1. Alec and I have an appointment in the park with photographer Ellen Montelius. She is taking our picture as part of her series on Tunbridge Wells writers.* I feel oddly like Alice in the sunken garden among the red and yellow flowers and box hedges. Alec is delighted by the red and yellow lollipop that Ellen has brought along as a prop and a bribe. She takes our pictures separately and will stitch the scene together later on. To get Alec into the picture I put him down outside and chase him across the frame. We must look like something out of Benny Hill as we run backwards and forwards. The park keeper stops working and watches us with his mouth open as if he's about to say something.
2. Jane admits that she gets quite teary seeing our boys playing together. "It's something about the way they are the same size," she says. I just love seeing how Alec interacts with another person who is learning the social rules. One moment Alec is trying to take a toy off Anthony. The next moment Anthony reaches over and strokes his face. Then Alec hands Anthony half his sandwich.
3. We watch a documentary about art nouveau (I always forget how rude and funny Aubrey Beardsley is) and learn about the Watts Mortuary Chapel. First, it's magical and fantastical, like nothing else you've ever seen. It's 104 years old, but it still looks fresh and up to date. And second, it's the work of a village -- everyone pitched in and helped create the decorations. Wikipedia has more information and some pictures.
