Tuesday, August 17th

Now that the stress has subsided and I have adjusted to my new status I can tell you that I have done the impossible and joined the property owners in London, hence my absence for the past little while. I also have the liberty of being somewhat smug having paid £70,000 or so under the market value for the flat. So now I have been knee deep in rubble, tweaking here and tweaking there. I spent the last few days making an acquaintance with a breaker. I am still in a layer of dust. Rather like the Galliano show a 2 or 3 seasons back with all the powder paints! Life did take a small civilized turn when I was invited up to the widow Getty's place in Berkshire this weekend to watch the Sir Paul Getty's XI vs. I. Zingari annual cricket match. Admittedly, I am not the biggest cricket fan by any stretch of the imagination; however I couldn't turn down the opportunity to see one of the best private library's in the world. It was breathtaking - 1st editions of everything, jewel encrusted copies of Keats, the Canterbury Tales just to name a few.

The cricket wasn't half bad either... Quintessentially English. We were all set out on deck chairs over looking the best private cricket pitch in the world (Getty was cricket mad for an American). Pimm's and Champagne were brought over to you, and your glass never emptied. A scrumptious Salmon lunch, a proper English tea.. and also an ice cream trolley to top it off. It was just delightful! It will definitely go down as one of the more memorable occasions, second only to my stay on the Christina O, (the Onassis Yacht) and its whale foreskin barstools. Christina O, Onassis Yacht . Anyway it was lovely to get out of London for a day. Lots of things are happening but I don't want to jinx anything by tell you now... just call me superstitious! Speak soon.....