Next Friday I go to London for a family party on Saturday. This year my youngest brother was 50 and my mother 85 and we’re having a surprise party for the two of them together. I don’t much like going to London anymore but I’m looking forward to seeing everybody. I’ll come home on Monday because I expect I’ll be too tired on Sunday.

I’ve already bought my train tickets. At one time, it was always cheaper to buy a return ticket and when you check the prices online, those are the prices you get when you put in your starting station and destination and the days you are travelling. If you check on the single tickets, though, they are often cheaper. I’m paying £9 each way (about $18 ) for the single tickets whereas I’d have had to pay about £48 ($96) for a return ticket. That is just so silly. Why would anybody buy a return ticket when it’s over double the price?