Afternoon tea at 11.30am*

That’s when they start serving it at the Ritz, and that’s what time we’d booked* for to fit it into our hectic schedule. It was fabulous, sandwiches with the crusts cut off, (including cucumber sandwiches, which I don't like but which always make me think of Algy in The Importance of Being Earnest), scones and delicate little pastries, with the supplies constantly replenished by attentive waiters.

It looked beautiful, decorated for Christmas, and while we ate, a pianist played songs such as 'A Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square' - wonderful. There was a comedy moment as Maggie Thatcher walked in for lunch just as we were leaving - you can’t fault our timing.

We'd been taken up to London** in a coach, which took us to, and collected us from, each venue, so we also had a bit of a tour to fill in time before arriving at the Royal Albert Hall for a Christmas Sing-along concert. And then later, we drove out to Leeds Castle, near Maidstone, for dinner and dancing

The reason, the birthday celebration of a friend of mine. Her husband had arranged it all as a surprise for her, and it was a triumph of organisation. It was a wonderful day, even though I had the most awful cold, and felt like I was dying by the end of it. But, for the evening, at least, I actually wore the ruby slippers. Cue comments such as 'there's no place like home' and 'I guess you're not in Kansas anymore'.

*My last 'catch up' blog. As a friend said on New Year's Eve, it already seems ages ago.

**I say 'up to' as said friend lives in Sussex