A busy, but good day, today. And whilst I’ve been dashing around like thing possessed, so has P. And he’s been doing completely different things, with our paths barely crossing.

First thing, a delivery day in the Meadows area of the city. Two new deliverers joined in today, and it was very nice to see them.

I had to leave early to take some flyers about the Lib Dem petition about homophobic bullying to Nottingham Pride, so I spent an hour or so wandering round hundreds of groups asking “Want to help stamp out homophobic bullying?” There were some really interesting responses, including “I’ve already signed the petition” which is great. And some funny answers too — “My feet are already busy helping stamp out poverty, but I’ll sign the petition.” And plenty of people who didn’t want to help at all. At least, they wouldn’t take a flyer. Maybe I shouldn’t have printed the bird on it quite so big.

I spent a happy hour wandering amongst the gay totty handing out leaflets and having brief chats, and bumping into some old acquaintances who didn’t seem to recognise me. I also think I spoke briefly to Reluctant Nomad.

It was also nice to walk around the stalls at Pride. Lots of local businesses, and not just the gay ones, represented. Tents from several of our local scene bars. The city and county councils. Local FE colleges, trades union and related groups. And strangest of all, Nottingham’s brand new gay sauna — with a lifesize model dalek. I’m intrigued to say the least to know what the link is.

After that, I was gasping for coffee, so nearly drove across town to Starbucks (the horror!) when I remembered that just last week Development Control gave planning permission for a nice looking deli, the Iberian Delight, on the Radford Road, so I popped in there for a double espresso and a Pao de Deus, a sort of sweet roll thing with coconut and sugar on top. It was slightly odd — almost as if they weren’t expecting customers and didn’t know what to do with me. But the coffee was very good and so was the cake.

Back home to, erm, sort out the fish tank. P noticed we’d had a fatality last night, so I finally got around to doing tank related things that I ought to do weekly, but haven’t done since we moved here in December. I cleaned the glass, changed 1/4 of the water, netted out the dead one and flushed it. I also did some bigger things – replaced my Fluval which had almost stopped working entirely with an Elite Stingray (!), fitted a new lightbulb. It remains to be seen whether the lack of cat interest in the fish tank was because previously they couldn’t really see in…

Now I’m taking five to listen to my answerphone messages, grab a cup of tea, return calls, play with the internet (we now have a full cast for Pygmalion), update blog, etc.

Tonight I’m heading over to the reception of some University friends who have tied the knot today.

At some point I have to fit in going to the laundrette, too, so that I have clean clothes to go on holiday with since I won’t be home for over two weeks. I’m off on three very different activities before I return so packing is going to be quite an enterprise and the car will be full: a week in Windsor singing – I’ll probably be wearing shorts under my cassock. A week in Hereford at the Three Choirs, where I need fairly smart clothes. Then two days camping at a pub somewhere off the A1 for the Cix BBQ.