a fascintating week gone by, including a 6 year-old's birthday party - where i was the oldest woman there, but also the only child-free one (thanks be) and looked years less haggard and worn than the rest. i also didn't have sticky hand-prints on my trousers, as the rest did. one can be thankful for small mercies at such times.

this noisy evening followed closely by another, also surrounded by youngsters - but this time of the undergraduate type: bedecked in the kind of stripes and big earrings that i embarrasedly threw out in 1987. also an eardrum-upsetting affair courtesy of the shoddy sound system and a competition between the new south jeresy pom-poms band and the proteas cricket lowlights. much whisky was had by all. some of us looked a little more haggard the following morning, and were forced to swallow the post-party smugness inspired by an evening with the worn mothers club.

still - a hangover wears off after a couple of hours. a six year old takes a much longer time than that. i'm wondering if it is at all possible to be a mother and an urban chic at the same time? chick, i think, must imply childlessness ..... urban hen doesn't quite have the same ring to it ....