Life throws up some strange juxtapositions or rather I have such an unfocused mind that I find myself doing different things at the same time.
Octogenarian DJ, Brian Matthew, presented his last Sounds of the 60s while I was away last month but, thanks to BBC iPlayer, I am listening to it with a G&T in hand and also reading the last pages of Indian Summer; Alex von Tunzelmann’s account of the partition of India. I am sorry to be saying goodbye to them both but “for things to remain the same, everything must change” (Il Gattopardo) and now SotS is at 6.00 am on a Saturday morning presented by the relentlessly upbeat Tony Blackburn and the story of partition is being served up on screen in Viceroy’s House. I am especially looking forward to the latter. I am kicking myself for going to see Moonlight. I saw a trailer and knew it wasn’t for me but I am susceptible to Oscar-hype and was bored for 111 minutes.
So that Barons Court can stay the same there are always things changing. The latest is a yellow box junction up by the tube station in an attempt to prevent gridlock and, cynically, to raise lots of money in fines. At the same time a couple of sections of my street will be painted with double yellow lines to make passing places. Already a section of the street is one way but wider cars and builders’ lorries still cause congestion. How do I feel? Well not glad all over.