Tuesday 20th October 2015

Val said, ‘Zinc’s going up.’ He’s taking an interest in metal prices, possibly because of my mine. Did you hear, by the way, that the Guardian ran a piece on the mental problems brought on by wealth? ‘Brass is a compound of copper and zinc,’ Val informed me, ‘whereas brass is copper and zinc.’ ‘Why not make your own bronze, Val?’ I suggested. ‘It would be something to do. All you need is a Bessemer Converter.’ Otherwise Val has mended a pane of glass in his kitchen and is hooked on ‘Strictly’. On Sunday he was grand with huge actressy vowels which is usually a sign of re-bottling on a small scale. Maddening because my new Zara suit needs altering.

Joshua Baring went to a huge ducal wedding at one of our most famous Statelies. Some of the younger men guests were sprung from nowhere and exceptionally glamorous. They insisted on staying the night.

Robert Nevil is taking a walking tour in Shropshire as research for his latest Pony Club book. He’s to look at ponies in their pre-Club state but fears he may end up, from solitary walking, as a tuft of wool caught in barbed wire and a heap of bones nearby.

Laura Malcolm, meanwhile, had the Laird and Lairdess up from Usk. The Laird brought his Scalextric and spread it over all the floor.

I’m in a hotel at Lyme Regis with the Gay Mother. She’s the youngest person here at 91. This morning she climbed Golden Cap which was 3 miles plus climbing a hill. Now she’s resting. Had I not been in Lyme Regis, I would have had an important Private View with Harry Rollo followed by dinner after – just the two of us; an opera;a card party; a lunch with Scalextric at Laura Malcolm’s. Important to remain available. If not available won’t be asked.