Wednesday 22nd April 2020

On Sunday Angus Willis promised two sea bass at £10 each that had mysteriously appeared out of the sea at Hastings. But by Monday morning, two sea bass had turned into one sea bass and a grey mullet. Merle went mental. ‘I don’t want a grey mullet,’ she boomed. ‘They taste of mud.’ ‘Well,’ Angus said, ‘perhaps it’s a question of whom can get first to the Warehouse to collect.’ ‘It’s happening,’ I screamed, ‘as predicted, all human relations breaking down. Chien mange chien en temps de guerre.’ Merle didn’t like that either and reversed violently. She’s not having human relations breaking down.

In the end radiance and human warmth all round.

Angus had bought us fish from the sea in time of crisis.

Merle collected the fish. And agreed to fillet the sea bass into two parts and hack the grey mullet in half and bring the parts to me. Angus said the grey mullet was ocean-going and hadn’t consumed any mud.

Yesterday Laura Malcolm and I exercised together in Hyde Park. Never has the Spring been so green for years and years. There were a lot of prefects around. ‘Quick,’ said Laura, ‘they’re coming.’  Our legs at once began a tremendous show of being exercised. When the prefect came by in his van he said, ‘When you’ve finished exercising, go home.’ Which is what we were going to do anyway.

It’s a bit much when you think who we are. But in this Covid everybody is nobody. Have you noticed? Just members of the Public. In a way, it’s a relief.

Back home, the drain was blocked in my front area. I reached in to unblock, soaking the cuff of what I thought was my very very old Prada apres-ski jacket, black in sheer nylon. But it wasn’t. It was the good Jill Sander black cashmere cardy I’d put on for my exercising with Laura Malcolm.

My Cardy by Jill Sander which I thought was An Ancient Apres Ski by Prada

Brackets Newly Mounted to Lift Corner of Drawing Room. Took Two Days to Get Right. Had Brain Wave to Place Lower One Slightly Skew. Gives Rococo Movemente. But Lower Bracket had to Placed Three Times

Arrangement Before Touching up with Paint. Look Carefully. Had to get Old can of Paint Out. It leaked from hole in Bottom. Then Tone Down Paint with Raw Umber and Ochre to Match

Long View of Rococo Arrangement