Wednesday 26th October, 2011

Up at 7.45am. Sprinkled a bit of chicken food just far enough down the strip not to be in trouble from Soph. Made coffee. Had a couple of bits of toast with treacle marmalade. Sorted out my desk which was a mess. Chucked a lot of business cards away which was cleansing. Spent at least an hour and a half trying to organise a refund for my season ticket. An insurmountable problem at this stage. Put me in a bad mood for most of the day. Took our family Christmas photograph which meant that Jimmy missed her train from Newmarket and I therefore drove her down to Cambridge to catch the 12.15pm. Hen went off to Leeds in Beccky's cool red VW Beetle. Bob and Lottie disappeared for three and half hours on a trip and came back smelling of burnt wood and looking slightly guilty. Went for a minimal run with Twiggie. "Made" supper of baked potatoes and cold roast beef. Had a bottle of champagne and opened a Ch. Reynon 2005. Think we are going to watch Nixon and Frost tonight. Look. It hasn't been a jam packed day to be sure, but I've had lots of thoughts, a bit of stressy angst about train tickets, photos and missed trains, but also May Kwong rang me in the afternoon to tell me Nicolas Leouzon was in intensive care having suffered a suspected heart attack last night. Poor Nic and his wife and young son. Nic is a most lovely guy. One of the good ones. Thinking of him.