Dinner at Crowne Plaza but a slap in the face for Prince Andrew
Distinctly ropey all day yesterday. Just a bad cold. Struggled through the morning and a lunch engagement then was delighted to see a 3pm meeting cancelled.
Meant I could slide off home. Meant to go to bed, but just slumped in a chair, dozed and watched the Test match.
Took a few calls from office. What should we splash on for Saturday. Murder in Birkenhead with sparse detail or story about Premiership footballer in trouble with police?
Always take the view that a murder is a murder and it takes a lot to knock it off the splash.
My deputy Andy Campbell rang back later to say the murder was 'everywhere' and not a lot to it. Going for the footballer instead.
Rallied with aid of pro-plus tablets and Lynne and I kept a dinner engagement at the Crowne Plaza as guest of Allied Irish Bank.
Great company - everyone on our table was a dear friend and the wine and the conversation flowed.
Lynne bid in the auction for a VIP day at Knowsley Safari Park but lost out by a tenner.
She did though manage to win a raffle prize - a £100 shoe voucher which is right up her street.
Then Peter and Chris Higgins on our table won the malt whisky - Pete came back to the table clutching it and laughing that he didn't even drink whisky.
'I do,' said Lynne cheekily and hopefully.
Peter, true gent that he is, handed it over.
John and Marsha Loney bid successfully for Take That tickets (which went for more than dinner with Prince Andrew!). We celebrated with champagne. Suddenly my cold didn't seem so bad.
A lovely end to a week, all superbly hosted by Allied Irish's Bob Bennett and his gorgeous wife Sheena.
Plenty of money raised too, for the Weston Spirit - a charity with strong Liverpool links.
http://www.westonspirit.org.uk/
