Grateful: Day 84 - 13

I was up ON TIME today! After a lovely evening (delicious food, wonderful company, Inception AND Up In The Air) I slept on Kate's sofa bed and got up for a particular train in the morning. There's nothing like that fixed 'get there or miss it' deadline to get my arse moving.

I liked the beardy man's face. The one sitting opposite me on the Overground. I decided he was Polish, based on No Evidence. He had a little sleep. I had a little look. It wasn't a horny porny kind of like. He just had a lovely face, that's all.

Laundry this morning (wonderful smells) and morning pages, for the first time in a long time. Inspired by Ruth, who writes every day, it seems, and by mentions by Emily Wilkinson. And I wanted to. It's a different kind of writing to this. I love this because it has a focus and because it pulls my mind back to the juice. I love showing up every day and doing this. I don't pre-plan as such, but I do know I'm going to publish it.

Morning pages are just free-form, non-stop writing, for three pages. All sorts of dross comes out. If I'm in public, I find myself writing snippets of what is being said around me. A lot of it is judgemental. Some of it is thoughtful. Some of it makes no sense at all. It's a purgey thing to do. I did that. And I wrote to some beloved friends.

And then... oooh, how good... the theatre, courtesy of Little Jean From The Pond. We went to see 13 at The National. It's a new play by Mike Bartlett, who did an Earthquakey piece which got great reviews. So Jean got tickets and off we went. I love Jean. Have I said that before? She is funny and sharp and intelligent and just very nice. Flanked, I was. Ruth on one side, Jean on the other - you can't beat that.

And the play! See it. Just go. There are still Travelex tickets, I think. Ours were Travelex and we were in the third row. There was a huge cast and every actor was totally on it. It was beautifully designed, directed, paced. It should have been hard to follow - lots of different threads all weaving, making shapes. Characters sharing space, but in different scenes. Dialogue that bounced around, just missing other snippets. The cast was fantastic.

The play was political, and I was interested, deeply interested, throughout. I especially remember Adam James. I decided I'd met him, but in fact I've probably seen him on the telly. He played a dickhead. He managed to make him unlikeable and vulnerable at the same time. He really nailed it. And the girl! There's an 11-year-old girl in the play. Not sure how old the actress was, but still a child. She blew me away.

And the writing was tight and meaningful, every word. Articulate. Concise. Beautifully written parts. Characters saying what you need to get them. Nothing more. So much happened. Some rousing speeches too. There's meaty skill in that, play or no play. Get in, Bartlett. Get in Sharrock (Thea, director). It was physically powerful and beautiful. So well staged.

I had a weep or two (it's been happening more again, but only for good things - no deep sorrow). I wanted most to weep at the end. Tears of 'Well Done, Well Done'. It moves me to see people do things really fucking well. And they did.

Another moving moment - I got the 'save the date' for Esther Lilley's wedding to Daniel (architect, yogi, pirate). Swapped skypeage quickly with her. I showed Ruth Lilley's website (www.peacocktreeyoga.com). How beautiful, we commented. What fabulous pictures. Well done.

So - grateful, then, for Jean's generosity and presence. For another chance to spend lovely time with Ruth. For a real spectacle. If I had a hat on, I'd be busy doffing it as we speak, and doing a little bow. A little bow of thanks.