h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Having left the country for my actual birthday (last month), I thought I should probably offer some sort of celebration for people locally, so invited friends for drinks at the (Sunday lunch) pub last night. There is a side room, which leads out to the smoking area, otherwise known as the back yard, and I reserved it for the evening.

Got there early, and spent a nervous 30 minutes wondering if anybody would turn up. Then gradually people arrived, and I had ordered some bottles of fizz as a welcome drink, which seemed to go down well with most people. In the end I think there were about 30 of us in total, though not all at the same time. There was another birthday gathering going on in the main part of the pub, so the noise level was considerable, and I ended up with no voice. A speech therapist friend advised me to stop talking as she left!

By just before closing time (midnight) only the core group of the Sunday lunch club was left. I think everybody had a good time, but not sure if I managed to talk to everybody.

Woke up at the usual time (6.30), despite not having gone to bed until after 1, and felt absolutely fine, probably due to having started and finished the evening with pints of lime and soda, to dilute the Cava.

Several of the Sunday lunch club were lunching elsewhere today, as they were off to another birthday party on a riverboat this afternoon, so there were only three of us. We had a quiet lunch and then went our separate ways. I spent the rest of the afternoon on the sofa with an old repeat of 'Midsomer Murders' - pleasantly relaxing.

Tomorrow there is a big conference in Cambridge for state school teachers, so we are hosting a buffet supper in the evening for the ones who are staying at the college.