…the bonding powers of baking
My poor old flatmate signed himself up to make cakes for his team on Valentine’s Day (of all days). At 10.30pm when I got home on Sunday night, the cakes were unmade and he looked like a man about to be taken to the gallows. Together we blitzed it in a stupendous baketastic hour, all done and dusted by midnight. Boom! By all accounts his team were happy and we had fun. More fun than bonding over how we captured a mouse in our bin a couple of weeks ago anyway.
…fidelity
Which brings me to Valentine’s Day itself. There’s been a lot of chat on this blog about how all men are bandits etc. But the truth is, though sometimes it’s like finding a needle in a haystack, not all men are evil. In fact, some of them are really quite nice. I found a little bit of faith restored in mankind earlier this week when I read Jon Axworthy’s defence of being faithful to one woman for men’s freemag, Shortlist. Yes, he’s married, (and you might want to argue that all the good men are. Or they’re gay. I’m choosing not to be so cynical) so he’s not an option, but he is another guy to add to the list of non-bandits. Alongside my dad and my grandad. He’s in good company.
…Japan
Beyond Monday, for the most part I’ve been getting excited about heading to Japan with work. Woop!!!! I can’t wait. Part of the job involves driving in Tokyo, something I’m trying not to think too hard about, so I had to apply for an International Driving Permit. Take a look (and yes I’m aware I look a little sinister in my photo):
It gives me permission to use my UK licence in countries subscribing to the 1949 convention (whatever that is) and I love the fact that the design of the permit clearly hasn’t been updated since 1949 either. It’s on lovely thick card, with old school type, and with my passport photo glued on with PrittStick (did they have PrittStick in 1949? Probably not. Bit of an anachronism there then, but ah well.)
Other than that, I’ve got Shogun out of the library and I’m wondering if it’s too cheesy to read it on the plane journey out? What do you think, dear readers?
Me and the Girl from Clapham 
Hi, I stumbled across your blog a couple of months ago and have been reading it since. I have no idea what your job involves (is it a secret?), but a work-trip to Japan sounds fabulous! I’ve been to Japan a couple of times and would love to go back some day….
Hey nice to hear from you!
I’m a spy… not really. I’m a journalist. I’ll get something up on the blog in the next day or so about the trip!