Crikey... After a five-week hiatus, I'm back on.

If you read the first entry from Sat 25th October, you'll know things weren't all sunshine and light when it came to my holiday plans.

In short, they appeared to be fvcked.

I spent the weekend mulling it over, talked it over with a couple of people, and then decided that the only responsible thing to do -- I know, I do try to fool myself sometimes -- was to not go on holiday, even though it was to the Middle East, and stay for the Rolling (Russell) </neil> Grant talk. After all, it was my fvck-up. So I went to see the boss.

Hereafter known as the GOOD boss. Because of this:

...

Meself: "Hiya... Um, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be going on holidays because, well basically I've screwed up the dates and the week we're actually going clashes with the Rolling Grant visit, so I'm not going to the Middle East"

GOOD boss: "Don't cancel your holiday for the Rolling Grant!

...

...so now you know why :o)

It was a little more complicated than that, and I can't say I felt good about someone else taking over the talk, even though she was more than enthusiastic about it. BUT, it meant I got to go back to Dubai. And it was even funnier than the last time, which I didn't think was possible.

Poor Chemical Hanni was the only girl on the trip, even though there was a strong never-married contingent among the other seven (numbers of this contingent varied depending on whose opinion was canvassed and how much vodka, Baileys, whiskey, JD, white wine had been imbibed).

I'll supply more details when I'm off-duty. I've just realised that I've been at work for nearly an hour-and-a-half, and still have done no work.

No change there, then...