The Rising Sun was having a Hollywood theme night, which seemed little more than an excuse for guys with thighs that shouldn’t be seen to get dressed up in tights and high-heeled shoes. I’m rather glad we didn’t have advanced warning, in spite of the fact it meant we stood in the corner looking about as ‘Hollywood’ as roadies or clamouring fans. Picked up Trevor and Jon on the way, and bumped into Steve’s Challenge and the Midnight Weatherman at the door.

Midnight Weatherman managed somehow to destroy the balloon display around the contest-winners’ photo stand, while Trevor and Steve’s Challenge discovered that they’ve lived more or less identical lives for the past 40 years with their paths never having crossed. As they normally only converse by passing messages via the AA Roadwatch people (Trevor watching the roads, Steve’s Challenge driving the programmes on LBC and the AA talking to them both) they spent much of the evening leaning on the mantle catching up on old times they never knew they had.

Home around two, I think, after an uneventful lock-in. To sleep almost immediately after a long day, which had started early so I could let in the glasier. He had my bathroom window out of the frame before I’d even switched on the kettle. He was very impressive - and cheap - and even fitted the fan that the electrician had left dangling precariously by a live flex at no extra cost.

Lots of banging and hammering later, he was done, and handed over a bill for just 97p more than the quote. I was fully expecting some ‘discovered’ difficulty to double the original price, but ended up so impressed by him that I took a card to pass on.

I spent the time he was here hidden away with the computers, downloading themes for my Linux desktop to make it look like OS X. I’m craving an iBook at the moment, particularly since the little notebook I use on the train has finally breathed its last (it thinks the Alt key is permanently pressed down, so calls up the help menu every time you press ‘h’. Not much good if you’re trying to type obscure words like ‘the’). They’re also down to

1. Enough of the heat
   A very hot afternoon, as the air-con goes AWOL. I met Steve's Challenge and the Midnight Weatherman on the train in to London this morning....
   
   
2. Drinks with Cilla
   I ache. Largely on account of stupidly, stupidly going swimming two days in a row after not having been for weeks and weeks. Last time...
   
   
3. Cooking and cleaning
   It's been a kitchen day today, and everything seems to have slipped into a continental timezone. I wasn't up much before 11, and only stepped...