So much, then, for my rather feeble attempts at erudition. 'Bring back the cookies and the custard creams', seemed to be the general consensus from followers when I saw them on Friday, so, other than to tell you that I read, with pleasure, J,M. Coetzee's 'Waiting for the Barbarians' and Ian McEwan's 'On Chesil Bank' over the weekend, and then to pass on P.D. James' wonderful comment about Jane Austen, viz: 'Mills and Boon, written by a genius', I will, I promise, return to more simple pleasures, and will let you know as it happens, what is being guzzled when - and how, and where.

Whilst greeting my global followers the other day, I completely forgot, of course, to offer any salautation to those in Tokyo, and I am delighted to welcome new followers who have connections out there. This is the blog that you've heard about, and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Tonight, so far, I've heard all about a lost tooth, a 'really cool' pair of new shoes, trips to the theatre, and many other obviously much-appreciated vacational activities, but tonight's highlight, which occurred during 'silent reading', following the appreciation of 'Top Gear' by fellow petrolheads in our sitting room, involved my hearing an ominous 'clonk' as I entered a certain dorm, which I won't name, other than to say that it's occupied by Heronians.

The offending item, I discovered, was a projectile, launched from one side of the room to the other.

'And what is the cause of this clonking noise?' I enquired.

'Oh drat. On the first day, too.' the launcher's owner replied.

I removed the offending weapon, which is, I have to say, hardly on a scale equivalent to anything used by the Romans, or even Robin Hood, and walked triumphantly with it into our quarters. Thanks, Beano.

To return to Newton on a winter's night, and to 'bed-making' must be the very icing on the proverbial cake.

See? It didn't take me long to return to food ..... !