Business and pleasure

I have a few clients who have become friends but only one client who was a friend before I properly started my own business. I met Ian in Glasgow when I worked there in 2000. We both went on to start our own businesses and a few years ago my company did some work for his.

This year, we're going to do a bit more, so I've had a few meetings with Ian recently, all at his office along with a couple of his colleagues. Today's meeting was just me and him, though, so I suggested that we meet up in Manchester, which is kind of half way and also meant that I could travel in by train, facilitating a couple of beers together after our meeting.

We met up at the Nexus Art Café in the Northern Quarter, which is a beautiful, arty place, done on a shoestring, I suspect, but with a wonderful atmosphere. We spent a couple of hours doing what needed doing before we headed across to 57 Thomas Street, where we had a bit of lunch and those drinks.

Ian headed off but I stayed put as I'd also arranged to see my dear friend Kerry, who joined me at 57. As always, we had a great natter, and at some point the rain started coming down heavily. It wasn't cold so the door stayed open, lending a bit of extra atmosphere to the afternoon. 

I might have headed home after Kerry left but happily the Minx decided to come into town, so she picked me up and we headed across to The Fallow, to see a couple of my daughters. OK, so the business/pleasure balance was a little more out of kilter than anticipated but it was a great, if somewhat boozy, day.