23 April

St George's Day. Shakespeare's birthday. Shakespeare was probably born in modern Syria; Marlow wrote most of St George's poems. I ZoomSkype with R and drink some English beer. We will try to do it in the flesh next year.

Since you are certainly interested, this year's top ten alternative English National Anthems Are:

Come on England -- Merry Hell
England Green and England Grey -- Reg Meuross
Place Called England -- June Tabor
Albion -- Chris Wood
Jerusalem -- Chris Wood
That One By Show of Hands -- Show of Hands
God Save the People -- Grace Petrie
The World Turned Upside Down -- Billy Bragg (Leo Rosselson)
Literally Anything By Jake Thackray -- Jake Thackray
Slave Chase -- Blackbeard's Tea Party

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5yiShmtgVeNhrsr5oFW0iH?si=rPWopZlMREmRSrNKtUIQbQ

Went for my constitutional walk yesterday afternoon. Took out my phone to check on the pedometer that I hadn't done more than 10,000 steps. Three Yoofs with no shirts and bicycles wanted to know why I was taking photos of them. I said I wasn't. They seemed to concede the point. But we aren't all becoming paranoid? Are there really mobs of people roaming the parks taking snapshots of people who are not being sufficiently anti-socai?