I get lots of these invitations

On Friday evening I went to a dinner party (being “unattached” I get lots of these invitations). Occasionally these dinners resembles the middle-class prattling sessions you see in Bremner Bird and Fortune. I had to drive about twenty miles through the clear night air - the temperature was almost freezing, so that I was concerned about the health of the rabbits on the side of the road (shouldn’t they be hibernating?).

Arriving at Marie-Astrid’s house, I handed over to Dave a birthday card and a bottle of 2005 Saint Emilion which I advised him to keep for a few years. Introduced to Anthea who does Communications for a local council (“there’s lots I could tell you but I won’t” she said mysteriously). Aged in her late twenties she has multiple sclerosis and walks with a stick.

Emily and Dan arrived and we sat in the lounge area talking cynically about our jobs. Glasses of grape juice we handed round. Then to the table where glasses of wine were poured.
The meal was vegetarian Mexican - enchiladas, bowls of nachos with various sauces, an elaborate salad. Afterwards we had home-made apple crumble with Haagan Daz praline and cream ice cream. Marie-Astrid’s six-year-old daughter got up and came downstairs wanting some ice cream.

We talked about money, and Dan and Emily described their recent buy-to-let purchases. We talked about the England v Croatia game and Dave became very agitated (“It’s not enough to have talented players, they need to work as a team. Like the sales teams and research teams we have at work. They can anticipate everybody’s objectives and reactions and challenges. Even when things are fast and complicated. An outstanding team takes on a life of its own. That’s when they become unstoppable…”). Emily told us about a very elaborate wedding that she and Dan are planning to go to (everyone is flying out to a Greek island where the wedding is being held, Emily is having a “long” dress made especially, lots of Greek elements are being introduced into the ceremony etc).

Coffee to follow, which we took back into the lounge. Marie-Astrid said several times that she was relieved the meal was over (“She’s been worrying all day about it” said Dan). Anthea complained of being suddenly tired and was taken home by Marie-Astrid - after she left everyone said how much she had deteriorated.

I left at 11.30 and drove home slowly because the roads were a bit slippery. When I got home the dog came downstairs to meet me. I took him out into the garden and we walked up and down the main lawn, a full moon high in the sky, the grass under my feet crisp from a light frost.