It's been sunny, all day

Why we were late...

Assumptions. I once got that in the office game of presentation roulette. I had to work in something like “never assume, assumptions have a way of making an ass out of u and me”. Unfair, really. The three Beatles song titles and ten hidden sport references were far easier to work in. Anyway, we were late for our 6:30 table tonight.

I assumed AD had also texted Rich on Wednesday saying “was 8:30 too late, they don't have anything earlier”, and because I'd not heard anything since that, and because I'd answered “no, 8:30 OK”, I'd not exactly raced out of the office and home, and even when I did get back I was stood around chatting to Rich and BLISS without a thought about the time until I got bit of a hurry up.

AD had texted Rich yesterday to say “they can do 6:30, is that too early?” and Rich had replied “no, 6:30 fine”, and they had both assumed that I would still be working to meeting up at mine at six o'clock as originally planned. The day had whizzed by a little bit, and I hadn't picked up the phone to check.

So, I was late and then didn't rush until we eventually arrived almost half an hour late. We got told off on arrival, and promised to order and eat quickly to get back on programme. Thank god, waiters with a sense of humour.

Successful demolition of the lime pickle

Dark red, smoky, hot and sour, and laced with green chillies. The lime pickle didn't last long.

Standards maintained and cricket curry club tradition upheld, the lime pickle pot was returned, empty. It occurs that it would be funny to cry off at the last minute one evening, and get the restaurant to present the remaining members with a huge bowl with a catering-size quantity of lime pickle along with their papadums, then jump out with the camera.

Absent friends

My work-life balance tends to be skewed: work-work Monday morning to Friday evening, life-life at the weekend, but BOS is at it like mad at the moment, long days and weekends. I know the dosh is always handy but I hope it eases up for him soon, because we've not met up for too long.

Sun and a test match

A blazing hot day. Cricket. The West Indies on the ropes at lunch at Trent Bridge, back in it after a great fight-back at close of play. I'm going to watch the highlights in a minute. The test match special team had a Somerset reunion during one of the intervals: Viv Richards, Ian Botham, Vic Marks. As Botham left to return to the Sky commentary box, someone said that, as he'd behaved himself and missed his lunch, they should give him a pork pie to go away with. “Just the one?” he said.

Rich had a good Phil Tuffnel anecdote tonight. Apparently, for club or country he was sent off (along with the rest of the squad) for a three mile run, and was told: no, you can't take your fags with you. When asked, afterwards, if he felt better and fitter for the exercise, he said, “yeah. Next time someone hits the ball three miles, I'm your man.”