Basil Copper RIP

Sad news. I've just learned that another member of the Fantasy Family has died. Basil Copper died in hospital yesterday. He was 89. Although we were not close friends I always found him the perfect gentleman. He also seemed to possess a sense of the mischievousness, as evidenced by the photo I took of him in 2008 at one of the BFS's Open Nights.

[Photo (c) Peter Coleborn]

The Sensible Folly

Paul Cornell twisted my arm at the BFS Open Night last week. He walked away with £2.50, leaving me with an odd-shaped chapbook, The Sensible Folly. Faringdon is not far from Oxford and boasts the folly of which Cornell writes about in this publication. The folly is open to visitors – details here – but Paul may not be on hand to personally sign the chapbook.

Follies are not supposed to have any sensible purpose. But if they encourage people to walk up steep hills – for they inevitably are up on hill tops – they have accomplished something positive. And when my broken ankle bones are truly healed, I aim to embark on more countryside treks again.