The Birthday Present

I am on the look-out for a singularly narrow hall-table, its principal purpose of which is to sit over a double radiator in our hall. Locking the trusty bicycle to Ross's railings in Montgomery Street, Belfast, I ventured upstairs to have a preview. No joy today.

I crossed Chichester Street and carried on, up the other side of Montgomery Street beside Victoria Square shopping centre. In Argos, I bought a tiny USB Bluetooth adaptor. I'm hoping this will enable me to send wireless images from my mobile phone to the computer. Mind you, it will be a surgical operation opening the diminutive dongle because, if it doesn't do the requisite job, I intend to return it.

I strode in to Marks and Spencer's Callender Street entrance in order to buy a birthday present for the Dowager, the big day being next month. I decided on a "funnel-neck knitted cardigan". I got the Dowager to try it on for size when I arrived home: it's fine.

We still have to decide about the birthday dinner. Alden's restaurant has crossed my mind; or she may prefer an informal lunch at a country pub instead.

That's not the Dowager on the right, in case you wondered!