Dear Nick Hornby,

Knowing you are a rabid enthusiast for FC Arsenal, I thought perhaps you made the journey to Belgrade last night for the Champions League match against Partizan. If so, I was there as well. I was quietly cheering for Arsenal, surrounded by thousands of black-clad, self-proclaimed Gravediggers. Needless to say, I kept my opinions to myself.

The effects of plum brandy slowed the pace for many in the household the day after the wedding. Having only imbibed beer the night before, I was spared these ravages and thus read a great deal of Wolf Hall in the courtyard, enjoying the soft breeze, the aroma of the fruit trees a true delight.

I finished Wolf Hall last night. The novel is a true achievement, not simply an inversion of popular historical views, but an examination of power and its stewards.