2nd May

We meet with the new ICT company who will be taking over in June - less than a month to go! Go through some security questions but things seem to be OK.

I head down to Chelmsford. Meet my friend Paul for a quick beer. He and I used to work closely together in BT and set up an investment club when we left - there were 18 of us in it and we used it as an excuse to meet every month and as a means to keep in touch. In the end, we have all decided that it's not necessary and we have been trying to close it down. Unfortunately, Barclays Bank - where we have our investments - having been messing us around and have insisted that we get signatures from all the members. I'm getting the list from him as a number of people have signed it but there are still 3 to go. I'm going to the gathering tonight but he isn't so I being the go-between.

I haven't seen him for a while so we catch up on each other's gossip and I head off to meet with Pascale for our Monkey Wednesday meeting.

We have lunch, catch up on a few bits and pieces and make tentative plans to go to a restaurant for her birthday. She's already done a set of celebrations but Marian and I want to take her and Alex out. I like these monthly meetings.

Up in London I head for the pub. John and Les are already there. Cath comes along later and Alison joins us as well. No one wants to pick up the paperwork for the signatures so I volunteer to finish it off.

Back home its pouring with rain. I walk up the hill and am completely drenched by the time I get home. I haven't seen rain like this in a long time. The streets are awash and the rain is steady. I'm starting to feel diluted. My raincoat is quite effective. It buttons across the chest from the neck down and is a long one down to my knees. Below the knees I'm soaked and my head is wet but I've got little hair so that's no big deal. The coat leaks is on places on the shoulders - mainly where I carry my backpack. At home Blak is feeling playful so I play with him a bit. He then asks to go outdoors but takes one look at the rain and gets into bed! Sensible dog. I dry off by watching a bit of telly before I hit the sack.