Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day

Here's one that I hope will appear on DVD before long: The Alan Clark Diaries, an upcoming six-part BBC4 adaptation of the steamy jottings of the late Tory minister and serial philanderer. The series will be based on the second edition of the diaries, In Power, covering Margaret Thatcher?s government in the 1980s. The great John Hurt will play Clark; the gorgeous Irish actress Victoria Smurfit is X, his favourite mistress, and the lovely Jenny Agutter is Jane, his long-suffering wife.

Along with all the high drama in the corridors of power, viewers (or is that voyeurs?) and diary connoisseurs like myself are eagerly anticipating the four-in-bed romps featuring Clark and what he used refer to as his "coven" — South African woman Valerie Harkness and both her daughters. Such scenes should help warm up the long nights this winter.

In anticipation, then, and as a tribute to one of the 20th century's most uproarious diarists, Rainy Day presents not one, but two Alan Clark gems in our "Diarist of the day" slot. The first is from January 1984, and the second from December 1990. Both display Clark's brilliance as observer and raconteur:

10 January 1984: "Two boxes arrived this morning, stuffed with PO cases and what officials call 'reading'. First thing, always, on top of all the folders are the grey sheets of diary pages. My heart sank as I looked at the stuffed days, the name of the dreary and supercilious civil servants who will (never singly) be attending. I've got three months of this ahead of me without a break.

At dinner the other night Peter [Morrison], who is a workaholic (not so difficult if you're an unhappy bachelor living on whisky) showed Ian [Gow] and me, with great pride, his diary card for the following day. Every single minute from 8.45 a.m. onwards, was filled with engagements. 'Look, he said. 'How's that for a diary?'

Ian, unexpectedly and greatly to his credit, said, 'If my Private Office produced a schedule like that I'd sack the whole lot, immediately.' "

1 December 1990: [Muscat] "Last night, another huge dinner, given by the distinguished Doctor Omar. In contrast to the previous evening the pleasures of the flesh were much in evidence. Lashings of alcohol — the claret was all '85 and there were some wonderful white Burgundies. Sinuous and scented lovelies shimmered about.

At the end of the meal a belly dancer performed. On and on she went with graceful, but ever more suggestive rhythms. Her stamina was unbelievable and never once did she repeat herself. From time to time she 'fixed' particular guests in their places, a special treat.

There was a French Admiral sitting next to me, his face expressionless. I said, it helps to understand how women can experience ten or eleven orgasms in one night. Myself, three render me complètement, totalement épuisé. Ruefully, he agreed."

Alan Clark, there, irascible, hilarious and ever so human. Let's hope the TV adaptation of his diaries captures his enormous facility with, among other things, words.