Oh I love Olivia!

Olivia Pemberton as a Deeply Intellectual Angel

Olivia Pemberton came for breakfast. She writes the most astonishing novels; she writes as I would like to paint, and is so clever. So, at 8.30 Olivia arrived, and we dived straight into matters of The Universe, Life and All Things Connected. Everything about Olivia is true, and everything she says is real. And she can be very funny. Once, after her last but one book - "God's Apology" - she gave a talk in Chichester. I went and realised what Olivia nust be allowed to do, is to start talking and just go on from subject to subject, idea to idea, thought to thought, revelation to revelation. I was just enthralled to hear everything she said. She must, I thought, be allowed to go onto a public platform, and just talk. Her next book, "On Loving Josiah" will be published soon and is, like Olivia, remarkable.

I feel wonderful after her visit. Today is windy and grey and uncertain. I woke with a feeling of anxiety about the day ahead. It is a blank canvas, so to speak. I can make of it what I will. As ever. But it is often difficult, I feel I am unable to make my mark, unable to do the things I dream of, unable to really reach to the stars. But I know I simply have to get out of bed and Start. Once I am upright, there is hope. If I go out on my bike, there is hope. If I can get dressed there is hope. If, big step on these anxious mornings, I can walk across the garden and get into my studio, there is hope.

This morning, I had a shower. I washed my hair, I tidied the kitchen. When Olivia arrived she brought the sun with her, and now, she has gone home and I am reassured that this world is not too difficult a place in which I can Do My Thing.

So. 16 Year Old Son is not leaving home in a few days after all. He enrolled yesterday at college and the start date is on the 15th September. Never mind. If I had followed 16 Year Old Son's instructions in the first place, and become a better human being, the college would not have had to mislead him into thinking it started on the 7 September. 12 Year Old Son starts on Monday back at school, and needs shoes. Ha. When I was in Africa the children made shoes from tyres. That wouldn't work in Chichester though. I would have to go out at night and make shoes from the parked cars and in the morning would have to pretend I had nothing to do with the shoe shaped holes in peoples car tyres.

I will also go to the printer and ask about the printing of some advance publicity cards for the Graceful Death exhibition. I will get the dry cleaning from the dry cleaners. I will write a testimonial for the very good Paula Gardner PR Consultant (http://www.doyourownpr.com/) and I will prepare wood for paintings.

My dear Alan sent some details of lovely houses to look at and dream about, and I will do that. I want all of them, and he is very good at selecting things I like and showing them to me. He is very good at knowing what I like anyway.

So all in all not a bad day ahead. It feels a bit shakey, but if I do all these things by close of day, I can have a huge dinner and read my book and feel satisfied.