Schneigh!

Today has been a very good day. I went for a walk from London Bridge to Waterloo with Fred in the morning sun, taking in the Formed Thoughts and a cup of tea at the Jerwood Gallery.

I then headed home to attend the Save West Norwood Library protest. The library has been shut since thieves stole the copper roof for the third time and torrential rain flooded the building, damaging the electrics. It's since been discovered that there's asbestos in the roof - an added complication that has added money to the bill. Lambeth council are moving the temporary library from a pathetic roof too far away to a building (the Old Library) nearer West Norwood centre. However, I fear that it will have a pathetically small space, again. In the meantime, there are rumbles that the library may lose a dedicated building and be shoehorned into the Old Library permanently or move to the new community hub, which will be mainly a sports centre. The friends of West Norwood library wish the existing building to be reopened - it's a good, large space and is much missed. It was always very busy in there.

At the protest, I met all the local councillors. The Lambeth councillor said there was a lot less money available and she needed ideas on how the library could be kept running. Same old story... An elderly Jamaican man heard this and came over and set her straight, telling her that the government had more than enough money to save the library. He collared her for quite a while. I met lots of interesting folk, some of whom are neighbours and whom I had never seen or met. We're going to keep at the council. Grrrrrr.

Fred and I ventured to The Ritzy in Brixton for a double-bill of our making - The Artist followed by The Descendants. Both films were superb, but I preferred The Artist by miles. If you haven't already seen it, go now - it's definitely a film to see in the cinema.

Stepping out into the night, several inches of snow had fallen and it was still coming down. We walked home, passing snowball fights and snowmen. It's going to be traffic chaos, even though all the main roads and pavements have been well and truly gritted. This is London, after all.