The birthday season

Still crazy after all of these year's - some of Peter's Friends

2 birthday girls in celebratory mood - Bush & Sweens

The haul

Many happy returns of the day to our chum otherwise known as Red Brooks, Helen Bush. It is ill-becoming to mention a lady’s age (34), so I shall say no more than she is still remarkably well preserved all things considered, especially as she generally finds it difficult to decide which moisture cream to use of a morning. Sober went so far as to say that Helen doesn’t actually age, sentiments I very much agreed with when a gathering of Peter’s Friends took place at Howards’ End last Sunday on the occasion of Angela’s birthday. As I said to Dave, “I’ve always thought Bush looked 34”, sentiments with which Dave seemed to agree. Well, I say agree only in so much as anyone can agree to anything when you’ve had one glass of Champagne, 2 glasses of fizz, one glass of red wine, three of Steptoe’s bison grass vodka cocktails (plenty of cock and not a lot of tail) washed down with 8 cans of Strongbow…..

All of this followed a splendid weekend in the Smoke co-hosted in the Peoples Republic of Brentford and in N.21, which was attended by the Sweeney-Phillips’s and the McEllison’s, culminating in the aforementioned birthday lunch for 14 including 3 children. Suffice as to say the week thus far has been one of decidedly moderate indulgence. Until Bush cracks open the chardonnay this evening, that is…..