A return

I had a call from my brother at lunchtime to let me know that something that was mooted a month or so ago, but hadn't been confirmed, had actually happened. The person who is, in terms of the length of time I've known him, my oldest friend - we first met when I was 10 and he was 7 - is going to be in our home town this weekend. He was, actually, and probably still is, my brother's best friend, but, right from the beginning, he and I were almost as close as he was with my brother. We went to the same primary school, the same senior school, went to numerous gigs together - our musical tastes aren't identical, but there's a considerable overlap - played, very successfully, in pub quiz teams together, and, most notably, spent vast amounts of time in various pubs and bars here, there and everywhere for twenty-odd years. So, why has he been missing for so long, and why has he never been mentioned in this blog before? Because, a dozen or so years ago, he and his family emigrated to Australia - his wife, although her parents are British, was born and brought up 'down under', and has dual nationality. This is, as far as I'm aware, his first trip back, undertaken because his mother, who's now in her seventies, is in poor health. And this weekend is, miracle of miracles, my weekend off! I've spoken to K, and she seems to be quite relaxed about being 'abandoned' for a day or two, so, given that there are 'socials' arranged for both Friday and Saturday, unless anything unforeseen happens, I'll be there. I really didn't expect to see my friend again. This could be quite a weekend!

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B