On Wednesday evening I went to the Inn on the Green and, by chance, met a couple of friends from the Caernarvon Castle residency days. It was a bit of a leaving party for a friend returning to New Zealand after twenty one years. This coincided with the weekly blues jam which drew even more musicians this time. I sat in for a couple, in between drinks. I helped accompany a young singer named Terri Shaltiel, whom I had met the evening before. I introduced her as coming from North of Watford, but she seemed keen to be more specific and assure everyone that she was from Leeds. She sang well and a trumpeter did his bit too. I don’t remember getting home.

Thursday was my birthday so I allowed myself an English breakfast, sausages, eggs, beans, tomatoes… you know the sort of thing. I even decided to have some fried bread for the first time in years. It’ll be bread and dripping next! Well there is a credit crunch going on. I gave the dog a sausage and some fried bread. She ate the sausage but ignored the fried bread. Does that mean I’m dumber than her? Please do not even dream about answering that question! As it happens, she’s not even English…a Belgian Shepherd, so maybe fried bread is not a Belgian speciality. I consoled myself by giving myself a birthday present by picking a winning horse at Goodwood races.

On Friday I went to Soho to meet up with Chris Youlden, Bernie Pallo and Mel Wright for birthday drinks. We started in the Blue Post behind the 100 Club and then moved on to the Champion a bit further up the road. The we all left for home, though I ended up at the Inn on the Green by some amazing transference. I don’t think it was Teleportation, but who knows. I met Kashmir Paul and Scots Paul there and toasted whatever. They eventually left and were replaced by Polish Peter, photographer and carpenter, though not necessarily in that order. This meeting seemed to necessitate spirits as well as beer, but I’m game for anything from time to time. The weekend passed in recovery mode, of which the less said the better. Tomorrow, Monday, I’m probably going to teleport myself to Wandsworth for the Blues Puppies Cd launch. Beam me up Scotty!