It would have been Freddie Mercury’s 60th birthday today. Neil has all the details.

You may know Neil as the one who thinks I don’t get out often enough for not recognising a Metallica musician.

To be honest, even if I was going out every night, I still don’t think I’d understand what you young things are listening to these days.

Today, I had an accident – I fell down the stairs. So although I am acutely aware of my hip, I’m not feeling particularly hip.

My foot just slipped out from under me and I fell the full length of the stairs on my arse. I grabbed a bannister to stop myself but it just came lose and ripped a hole in my finger. I have carpet burns on my legs and bruises on my shoulderblades that banged every step. I didn’t come to a stop until my bum was right on the floor and my feet had pushed the mat into the front door.

I felt really stupid.

The noise attracted the cats who came bounding down the stairs and just looked at me and didn’t help much. P was already at work.

I didn’t need any help, nothing was broken or seriously damaged, but as well as feeling stupid I felt surprisingly shaken.

Did you know a significant number of older people die at Christmas because they go and stay with their children, wake in the night to answer a call of nature, get confused and end up tumbling down the stairs? Make sure you leave a night light on.
So it could have been worse.

But I really ought to write my will.