Henry in Brass

Nathan and I are watching the X Factor and Downton Abbey. I'm pleased to report that Nathanael, who played the role of Henry in Brass, has finally made it onto the screen. They didn't show any of his first round audition, which can't really bode well for his future in the competition, but we've just seen him getting through the first stage of Boot Camp. I felt like a proud father. They're doing Boot Camp at The Grove, which is a sort of spa-type hotel up near Potters Bar. We spent a wonderful weekend there with Matt and the gang, probably ten years ago. It was a ludicrously hot weekend, and we spent most of our time in the swimming pool which the ludicrous contestants were flinging themselves into just to get on telly. I remember trying to play tennis on a Tarmac pitch next to the pool in bare feet. The bottom of my feet burned because it was so hot.

It's been a hugely tough day and I've done little but sit on our sofa working on Brass. There's now a me-shaped dent in the leather cushion. I am getting there though. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and finally feel like I'm in a train hurtling towards it. 

The only break in the monotony was a little jaunt towards Queen's Wood to take photographs of Nathan's latest knitting designs. We found a bush with berries on it which were exactly the same colour as his epic Genesis shawl which is a glorious fusion of oranges and greens.

Speaking of knitting, Nathan was away for much of the morning, running a knitting workshop, teaching people how to knit brioche style, which I gather is a technique, not dissimilar to double knitting, which creates a very sculptural and stretchy fabric. You see? I'm learning.