In bed last night Beloved invites granny p to discuss philosophical implications of word 'freedom'. Despite his pointing-out that from such comes all the things she care about - women's, gay's emancipation, edicts against torture, etc, etc, granny not keen. Prefers, ie, to go on reading, which Beloved doesn't regard as living. (Yes and no.) With such discussions we entertain ourselves. Fondly. (Most of the time).

Amazingly quiet day. No wind to speak of. Sun coming out. Walk round the land in large local straw hat, inspecting newly popping-up poppies. Not even the pigmen out. Just the dogs and my cat following behind me, yowling.

Happy morning - Beloved off sorting out broken light chez attic woman. Have been downloading information on cranes for ever growing book ..... cranes self-grow too which is interesting. Also babies.

Kitchen is a disgrace... who cares?

Am reading William Dalrymple's book on the White Moghuls - those much more sympathetic eighteen century India hands, the people actually respecting - loving - India and Indians, only to be displaced by the superior - ie racist - colonisers, predatory financiers and bonkers evangelicals who defined the Victorian British Empire. It all sounds close to now. "War on terror" = denigrating any Iraqi unwilling to be exploited politically and financially (in the name of 'civilising' him - bringing the 'benefits of democracy') as a 'terrorist' and patronising the rest. Beloved says he likes the eighteenth century and nineteenth was all downhill - twenty-first century show signs of similar relationship to twentieth. Despite all those C20 wars and massacres, he might just have a point, at least if Bush and his religious nuts - and Sharon and his ditto- are not only setting the tone but will continue to. Back to Inquisitions. Christian, muslim, judaic.

Back to typing up notes. Full sun outside. Why aren't I on holiday? This time next week of course I - we - will be - am dreading it just now. Which is ridiculous given how much I want it, how much we need it. But why do I go into flying work mode just as I'm about to have to drop it? this time for more than a month? PERVERSITY....

Flies on my nose. The downside of summer.