Fan of the Day

Raced across town from Ham'smith to Islington after bookshop duty & was rewarded by Louise L with home-made Tarte Tatin & double baked choc cake in celebration of Pete's birthday in their garden. Plus fizz, and fans.

Never easy to know what to give P - his presents tend to be in their own category cf Bone Idol, a small sinister sculpture made of ... bones. (I opened it at Inver in July where the resto staff gathered round to identify the animals involved.)

I found him a 'vintage' copy of Pete &
Dud: The Dagenham Dialogues, which he doubtless knows by heart already. He looked happy & then talked about the films of Béla Tarr, The Dice Men & The Third Policeman. We disagreed amicably about Ottessa Moshfegh.

Evening: J had bought fleurs after sensing how low I was yesterday. And he made dinner. Now to bed early to read about Muriel Spark. Still stressed, but less so.