Many years ago, I was the keyboard player for a band that was organised by someone called George Stiles. George has gone on to make many squillions of pounds as a writer of successful musicals, and I'm writing this daily blog. Not that I'm jealous, of course.

The reason I tell you that is that the Newton entertainment last night was supplied by courtesy of Tom, our 18 year old, drummer and bass guitarist. (And Grade 8 bassoonist.) I asked him whether he would care to demonstrate his musical prowess to the residents, and, before he went out to play drums for a jazz band in a hostelry somewhere (more about that in a moment), he put on the song 'Hysteria' by Muse. Now I don't whether you are familiar with the works of Muse, but if you are, you will know that the bass guitar part is pretty demanding. Notwithstanding that, Tom put the track through his speakers, and, as they say, 'took it away'. The Newtonians were spellbound. I don't think they could quite believe what they were seeing! I have to admit, it was pretty good. No, it was amazing. And for those who didn't get tickets for last night's perfomance. he's agreed to a second gig tomorrow night.

I had a great day yesterday, and thank you for your good wishes. It culminated in an evening round the kitchen table with our friends from Sussex who used to be Newton lodgeparents pre-Smiths, tucking in to an extensive Chinese takeaway from the finest Chinese place in Oxford (imho), which happens, fortuitously, to be in Summertown. Nearing the end of our festivities, Tom returned. I asked him how it had been and, in his own inimitable way, causing us all to collapse with laughter, he regaled us with stories of the gay Chinese keyboard player and instruments that looked as if they had all been homemade. The drumkit, apparently, was put together using parts from a scrapyard.

That's my boy. A chip off the old block. (Or, for our French followers, un frite du vieux bloc.)