2 August -Blancmange

Swell. We go to a party in Clacton which takes ages to find though it's just there by Hackney's Mare st and I love my friend's house, never been before, triple height ceilings, just gorgeous.

It's a bit sparse as a party because it's raining and probably a barbecue didn't seem a great idea to many prospective guests, but ... we're here and happy to meet friends of our friend who we don't yet know.

Unexpected pleasure for me is meeting neil arthur!!! I knew he's a very good mate of J but had not factored in he'd come. He's just as nice and friendly as he was 30 years ago when Living on the Ceiling was in my head a lot since I worked with them. And I fancied him a lot. Funny to see how his life is. Wife is not here but lovely daugther is and they live out of town and he has a studio but I have no idea what music he makes. I also now think he's far too tall for me. Wouldn't ahve lasted long at all. But just... sweet.
Also present is MA who I had once introduced to M (after I first met him) thinking they'd get along and I can see now more and more why they'd never would have. He's a basket case. Upon an innocent enquiry about schools (where he went as a teenager) he mentions blah. Toph asks how did you find it and he replies they left him largely alone as he used to self cut and had a can of coke on his windowsill with his congealed blood. Er, yeah.. sure.