But is it really institutionalised wife-swapping?

Encouraged by Anonymous (who are you???) who commented on the previous post that s/he was pleased I was back, I felt inspired to write another post. You'll be intrigued by the title, doubtless, but it refers to the Bridge Class that BB and I have been following for the last few months, to the amusement of many around us. I played quite a lot of bridge when a teenager, at home, and reckoned myself to be quite competent, but I was entirely self-taught (or taught in a totally unstructured way by watching my parents and grandparents play), and so I am ignorant of most of the "rules" of bidding. I'm slowly getting to grips with that, but my-oh-my there is a lot to remember. BB is also finding it hard going some times. However, we both enjoy the card play aspect, although I sometimes feel that BB feels a bit overfaced when acting as declarer. As we progress in Bridge, he will need to find ways of curbing his give-away facial expressions. I can always tell from the way he looks whether he is contemplating whether to use his ace this time, or next time, so that way I know where the ace actually is! Anyway, after Easter we are going to be continuing not, this time, in the salubrious surroundings of the James Gillespie High School, but in the plusher environs of the Melville Bridge Club in Edinburgh's West End. I'm looking forward to it. One of the reasons for playing bridge is part of a mental keep-fit regime. I suppose I don't really have to worry about that much, given my job, but it is important to have a variety of mental stimulations. With a mother, an aunt and a grandmother who all suffered from relatively early onset dementia, I feel very sensitive about these issues. If anyone notices me going "off", you will tell me, won't you?

Blog-meeting

It's hard for me to claim to be a 'proper' blogger, having committed so few of my thoughts to this website over the last few months. While sometimes it all seems a chore, at other points - like this weekend - it certainly seems worthwhile. Having met Pat the Chooks at the Glasgow Blogmeet some time ago, BB and I were delighted to receive a 'royal visit' from PTC and Her Maj this weekend. It was a hectic 36 hours or so, fuelled by a fair amount of alchohol and food, but taking in also visits to galleries, the watching of a modicum of rugby, some listening to a jazz trio, much intense discussion and a fair amount of fun. A great weekend all told. Collapsed into an armchair this afternoon, to be entertained by the newspapers and the not terribly welcome news that Brian Souter on the pro-Clause 28 campaign fame has donated money to the SNP to fight the May elections, to follow the England/Canada World Cup match online, and to watch most of the Hibs/Killie CIS Cup Final. Hibs are our local team and we keep meaning to go and see them. We will soon. And I will blog again properly. Soon.