I have recently seen a birthday – not a big one (big ones end in “0”) but a birthday, all the same. I have no excuse not to face up to the fact that I am now in my forties. And… this is actually a lot of fun – kind of just like my twenties but with a few more aches and a disposable income. Well, I say “a lot of fun” hesitantly, but it is a lot easier to say now than I thought it would be say ten, twenty years ago.
Friday was great; it saw Scoob, K’ren and Al join me and Kathryn in The Devonshire Tap for drinks straight after work.
I was drinking Pale Ale, not rushing things, and people I had not seen for a while were buying me a drink – it was a great night. Pipkin Smyth (four legs – a dog) was there! With his brilliant, white fluff, this dog is unique – more of a sheep than a dog.
Al, as ever, put the needs of his mates before his own in bringing Pip to us – K’ren and Scoob have recently lost Ernie, their Greyhound, and all the fuss was about Pip. Kathryn & K’ren were besotted by this Bell Terrier. And, rightly so…
Saturday was spent slobbing and I popped up to the studio to prepare for a savoury Sunday – see, one of the Toms was paying me a visit on Sunday.
I got so excited by Tom’s imminent arrival that I only had three hours of sleep, but we hit it off as if we had seen each other sooner than the five-year gap between meet-ups. I did not expect anything different, but it is reassuring that someone who has known me since my early teens still has time for me. There is a sense of continuity.
Coffee (Taylors) was quaffed and we hot-footed it to the studio to have a go at DJ’ing – I had my equipment set up, and we were fiddling with The Bud Siren. Blake (mate) gave me a Dub Siren for my birthday, and although it is a built kit (which he hopes to sell), it is an incredible gift; more on that later.
Tom was great company – I hope he got as much from the visit as I did; I think this could be a new model for us as friends, moving forward – short day trips as opposed to short drinking sessions (old, much?). It really does just depend on Tom & Tom, though – they are the ones with the vehicles. All it boils down to is my mates making all the effort and me being in control enough of my faculties not to mess things up. Simple, really. Well, whatever lets me see more of my friends is a good thing.
Pizza in Major Tom’s to finish the day. I never thought I would get the opportunity to buy a Vegan pizza for Pugh – thanks to the pub we were visiting, I did. It was the first time I had taken Tom to Major Tom’s, and I hope he got a good impression of it. It is my favourite pub.
We walked home and bid our farewells. Tom was driving home in an all-electric Mustang! The car has a B&O sound system, although I doubt it would get pinched in the HG1 ghetto. But then, these streets are mine. Me and Kathryn went home, tuckered.
A good way to celebrate my solar orbit.
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