Out for drinks with stds tonight - Mateo told me great anecdote about that happened while he was working for an estate agent in Italy. Some famous footballer whose name unfortunately I don't remember, who was a friend of his boss, wanted to buy a house, so his boss asked Mateo to drive around Milan with the footballer to look at a few places. They stopped outside a place he fancied, and Mateo had to go and ring the bell. Over the intercom, he spoke to the owner of the house who informed him that the house was not for sale. The footballer said ' offer him a million (pounds)' . The guy was not interested. The footballer said, 'offer him a million and a half'. The owner repeated that the house was not for sale. The footballer said 'offer him two million'. Mateo repeated this, and heard over the intercom the owner shout to his wife 'Honey, we're moving!'
One could dine out on that for a while, I reckon.

Spent yesterday with Armand - he put some shelves in and I took him to Carluccio's for lunch. Then we wandered down to Soho to see the Chinese New Year stuff: dragons and lettuces on string. I have no idea what it was about. We then went to Compton's to impersonate gay men. Ha! We weren't convinced. We got bored and came back to mine to play with Armand's new camera software. I showed him blogs for the first time: he doesn't surf or read the paper, so although he's been using computers far longer than me, I usually manage to surprise him. He loved the anagram site we found on someone's blog.

Archive; on Thursday, my sister and nieces were up in London. When I told the three year old that we wouldn't have time to visit my flat, she said 'but we're desperate to see your flat' which was rather sweet. Took them on the DLR (bored - not boys you see), then the Cutty Sark, then bus back to Soho (which they loved), dim sum (Golden Dragon staff great with kids), then the Tate. Yeah OK, that was for my sister, not them, and proved a step too far: afterwards we bundled them into a taxi to Waterloo, as they kept fighting over who was going in the push chair. It's strange how one can spend the whole day with kids not having a single conversation (amongst the adults) which lasts more than a couple of exchanges - I do find it very tiring. It turns my brain to mash. Or do I mean mush.

Am looking forward to being in pub with Dan tomorrow, and having proper conversation. With beer. Just me and him. I do love routine.

Email from team - full of 'stepping through fears' etc. I felt nostalgic for the former days and wondered where my enthusiasm went. Can it be regained ? Breathe !

Saturday night or rather Sunday morning. I am losing the will to blog. The breath seems to have been stifled - or have I just stopped noticing? Met Dan and Ann for drinks in the George - Ann in good mood and quite up for the holiday. Good conversation about male pissing. Went to the Artful Dodger after - is closing next week. Why is it that gay landlords can't keep a business going (unless they are in the West End)? Had ecstatic moment cycling through fields near Bishops Stortford this pm - the sun was so insistent this morning, I sat in its rays for an hour or so while I had breakfast and listened to the radio, but decided that I needed to be out in the country to really appreciate such a gift on the 16th Feb in this benighted isle. Beautiful stained glass by William Morris and Burne Jones in a 13th century church in Furneax Pelham - it must be a bit shit being American and not having anything in your country more than a couple of centuries old.

After Thursday class (good) went to pub with Dan, Jackie and Glenn. Glenn was fine, though I can see he would be superfulous on most evenings (that Dan and I go out on). Friday night in Sheperds Bush with Geraldine etc to cleberate Jill's new job as well as the sacking of Fazle and David, prime dickheads in my last work place. Had very connecting conversation with Dierdre, as well as far too many details from Judith about her relationship with her 16 year old son (perpetual war). Last drink in Irish pub on the big roundabout at Shepherds Bush which is also a bed and breakfast - in the midst of the dregs of drunken customers, young Irish gals were putting out the china for the following day's breakfast.

Have had sex twice today - now I remember what I used to do before LT took over most of my weekends. There is also the fact of my weight loss - pulling is so much about how I feel about myself. Being below eleven stone for the first time since my early twenties is great - yet again I wonder why it has taken me so long to find stuff out. In fact, I have been thinking that I feel so young at the moment, it is rather cruel that I am in fact 43, although rather fortunate that I don't look it. I need a lover soon so I don't have to rely on this fact for ever - Hazel at work wants to go with me to the Spot on Sunday nights to help me meet someone - 'You're going to meet someone very soon, I can feel it' , she says, which is very seductive. Given the Spot was where I met Winston, I am not sure whether that is a good omen or not. Perhaps her intuition is just about five years out. Next thing she'll be forecasting is that I am about to go and work for a careers service again. Ha Ha !!