faustus | Christmas Eve

I'd spent part of Friday helping a friend with his Peacocking preparations and ended up working more on The Big Project before I finally got to the pub at about 9.20. Moreorless as soon as we got there C, M and I headed off to a club so we could get in for free. The one thing to say is that it's odd to have a club where I feel young - the Old Brewery is a mixed crowd with a thirties bias but I'm either older than I realise or this was rather forty something. The other thing to say is, having pretended that the Tonic Bar doesn't exist, I now have the complete set of night clubs in town ticked off. The final thing is to note, as one of M's unsuitable mates did on Thursday, that it wasn't faggots' night. Chiz. I lost C and M round about 2 - as it turns out they both got kicked out. Something else to try.

I woke up on Saturday with cramp in my left leg and popped ears, which still haven't popped back. Ooops. I was meant to meet T and his son for lunch in the Sportsman Cafe´ - an odd coincidence since I had an all day breakfast in their with N post Old Brewery last week, having not been there since I moved here. The son was remarkably well behaved.

I'd popped down to Morrison's but inevitably forgot useful stuff like milk and ground almonds, so I had to go to Tescos today. The Grand Plan was a) buy that DVD I want from HMV, b) buy milk and almonds c) go to the Doves as it opens and say hi to M, d) get home for three and do some marking, then write 2000 words and go to the pub for 8.

It was gone midday when I left home, neither HMV or Virgin had the DVD (it was there last week) and Tescos, whilst surprisingly quiet, was full of people who don't know how to shop and yet can fill an entire aisle. I'd also forgotten the need for a light bulb, and play the game of finding a) right wattage, b) right housing c) low energy. Yes the low energy one are available, but not in screw, or not the right size screw, or the right size screw and low wattage, but too large. Wilkinson's supplied two out of three - although I'm sure I have a spare somewhere from the last blow out.

Got to the pub for 1.30, and Amanda came in about the time I should have left; with one thing or another I didn't get out of there until gone four. I did get some writing done, but no marking. This is looking bad. For that matter Amanda was two minutes from escaping when some people came in she had to talk to. I did get some brownies cooked and an episode of Seinfeld watched. Kramer has a line about one lousy mistake ruining a life; ironic given Michael Richards' recent behaviour.

I'd promised B I'd see him tonight or I might have gone straight to the Bell&; Doves was busy with B's mates, a table full of strangers and a new couple at the bar. A couple of swift pints, and then headed down to the Bell&; NW, R and K working and things surprisingly quiet, certainly compared to last year at the Doves and the years before at the Carps. Still, two years ago I was sufficiently drunk to be ordered into the landlady's car to be poured through my letter box. More subdued this year.

Tomorrow's arrangements are finalised, the brownies went down well, and all I have to do is proto chocolate puddle pudding. There ought to be time to take photos of a deserted city tommorrow, but we'll see. And I forgot to buy a dog biscuit for Superchef. There was much hugging all round.