Flew home on Wednesday. Was busy when I got back, going through post, answering emails, sorting out arrangements for some statues which are due to be delivered over the coming weeks. Was absolutely knackered by the time I went to bed!! On Thursday I worked, editing the third book of what will hopefully be my next big series after the Mr Crepsley Saga. Also had more office stuff to sort through and tidy up. And I started transferring across my old tour lists to the new web site -- interesting looking at how my touring has developed, especially over the early years! If you want to see how life on the road evolved, have a look at the Events Archive on my site -- first 3 years are up, the rest to soon follow.

Today I went to the funeral of a family friend called Bridget O'Sullivan. She was the same age as me, and I used to play with her when we were younger, when I lived in London, i.e. up to the age of six. Well, I say "play with", but according to everyone who knew me back then, "terrorised her" might be a more appropriate description!!!! Apparently I was a right little monster when I was young! I say apparently, because I can't remember anything of my life before I was 5 or 6, bu which time I had started to calm down and act halfway normal. But when I was younger, everyone who knew me says that I was out of control, a wild, unruly, hyperactive kid who didn't stop fidgeting and shouting and running around and fighting from the moment I woke every day to the moment I went to sleep every night!!!! I was especially nasty to small, nice-mannered girls, chasing them around, making faces at them, teasing them, stealing their shoes and hats!! Hard to believe when you look at me now, I know, but true!!!

Bridget was one of the girls I loved to lock horns with. We rubbed each other up the wrong way and were always fighting and arguing. I love listening to stories from that time -- everyone can see the funny side of it now, though I'm sure at the time we genuinely hated one another, in the pure, uncomplicated way that only children can hate. I didn't know Bridget well when we grew up, but we met a few times over the years and got along fine, all differences put long behind us. I'll miss having her around, meeting up occasionally and hearing her laugh as she told me what a horrid little beast I was. It's a cruel world where the sweet little girls are taken before their time, and the spoilt little monsters are left behind with no one to torment...