Belfast Has A Mermaid

It was such a pleasant day today that I cycled into Town for a few hours. I'd arranged to meet an old colleague at the usual prearranged drinking-den, the Mermaid Inn in Wilson's Court.

First of all, I locked up the bike outside the central library in Royal Avenue and made for the upstairs reading-room where I studied the 2008 editions of Who's Who and Debrett; a little research for Lord Belmont, you know.

Some time later I ended up in Donegall Place; I ambled over to the Pen Shop in College Street, where I was served by a lovely lady and we chatted about...pens! It was quiet in the shop, so I showed her my Onoto and explained the story about Dr Oldfield and his pen practice business. I was really there to buy some ink; namely a bottle of Mont Blanc sepia ink - sepia being a brown, earthy colour.

At twelve forty-five I was seated comfortably in the Mermaid, tucking into their signature chicken and stuffing with all the trimmings, as well as garlic potatoes. I always enjoy it and, at £6.95, it's good value. Tim - my namesake - had a couple of beers while his lordship indulged in the requisite gin-and-tonic, times three. That put me in top form.

I'll see what I feel like tonight; I might return to the Globe for karaoke.