I’m meant to be writing to remind everyone that they can hear me go on and on about the writing life — with some terrific Hendrix, Cream, Jefferson Airplane etc in the background — tomorrow evening, Tuesday 17 March at 7 pm GMT on Express Fm, either at 93.7 on your radio, or at www.expressfm.com on your computer where you should click on the red button in the top right-hand corner.

So that’s what I’m meant to be blogging about.  But I can’t think of anything today except the fact that it’s Number 1 Son’s birthday and he’s turning 25 years old. 25!  How can that be?  I remember when I turned 25…I was in North Carolina at graduate school studying to be a professor of classics (well, you know — as I always say, the road is curving). I remember watching television and seeing an “Oil of Olay”commercial (I was in the States so it was a “commercial” rather than an “advert).  They were going on and on about “skin over 25.” I was horrified.  And now here I am with not only my own skin over 25, but my boy’s skin too.  But all kidding aside, it’s a wonderfully happy day .  Tonight we all celebrate, but in the meantime, for my son, for me and for everyone else who feels like joining in: