There is not in all England a town so blatantly picturesque as Tilling,
nor one, for the lover of level marsh land, of tall reedy dykes, of
enormous sunsets and rims of blue sea on the horizon, with so fortunate
an environment. The hill on which it is built rises steeply from the
level land, and, crowned by the great grave church so conveniently close
to Miss Mapp’s residence, positively consists of quaint corners,
rough-cast and timber cottages, and mellow Georgian fronts. Corners and
quaintnesses, gems, glimpses and bits are an obsession to the artist,
and in consequence, during the summer months, not only did the majority
of its inhabitants turn out into the cobbled ways with sketching-blocks,
canvases and paintboxes, but every morning brought into the town
charabancs from neighbouring places loaded with passengers, many of whom
joined the artistic residents. E. F. Benson

I have lately been absorbed in two rather different streams of preoccupation: 1) reading E. F. Benson; and, 2) playing on-line games. Neither is especially intelligent; both are entertaining. I am particularly proud of my current status on Traffic GO! It is my first venture into the monotony and persuasion of on-line games. I have surpassed Super Mink, Laura Evans, Lovely Cat, Bake with Beth, Kind Katie 78, Green Pony, Philosophic Swan, GleamingOrchid and Garden Queen. I’m at the top of the play board for the Silver League with 8,620 points. My on-line gaming name is Duffy St. James (a pseudonym I claimed years ago whenever the necessity of a sobriquet arose).

The on-line stuff is so entrancing I make a point of avoiding it until I’ve done everything else I feel I must do. Not that there is much competition for dominance. But I do like to get a bit of exercise on occasion. The daily car drive is perhaps a necessity – I feel it would be such a pity to allow the car go to waste when it is so obviously keen to travel about and exert its individuality and character.

The matter of E. F. Benson is by far less toxic and more improving overall. For one thing, it doesn’t escape my attention that Tilling and Almonte have much in common, not the least of which is its successful artistic community.  I am also mindful that the Gemmill estate (whose ancestors were from England) had considerable to do with the local woollen industry and the increasing benefits of Gemmill Park where are located the recreation hall, sports track, tennis courts and rolling hills (ideal for summer concerts).

My predecessor in the practice of law was Raymond Algernon Jamieson QC.  I remember him remarking years ago – to my surprise – that in addition to stamp collection he was fond of American politics.  At the time (1976) I thought it most peculiar that an elderly country lawyer (he was 84 years old) would find anything attractive in American politics.  Well, almost half a century later, I am now of the same opinion as he. I spent the afternoon listening to Patriot on SiriusXM.  The highlight today was Megyn Kelly. Judging by the applause from her live audience it is safe to say that a majority of Americans have abandoned the obscurity of logic in favour of the assuaging mentality of insolation. They are burned out having to parse information. It is so much easier to reduce all problems and technicality to Them and US. Vulgarity – that is, the mass element of commonality – is the rule. It is – by the assessment of its mutuality – as committed as any other form of socialism (though I have no doubt they’d prefer autocracy to communism).  It does however resolve a question I have had for some time; namely, what do they see in Trump? I do not for example credit him with any degree of intelligence; his ruthless claim to “success” is but a base expression of confusion. But he clearly knows where opportunity for himself exists and he has perhaps the less than enviable talent of recognizing power and authority.

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