To Carthage then I came

Having finally come to the realisation that being constantly in Oxford is a mere half-a-life, I ventured this past weekend to the big city. I've always been wary of London, but I am now happy to revise my opinion and to say that a weekend with congenial company in a place which doesn't believe that a library is, in fact, a kind of temple is better than the best therapy on offer.

I must take a brief interlude at this point to recommend a pub called the Two Brewers in Clapham. It was great fun and I made some lovely acquaintances in the queue (Rich from Florida, in the unlikely event you should ever read this, you're a star - thanks for the company!) I also spent quite some time trying to persuade my (very drunk) companion that trying to speak French to French people was a bad idea, and that correcting their French could well leave us without functioning kneecaps, making the walk home a little tricky.

Saturday morning was spent at the Abbeville Village Festival. Admittedly, when I hopped spontaneously onto the train Friday evening, I was unaware that I would be roped in to helping on the Labour Party stall at the aforesaid Festival. I finally had to admit to the local MP that I had not voted Labour either locally or nationally this year, but he took this in good part. (And, though I didn't tell him this, were he my MP there is no way I would vote for anyone else - a truly charming and delightful chap!)

Sunday afternoon saw a trip to the Globe Theatre in Southwark, as my host had a meeting at the cathedral. The exhibitions are immensely interesting, but the highlight came as I was sitting waiting for the "dressing" demonstration, in which visitors are shown how an actress is dressed in Elizabethan costume for a play. Sitting there, minding my own business, I became aware that the two dressers were looking at me and whispering. Knowing that I was carrying neither explosives nor narcotics gave me a certain feeling of safety. But it turned out that they needed someone to dress and I was "just the right size", so I spent the next quarter of an hour being dressed and undressed as Ophelia - cross-garters, points and laces, corset, the works.

Thanks so much to R and J for being such charming hosts - to J for the fabulously comfy bed and the moisturiser, and to R for being guide, entertainer, friend and advisor, as always. Love you!