Dear Petra

We really enjoyed your gig last night, I like the Buffer Bar as a venue. It's only a short bus ride from home, has wooden floors and red wood trimmings, and some sort of air conditioning.. or a fan at least, so it never gets too hot or smoky. We had friends in all the bands, and there seemed to be good vibes and general happiness in the air. I was a amazed - perhaps I forgot - how well you and Mary play bass and guitar together.

People really were dancing and enjoying your music and it sounded great.

Now that my birthday is over I'm hoping things will get better. By the 17th of February winter is usually over its worse. Stalker Nick hasn't tried to contact me, and I've begun to notice that it doesn't get dark quite so early. I've been doing a lot of over time these last few weeks and on Friday I was given the day off.

One whole day to do as I please.

And although very cold it was brilliantly sunny.

I got up early and worked on my sculpture for a while and then around about 11 I went out on my bike, riding through F-Park with the sun in my eyes. I really had forgotten.. all those brain dead tube journeys to Grey Town Suburb. My life in front of that screen.

A large black crow took a bath in a muddy puddle about 2 ft away from me.

I rode over the iron foot bridge and through some Victorian streets to the art shop, then I went back through the park to the post office depot to pick up a parcel. Some gipsy's had encamped by the car park out side the post office, and when they saw my bike a group of kids rushed over: 'can I have your light? can I have your saddle' I decided against leaving my bike out side and took it into the post office with me. All of this I appreciated because it was different to the norm.. even ordinary things like going to the supermarket was different.. it was even the same chain of supermarkets... but I had my bike with me and it wasn't Grey Town Suburb.

I filled my saddlebag up with healthy food and cycled back through the park.

Later I walked up to Lowbury Barn, to the expensive delicatessens, and the health food shop. I don't think I'd dream so much about moving and the country if I actually got to spend my time in my own locality. There are beautiful Victorian houses, good food sold in small shops, goats, deer and turtles as you walk through the park to Stoke Newington.... where there are pubs and restaurants and second hand book shops..

Yesterday Vimco and I sat in one of these pubs drinking Belgiun beer and eating bar snacks, the sound of dice falling on back gammon boards behind us.

To be able to afford these simple pleasures I spend most of my time in an anonymous 1980s red brick office block next to a barren and very polluted main road. The road runs for 10 miles right into the very heart of London, passing large shopping centres, sofa warehouses and cut price DIY super stores on its way.

I was able to make a good start on my new sculpture this weekend. The idea is to cast it in separate parts.. head, body, legs, and arms. That way when I want to make a different character I can reuse bits ... the same legs and arms and just make a new head and upper body. This will be my fourth figure and I'm begining to feel like I'm really learning from my mistakes.

ms gunn