It was good to see Gavin - my estranged son - over the weekend. One of the pleasures of growing older is sitting in your favourite pub sharing a glass of beer and a chat with your son. This was something you dreamed about years ago when you were banished to a freezing, empty room round the back of some "family-friendly" pub out in the sticks somewhere, trying to enjoy your half-pint (because Dad was driving of course) with a couple of bored and fractious kids.