Just the usual stalwart boozers at the bar today, imaginary friends, weird cousins and an actual brother. But haven’t you brought lovely presents? Who wouldn’t like books and pencils? Or pens, they would be nice too. Or more books. Or kindle vouchers. Perhaps an even more entertaining question would be what did you get for christmas that explained, as Clair puts it, how little your nearest and dearest know you? For me it would be the bright red woven scarf [no red near the face, darlings] and the expensive bath oil. Busy mums do not have time for baths, but I found just the person to regift it to. While she’s being crabby about presents, a bottle of Crabbies is just the thing.

This is a theme dear to the good Doctor‘s heart; he could probably go on about that for even longer than he can go on about pencils, so better get a couple of pints in to keep him lubricated.

Meanwhile Lyle has brought the HG2G, which will be on Bernard’s must-read list just as soon as he is old enough to appreciate it. We once went to a wedding where the bride and groom requested as presents a copy of each guest’s favourite book. Bernard and I took Black Swan Green and The Gruffalo, and I can’t currently remember what Pete’s offering was.

Pete is still working much to hard to stop for cocktails, so I’ve brought a little present for him, but I can’t say what it is until he gets home. Don’t want to spoil the surprise.