Must be decades since I last saw The Crucible so when a friend rang with a last minute invitation to yesterday's matinée at the National, it seemed quite fresh and new - I only remembered the gist of it. Thoroughly enjoyed the production which sadly seems more relevant today than at any time since McCarthyism. Of course, I'd never heard of Erin Doherty - although my friend assured me that she's a famous model turned actress. It was only when I read the reviews that I recognised Princess Anne from The Crown.

Another book I've struggled with. It sounded so promising, too, as it's the fictionalised story of Kim Philby and the woman spy who recruited him, written by Philby's granddaughter. Fair enough,the life of real spies is nothing like as exciting as James Bond - but oh, this dragged and let's just say that Charlotte Philby is no John le Carré. It's hard work, a tricksy, fractured structure and I kept losing track of who's who and then losing interest. (If you're into housewife spies, I far preferred Ben Macintyre's Agent Sonya.) But I was interested in finding out more about Edith Tudor-Hart who seems a sad, lonely, obsessive character. This documentary Tracking Edith sounds fascinating - if only I could track it down.

An aged Pope desperate to retire ... yes, it did seem very apposite this week. Two fantastic performances, Anton Lesser as lonely, ascetic Benedict - like a modern-day Thomas More - and Nicholas Woodeson as the reluctant Cardinal Bergoglio. Quite the best play I can remember seeing at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. (There is a limited tour coming up so do look out for it if you're near Oxford/Bath/Northampton.)

There is a lovely fresh-start, sharp pencils, back-to-school feel about September - all the more enjoyable for not actually going back to school which would be my worst nightmare ever (one I still occasionally have when under stress). I'm going to Learn New Things and Never Procrastinate Again, Ever and Embrace Marie Kondo. Well,here I am at 3pm and I've done one load of washing, read a good chunk of Family Roundabout because I pulled it down from the shelf and why not, haven't done any work yet and there's a biblical downpour so I haven't gone out yet either ... But I have booked my ticket for Cézanne. So that's something.

Anybody else struggle with this? I am dragging myself very slowly through to the finishing line - book group choice, wouldn't you know, and no excuse as we've had two months over the summer to read it. And I'd swear it grows 50 pages longer on the bedside table every night ... why does every mediocre novel have to be so long these days? I thought it was going to be about salvaging Renaissance paintings after the war ... but that barely features, and the only interesting character disappears until p191 by which time I was thoroughly bored with the rest of them. 'Moving, wise, poetic and funny,' said the Daily Mail. 'Contrived, over-blown and doesn't know when to stop,' is my verdict. Oh, for a savage red pen to cut out the adjectives!

There's definitely a hint of autumn in the air, so who knows how many balmy evenings are still in store? Holland Park is such a lovely setting for opera and we really enjoyed last night's performance of Vaughan Williams' Sir John in Love, sitting in the front row in big, comfy armchairs ... if only other theatres would copy! A last-minute decision mid-afternoon, so no time to organise a picnic ... decades ago, when I must have had more energy, we used to have huge, elaborate picnics in the park before the performance. (Showed my friend the railings where I got bloodily impaled after we got locked in after closing time - shudder! I was never the type who could clear a fence with a skip and a jump!) As I'm deeply immersed in a food history project right now, I was giggling at that Shakespearean insult, 'You Banbury cheese!' ... and wondered how many of the audience would get it. As for "let the sky rain potatoes ... hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes" ... I could have pointed them to a rather tasty pie recipe.

Oh dear, it's been two months - is Mrs M displaying any vital signs? I don't like to declare her dead after so many years! She's still gadding about but has lost the urge to write. I felt like I hadn't been to the theatre for ages - although looking at the sidebar, it's more that I haven't seen anything I've particularly enjoyed. But last night's Much Ado at the National was a brilliant night out on a warm evening - balmy stroll across the river, quick Pimm's to get in the mood, and Shakespeare that was as 'wow' as any big West End musical. Lots of laughs and fabulous sets and costumes - I'd happily go again tonight!