Chit chat

Had a lovely birthday a couple of days ago - it's worth being yet another year older just to get so many lovely greetings from both old and new friends. But the best surprise was having Felix at home for a couple of days. Life is so busy for everyone now that times with my children are especially precious.

We had a chilled evening with a meal at the local Pizza Express - my fave Leggera with rocket and artichokes - then on to live music at the Golden Ball, fantastic blues with the String Dazzlers.  Interesting pub the Golden Ball, as on the retirement of its current licensees, Linda and Dave Foster, it's been taken over by a residents' co-op. We were there in the week of their retirement and it was a great night for both music and atmosphere.

The pub is said to have the most complete inter-war layout of any Pub in York, as it's been virtually unchanged since the brewery, John Smith's, remodelled it in 1929. It also won the top place in The Press Pub Awards in 2009/10.

The co-op is hoping to collaborate on some events with the new community garden across the road, and has lots of progressive ideas for using any profits for the benefit of the patrons. Secretary Pete Kilbane says 'Bishophill already has a pretty vibrant community spirit and this will put the pub at the heart of it... When people go for a pint in the Golden Ball they will be supporting the local community'.

How fabulous is that, back to basics, small is beautiful and all that...? Love it and it couldn't happen to a nicer pub.

To ward off the post-birthday blues and warm up the winter days ahead, I took myself off to the hairdressers yesterday looking for a colour injection of spicy hues  - I chose a copper base with purple and scarlet highlights.

Not enough purple/burgundy for my liking, but it's still a work in progress... What do you think?