Lockdown Day 62: A knight out ...

... and a day mostly in. Did take a walk and pop in to the local garden centre where I saw this chap. Would love to have him in my garden, although I’m not sure where I would put him. He could hold up one end of the washing line I suppose. He does have an underlying health condition of course, which is why he is shielding himself...

Halfway through yet another great day "at" the Hay Festival as I write this, a wonderful conversation between Elif Shafak and Philippe Sands. Then after that Afua Hirsch delivering the Christopher Hitchens annual lecture although I confess to nodding off for a few minutes due to cramming in a very good roast dinner in between events. It is almost inevitable for a man of my age to stay awake after a Sunday roast and a walk.

My biggest personal success was getting a fab home made loaf out of my new space age dough mould. It looks like a wobbly Teflon handbag but doesn’t half work well ...

Postscript:

A friend of mine in America challenged me to produce a rap song about the philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Don’t ask me why it’s a long story. So here goes ...

My name is Bentham but you can call me Ben or Jerry
I’m the real thinking deal from the 19th century
I started reading Latin at the age of three
And soon started growing my philosophy
People are free, It’s a fundamental axiom 
But they also need welfare so yo gonna have to tax ‘em
Let’s reform the prisons. You will see
That the gaoler will have no salary
But the greatest happiness of the greatest number
As philosophy goes was that a bit dumb and dumber?
Cos if you take it to it’s logical conclusion
You can screw the individual in all the confusion
It’s really really relevant in a time of pandemic
Utility means lockdown unless you’ve got an automatic 
I believed in rights for women and animals too
But Donald Trump’s America is just a fucking zoo
So I’m Jerry Bentham you need me still today
Post Covid man I can show you the way...