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Ilkley, United Kingdom

Diane’s early departure this morning meant that I was left to my own devices. So what’s the first thing I do? Head into the village for wheat and gluten in the form of delicious cupcake! Before you go thinking I have all the will power of something with no will power – you’d be right but this cake had a higher purpose!

I carried it back up the hill, put a little candle in it, got out my laptop and made a very important Skype call – Happy Birthday Ryan (33 for all those enquiring minds that have been wanting to know)! It’s hard to believe it is only a matter of days since we were in Italy. It certainly feels a lot further away from Ilkely in both time and space. I sang in English and Polish, we chatted and best of all, I got to eat the cake!

I spent the rest of the day tapping and tinkering away until Diane got home, closely followed by the arrival of Chris (Diane’s ‘ex’ – I hate that term but can think of no other to succinctly describe their current relationship) who’d come to visit me. Luckily for me, and I suppose them, they are on good terms because I adore Chris and was so excited to see him again. He’s an inventor don’t you know! As mentioned before, I have known Chris almost as long as I’ve known Diane and spent many a night drinking and discussing politics, philosophy and TV – all of which we seem to agree on completely.

We had dinner and then headed into town for a session at Bar T’at for old times sake. There’s no denying that I felt a twinge of sadness at seeing the old gang down by one and then by two after Chris dropped us off. But what matters is that we two that remain are still standing, if only by leaning on each other.

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