It's my birthday; I'm totally sloshed and yet I spent it with my family. Oh dear.

For my birthday I got a netbook (wow- I knew it what was what I was getting, but wow, it's great and so tiny)

I also got membership to the Tate

A garnet necklace from my gran

A bit of cash, a top, another necklace. Super lovely.

In the morning I woke at 9.30am. Had a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit. Watched Glee (I know, I know- but it's bloody brilliant). Played some Chopin preludes very badly. Ate some smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (lightly scrambled, lots of salmon). Drank some strong black coffee. Ate some toast and rasberry jam. Listened to my dad's David Bowie albums on my record player. Went swimming. Went to classes (gender in text and history). Then I got the train home. Opened presents, went out to dinner, had Chinese food, went home, did the cake (chocalate and almond). Made a wish- three wishes. But I'm not telling, in case they don't come true.

A good day by any account. (despite getting a fine from the ticket inspectors and crying, because I thought the station was in zone 6- that was embarrassing, but £20 is a week's worth of food for me or four hours wages after tax or half a water bill- I don't buy clothes, I can't buy books, my shoes fell to bits, and I'm fucking poor if I want to eat and pay rent the same month- it's a lot of money for me, it's a lot of money and I was sure it was zone 6, the parasitic fucking bastards)

And I've lost weight; I fit back in my mum's green ballgown. I prance around in it (with the necklace), like I'm courting a Darcy. My breasts looked alarming with the bodice ripper of a neckline. But I fit in it. Which I haven't done since I was 16.

You can'g go that wrong- I said to my mother- when you're tightly wrapped (borrowing a phrase that Nicky- a friend of the family used to mean sane, but I think sums up fairly well the experience of being bound up by community, family and long-term friends); the difference if having a home to come back to. And the Dog just barked loudly in agreement. Oh it fences you in, but it anchoes you too in safe harbour. Mixing metaphors like I mix my drinks.

Got sloshed on champers, gin and tonic, white wine with dinner, and Baileys with the cake. Oh dear. 21.

Happy birthday to me and god bless.
This is bloody well it.