The Birthday Party

I drove to Cobham at half past eight on a freezing Saturday morning to collect a vegan birthday cake. April from April’s Table was at the monthly farmers market and handed over the goodies for cash. This is where vegans feel like druggies with dealers, living on the margins of civilised society.

TSM and I went up The Yoga Mamas for lunch. On the way we had a robust discussion about onions, fizzy water, and escalators. Mill Hill was bright in the sunshine, but bitter. Huge new housing estates are springing up in these London fringes. The Yoga Mama was very pleased to see us and stuffed us full of beetroot burgers and other Good Stuff.

I fixed The Yoga Mama’s bird table then TSM and I snuggled on the settee. We could have fallen asleep there and then but got ourselves together to go down to The Mulberry Bush pub in upper ground just behind The South Bank for Big Brothers 70th birthday celebration. This was a real mix of South London family and people from the arts world. Not one but two birthday cakes (the vegan one and a traditional one based on animal cruelty and exploitation). The pub had a lively atmosphere and there was quite a buzz. There was an old grammar school reunion (we even remembered and sang the lyrics to the school song) and lots of mingling. England got hammered at rugby so there were a few good natured groans and moans. And yes we got a bit squiffy.

Top Gun, the Dizzle and Ms E and I left later than most. We had samosas, bhajis, humus and chips from the street food stalls behind the festival hall and for some reason I can’t fathom went for One Last Drink in The Hole In The Wall which I have been drinking in for about forty years. It is one of the worst pubs in London with piss awful toilets. Always has been dodgy.

It was lovely to share today with Big Brother. He looked very happy and not at all old. We are a decade apart but growing closer as we age. It’s a relativity thing. The sibling Doppler effect. Probably helped by the fact that even with 130 years between us we tend to be quite youthful in our approach to life. Juvenile even …

Good day. Very good day.