The old and the new

I'm not built for all-nighters any more really, but unfortunately that doesn't stop me staying up all night every now and then. Last night was just such an occasion I'm afraid - I finally hit the sack around 5am after nearly 12 hours of brandy, cava, wine, beer and bourbon, far too much talking and lots of rich food. Just three hours later I was woken by the sound of Lionel, one of my partners in crime last night, chatting to my kids downstairs. I toyed with the idea of rolling over and going back to sleep but figured that would be a bit rude so I sprang from my bed like a young gazelle and skipped daintily down the stairs for a bucketful of coffee which made no discernible difference to the MONSTROUS hangover I now realised I had.

The occasion was a mini Old Dovorian reunion (that's a mini reunion, not a reunion of diminutive former schoolmates), one of whom - Debbie - is celebrating her birthday today. So we had our excuse to carouse til the small hours and carouse we duly did, Debbie, her husband Garry, their son Fred (all pictured above), Lionel, Margo, Sara and me. It was utterly splendid but completely over the top and as a result I seriously don't think I'm ever going to drink again.

Enough empty promises already. What I really wanted to say about the whole thing is that it was a pure delight to spend more time catching up with old school friends and simultaneously making new ones. And that's all I wanted to say - or more accurately it's all I can bring myself to say right now. I may edit this when I've recovered from my current rather pitiful state. Over and out. Bleurgh.