School Pals Reunion

I met up with Alex and Jackie again yesterday for lunch in the Peacock Room at the Crimble, Rochdale.

I didn't take any photos I'm afraid so you'll have to make do with one of the restaurant from their website.

Anyway it was an excellent jolly affair as was last year's get together. We've agreed to make it an annual event and also discussed widening it out. I do normally contact Jan and Bev but probably we leave it until too late to arrange for everyone so we thought we might go for an extra event next May Day Bank Holiday and are looking for others, Brigid, Sheila, Colin Wise (anyone know where he is???) to join us.

I'll email the ones I'm in touch with and see if wider networks can get hold of the others.

Jackie had her diaries to hand from 1970 through to 1972. Unfortunately she went a bit coy about letting us read them (!) but quoted a few bits. We were both mentioned in dispatches on birthdays - though whilst I got a card, Alex got a card and forty fags!!! Is that fair??? Can grudges be started after 37 years? Perhaps not!

Lots of food memories - was "pie and peas" worthy of writing down? Must have been a slow news day... And an entry:

"Went up to Hollingworth Lake with Jan, John and Alex. Spent afternoon in pub watching others watching us - hilarious!"

My God, what were we up to??? Grown-ups can pretend all they want but teenagers have always been teenagers and we were no different to today's.

I can heartily recommend the Peacock Room at the Crimble too. Unhurried yet attentive service and excellent food, really worthy of Jackie's diarist leanings!

Felt full; drove home; watched Fran eat her tea without even a twinge of envy...