All those people were bozos who would just take our money and laugh at us - the past week at work

Monday

News this morning that Gary (Assistant Librarian in the Reading Room downstairs) became a father over the weekend of a baby boy.  He looked bashful and proud when he came upstairs to tell everyone about it.  Later a card was circulated and a collection made.

Endless struggle to get things up to date.

In the afternoon a meeting with Simon C to discuss a campaign plan.  He is supposed to be in line to take Keith Chandler's position as Campaign Manager.  Northern, bearded, twitchy.

Tuesday

A day's holiday.  In the morning I stayed at home and read books.  Endless rain.

In the afternoon I went to look at a building scheduled for demolition.  Wayside plot in the middle of nowhere, with yews, holly trees, and diseased stumps covered in fungi.  Broken flagpole.

Sir Ninian Comper had been the architect.  Scintillating 1902 timber-framed structure Germanic in style.  High facades, arched windows of clear glass, tiny bell turret.

I was mystified - why should such a showy structure, by such an exalted architect, be put up in a remote spot where few would see it and fewer still appreciate its refined symbolic language?

The building was visibly crumbling, with the timbers rotten and the brick and plaster in-filling cracked and falling apart.  Sir Ninian's exquisite design had been put up using shoddy materials and what money had been available had obviously gone into fashionable effect at the expense of sustainable durability.  I particularly liked the castellated rainwater heads to the drainpipes.

Inside it was disappointingly empty - there had already been a clear-out.  East window by Sir Ninian Comper added in 1920 as a memorial to the fallen of the First World War.  Very depressing to see all this desolation - could nothing have been done to save it?

Wednesday

At my desk I drank coffee and thought about the day ahead. 

I drafted an article for a magazine and dealt with e-mails as they came in.

Once again a wasted lunchbreak spent at the dry cleaners.

In the afternoon Alec Nussbaum suddenly appeared, talking to Director Vijay Singh in the Reception area as if they were old friends.  Anne Boswell-Urquhart was with them, looking around with proprietorial interest.  I went over to the photocopier so I could hear what they were saying.

"In a way Gordon Brown was a true revolutionary" said Alec Nussbaum, "he altered the balance of British society by expanding the public sector so that a worrying percentage of voters now have a vested interest to vote socialist."

Thursday

All of today spent in meetings discussing our website and general internet strategy.  Simon C wanted to employ a digital communications agency. I told him all those people were bozos who would just take our money and laugh at us.

Friday

Gary came in with his new son, and was gushed over by the admin team.