Monday

Up early - cold but clear - still dark.

Busy weekend working - in the studio, trying to get everything done before the end of the week - and hopefully a bit of time off. A couple of projects have crashed and burned last week - a timely reminder that things can go up as well as down. A couple of small things have come up to take theirvplace - but it's always going to be a bumpy ride.

There was a Christmas market in town over the weekend - new town and old town - including the most frightening hurdy-gurdy man I've ever seen. The Jerwood drawing prize has opened on the seafront - seen it twice already - a very mixed bag, but a nice place to have it.

Did I mention that a restaurant has opened in Hastings selling zebra and Kangaroo steaks ? Silly fuckers.

Delighted to see that the X factor is over for another year, and not having been exposed to any of it!

Shame about Patrick Moore - he's been part of my 'cultural landscape' gor my whole life. A few barmy personal views - but of a generation, etc. Had a conversation with someone about him yesterday, it's interesting that they kept him on screen, despite him clearly being too ill for several years - and replaced him gradually with 'less than photogenic' but genial and knowledgable experts - rather than pretty talking heads.

Talking of which - I watched the worst film ever made on Saturday. 'Battleship' - dreadful sci-fi bollocks based on the kids game ( very loosely ), seemed to be made up of references to countless other films - in fact, ANYTHING in the same genre. Very bad science, Very, VERY bad script and an excruciating sentimentality and central theme. It was shite. The most comic section being a scene on a mountainside - an army veteran with no legs - walking on prosthetics ( actually played by a real army colonel with real prosthetics - I'll give them credit for that ) - and the female romantic lead. A fairly dim blonde, tall and leggy with a full face of 'make up free look' make up - he inflated breasts had her so of balance that she was having more trouble walking than the double amputee. She also had the full range of annoying vocal tics that characterise teen TV. I think she must have been at least 30. It was a staggeringly bad film - with a budget of $209,000,000 - yes - that much. Enough to probably bale out a small european country or educate a generation of university students. Liam Neeson was also in it - as a guest part - he looked like he's been enbalmed very badly. It was so bad, I might watch it again.

Is the Xmas radio Times out yet? I always buy it and never read it - a tradition in my house. Not a lot of point when you don't have a telly.

We are due a big freeze starting tomorrow - less mud might make it easier to clear the garden - I'll give it a go. Out tonight - an old student is  visiting town and we are catching up - she's at St Martin's now working very hard - good luck to her.

I'm getting really nervous about the amount of Bors Johnson in the media - he's everywhere, including radio 4, I think it's a given that he will be the next Tory Leader - the papers all think so, crawling up his trouser leg already - even his sister, the bovine Rachel, has been honoured' with a very well paid column in the Daily Mail - who apparently think she's 'brilliant' - god help us all.

According to the Daily Telegraph this morning - The Duches of whatever's 'condition is deteriorating' - she has morning sickness, not cancer - FFS.