That's most kind of you; it's a delight to see you, as always.
My limited presence has been entirely accidental; a recent rush of work for which, as ever, may the good Lord be praised; an overnight visit to my dear mother in Chipping Campden; a long-promised weekend in Poland with No.s 2 & 3 sons, followed by a weekend with my lovely newish lady friend to her family's pied a terre in France.
Set out like that it sounds like a (rather civilised) riot of self-indulgence, but sadly most of my time has been spent attempting to give a group of arts graduates hope for a professional future in an economic climate which palpably will not sustain 90% of them.