It's my birthday and quite a special one. I was 50 a year ago but, now that the pension age has been raised by a year in the budget last week and because I propose to retire at 65 latest as I originally planned, I have no choice but to "lose" a year and be 50 again today. In fact if I factor in an ambition to get my occupational pension up to the level of a public sector one I will need to work another 30 years making me now just 35 years old, the same age as Russell Brand whom I saw in "Get Me To The Greek" earlier in the week (I thought it was going to be a chick flick but it turned out to be a lads' and ladettes' "gross-out" movie which I'm afraid I enjoyed). Brand excites extreme views: Hafal's Deputy Chief Executive Alun Thomas thinks he is an irresponsible layabout while I think he is a philosopher for our age and commend his thoughtful autobiography "My Booky Wook", a useful commentary for anybody concerned with youthful rites of passage and addiction to drugs, alcohol and sex.
This morning I am up at 5.30 am to catch the early high tide but nothing bites, not even barely edible wrasse. I will try a running ledger this pm off the beach (hopefully not many people about because of That Match) in the ambitious hope of a flat-fish. You never know.
I've got a few days off now so don't expect any "shop" posts.
