Amanda was of my best friends at school and we spent a lot of teenage growing-up time together. We sang duets in school concerts, cooked meals and had masses of sleepovers. Her older brother taught me to love Elvis Costello (My Aim Is True-era), her mum always made me welcome and her dad was the coolest one I knew; he rode a motorbike.

At 16, our paths diverged and eventually we lost touch. Twenty years on, we found each other again through Facebook. Amanda lives in London now, her two children are a similar age to mine and she makes a living using her wonderful gift for music, particularly her voice. We haven’t seen each other for a while, but it doesn’t matter; the link has been remade and it makes me very happy.

Today’s guest cat is Amanda’s. He was just a baby at the time of this photograph and rejoices in the brilliant name of Mr Weasley. I just love it!

Thanks Amanda and let’s remember to get together again before too long x

Sent from my iPad