Aaaargh

Is a cry of emotional pain. I am trying to clear bookshelves a) because I have far too many, and b) because of an upcoming charity book sale.

Some of these have been my companions for fifty+ years. So I have to apply the question - "will I ever open this again?" If the answer is "no", then why is it there? Very hard!

So there - it is a horrible, dreich Saturday, and I am getting into it.

Last night, we and our neighbours, had our joint staff Christmas dinner - 7 of them, 7 of us. We arrived at the booked restaurant to be told that there had been an accident in the kitchen and the chef had been sent home. They couldn't do hot main courses. But would supply cold platters.

So we walked out! (They could have let us know earlier, and anyway, it was our night out.) We ended up in the basement of what is a not very prepossesing looking Italian restaurant further up the street. Absolutely brilliant - great food served wonderfully (how they coped with 14 unexpected guests who knows?), great wine, and a raucous and happy company.