"Like all egoists I cannot bear to live alone"

I discovered something fabulous on Friday. G and I stopped in Regent Street to eat and pop into Waterstones before tubing it out to Heathrow to pick up Mari. I bought Justine, by Lawrence Durrell, of the Alexandrian quartet. I remembered that boozy warm night at Lord's in Budapest, with him and Aniko, playing scrabble and drinking harsh plum brandy and good strong wine. I asked him to list the essential books I should read, and the Alexandrian Quartet was on the list. So was the Master and Margerita, and the Bridge of St Luis Rey. I miss nights like that and I miss being surrounded by people like Lord.
Seeing Mari was wonderful (isn't it always?)

On Saturday we went to Portobello Road which was outrageously crowded but I love it. I bought some amazing cheese from a smily and friendly Frenchman, some olives and humous and feta from another stall, and three soft and wonderful avocados for just a squid!
Afterwards, we stopped in Camden Town to eat at Wagamama's and then Mari and I went to Hampstead to see Freud's house which was so wonderful. Beautiful memory-laden Hampstead.
G went to Matt's birthday drinks/dinner and Mari and I went to Hammersmith to the Riverside Studios to see a Strindberg play called Easter. Not a wow play, but good and the set was fantastic.

Indian in Leicester square and then home to bed. G home at 2am, small waking interlude then sleep again until 10.

On Sunday we saw the Caravaggio exhibition and then went to Chelsea- where I have never been! How cool is Chelsea!? (Not to mention their ultra-uber-sexy football manager) We walked down the King's Road drooling... I bought some bath and pamper stuff for G's mum's birthday and then we trundled home.

A last supper at the Flask was wonderful, and then some highbrow talk of existentialism, at least between G and Mari. I drew back into a Bailey's fug and wished myself elsewhere...

Today: cramps and tiredness, and so much work. Movie tonight maybe, and then tomorrow night, a movie at the NFT, so I can avoid Matt and avoid saying something rude or cruel that I don't mean. Long story, but I'll get over it. Eventually.

And amidst all this work, all I want to do is get back to Justine...