Sunday, 10.46pm

My internet’s being frighteningly slow. I assume that’s because by now absolutely everyone is holed up in their homes streaming stuff. Broadband providers should have prepared for this. There’s obviously going to be extra strain on the … wires, or waves, or whatever internet runs on, during extreme weather. If they can get wi-fi on a plane surely they can make it work for me. I had to stop re-watching Gavin & Stacey half way through. I nearly cried. Anyway, without iplayer co-operating I have had to move on to Netflix, which I luckily put off starting my 30 day trial on, waiting for the optimum moment to make the best use of the free films. This is definitely it. So I looked for a tv drama to get suitably engrossed in. Oddly, I picked the 1994 BBC production of Middlemarch. It was a strange decision as I’m not exactly a sucker for a period drama and I also am generally against watching a tv series before reading the book. But this is a hurricane, all normal laws are suspended. Anything could happen, I’m letting LOOSE. I’ve watched one episode and I am already hooked. Why doesn’t Lydgate stand up to the banker man?? And why is Dodo’s new husband being so mean to her!? And why does Fred assume Mary wants to marry him? And why do all the women ride side-saddle? I know it’s dainty but my God, it’s definitely dangerous.