew Wallace "

"I don't care whether people like me or dislike me. I'm not on earth to win a popularity contest. I'm here to be the best human being I possibly can be.
Tab Hunter "

"What you dislike in another take care to correct in yourself.
Thomas Sprat "

And on a completely pointless note, I lost a subscriber. I always feel a little bad when this happens, like I did something wrong. Guilt. I must have been Catholic in a former life!