Still recovering – literally – from a rather large joint birthday party celebrated on Australia Day with my friend Kate Veitch at her Manhattan residence (aka Phillip’s place). The photos will have to speak for themselves as my powers of articulation are, momentarily, somewhat compromised.

Brief captions L-R: Chocolate crackles setting rock-hard on the freezing deck of the apartment; Lara, Kate and Phillip, Lara’s friend Sarah; Snowdon, me, Steve Saffel (editor of my client David Kowalski’s forthcoming novel The Company of the Dead); Simi Linton and me; view from the newly built mezzanine-level bedroom; Lara, Sarah, me, Mark.

Saturday was a complete write-off. Apologies to those who were anticipating my usual Sunday-morning phone call in Sydney…