Pizzas with my Mum
Up early and crafting 'inspiring' copy for a pharma company, quite a challenge as they have given us no actual content to put in it. A modern version of newsletters with no news, something I have over the years written a depressing amount. Then a few hours later, I made off to London, reading Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata on the train. Enjoyed being up in the smoke again, albeit for a few hours. While I love Brighton, the elbowy majesty of central London is undoubtedly buzzy. Within minutes had bumped into an old pal Mark Dawson in Villiers Street.
Skirted Covent Garden and met mum inside the British Museum. We had intended to see the current exhibition of 'Ice Age' art, but there was a slot system, and so there was over a two hour wait, which I didn't have time for. Somewhat galling. Instead we repaired to Pizza Express and talked for a couple of hours instead, strapping on a classic pizza nosebag, and sipping a Peroni and mum cider. Nice restaurant with painted glass windows which quickly emptied as we idled there. Talking about my Grandmother Gwen, and her eccentricities. Although she was a fantastically annoying person, I regret my teenage dismissal of her views, which were variants on 'give me a gun and I will shoot Arthur Scargill'. And while she was entirely comfortable with her own racism, when I was 18 and dating Lorna from a Jamaican family, she took me aside and (probably at some personal cost) said that if we married, Lorna would be welcome to visit. Gwen also told mum hinted at something ominous that she would tell her one day but, typically, never did. Mum believes now that it was that it was the dark secret that, through her father, Mum had some Indian blood.
Homeward again, and we walking down to Embankment. Wan gleams of sun here and there, Trafalgar Square looking impressive. Fond farewells, then an early train and fell asleep on it after reading more of Snow Country, a star-crossed love story which contains some jewel-like moments. Sitting next to a group of young students all on iPads and iPhones or equivalent, discussing battery life with some earnestness.
This evening discovered the work I had lined up for tomorrow has been bumped till next week. Asking glamorous accountant (whom I am distraught to learn is leaving in a month) to chase tax people who still owe me a grand, which would be a nice-to-have at the quiet end of the year.
Lorraine having a tough work week, so I made a mound of mashed potato, which is L's ultimate comfort food.
Called Janet but she was not answering, but had some of Ken's family down today.
Skirted Covent Garden and met mum inside the British Museum. We had intended to see the current exhibition of 'Ice Age' art, but there was a slot system, and so there was over a two hour wait, which I didn't have time for. Somewhat galling. Instead we repaired to Pizza Express and talked for a couple of hours instead, strapping on a classic pizza nosebag, and sipping a Peroni and mum cider. Nice restaurant with painted glass windows which quickly emptied as we idled there. Talking about my Grandmother Gwen, and her eccentricities. Although she was a fantastically annoying person, I regret my teenage dismissal of her views, which were variants on 'give me a gun and I will shoot Arthur Scargill'. And while she was entirely comfortable with her own racism, when I was 18 and dating Lorna from a Jamaican family, she took me aside and (probably at some personal cost) said that if we married, Lorna would be welcome to visit. Gwen also told mum hinted at something ominous that she would tell her one day but, typically, never did. Mum believes now that it was that it was the dark secret that, through her father, Mum had some Indian blood.
Homeward again, and we walking down to Embankment. Wan gleams of sun here and there, Trafalgar Square looking impressive. Fond farewells, then an early train and fell asleep on it after reading more of Snow Country, a star-crossed love story which contains some jewel-like moments. Sitting next to a group of young students all on iPads and iPhones or equivalent, discussing battery life with some earnestness.
This evening discovered the work I had lined up for tomorrow has been bumped till next week. Asking glamorous accountant (whom I am distraught to learn is leaving in a month) to chase tax people who still owe me a grand, which would be a nice-to-have at the quiet end of the year.
Lorraine having a tough work week, so I made a mound of mashed potato, which is L's ultimate comfort food.
Called Janet but she was not answering, but had some of Ken's family down today.
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