Back to work which is a bit uggghhh. The Man Was Not at The Bus Stop. Though I couldn't bring myself to get my usual 7:30 bus so maybe he'd been and gone. Worse still, back to work to find that our department pet, Tiger the Golden Fish, is Dead. I almost wept when I was told. But quickly pulled myself together and rediscovered some perspective.

(Aged nine, I discovered that my beloved goldfish, a big sturdy fellow who lived in the garden pond, had passed to a better life, courtesy of a heron who'd taken a big pecking portion out of his side and I spent the whole day drifting up and down the garden path humming funereal dirges to myself. I was a mournful child. Some considerable years on, I feel I should be more composed.)

But by way of consolation, I have my first rehearsal tonight.

I managed to squeeze some blocking action into the party preparations on New Year's Eve thanks to a minor miracle of efficiency. So have at least some info to impart to my cast.

And managed not to lose my eyes or eyebrows in the midnight firework frenzy so will be able to share some directorial thinking with the cast when they set to work at last.

And actually will have to earn my keep tonight as one of my actors is still on her honeymoon. So I shall be reading in for her.

All in all, a busy first day back.

Oh, and happy new year.