Whew!

I began the day at Mother's...ran out of the front of the house to see her safely off on a lunch outing, and then realised. as I turned back, that I'd locked myself out. Ooops. Fortunately my bedroom window was open - the small one, at the top - so was able to scramble up and stick an arm in and open the larger window and clamber in...

This evening, a lecture sponsored by the Institute of Economic Affairs, by Prof James Tooley, talking about how small low-cost independent schools are helping the world's poorest people. He began his teaching career in a tax-funded school in Zimbabwe. His insights into the reality of education in poor areas in China, Africa and India were fascinating, and well-researched, and challenge many fashionable assumptions. His book The Beautiful Tree will be worth reading (click on that link to find out more). Info distributed about how we can help with scholarships, donating books, etc, look here.

I had parked my bike in a nearby street, and slipped away as the lecture ended, was due to meet J. and an old family friend at the Lansdowne Club. As I unlocked the bike's padlock, my hand slipped and the key clattered down and vanished into the basement area of the dark empty house, sealed off from me by railings and a locked gate. Gulp. Cycled off through St James' Park, filled with people returning from Beating Retreat at nearby Horseguards. Thought all the time about how to get that key back...

Delicious dinner with J. and Uncle B., family reminiscences,a happy time. Lateish, back to the house in Queen Anne Street and with J's help I clambered up over the high railings and used the bike lamp to hunt for the keys. Found them. Clambered back. Home through the warm summer night. We are going to a wedding in Austria this weekend.