Reasons to love life

1. The generosity, curiosity, laughter and understanding of really great friends - the people who will make this weekend seem bright and sunny in my memory even when I know perfectly well that it was freezing, snowy and rainy.
2. Scotland has some of the most gorgeous scenery on the planet and I'm still just about young and healthy enough (3 spoons of sugar in my tea notwithstanding) to trudge, scramble, tumble and drudge my way up to look at it.
3. Food can be so much more than fuel - so good in fact that every mouthful is more like eating an experience, than an eating experience.
4. It's great to come home and tell someone all about it.

From which you will tell that I had a fab weekend, getting cold and soggy climbing Ben A'an in the Trossachs and then luxuriating in the relaxed opulence of the Hotel du Vin, Glasgow, and its sublime bistro with great people, great chat and great grub! So thanks to my companions and especially the person whose idea and treat it was (and indeed for lending me her gloves when I thought for a panicky, pathetic minute atop the windy but hardly Arctic hilltop that I was getting frostbite - no, really).

Happy days.