A dear friend called me from Sydney this morning. Well, it was late last night his time. During our survey of the usual topics – work, family, professional gossip, our shared neighbourhood – my friend (who wishes to remain unnamed) revealed that he had been doing the 7km Bay Walk so regularly that he had dropped 10 kilos (22 pounds in local parlance) since the beginning of the year.

“You’re half the man you used to be,” I told him.

“No, I’m half the man I never was,” he said. How I miss the Australian sense of humour.