Lucky 31

I feel very fortunate. Yesterday it was my birthday and I was made to feel very special with lovely presents and cards (including the origami offering and fantastic phrenology-wrapped presents below). F then cooked a beautiful dinner for me and my closest friends. Life doesn't get much better in my opinion.

Never shorten your name

So you're called Alexandra, but everyone except your granny calls you Alex. Or Thomas, but you're Tom to all but the bank.

I never knew how much trouble name shortening could cause until I started going out with a "shorty", who started life as "longy", if you know what I mean.

His passport is in the long name, but everything else is in the short name. So when Japan Airlines wants proof of address for our internal flights to Ishigaki, he's struggling to provide it, and it's putting a massive part of our holiday in jeapordy.

I know money laundering can be a problem, but come on!!

Cancelled due to corruption

Typical. We book two expensive tickets to see a sumo match in Osaka, and they cancel the tournament. For the first time in 50 years! At least they're fighting corruption I suppose.

We get our money back though, so we can spend it on something else...Hmmm....ideas on a postcard/comment please.

Cemeteries and cycling

Went for a free tour of Nunhead cemetery on Sunday. Thoroughly recommend it, it's a fascinating place and very beautiful, although after 2.5 hours in what felt like minus 3 my feet were ready to fall off.

Here's a picture of the volunteer who took us round and told us all about the history, flora, fauna, folk who are buried there etc. He inspired us all with his obvious passion for the place.
Today I cycled to the British Library to do some writing. I find it an excellent place to concentrate. Here are a couple of pictures I took on the way. The first is in Camden town, the second at St Pancras Basin - a place I would love to live one day.