“A spring as charming as any in the last… full employment then, of course… all woman… so much woman… clipped by Sweden!… the curse again… rigged… marvellous performance… simply marvellous… packed house… tramped the South Downs the next day… summer just endless, but eternal… never had it so good…. oh, and Ireland…. they always do, don’t they… champagne instead of cava… not the same thing at all, no… oh, and Croatia…. rubbish…. bloc voting… her hands on the steering wheel… that dress… lasted past October, then wilted… scalding hot, wasn’t she?…. first Christmas away from home… hearing the floorboards creak… covered in needles… SCALDING hot… “infinitely poorer if it wasn’t for you”… under canvas… Portugal!… they do a lovely PX though.. the gleam of the baubles in your eye… so much woman!… full employment… still using cassettes… nostalgia… nonsense… bullshit… desire… recording… brandy… memories. xx”