4 June - Garden dinner & Money

Lovely dinner nearby in fab garden of fab house owned by friend and husband. Dozen of us so am sitting away from Toph who makes himself not that welcome when, in reply to a discussion about the financial industry recession etc, he decides to tell the story of his sister in law and family in America who have all lost piles on stocks of banks they worked/work for but that it's hard to feel sorry for people who have lost money they had in excess of money most regular people will ever have. His sis in law/family worked at Lehman. So does/or did this dinner guest.

Suddently ranks close a bit on him as well, that makes him too much of a Guardian reader - not that he buys it ever.... Am unaware of all of this as at my end of the table we're talking bees (one guest is breeding them if that's the term) or art, one guest runs an online art site. Toph will later tell me that his end of the table also discussed how much money is the right amount to give to your young adult kids when they go clubbing at Mahiki or Boujis. Since he has a habit of exaggerating, according to him someone said 'Is £400 enough?'. I doubt that was the amount but in fact, a few rounds plus cars plus the obligatory coke which am sure the parents are not remotely considering will also be bought, will see that amount not go very far at all.