I was on the 7.05am train yesterday morning, on my way up to London to spend a day listening to the presentations of some young and rather inspiring professionals.  It’s the third or fourth time I’ve joined this group of people and as well as finding it incredibly interesting, I always hope that I’ll be able to make an effective contribution to the decision making process.

The best bit is that the meeting takes place in an area of London I’d otherwise overlook; the streets behind the old Army and Navy Stores on Victoria Street, the area around Westminster Cathedral.

Just a step away from the busy street lies a mostly residential area filled with charming red brick mansion blocks, quiet thoroughfares with little patches of garden and small surprises in the form of contemporary glass extensions and  preserved old house frontages.

I stopped to take a photograph of this lovely grille outside one of those apartment buildings, attracting a questioning look from the two builders sitting on the steps drinking tea.

But how could I pass this by?

When the “work” of the day was over, I hot footed it over to Selfridges where I met our boy for a delightful couple of hours in the most civilised of circumstances.  Yes, there’s an iphone in his hand, but it’s mine as he rapidly demonstrates his mother’s incapacity to cut and paste address details from a text message to the contact list.  I’m fairly sure I could have done it but it was one of those moments to sit back and enjoy; to accept his offer of help gracefully and watch; to feel thankful to be able to savour some time in his company over a glass of something delicious.

What a lovely day.

Because, of course, it will soon be Christmas.