Very close to where new grandson, his mother, father and sister are staying with Grandma D  is a shrine which is something of an eyesore on the green opposite The Flask pub in Highgate.  Yesterday  I walked past the flags and photographs, flowers and tributes erected to the singer George Michael who, I now discover, lived in a house at the top of Highgate West Hill.  Fans were gathered to gawp, add their own dedications and take selfies on the grass.  I should imagine that the residents of this historic part of London are somewhat peeved by the invasion of “pop” tourists.  I know that when I worked off Abbey Road I was forever avoiding hordes of international visitors who would walk out onto the zebra crossing outside the Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles recorded so many songs.  It was intensely annoying to stop to allow  someone to cross and then find that they were stock still in the middle of the road posing for a photograph and intent on walking back they way they had come.  The fans wrote and continue to write messages on the wall outside the Studio.  Their messages are periodically painted over and then it starts all over again.    At least the grandson is not having his sleep disturbed by George’s heartbroken admirers…….else they would have Grandma D and me to deal with!

And before my family accuse me of hypocrisy, I will admit to travelling to The Mall on the Friday morning after the death of Princess Di to gaze at the flowers, read the messages and contribute to the outpouring of grief.  I didn’t tell the family I was going and only let on when we sat down to our weekly Friday night dinner.  They mocked me then and do to this day!