Oops. I went a bit mad in the hot bed. I stupidly dug up and threw away some perennials. I have been soundly told off. I misunderstood the instructions. I have no excuse apart from my stupidity. Let’s just forget about that and move on…

I had a great night out with Stevie. Marriage has not changed him and we drank and chatted away just like old.

He raved about Australia. For their honeymoon, he and Lara started in the far north of Queensland, did all the usual spots then flew down to Sydney to meet up with his sisters. They loved Sydney (how could they not?). He was amazed at the lack of crowds.

His sisters surprised them both with tickets to Rigoletto at the Opera House. I was stunned. Just how long had Stevie liked opera? This was the first, he said. And he loved it. He thought it a bit odd that the supertitles didn’t change as often as the singers sang but I explained that they just repeat it a lot. He was sitting next an American man who loves Rigoletto and who has seen it all over the world. When Stevie said it was his first opera, the guy gushed and said he was so lucky that this was his first because it was so brilliant. He was very enthusiastic, Stevie said, making his wife constantly try to rein him in.

From Australia, they went to Japan and Hong Kong but we didn’t get that far. Talk moves with a fluidity that defies logic when we chat. The concept of a linear conversation escapes us.

Then, oddly, we moved to O’Neill’s, something we rarely do when who should spot us but Tom. Weasel Tom. He is in Woking with Glyndebourne Opera. He asked if I’d like to come and see the opera for £10. He said the production was terrible but the music was great and there’d probably be enough free seats for me to lie down and just listen to the music. I told him he was really selling it. Anyway, I gratefully accepted his invitation and am off to see it tonight.

Stevie and I then left the pub, popped into Poppadom Charlie’s for the obligatory late night dinner and then, finally, said our goodbyes on platform 5.

And then, today, I destroyed the hot bed. Though, I would like to add, that I managed to find the yarrow and replanted it so, hopefully, no harm done.

Here’s a picture of the poodles in the park.

Poodles among the leaves