I have just had a bizarre flashback to the office in Munich. For a while I was writing little update emails from "Our Man in Germany" that were published on Powergen's Intranet for general consumption. And just now it occurred to me that I am doing much the same by way of this weblog. Plus c,a change, as they don't say in France.

Well, my recent illness (don't worry, it's just a cold) has forced me to slow down a bit and try to recover. I think I've been burning the candle at both ends for quite long enough now. My body is crying out for some pampering (as indeed is my car, which is due for a service and is now sporting a lovely yellow warning light telling me the engine's about to fall out). Today I've done next to nothing: sleeping, coughing, resting, blowing my nose, reading, washing, washing up, getting a ticket for the Glastonbury festival, eating delicious fajitas prepared by Justin & Sam (in whose delightful new flat I am staying for a few days), watching a movie (Memento - how good is that film?!), updating my weblogs. Nice.

So, let's cut to the actual updating bit then! I spent a lovely hectic few days with Chris, Kate & the girls in Guildford, during which time I just about managed to sort out my belongings into a "leave here for later" pile and a "drag around the world with me" rucksackload. Some fine tuning is still required, but I just can't bear to part myself from even more things yet - not while I've still got the car.

Then I spent a restful few days at Steve & Jezza's flat doing very little indeed. Apart from pushing the hoover round (which was a trial) I pretty much exclusively whiled away the hours playing Civ III. What a game! I've been addicted to Civ since I was 17. And after a good few months going without, I thought I would treat myself to a hit of the latest incarnation (at home I had Civ II). I know I am a sad computer-gaming geek, but that's just the way it is, so deal with it.

The weekend was lovely and family-oriented, starting with the journey back to Guildford with Chris (on his way home from work) and Michaela, Ryan & Charlie (who had just come from Maria's house). After travelling in cattle class on the train from Waterloo (no really, we were in the bit where there aren't even seats) we met Kate, Sophie & Livi in TGI Friday's in Guildford. And what an entertaining meal that was! The waiters were very good with the kids, even providing them with excellent swords made of sausage dog balloons.

On Saturday we all drove via Aunty Mary's in Welwyn Garden City to Chelmsford for the Golden wedding anniversary party of cousin Bob & Iris. Yes, cousin (a few of you may know that I am the youngest of some forty cousins, with the eldest in his eighties). It was so nice to see lots of relatives whose names I have a) forgotten or b) never known. And it was interesting to see once again the amazing similarity of all the girls in the Clan - you know, those dark eyes, that dark hair, that certain Petersesque quality to the cheeky smile. I hadn't seen Audrey & Nick or Roy & Sheila for ages! And the next morning our kind hosts Brenda & Jim sorted us out with a slap-up cooked breakfast.

This update's dragging on, so I will end by saying that on Sunday I dropped Michaela & the boys off at Mark's flat in Putney, drove up to Justin & Sam's in Cricklewood, went with Justin to Joe from Keble's leaving drinks (he's off to a job in Canberra, and has promised to have a spare bed ready for me next year) and got back in time to eat homemade burgers and watch "24" which Justin had taped. The End.