Outpouring

Good to hear the ScaryKnackers are largely unharmed, if now as seedless as British tennis.

Another former Labour Minister who fell out with Blair dies after a “fall”. It's getting scary isn't it? Anyway, bye Mo. A woman of integrity and oft-forgotten massive intellect, a rare thing in Nu Labour c.1997 (hell, c.now.) You have to love a woman who provoked Ian Paisley (I will not use Dr or Rev for him, he got both titles from an unaccredited US correspondence college) into fulminating 'that accursed woman has brought sodomites into Stormont!'

I have spent a lot of time in Northern Ireland, and always rave about it as a holiday destination. It really is beautful. The mountains of Mourne are proper LOTR territory, Newcastle is a lovely little seaside town, and Belfast is a great night out. A lot like Cardiff, only the police drive grey bulletproof Land Rovers and the accents are a bit different (and the women are a lot better looking). A Welsh accent is useful there - to one side I am a fellowed oppressed Celt, to the other, a holder of Her Majesty's passport.....

Album of the week: Word Gets Around, by the Stereophonics. A lovely collection of vignettes of Valleys life.

Question on exam paper:
1. Write a sentence using the word 'judicious'.
Child A's answer: 'Everyone agreed it was a judicious move to make.'
Child B's answer: 'He always made judicious deals.'
Child C's answer: 'Hands that judicious can feel soft as your face....'

Boom-tish!