All week I have known I was meeting a couple of fellow writers for breakfast. All week I have thought, yes, that’s what I’m doing on Thursday morning. Except for this morning. This morning I got up at 7, went to chant with cat on my lap, and had chanted 30 minutes when I looked at my calendar and remembered I had a breakfast booked. Eek. (Buddhists will think this good fortune is because I chanted, therefore I remembered to look at my calendar – others will think it was because I remembered to look at my calendar. Both are, no doubt, correct.
So … up, washed, dressed (as opposed to poss not washed, def not dressed up, usual writing attire), and walked into Brixton in lovely, crisp, cold, autumnal sunshine. Past the rapidly-arriving ice rink.

Tube, Green Park and walking past the RA entrance I noticed this …


Here’s someone who knows what they’re talking about, talking about it.

Which I’d actually seen about 3 or 4 weeks ago, outside the large studios up the road from my house where we often see theatre sets and large scale art works being created … from Loughborough Junction to the RA. Brilliant.

Then Fortnum’s for breakfast (#breakfastununcut?) How very civilised. I had breakfast with two lovely writers, both of whose work I admire, neither of whom I know very well, just because one of them thought we should maybe get together. She was right, it was really good. It was also great timing.
I spent all day yesterday ripping apart and re-forming a film script with my two co-writers. I’ve been working weekends on TaniwhaThames. I’m about to start the (hopefully final) edit of the Theodora sequel. Breakfast is a wise time to meet people. Without wine it doesn’t become an all-nighter, not being lunch it doesn’t end up taking half the day, not being tea it doesn’t involve cake, and by 11am we were all off back to work.

I walked up to Green Park station and knew I couldn’t bear to go down into the tube in this weather, so … I walked through Green Park. Edge of autumn, bright sunshine, trees on the turn. Stunning.

Then a marching band outside Buckingham Palace. (Good timing for my parents who loved marching bands, would have been my Mum’s 90th birthday this week, and next week will be the 23rd anniversary of my father’s death, so I felt a little touch of them both and was pleased to do so.)
Then a choice to get an overground train instead of the tube (again) to Brixton. Great river view, lovely walk home.
All good. All lovely London. Not what I’d ever usually do with my morning, and all the better for it.
Now, afternoon editing, evening meeting with set/costume and lighting designers, that’s a good day’s work …
(And also, being London, the sun’s on its way away now. The best of the sunshine is invariably in the morning. Getting out there and enjoying it was a real treat.)

Note to self – best city, enjoy it more often, the work can – and will – wait.
Note to tourists – the tube IS very convenient, but – especially in the central city – it is often quicker, lovelier (and always cheaper) to walk.