BIRTHDAY MINKERING WEEKEND UPDATE

Friday as previously described - somewhere below. Italian food with Nick, beers in Barcode and Comptons (where we bumped briefly into David) and then home. Remarkably in bed at a reasonable time. How did that happen??

Saturday started much more sedately. Nick had to nip off for one of his computing seminar things, so I had a very leisurely start to the day. Up about 9.30am, coffee, Saturday morning telly... first time in ages. Got organised and decided to nip to Tesco's to get some essentials. Of course, I forgot that I hadn't replaced the security key for the front door to the block, so ended up locking myself out again. Great. Chatted to a couple of people on the phone. Steve (Nick's ex) arrived and we chatted a while before Nick got back. Coffee, more chats and then finally into town - ostensibly to meet David P for a bit of shopping. Meantime though, Big Steve had called wanting to meet for a quick beer, so that was what we did. David P joined us. Oh dear. Some 3 and a half hours later we gave up on the shopping idea as we were fairly minkered. Stumbled home, where I managed to eat something (I think!), shower, shave and get myself looking beautiful before David and Chatty Paul arrived and we went down to Hope. Had the most fantastic time!! All the gang were there - well not initially, but over time most of our entire group from the Vauxhall joined us. The Karl Crew, the Big Steve Crew, the Blog Crew and assorted other people we adopted. Got lots of birthday attention, and it meant that eventually I think we'd met everyone in there. It's like a mini-Tavern, and most enjoyable for it. Highlight of the evening for me? My trip to Ibiza. Towards the latter part of the evening, much minkering down the line, I was - to say the least - a little worse for wear. You can imagine. No, really. Those who saw me have no need to imagine. At one point, very wobbly, Antony (the guy Steve and Audrey brought into our fold) basically wrapped himself around me (well he is 6'2" and built like a brick cliché) and looked after me. He decided to take me on a little trip. Antony started telling me we were going on holiday, to Ibiza. Getting on the plane, taking off, landing, arriving at the hotel. Then we were by the pool, having cocktails, feeling the warm sun as we lounged around. Thing is, I was there. I mean really. It felt like I was living the experience first hand, not by proxy. Oh dear. Antony - thanks. One of the best holidays I've had in a while! Left Hope and back to ours briefly before everyone left and I fell into bed at 7am.

Sunday began some 3 and a bit hours later, as I woke with the need for coffee. Nick and I sat around and talked to a couple of people before I forced us to have bacon sandwiches, not really knowing when we'd next realistically eat. Baby Tom came round about 1.30pm and we hit Manto's on time at 2pm. A beautiful day for my birthday, but to be honest we didn't see much of it, as we were in a basement bar in Soho. It's was a joint birthday do with my bestest friend Stevie P, who finally arrived about 2.45pm. Slowly lots of other people began to arrive, and I began my vodka-binge-athon. It was a most fantastic afternoon. God knows how many people we crammed into the basement bar of Manto's, but I'm sure it was more than it was meant to hold. Similar to the amount of vodka I polished off... more than I was designed to hold. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come and help me reach the ripe old age of 36, and Steve 34. Finally it was time to move on - Steve took his crowd to Salvation, whereas I took my lot down to the Vauxhall Tavern. Well I couldn't really go anywhere else. To be honest it's a bit blurred, but I do remember having the most fantastic time. Minkered? Oh I think so. Talked to David Cushing (Tony's mate I met in Oz) and various assorted other minkerers, some of whom had been at Manto's, some who hadn't. About 10.30pm we decided to nip home and change and sort ourselves out before heading down to DTPM to carry on minkering. I know I had a great time at DTPM too, but I can't really remember many details. I know Ahmed the Egyptian was there, which was good for a bit of flirting, and it gives me chance to blog the better lines I thought of after Thursday night. Well he turned into American porn star voice over artiste on the Friday morning, and as he wanted to be dominated a bit (Him? He was about twice my size!!) it was less a case of Who's your Daddy? as Who's your Mummy! :o) Also I could mention the tour of his Sphinx, but that may not be to many people's liking, so I won't. He he he. Finally me, Nick, David P and Chatty Paul stumbled out of DTPM at about 5.30am on

Monday as we walked in a merry minkered way to Stevie P's. The Misty Moor crowd from Manchester were there, as were minkerers varicose. And there we stayed, minkering away as the sun rose on the most fantastic day. David P left after a little while, but the party just continued. I eventually fell foul to too much minkering at about midday, and fell into a little sleep until about 2.30pm. Steve is such a fantasic host - thanks matey. I then made my final excuses and came home. Slept from 4pm until 7pm, when I decided I should get up. Nick was back so we had food and watched Voyager and then I finally went to bed again at 10.30pm. What a fantastic birthday weekend. Thanks to everyone for making it such a special weekend. You all know who you are. And I think the world of you all.