Good morning, everyone - and greetings and welcome to any new followers as result of blogvangelising that occurred last night at the Cavalry and Guards Club! I was delighted to meet so many friends and supporters while flying the SF flag over a glass or two of chilled chardonnay and des amuses-bouches.

And talking of amused bouches, it seems that yesterday's deviation from the normal route of witty banter caused some consternation! Well, that's all over now and all seems to be back on track. Fortunately for me, much of the re-railment was executed by Mr Bryan, whom (he's the head of classics, you see, so I have to used the Accusative form of 'who', even though it makes me sound like a butler) I greeted last night, just before midnight. There he was, in our drawing room, conscientiously waiting for our return and the Tuesday night handover. All, it seems, went very well under his watchful eye and guardianship.

Writing this blog each day is an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes, but I was doubly delighted yesterday to be the first recipient of my other journalistic baby, the school magazine. Putting that together was my summer holiday project, and there's always an oxymoronic feeling of excited anxiety when I learn that a few thousand copies have been delivered!

Anyway, that's not really Newton news, but I hope you will enjoy it as you scan the pages over Short Leave - and I hope everyone has a terrific weekend. Mrs C and I are off to Dorset: sheep, sea, sun (we hope) and tranquillity. Oh, and my motor bike, of course.