I'm so sorry. I haven't, despite what the boys think, been ill again: I was away yesterday, as Mrs C and I always are on Tuesdays, and today I've been fraternising with the former Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion. I say fraternising, but actually I was one of many at the Loughborough Grammar School who had the pleasure of listening to him speak and read some of his writings. Very interesting - and an excellent lunch, too!

Well, so much for the bug 'abating' then. I can't say we're complaining about an extra day off, even if it simply offers a chance to write all those tutor comments. I hope you will all enjoy the extended weekend, too. Let's hope that the wretchedness goes away very soon and that all will be as right as rain very soon.

Mr Randolph looked after Newton last night, and obviously made a very good job of it as far as the boys were concerned: they asked him to 'come again soon'! His help, of course, enabled Mrs C and me to get our weekly fix of Holby City dramas and I was delighted to discover that Mrs Beauchamp (Connie) has seen sense and returned to the fold. And just in case you're thinking that people like us shouldn't watch trash like that, remember that I'm aware of some of your own televisual preferences, dear Followers - and I even know that one of you records every episode of one particular programme. My lips are sealed, of course.

I can't believe that any of the readers of this blog would ever listen to any other radio station but Radios 3 or 4, of course, but just in case you should ever tune into what people call 'Radio 2' (yes, it really exists), you might be aware of Sir Terry Wogan's group of fans called 'togs'. I'm told that this stands for 'Terry's Old Geezers'. I wonder what soubriquet I should find for NFN readers?! Any ideas ..... ?!