Clear Skies

I'm sorry for all the trauma and disruption that the cloud of ash is causing across Europe, and especially here in the UK. And I am also sorry to see that most of the overseas delegates will not be able to attend the London Book Fair. The halls will be empty, parties won't be as busy as usual, and most of the international events will be cancelled too.

However, here in Richmond it's been paradise for the last few days. No noisy plane every minute overhead means that we have gone back a century or two – and the Green yesterday, with the clear sky above and the white villas around, with kids playing around and people basking at the sun, was as good a place as there ever was on earth.

Wouldn't it be good if we could go back to horses and trains?

AG