My story of the Nodevember meet really starts on the previous monday with a visit to some copy-shop or other to get the aforementioned t-shirts made up. I also picked up some sparklers on friday and packed a bottle of water. It's all about preparation, see?

On arrival with Hugo Rune at the George, we found dizzy, proping up the bar, and supping on a bottle of stella. A bottle, mark you, not a pint. After some idle chit-chat, he pointed out that the pub was shutting at 4.30. This was to be the only flaw in an otherwise fine evening out.

Later arrivals included (the) iain, sm597, heyoka & gnarl, fondue. Although I'm hazy about which order they came in.

When blowdart rolled in, he immediately launched his coat overarm at a nearby chair before announcing himself. He said something like, "I'm only doing this to worry you". So it worked then. After the introductions, he set to goading dizzy about the nature and purpose of his recent visit to the states and eventually to goading Heyoka with a camera.

On leaving The George, it was decided that it was Sparkler Time. It was a struggle to get the first one going, but then the others went off OK. So we stood around holding them up for a while, and eventually got photographed by a random passer by. I cooled down the remains with the bottle of water, in case you wondered.

Our next port of call was a J.D. Whetherspoon's, for more ales. At this point a chap in one of those "cd pub,more beer" t-shirts approached and was identified as SpinyNorm. Here we gathered in girlotron, too, who was guided in by phone. This new venue saw some more organised shenanigans as well as the GTKY stuff. Someone (it may have been iain) ventured forth to buy Jaffa Cakes. Which we tried alk-e-hol-sytle, and very tasty they were too. Even teetotalers agreed!. Then came the traditional Distribution of The Whore Cards, before hitting The Hut.

We seemed to lose quite a few folks on route, perhaps to rival fireworks displays, but by my estimation, there were at peak 11 noders and a chilled monkey gathered. Not a bad showing.

It's really wierd to get up in the morning, switch on your computer, and read about what you were up to the night before.