Saturday

Up early - lovely long dog walk in the woods - lots of bluebells finally out in force. Should be sunny later.

Cut all the long hair off the small dog yesterday, she wasn't keen - and now looks like someone caught collaborating with the Nazis. I also notice that she's put on a bit of weight.

Being knackered caught up with me yesterday and I fell asleep at about 1pm and woke up at 6pm. Not sure if I feel better for it - if anything I feel worse. Later on I watched a program about people who hoard - these things are usually mocking and exploitative - but actually - this was an intelligent and sensitive study in what makes people into hoarders - I thought it was very sad, but well judged. Later I watched something about the fall of Ann Boleyn, which was excellent - Hillary Mantel is very good on the TV, David Starkey is a wanker. I'm sure he thinks that he has gravitas and authority - but actually - it's just pompous self importance and a massive ego - he's Light Entertainment gold.

Bit of drama rumbling about in Hastings, a very nice and well meaning elderly artist lady started a campaign to support our local mosque by having a vigil outside to show them we don't hate them - only to be rebuked by a man who lives adjacent and asked to stop making it into a '3 ring circus' and telling her on a public forum that nobody really minds that there is a mosque in st Leonards and there really is no need. In another episode of pointless drama - a war has broken out between another artist who is angry that a local arts initiative to take practicing artists into schools is unpaid - and has accused the organisation of exploiting them - I think it's a lot of misunderstanding and hot air - and nobody will back down. It's joined by the return of people moaning that the Jerwood Gallery only allows local people in for free once a month - it's a private gallery, it really does not need to - but their inability to manage the PR properly really does not help - giving the ranting moaning Minnie's something to moan about. I paid £35 to become a member - I got 2 free tickets for friends, worth 14 quid, and can get in for free any time I want - which is great, because they have a fantastic cafe.

The most important lesson from this week has been that we really do live in a wonderful country - because despite everything that has happened - a middle aged Dutch woman on a London bus and an ordinary black British mother and daughter have shown us that ordinary people are capable of acts of incredible bravery and compassion, for no other reason that it is the right thing to do,