Pride (but shame too)

Well, I said that I wouldn't be going too crazy on my birthday on Friday. How wrong I was! What started out as a simple quiet dinner with my daughter ended up with dozens of random people (some of whom I didn't even know) coming back to my flat for a right ribald session of drinking and dancing. My neighbour (who I'd mistakenly thought was away) sent me a desperate text message at 4:00 a.m. asking me to turn down the music as he was finding it impossible to sleep. I feel so guilty because I hate upsetting people. Needless to say, for some people the evening inevitably ended in scenes of sex and debauchery – somehow I think my flat inspires such excessive behaviour in people who visit. Not a very Buddhist standpoint, I admit.

Saturday was understandably a bit difficult to get bump-started. However I did it, and met up with a couple of gay friends for lunchtime drinks and we went along to the Nottingham Gay Pride festival at the Arboretum – great fun. Lots of rainbow flags, Shirley Bassey impersonators, friendly police officers and loads of dogs for some reason (I'm talking canines here, not ugly people). I bumped into loads of people I knew - it seemed the whole of Nottingham was there; gay and straight. The weather was bright & sunny for a change, and the ambience just as uplifting. However, I needed an early night so I resisted the temptation to carry on to the after-party featuring Axe Girl and Bananarama.

Sunday morning I drove to Norfolk to watch the sailing – it's a special week-long sailing festival that I normally participate in, but this year I had decided to give it a swerve. I went along anyway because Purple Turtle (the boat I've recently sold) was competing, sailed by her new owners, and I wanted to take a look. I was absolutely delighted to see them win the race (which is more than I would have done) proving that she is a fast boat, but moreover that I was right to sell her. It was a lovely day – lots of sunshine and ice cream; the usual seaside fare. A bit of a tiring drive there and back, but it was worth it because I managed to hook up with the usual sailing crowd that I normally spend this week of the year with, every year. I felt a tinge of sadness not being part of it, but what the hell – there's always next year. Maybe I should buy a new boat….

All in all, a great birthday weekend. Now, back to work.