Diary

7 February 2009

I saw Henry VIII last Monday.

Everyone also talks about the ox having the characteristics of fortitude and determination. Boris Johnson said exactly that in his video message at Trafalgar Square. But I am afraid that is not how it works for the Chinese horoscope — for otherwise, the rat would always be treacherous, the rabbit innocent, and the snake poisonous and cunning. Yet it is a howler to associate the usual animal traits with each of the Chinese signs. For an accurate understanding, you will have to consult the Chinese almanac and think Chinese — just as you would for the answer to the question: ‘Why were Adam and Eve not Chinese?’ Answer: ‘They would have eaten the snake!’

On ‘oh snow’ Monday, I was all set to meet Premier Wen at Buck House at 7 p.m. Then at 3 p.m., I received a message saying that the event had been cancelled because Heathrow could not guarantee the Chinese Premier’s departure after 6 p.m. and so he had decided to take off earlier. It was incredible to me that a little snow could have caused such havoc all over England. (I think I know why: you Brits only conquered hot places for your Empire — except for America, which you swiftly lost.) Anyway, the BAA should be ashamed for being so pathetically useless in clearing a runway or two. What would be the point of having a third one? Mind you, I also heard the rumour that the real reason for the Palace cancellation was because the Chinese Premier became so angry when a shoe was thrown at him, à la Bush, at Cambridge in the afternoon that he felt he had had enough of Britain. Without my VIP engagement, I decided to go to the flicks and watch Valkyrie to find out how von Stauffenberg was frustrated (not by the weather) in his assassination attempt on the Führer.