Moulin Rouge, Stroud

Today was my first day back in Stroud after visiting my mother in the West Highlands. The weather had turned cold, and our house, unlike my mother's flat, is not heated like a greenhouse! I just felt frozen to begin with.

A friend had suggested meeting for a walk, but I changed this to lunch, and couldn't even face walking to town. We drove to a pub, and her dog didn't get a walk after all. Some time during the conversation, we decided to go to Belfast next year, as we'll both be 60.

Back home, I sat on the sofa and hemmed a dress I'd bought in a charity shop in Oban, for a fancy dress screening of the 2001 film Moulin Rouge. It's part of Stroud film festival.

Got changed (miraculously I found a thermal vest and smart black jacket to help me keep warm enough in the dress) and headed off to the venue. I hadn't expected fabulous decoration; nor cocktails; nor dancing! It was fun, though I didn't dance, and my friend J had got into the spirit of dressing up, too. All in all, a wonderful evening filled with light, music and laughter.

I have now caught up with all my backblips.