Birthdays

This week brings my boyfriend's birthday, my sister's birthday and then my father's birthday. And I don't know what to get any of them. Time to put on the thinking cap and try to come up with a series of original presents.

Festival Hall weekend

The Royal Festival Hall officially opened this weekend and there was a 48 hour non-stop extravaganza 0f free events. Despite the manner of my departure, i still feel a tremendous amount of affection for the place. Not only did I work there for 19 years, but I found out recently that my parents went there for a romantic weekend in August 1951 - exactly 9 months before I was born. No wonder I feel attached to the place.

This is what it looked like on Sunday.

Golf Club reopening

Another day another reopening. This time, at my golf club. After years of playing golf in the midst of a building site, we were finally allowed to play the refurbished course. The new name is 'The Shire London' and it is fabulous. The holes are all difficult, require tactical play and a lot of skill, and have bunkers and water hazards galore. But I really enjoyed the round and played quite well for a 94, net 77 which I hope I can improve upon when I get to know the course better.

The course has been designed by Sevvy Ballesteros and had been very well laid out and professionally done. I think it will become a well-known golf course in a few years time. In the meantime, I shall enjoy trying to master it.

Royal Festival Hall reopens

Next weekend marks the official reopening of the Royal Festival Hall after the £100m refurbishment.

I am of course somewhat ambivalent after the way I was treated in the latter period when I worked there and the fact that I was made redundant a couple of years ago without any real logic to that decision.

But generally I retain a sense of pride in my work there over 19 years and still have a feel for the spirit of the place. This evening we were invited to a pre-opening concert. There was a technical hitch so the official concert had to be cancelled. Actually that allowed me much more time to talk to staff both current and previous. It was great to catch up with old faces and I guess to show that I have moved onwards from my time there and have made a successful switch into the world of Geography. So I'm glad I went.

And I wish the RFH well for the official reopening next week and into the future.