26 years ago...

... I had a lightbulb moment. I was walking down White Horse Lane in Stepney, East London, having just exited a cobbler's shop. (Remember them?) The sun was shining, for once.
'I am still young!' I thought. 'In 26 years' time I will still only be 52!'.

So, back to the future, 2016, and I am now 52. I find it hard to remember what on earth I've been doing with the past 26 years. Lived in Czechoslovakia, changed career more than once, gained a few qualifications. Mostly just lived in Stroud and read a few books. Mostly hung out with CleanSteve. Mostly just tried to be a Good Person, and to Do the Right Thing. I am nothing if not a product of my middle class Catholic upbringing!

After work I went to CleanSteve's friend Camilla's house, and we waited for a call from the man himself. We nearly missed it, but managed to screech up to the station just in time for his train. Camilla drove us home, and we had tea and coffee walnut cake while I opened my Sri
Lankan birthday pressies. After that,
he went to bed, and I don't expect to see him awake again any time soon. These long haul flights take it out of you, as I know. Dubai airport sounds even more complicated than Abu Dhabi (we flew on different airlines, so had different routes). We are already planning our next trip to somewhere warm and far away.