Forever 32

I was 35 yesterday Finn.

Celebrated it in a style that I think you would have appreciated, with eaty-drinkie goodness at a proper 'free house' (independent pub) in the village where I work. Lunch was cooked by the landlord hisself, and his fresh food fetish gives the lie to English food being dodgy and stodgy (then again, Ollie the landlord is Irish). In between foodstuffs and conversations we played trivial pursuit, and soccer (I still can't call it football), and Aunt Sally (it's an oxfordshire thing - I'll explain another time), and there were guitars and singing. Ollie's other rare distinction is that he sells decent ciders and great wine, so we weren't all stuck with 'jars all round'.

It was a lot like the good old days at the Dan, where the pub felt 'just like your loungeroom. only bigger, to fit more of my friends in', or a bit like being away for a weekend in the country - but just for an afternoon. (Remember Puzz-3D in that amazing B&B we all stayed in after Ky and Paul's wedding? Like that.)

Afterwards got a bit messy, with second pub followed by whisky at a friend's place, then back to the pub. Hangover wasn't as bad as I deserved, but I was still relieved to have booked the day off work... So I reckon for 35 I'm doin' okay, well on track to ageing disgracefully.

I can't help thinking that you were always two years older than me, but today you're still 32.

I'm sorry you're not going to grow old with the rest of us. Liam sent me a text a while back that says 'even though you're not here, I can still share good times with you' (i suspect he's probably sent that message to your phone too, even though you don't answer it anymore)... You're missing out on a helluva lot - including another crackajack birthday.