A friend of mine, who lives in New Jersey, was back in the country for a bit. I drove down to Leeds to visit him. This was my third weeknight out this week.

We drank double-rounds as the bar in The Oak in Leeds was heaving. Double pints of diet coke can get you buzzing... indeed it did. We felt old as we looked around and realised that it was a good 14 years since we were regulars at this pub. Then we felt younger as we looked around and saw much youth on display and felt its vigour somehow permeating our souls. Then we felt fatter as we headed across town for pizza at, you've guessed it, Domino's. I even called ahead so it would be ready as we arrived.

Dropping people off home after a night's drinking (me on the diet cokes, so I was flying home), I then took a short trip back home. Leeds doesn't seem that far, at only 100 miles, where most of my trips are usually 120+. Indeed, a couple of days previously, having driven from down south back to Newcastle, arriving at silly-o'clock in the morning, I'd done something like 16 hours in the city before turning round and driving most of the way back down south to go to Derby. (Well, if not most, then certainly a good proportion.)

Anyway, I'm young enough to keep apace of the trials of a busy life. Why not, eh? I'll be old, bald and dead one day!