We went to the new opera house at West Horsley last night. I am incredibly admiring of Wasfi Kani’s astonishing achievement in raising the money and constructing a large-scale opera house from scratch in the green fields of rural Surrey and am glad to see that this year the exterior is not breeze blocks, but decorated brickwork to match (or at least emulate) the amazing brickwork on the façade of the house:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
I met Wasfi at your book launch and know from that that she has a big interest in textiles. Nice to see how much that wall looks like a quilt.
Joan
The brickwork-as-quilt is a delight. Who is her architect?
Tim Ronalds and David Lloyd-Jones, plus good, skilled, Winchester-based contractors. Charles
Off topic … but having just seen the Birthday Honours, huge congratulations for such well deserved recognition of the joy that is the RA today! Helen x
Thank you !! Charles
The “off topic” comment alerted me: Congratulations! I hope this leads to upgrades when you fly to the US!
So do I ! Charles
Congratulations from here too. I do hope that you go on to join the House of Lords at some point. I can remember being delighted when, as a teenager, the impresario Bernie Delfont was ennobled and became Lord Delfont of Stepney (he was educated at the Rochelle Street school). We liked having a local Lord especially when he was one who would appear on the Parkinson TV show and was known for his tap dancing and charleston skills!
You’re having a good year, aren’t you? Long may it continue.
Joan
Can’t do the tap dancing, sadly ! Charles