Swings and roundabouts

A lovely, sunny, extended weekend. Shame I've been in such a crap mood. I think it's partially (but not only) the aftermath of being under the weather for most of last week, such things take their toll. I went to see my mother for a couple of days up in Derbyshire and was so tired and preoccupied that I imagine she felt like she had a sullen, monosyllabic teenager staying in her house.

Still, as I was travelling back on Sunday, I decided to have a lunchtime pint at Derby train station. I went up to the bar and waited for a moment: the barman was facing in the other direction and gazing at nothing in particular until he noticed that I was there. He apologised, but I explained to him that I'd not been waiting for long.

"You looked as though you were miles away," I said to him.

"Yes, completely in my own world," he replied.

I nodded, thinking about my own searing introspection, telling him I knew that feeling pretty well. As he poured my pint, he said it had not been the best of weekends. His mate had been killed in a car crash.

Not the best of weekends - quite an understatement.

I raised my glass to him, and inwardly I thought, that pretty much puts my own mood into perspective doesn't it?

After getting back home I went out to a party which was being held at a nearby allotment, a really nice occasion thankfully. I took these photographs while I was there.