The Formal Washington Dinner Party Has All

In Washington, Success Is Just A Training Course For Failure.

Watching The Commons Tribute To Margaret Thatcher Was Like Being Suffocated Inside A Gigantic Sticky Toffee Pudding, But One With Nasty Bogeys Planted Inside. There Was Much Of The 'margaret Thatcher Who Was Lucky Enough To Know Me,' Especially From Her Own Side Of The House.

Kind 'guardian' Readers Have Been Forwarding Me Round Robin Christmas Newsletters For Years Now: Lengthy Missives Full Of Perfect Children, Exotic Holidays, Talented Pets And Endless, Tedious Detail. The Notes That Accompanied Them Revealed They Had Inspired In The Original Recipients Everything From Mild Irritation To Absolute Rage.

Fish Have Water, The Bushmen Of The Kalahari Have Sand, And Houstonians Have Interior Décor.

Life Was So Much Simpler In Pre-video Days When Everyone Refused Invitations Because The 'forsyte Saga' Was On. Now We All Just Have A Long List Of Unwatched Shows, All Of Which, It Seems, Our Friends Are Raving About. I Feel As Outdated As If I Wore A Fair Isle Sweater, Ate Pot Noodle And Had A Two-bar Electric Fire In The Sitting Room.