Thank You, Thank You, Thank You ... THANK YOU for all the sweet & kind birthday greetings I received from you today! I am very touched indeed! Some of the messages have been just so generous ... I am so, so grateful ... thank you!

I have had a lovely day despite the misery of the weather! Every year I say that the next I will be sitting by a swimming pool, somewhere awesomely sun-drenched, drinking cocktails and reading books ... and every year I am here in the UK ... freezing. Here's to 2012 ...!

But I have just remembered a bottle of vintage, single-malt Scottish whisky with my name on it in the kitchen ... so ... I'm off ... to drink and dream of white sand beaches, turquoise seas, vodka-based cocktails, hot sunshine, peace ... and sleep ... !