I have 2 days public holiday to go and must focus on the 'difficult' aims. Setting up a simple book keeping system is not difficult nor is completing the sacred texts chapter. The word 'difficult' is in parenthesis as an admission that I am avoiding recognising my precarious financial state. Daily book keeping will be a reminder and thus a spur to concentrating on topics less inviting than dancing and reading. Completing a chapter will bring closer the day (or rather days and weeks)when I shall have to steel myself to the disappointment of rejection by publishers.

A letter to the Speccie is due, for all that it may well be rejected. The theme will be the danger of sacred texts. 'Moderate' Islam, by definition demands recognising the Koran and Mahomet as fallible. I will quote Ibn Khaldun. Maybe there will be a similar opportunity at Southwell on 23 May after the Islam/Christian Adult Ed. lecture. Simon's departure from Southwell for Winchester come September is the other Southwell news.

I never went dancing on Wednesday, but made up for that last night at the Comfort Hotel. Two dances with the lovely Anna and a delicious whirling bachata with a blonde German lady in a sparkly top. AND a terrific salsa with a hitherto unknown black lady. I wish I could remember their names.

A brief note from Marek was welcome. I wonder whether work or pleasure is keeping him from his country seat. So, tomorrow (before dancing at the Robin Hood Experience):

1. The 'texts' chapter will be finished, informed by the 'Who Wrote the Bible?' book and made accessible by refs. to Brit. historiography.

2. The UWDC folder will be read afresh as prep. for Thursday's course. Better make a list of tel. contacts.

3. Book keeping system will be set up.

4. A Speccie letter will be written.

A new pupil starts Tuesday and a pupil of yore recommenced last week.