Bad/ Good stuff

Bollox, this has been a nasty few days. And I'm not just talking about IBC vs Roberts, David Fuller, ML , PoV or the Guardian (which incidentally give me formication). In the real world, and I emphasise this term, Hackney Council is doing yet further horrible things to my friend D., and General John Reid is in charge of a Home Office that believes we're all terrorists. Iraq is a bloody mess and we're thinking to get tough with Iran, enough to make you just pull the downie over your head.

Furthermore, despite my self-justified rant against the rudeness of London travellers, my behaviour on the GNER train back from London last week was far from social. In a thoroughly bad mood, I abandoned my pre-booked seat between Chantelles for the vestibule between carriages to read my book, drink and smoke sly joints out of the window. The conductor warned me not to lean out too far. All these trains are now non-smoking, as they should be, and I should be ashamed of myself both for that and for requiring grudgingly-given help to locate my suitcase when disembarking.

Culture shocks-

• To smoke inside pubs in London
• Oyster cards
• Mixed-race relationships and children
• Walking geography of places known only in books or on maps
• Pink horse chestnut candles
• Clissold Park's aviary
• Lubavich community in Stamford Hill