... like I've been there before.

Some time just under thirty years ago I was present at what turned out to be a (literally) defining conversation in my life.

The four chaps in this photo - left to right: Bob, E, Ash and Ross - were present plus some of our new acquaintances at university. I don't think the five of us had known one another that long but certainly long enough to coalesce as a group. I think it's sad but true to say that we rubbed some people up the wrong way although I found that I could always cheer myself with the thought that the people who actually knew us, liked us.

Anyway, in this conversation, Ash described someone we knew or had encountered as a 'bad person', to which someone replied "There's no such thing as good or bad people". A discussion ensued, which resulted in us - with as much irony as you can imagine - referring to ourselves from then on as The Good Gang.

I come to love these fellows deeply over the years and for the last few years we have gone away together once a year on what is happily referred to as The Good Gang Special Assignment. This weekend was the occasion of GGSA2013.

We met up in Cirencester Friday lunchtime and I must admit I felt a tad nervous, for reasons that I don't think I could easily define. But I soon relaxed in their company and we spent the rest of the day walking and taking an occasional rest, by which I mean that we walked between pubs and sat in them and drank when we got to them. It was a very happy day and just like old times and, indeed, more recent ones.