A London Country Diary

Most people, if they pray, pray for material things – cars, houses, holidays, cash – or stuff like getting someone nice-looking to love them. I’ve always prayed for one thing (and when I say prayed I mean hoped really hard with my eyes closed): that a really good cafe would open up just down the end of my road.

The shopkeeper was not fazed. ‘Bloody Highbury. Every time I bring up some topic of conversation, one of our customers will go, “I’ve written a book about that”.

Everyone has a favourite tree. Don’t they? Like a soulmate, but with bark and leaves and squirrels living in it and dogs pissing against the side of it.