Kerstin at angelblue.com

The BIG 40 is here. I am being philosophical about it and throw a party at my flat. 35 people come, including six from Germany: my mother, aunt, brother and new girlfriend, old friends Paulchen and Claudi. It is my kind of party ... mix lots of different people and see how the chemistry bubbles them along. It did.

My mother's present in particular moved me. She had collated pictures, stories and school books from my childhood into an album. I can't believe some of the stories I wrote as a child, very brutal and full of blood and murder! And a sample booklet of curtain, wallpaper and hair clip patterns gives no doubt an early indication of my late career in sales.

My birthday, the 15th, is also marked by worldwide demonstrations against the Iraq war and mega terror alert at Heathrow so that my visitors from Cologne almost don't come. My mother also gives me an original copy of a newspaper dated 15.2.1963 - the front cover shows the then Iraqui president! We all feel a strange sensation of deja vu.

The picture is of the Iraqui president Kassem in 1963 in front of Bagdad ruins before he is executed!