Oh  my goodness. We have bright, blue sky again this morning, and it feels warm already at 7.30am.

Last night we had dinner with the Keeling clan at their house in Wandsworth. My children love going to their house. I don’t have to drag them there. They are so hospitable. Hospitality done really well; it is a great gift. This has to be distinguished from entertaining guests, which is a social obligation. You know the difference don’t you?

When Jim and Emma Keeling bought their home, twenty years ago or so, they invested in an extendable oak table. And so, they made an investment in people. I can’t imagine how many mouths have been fed and watered over the years at their table. And how many laughs had.

So there were twelve of us sitting comfortably at the table last night. Emma is a superwoman; she works in a high powered job in the City, runs a household with four children, is governor of a school and on the parish council of a significant church, HTB. And yet, she still managed to cook a delicious cod fish pie, with crusty topping, and spinach and sweet potato salad for us. We all agreed to stay off the Brexit topic. It is ruining so many relationships at the moment. I just hope that the Conservatives can pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Jim Keeling is Hugo’s godfather, and I am Polly’s (their second child) godmother. So many happy summer memories are with this clan: at Salcombe, at their home or at Hurlingham. And many of them include blissful hours by the outdoor pool at Hurlingham, watching the children frolic in the water on a hot summer’s day. Grow, bud and metamorphose into teenagers and adults.

In the summer of 1998, we holidayed in a rented cottage on Island Street, in Salcombe, celebrating a momentous year and my 10th anniversary in Britain: with the Keelings, Glens, Polaks and other friends.

It had been a year of great change. In March we travelled to Australia for the first time with Hugo. We had loved our time with my brother’s family the year before in England.

About a week before we were due to head to Heathrow, I had a health scare. I saw a consultant on Monday, had an operation on Wednesday, and I somehow hoped that I would miraculously be able to hop on a plane on Saturday. We had to wait for the biopsy results for a forty eight hours. I kept on asking Geoff how on I was going to manage to pack. He kept on saying, in his stiff upper lip way, “Don’t worry. It will all work out.”

On the Thursday night, the consultant rang to say that the news was good. All clear. Magic words. Geoff then told me to have a nap. I was drained and spent. When I woke up, he lay on the end of the bed, and he explained that while I had been having my operation, he had found out that the European arm of the company he worked for, Thomsons, was being dismantled. That meant that he would be relocated or maybe not. He had not wanted to worry me. So we delayed flying to Australia until I was stronger. And had a holiday of a life time. I had two children, and we were all going to experience my country together.See some of the wildlife. Grandpa, could give us a spin in his boat.

We flew to Hayman Island in the Whitsundays and holidayed at Anna Bay with the Potts crew.

As it was, Geoff landed a great new job as finance director with Centaur Media. It was privately owned, and the introduction was made by Jim. I was part of the interview process. I had to go for dinner with the CEO and his wife at their house in Eaton Square. This is a dead posh address. I remember standing with Geoff on the door step, and before he rang the bell, saying to him, “I hope I don’t embarrass you.”

A maid served dinner. It was my turn to pour gravy on my meat. The table was an antique and was significantly bowed in the middle. I poured too much gravy, and, to my horror, it ran over the rim of my porcelain plate and, like a river, made its way down the pristine, starched, white tablecloth to the middle of the table. There was silence. I looked to my host, Geoff’s prospective boss. I said, “I suppose that means he won’t be getting the job.” Everyone laughed. He did get the job, and, until recently, this was where Geoff forged a career. He ended up as the CEO, when the founder retired.

Today I am having my haircut in Chelsea.