Staying with Mel and Craig

A poor start to the day. I was feeling tetchy and self pitying, and didn't go to the gym which helps to banish such feelings. Luckily Lorraine was working at home in the afternoon so I could share this with her.

Up to London in the afternoon and to Hammersmith to meet up with Craig and Mel in the Brook Green Hotel, a pleasant pub with grub served on slates that, when I knew it, was a rough and univiting dive. Really nice time chatting with Craig, and getting to know Mel better. She is a lovely woman, and an American like Craig. We ate at the Brook Green too, and enjoyed perhaps one or two too many drinks. But left the pub far more cheerfully than I had arrived.

They had invited me to stay overnight as there would be an early start to Craig's stag day tomorrow. To bed at Craigs in their really nice flat. Great little garden too. It gave me the opportunity to learn more of the inside skinny on how Mel and Craig found each other, as they've asked me to do a poem at their wedding, which will be next month in Alnwick Castle up in Northumberland, which will be a visual and historic treat, as well as a wedding. Bargain!