My mobile phone, which I use as an alarm clock, did not detonate this morning. Woke up late at 8:20, so cleverly decided to turn a vice into a virtue and go to the quack. Having consulted the quack I sped into work off to work, arriving very late.

After 40 minutes I headed out with Tracey for lunch. Her: a coffee, a water, and two cigarettes, me: a bowl of nasty natchos and a pint of Guinness.

Swapped Christmas stories and moaned weakly but enjoyably about returning to work. Trace said that the day before, the 3rd of Jan, was statistically the most depressing day of the year. As if to confirm this, in the Metro newspaper there was a photo of a woman, a senior executive at Rolls Royce, mid air as she jumped from a tall building.

Back to work punctually. The unreasonable swine have started to give me work to do again. As the Gnome is away still, it is all piecemeal bits of nonsense. Broke off to call MJ.

Home and slipped up the road to see Janet and Ken. Lots of talking as usual, and a nice meal and a big plate of cheese after featuring Roquefort, the king of cheeses which is impossible for Peter Kennys to resist. Lots of wine too, of course, to wash it all down in a gouty swill of goodness.

Much holding forth. Their flat in Aix, my adventures in America, the various natures of plumbers etc. And children. Ken said that most people treat children as if they were subnormal adults, and he thought of them as adults without a much experience. Ken had five of his own, and so can be listened to on this matter.

Very nice to see them both. Ken adding a big beardy kiss to Janet's on the way out. Went down the hill feeling very cheery and fond of them. Then home to talk to MJ again before slipping gratefully into bed, conscious that I have to get up at the crack of dawn to get into work early tomorrow.

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