February & start of March 2026 Update

It’s been another busy time, busier than is otherwise wished. We had a dinner chez nous with the Rixies, James & Eamonn for a pre-Nonsuch Singers concert (at Holy Trinity Church). The concert was a delightful “Brilliant Baroque”: Heinrich Schütz, Isabella Leonarda & J.S. Bach. Eamonn had a couple of solos. Beyond this at Cadogan Hall, it was the Czech Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Daniel Raiskin. All was superlative: Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 (Jennifer Pike), and especially Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony.

At the National Gallery, Matthew was our tour guide for ‘The Beauty of Men’. Then we lunched afterwards at Ochre. A most enjoyable theatre moment was Simon’s ‘Vena Amoris’

on Portobello Road. At the Jermyn Theatre it was Dear Liar – a fascinating story of thecorrespondence between George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell. Rachel Pickup and Alan Turkington were excellent. At Mestizo, we experienced a Frida Kahlo presentation all based on her writings. It is moving and fascinating with how she dealt with pain. She is an inspiration.

We have been twice to the British Museum – once just for cappuccini in the Members Room. The second time we saw the Hawaiian & Samurai exhibitions. We’ve had coffee with

Tilly and Douglas at the Club, and Douglas afterwards addressed my computer. Alexa now is working. I have also had two sessions with Scott.

Richard & I went to Balans Soho for Mardi Gras/Pancake Day. At another point, we enjoyed three rounds of margaritas at Azteca Chelsea. We’ve had a Vardo dinner with Padma, and then the next evening it was the Club’s Members Apertivo with champagne & snacks with Padma & her Irish friend Pauline. The night after this it was dinner with Patrick & Sue at Helena’s (The Club). I enjoyed a vegetarian lunch with Chloe at Bubula on Poland Street. Just the two of us. It was lovely. A few days later as we stepped off the Underground at Canary Wharf there was Sophie – unexpected since Chloe had earlier said she would not be free to meet up with us. With Chloe, we visited The Mudlarking exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands. It was a bit crowded but interesting. And our pizza lunch afterwards at the nearby Pizza Pilgrim was most lovely, the four of us.

The only film we have been to is Wuthering Heights – a strange & dark film. Margot Robie & Jacob Elordi are attractive, and the décor is sumptuous. For reading, it has been a bit of Chomsky and Herman’s Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media – dated but still relevant. For the rest, it has been finishing Garry Philippson’s Astrology in the Year Zero; Matthias Egeler’s Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld; and Werner Herzog’s The Future of Truth (2024). I am now reading Virgil’s Aeneid.

Healthwise, my potassium has slightly lowered (60 would be the average), and my blood pressure was 122 & 125. Under 135 is good. My GP has had me to stop taking Lisinopral. I have been prescribed Codeine Phosphate for the leg and back pain. I’ve been to a physiotherapy session with Anthony and have had rolfing with Alain several times. My persistent ganglion had almost suddenly disappeared but is now back but less than previously. Richard has seen Farah at the dentist.

I’ve had a phone call with Elisabeth. She has been having a difficult time. Richard and I also visited a recovering Tony. He is astonishingly poorly.

I found the State of the Union presentation ludicrous and abominable let alone maudlin. The war with Iran has since begun. But in contrast to the wider ridiculousness, there have been two real highlights. One was last night at Cadogan Hall – a thrilling programme by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the South Korean Sun Kim. First was Lili Boulanger’s Marche gaie. A lovely piece, and Boulanger died when she was only 24. Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with Moldovan Alexandra Tirsu seemed as if it could not be topped. But the evening’s second half was Rachmaninoff’s “sweeping” Symphony No. 2. All in all it was an absolute highlight.And on Valentine’s Day, Gin and Rix had arranged for Richard’s High Rise Affair premier. It was both wonderful & a success. Richard himself was both excellent & adorable. Everyone seemed to enjoy him & his performance. Among those were the Rixies, Chloe & Sophie, Woody (ill) & Jasmin, James & Eamonn, Paddy & Keir, Ben & Tan, Penny’s daughters, Tilly and Douglas, and some more.