John

I'm supposed to be happy, because tomorrow I'm off to Gaimersheim to help D celebrate her birthday on Thursday.

Then at lunchtime I got word that one of my best friends from schooldays died at the weekend. I'd known since November that he had terminal cancer, and that it could have ended him at any time - a few months was what he was hoping for.

I was best man at one of his weddings - July 1983, in Ayrshire. I remember the bride's mother was very fearful for the welfare of the bridesmaids (her other daughters). Rightly so.

Although we lived 500 miles apart, in February we managed a few pints and some laughs in a pub in Edinburgh's High Street. Very glad of that.

His attitude to what was facing him was quite magnificent. Stoicism was not good enough for him. He was going to enjoy every minute.

Today's Blip is the Forth Rail Bridge from South Queensferry, taken as I stole a few quiet minutes to myself between meetings.