Hi Patsy your back is a true bummer...though I don't do sympathy as you know...and I certainly never volunteer for hospital food either...it does sound like an option of last resort...fingers crossed for you..keep us up to speed...get a lap-top now...perhaps?

Yep, still wearing it, although I now have a genuine Stetson brown leather baker boy cap that I wear. My wife refuses to be seen with me if I wear a flat cap (she's from West Yorkshire and it smacks of whippets, black pudding and old men to her) but she just about tolerates the baker boy cap. My weirdest hat is a Guinness 'Australian' hat. It is black with a white top and has little guinness glasses on string around the brim to keep flies off. I wear it when it is warm enough for a barbie (about twice in the past ten years). I've gone right off Barbie now - she's too old. I've put up with the hot flushes and the mood swings once. I wouldn't put up with it from some superannuated toy. That's another fantasy blown!

It sounds like a good time was had by all!!!! Did you wear your famous high heels? Love the sound of the waiter was he the hunky sort? It's nice to have a chat with a friend i very often do while Max supplies the cups of tea, he say's he can never understand what women find to talk about. Good luck to the young couple. Betty

Speaking of waistcoats reminded me of a curious incident ten years ago in Dublin that I had almost forgotten about. . I also have a hat fetish and I was mooching around a back street with my wife when we found a old fashioned hat shop.There was a superb brown fedora in the window and we went inside to have a closer look. Inside the shop there was nothing on display, just a small empty counter and row upon row of plain white boxes on each wall - hundreds. There was another couple in there waiting and I was about to walk out when the ancient owner came out of a back room. He asked me what I wanted and I said that I was interested in the fedora in the widow. He said "No - that's not your hat, I'll get yours" , dragged a set of steps up to the back wall, climbed up them and selected a box. I was a bit lost for words and stood there open-mouthed. My wife was chatting to the other couple and smiling at me. The owner took the box to the counter so I followed. He opened the box, peeled back the tissue and took out a slate grey trilby. "That's your hat" he said "put it on." I did and it fitted like a glove, but it wasn't what I went in for. I started to mumble about the fedora, but he said "Are you a Celt?". I said "No". He said "You put your hat on like a Celt. No english man would wear a hat that way". Told me what the price was and waited for the money. I looked in the mirror and the hat was spot on and I really liked it, so I paid up. It's my favourite non-casual hat now. My wife told me when we left that the other man there was waiting for his hat to be refurbished and he said that the owner was a real character. He didn't open the shop if he didn't feel like it and refused to serve anyone that he didn't like the look of. He never sold a hat, he allowed selected people to buy. I was honoured.

Sounds like you had a great time!

What can I say? Geoffrey Palmer it is then. I smile inside. It's just not always obvious from the outside. My facebook picture is Droopy - seems to fit. My waistcoats? I have a few -each having its own job. Smart/Casual, dossing, gardening, Fly Fishing, coarse fishing. I'm a waistcoat person. I don't like stuff around my wrists - hence the watch. I always roll my sleeves up and if I'm not wearing a waistcoat I go without a watch. I'm weird :)

Ah we now have a face to add to the name...

Oh Patsy. What lovely fun4 and a half hours would have been about all I could have managed as well . I enoyed your description, maybe you should paint a picture of it all a sort of Beryl Cooke pastiche.