that despicable race

Spent most of this last few days buried in books as being the cheapest entertainment I could find during hols (cashflow). Books included gregory of tours*, chelsea quinn yarbro's vampire story with charlemagne and einhard's life of charlemagne. Nobody can say am not theme-y. O, and selected journalism by Angela Carter. She reviews some v unexpected books - Darnton's Cat Massacre? and some books I now want to read for self.

Went on final-drinks thing with Anna, who thought it was her last day at chain. Actually, due to communication fumble, she had Monday and Tues still to go, but nice to chat anyway. Found out more about Anastasia's background from Krishna who works more closely with her.

Met N at weekend, alongside v charming Who-vian friend of his who is wonderful conversationalist with Norwich connections and grew up in Nat Trust properties across southern England.

Chap is in forensic end of police, N trying to get him to read Bryant and May. This may backfire. B+M books notoriously cavalier about scene of crime rules, was hooked on the series by a set-piece with Bryant hectoring a pathologist while dropping half finished cough sweets into body cavity during autopsy. I remember my grrr in direction of Black Books when it first aired cos they got book retail so howlingly wrong. (& several lit authors have set slender novellas in independent bookshops, penelope fitzgerald, may sarton am looking at you; and done it so inaccurately on how the business works that I got the hate on for their oeuvre in general)

N looking fab. Told them the tedious current saga of work and angst and crossed wires. N took pic of me on his phone and put it on facebook. This horrifying as I prefer not to be confronted with how ugly my face is, and getting pics like that across the web destroys the illusion that I have no face at all and am cloud-creature off of star trek.



At end of evening, N went off to underground and I trundled, pissed, via Char X Road to bus. Drifted into second hand bookshop and got overexcited by sale. That was when I got the Einhard - it was only a quid, in self defence.

Want to connect with Mark for a drink and catch up with him, worried have too little to say. (Ought not think that a prob; Mark has small talk enough for a room)