News Roundup

I'm writing this from another computer (the B&B's) and have ten minutes to write this post.

So...I thought I'd throw a few thoughts down.

1. Grandpa South is up with us for a couple of weeks. Hence schedule has gone out of the window. Nice to have him here. Must get his reminiscences about World War II down on paper or video or something. Like his son he has a few tales to tell. Including guarding the Royal Family at Windsor Castle during the War. Hates talking about it but it is all fascinating to hear none the less.

2. We've managed to gather together some photos from the computer crash of a few months ago. I'm looking on the bright side that we didn't lose everything. There is a lot we still do have.

3. The Summer season has been incredibly busy and we've enjoyed it. Bookings beginning to come in for next year already!

4. There are lots of things I do want to talk about but don't want to spoil the broth. I'm too aware and perhaps too superstitious that if I talk about them here before they are ready to be hatched then...everything will go to pot. So I'll talk about them at the right time.

5. I've got onto the Vindolanda dig next April 2011 - first time for me. Can't wait!

6. Will do an update of my "annus horribilis" (horrible year) some time. I know I promise you lots of things on this blog and then somehow don't deliver. I want to deliver...but it is all in my head and I hope to get them to the page/blogosphere at some point. In my life I do usually achieve my aims (and ambitions) so, mark my words, I'm pretty determined to get them all done. (In the meantime have stopped promising. Maybe watch this space?)

7. You may have noticed that I've started Tweetering or Twittering. Despite my initial scepticism I'm finding it hugely rewarding. If I'm not blogging you'll find me there mostly. Try it. It's good fun! (Haven't quite got to grips with Facebook as yet. Possibly a lack of time?) BTW Stephen Fry is back!

8. The funny thing is...as this country gets more miserable about life in general...I feel that I'm getting more and more cheery about it all. I'm hoping it is age and that I'm getting older and more wiser. Or perhaps just gone a bit daft in the heed? (Southern translation : head).

9. Read recently in my favourite magazine "The Radio Times" a most wonderful paragraph by Eddie Mair of the PM programme on Radio 4 (RT current edition p.133). "Somewhere in the mists of time (ie, I can't be bothered checking) ...Respected financial institutions were collapsing like Chilean mines and taxpayers were bailing out banks with enormous cheques which, curiously, for once didn't take three days to clear." Forget Robert Peston and Nick Robinson ...give me Eddie Mair any time for summing up the financial debacle in a mere 28 words. Sheer brilliance.

9 mins. 55 seconds and counting: Back soon!!!!

(P.S.: Where for great ideas come from? "Go for a walk; cultivate hunches; write everything down; but keep your folders messy; embrace serendipity; make generative mistakes; take on multiple hobbies, frequent coffee houses and other liquid networks; follow the links; let others build on your ideas; borrow, recycle, reinvent." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11706476 I'll also Twitter this article. There's a short video there as well.)

P.P.S.: I do bank bash I admit it. I'm also trying to do it in a constructive way. I am enthralled by the City of London i.e. by those who made it both financially and physically and historically. Always have been. The banks really do need to pull up their socks. They need to wake up to the fact that they need us...the little guys. The depositors as well as the borrowers. And when they do wake up...I'll stop bashing them.)

P.P.P.S.: I urge you all to pop over to Dumdad's blog. I've never awarded him an award which is absolute laziness on my part. It is brill. His blog is all that I aspire mine to be. I will scale those dizzy heights one day. I hope. Cheers Dumdad! I hereby convert my earlier virtual award to a real rollickin' good read award! Image created by Little Miss H. Text added by her ma.