My dear friends - as many of you as have stuck with me throughout the year, which probably means that I have but one Follower a night, to whom I offer many thanks for your loyalty! Today is our half day, and despite the fact that Mrs C and I have spent the last seven - or in Mrs C's case, nine - hours marking exam scripts, I was given a permit to spend an hour or so in that well-known staff room annexe called Joe's, where I enjoyed the company of two of my colleagues, sipping cocktails in the sunset. All three of us agreed that we are richly blessed in our work: wonderful colleagues, terrific parents, fantastic boys and a quality of life that most can only dream of. We are very, very fortunate - and we know it.

Tonight in Newton Mr B has been at the helm, and as far I know an even keel has been maintained. I have just stepped back onto the bridge and all seems to be well. So gratias tibi ago to the head of Classics once again.

I was greeted this morning, when I arrived at 7.12am to switch on the BBC News, rather than the more orthodox 7.10am, with 'You're late'. I advised my complainant that he was perfectly capable of switching on the telly himself, and that he didn't need the help of an expert so to do. He agreed.

As for exam marking, well, scripts have ranged from the outstandingly excellent (among which have been those belonging to Newtonians - and sons of readers of this blog) to the, er, not so stunning. In other words, from the Philip Pullmans to the Richard Bransons: and in yet other words, all of them blessed with tremendous potential.

Trust me.