At about 5pm yesterday Jim told me that he was catching the train home, staying overnight and then coming back for today. I cleared up the last of my coursework, said brief goodbyes and then jumped on the New Street bandwagon (so to speak).

The thought of being at home for my 20th birthday hadn't occurred to me before, but it just seemed so easy considering. Using Currin as my courier, my hand in would be dealt with, so I could leave Lufbra and all it's coursework trapping behind me.

Lucy turned up just before I went clutching a box of home-made brownies and my card, which I munched on happily through the last few tasks before I went home (the brownies that is, not the card). Rich kindly became the taxi and we got on the train just before 7pm.

It was good to get home. I love travelling in good weather, and I love Chinese take-out, which mother had already ordered by the time Dad and I got back to the house. Sisters One and Two were both out early on but showed up later. We rounded off the day with the late film on BBC2, Drop Dead Gorgeous.

How long have I waited to see that again? Not only is it a deeply (darkly) funny film about a middle America beauty pageant, there is also plenty of Hot in it. Brilliant.

Twelve hours of blissfull sleep followed. Even nicer.

After getting up, receiving bits and pieces from the family and visiting Grandma, we went for food at the OK Diner. Club sandwich then back to Lufbra.

Although I wasn't expecting anything from my birthday, I still feel a little deflated. I think it isn't so much that nothing extraordinary has happened (hardly anybody knows it's my birthday anyway) as like I said previously, I'm not bothered by that. The reason I'm feeling deflated is that it still is my birthday and there still is this great pressure to do and organise stuff for the delight of everyone else. Tonight I am expected to attend the course social out at Pulse, which although I am now tempted by, not only conflicts with other arrangements I have already made involving DVD screenings etc., it also simply doesn't appeal. I don't think I have much choice in the matter though.

Aren't people meant to enjoy birthdays?

Actually there have been a couple of saving graces (other than going home). Number one was that Giles gave me a call earlier and said that if I send him my bank details he will sort out the money transfer that I've been waiting for for so long. It has been hell trying to sort it out off my own back (what with work and everything recently), but this has inadvertently ended up as a birthday present. Cheers mate, one less thing off my mind!

Same goes for Lee paying up some money he owed me and Nick informing me the French Cricket stuff is on the move. Funny thing about all of these thing is that they have occurred without the person realising that it is my birthday, which has actually put a bigger smile on my face.

The last thing I will say today is that Swanny has posted a 'lovely' photo of me (and several others) on Hot or Not. Cheers mate. Apparently I am hotter than 47% of men on the site, which is fantastic to know. No really. He has also made me vow that I won't change the photo - the sheer cheek considering he got to pick which ones went on. Anyway, it's bit him on the arse anyway as most people are now ranking higher than him and he deliberately picked bad photos for other people.