By The Pricking Of My Thumbs

A perfectly sunny, glorious London Sunday. Just when we had all given up on the weather for this year. England, England, quite contrary. I was staying in Twickenham which I now realise was a big mistake. Have you ever been to a place that gives you the heebie-jeebies? The last time it happened to me was when I visited Edinburgh Castle– that place has some seriously bad aura, fo’reals. Weird thing was, I know Twickenham quite well, I even worked there on occasion; but from the minute I left the London Road roundabout, I just became really uneasy. I’m a bit fey anyway so I tend to ignore my more dramatic reactions. I only really paid attention when I was leaving on Sunday and I realised as I fled to good ole Chiswick that it was like escaping from under a thundercloud. Poor Twickenham, now twinned with Salem as far as I’m concerned.

To shake off this weird mood, I spent the afternoon faffing around at the V&A. I love that museum; it’s like a giant souk. I discovered that there is a copy of Michelangelo’s David at the V&A. Who knew? I’ve been there a gazillion times and never come across it. That’s one of the reasons it’s a firm favourite. By the by, The Raphael Cartoons. I’m sure they’re lovely, but who can tell? The blasted museum exhibits them in a stygian gloom. Yes, I know they are susceptible to light damage, but come on! I have a theory that the are photocopies, some villain at the museum having had it away on his or her toes with the originals, flogging them down the Roman Road for a pony each 🙂 V&A, this is your final warning- it’s the 21st century, surely technology can supply suitable lamps now. The next time I come round, I’m bringing candles, and it will probably not end well…. Oh, and while we are on the subject, the food in Harrods Food Hall is cheaper than that at the V&A cafe. Profiteering much? A fillet of blackened cod with a few mango slices on top for £11.50. Cor, double blimey. Harrods sells a whole citrus-baked sea bream with fennel for £10. I go to fish markets, I know how much a whole cod costs, and how many fillets you can cut from one fish. And I’m paying retail, not wholesale! If you’re going to charge £25 for an indifferent plate of cold fish and some veg, it’d better not be in a self-service restaurant with plastic cutlery. Unbelievable.

Newest discoveries: Master of St.Severin’s stained glass including this all-too realistic depiction of The Raising Of Lazarus, I’m a sucker for stained glass; The Plywood exhibition which was fab, and featured one of my favourites, Sanagi’s Butterfly stool; Andrea della Robbia’s altarpiece; and best of all, Mino da Fiesole’s bust of Cosimo de Medici. I know “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face”, but the artist was spot on about ye olde tough guy Cosimo. Still, one may smile and smile and be a villain; better a Cosimo that you can see coming than the smiling assassins you never see wielding the knife, as Don Corleone never said. See, I’m all about the Shakespeare this week. Y’all have a nice week now, as Billy Boy would have said if he came from Tennessee. Oh, and the flowers? Given to me by a lovely patient AFTER I’d administered her flu jab on Friday. Is that wonderful, or what? She totally improved a really difficult week 1000%. God bless you, Margaret, you’re so cool, you’re frosty.

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