Miserable weather for a Coronation, but Elaine and I went across to Richmond this morning: partly to have our ears looked into, partly to escape a local street party featuring karaoke (which was then postponed anyway); partly to get away from the constant hammering as our roof is stripped and renewed; partly to visit bookshops (with Elaine buying Michael Frayn’s new book in The Open Book store just as he walked into the shop); and partly to have lunch by the river at Tapas Brindisa.
As we walked out of the restaurant and down to the Thames, a bearskinned band struck up for the first time – and the second tune they played was Monty Python’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. Said thank you to the bandsmen as they walked off sodden to their next gig – and would like to say thank you to Eric Idle for writing such a quintessentially English song.