Tessa Hadley at the UEA on Wednesday last: 'I feel incomplete if I am not recording life.' Yes.

On a walk near Framlingham, Suffolk, yesterday I saw fifteen hares in one field, doing in February the scatty things they are supposed to do in March.

Saw brilliant Ian McKellen's 80th birthday one-man show yesterday in which he praised Shakespeare's humanity. Came away wondering whether our government has any sense of humanity whatsoever.

Am going through the fifty short stories recommended in the Guardian 2nd February. Some new (to me) delights such as Deborah Eisenberg.

And A Dance to the Music of Time, Poussin (for Anthony Powell readers)?

The amazing Sir Ian McKellen raised £45,025.79 by his 80th-birthday performances at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. The funds will go to the theatre's education and community programmes.

Countering the novel's 'drift towards inauthenticity' - Rachel Cusk at Waterstones after speaking at the UEA, Norwich last night. I was completely won over by her.

One in a million on the People's Vote march. It's time the nice people won.

I cannot believe that the American people support their administration's policies on Iran which impede the relief of Iran's catastrophic flooding. Apparently they do. Shame on them!

Wonderful evening with the Berlin Philharmonic. Haitink conducting Bruckner 7

As a consistently generous bunch of people, could we ask for your help spreading the word about the new Nan Shepherd Prize? We’re seeking writers underrepresented in nature writing and offering a £10k book deal, mentoring and literary representation. Follow @nanprize for more.

Our family in 1961. 5 April Cat taken to vet with abscess on his foot. 6 April Cat home again, foot bandaged. 7 April Cat kept indoors because of foot. 8 April Cat such a nuisance he has been moved to greenhouse. 11 April Mum went to Hillingdon hospital because of cat bite.

Julie Umerle and Kathryn Thomas today at the Lee Krasner exhibition, the Barbican, bringing the paintings to life.

Heatwave reading arrived this morning. Congratulations, Helen. Helen Young #BreakfastInBogota

Proud to have been among the crowdfunders for #BreakfastInBogota Helen Young. Helen's novel has a great setting, strong characters, pace, romance, betrayal and at its heart an uprising in Colombia, 1948, little known in the UK but relevant today.

Not much sign of the 'painted lady invasion' in our Ipswich garden, but more of these gatekeepers (hedge browns) than ever before. They dote on marjoram.

I know Turn End well and love it. Appeals to me as the original 'safe space'. For limited public opening see @TurnEndTrust

It was brilliant to be among so many sharp, contributive brains, all of them devoted to writing. Superbly led by Katherine Angel.

Have just finished reading The Last Wife by Karen Hamilton. It's brilliant. Every page brings a new revelation as Marie fights to find her way in a world of lies and half-truths. Delighted that it's even better than Karen's bestseller The Perfect Girlfriend.

Oh my, oh my, looks like a good one Karen! 😘😘😘