Happy Solstice

Geraint, Suki (and babs), Moi

What an incredibly wonderful way to spend the longest day of the year.

Slightly emotional reunion.

Headed to my old stomping ground of Cardiff to meet up with my friend Martin at Chapter Arts. They've completely revamped the place since I used to frequent it. Opened it all up, bright and breezy, really beautiful. If you're ever in the area, do go!

Had a lovely lunch with Martin, author of a must-read book on Social Enterprise and a consultant to the Voluntary Sector. Fantastic catch-up, learned a lot about co-operatives, and fascinating conversation on imagination and the mind.

I'd mentioned that I was in town to a couple of old friends on the off-chance they were about for a Friday afternoon drink.

The photograph above is kinda special.

Many years ago, back in my 'married' life, I fell over Geraint (Gedge) in a pub. Meanwhile, whilst working for a charity in town, Suki appeared on secondment as a trainee Social Worker. I introduced them to each other, and thus began an incredible few years of drinking. There was a gang of us - so close (and so drunk!). A couple of golden years.

Towards the end, my partner and I split. Extremely amicable, but a little bit of heartache moving out of the gorgeous house we were living in. We both stuck around in Cardiff for a year, and I did my MA at the uni there. Then I signed up for VSO and headed off to Africa.

Before I left Cardiff, we had a leaving do at one of our favourite pubs...

Me, Phil, Suki, Gedge and Gareth
(Spot the famous one!)

Strike a Pose

Gedgy Breasts!

You get the picture.

Anyway, there was a beautiful sunset the day I left Cardiff, and I saw Suki again for a last goodbye in Gloucester about a week before getting on the plane.

A couple of years ago, soon after getting back, I popped to Cardiff to see Gedge, but Suki was out of the country. I knew she'd had a little boy as I went to see one of her favourite performers, Greg Trooper, soon after she gave birth and got him to sign a baby grow.

Thing is, I'd not actually seen her in six years. I had absolutely no idea she was coming out to see me today, and no idea she was seven months pregnant with baby #2!

So, the picture up top is really wonderful. Two years and six years respectively, for a gang of people I spent almost every other day with for three years.

Most of the gang is no longer there. Everyone's either moved away or drifted off into domestic bliss. 

But for Suki, Gedge and I, it was like we'd never been apart... err, other than the soft drinks! Me because I was driving, Suki because she was pregnant, and Gedge out of sympathy. 

Home now with a large glass of red.

Never so long again!

So, thank you Martin, Gedge, Suki and baby for a lovely day, and lots of nommy food. Now that I have rubbed the sacred lucky baby belly, I am excited to see what the future holds.