It's late, my friends, but all is well. The end of term is upon us and things seem to be winding up or down as they should at the moment - but it would be very foolish of me to assume that nothing untoward will occur between now and Saturday! Mr B has been on duty tonight, but please don't imagine for a moment that I've been idle: there is much to do and these so-called 'nights off' at this time of the term involve more than just thumb-twiddling.

Tom has a friend from Germany staying at the moment, and I fear that my own knowledge of their language goes back to O level in 1967. So when I tried saying 'Ich habe Deutschen gelernen wenn ich war am den Schule, aber ich habe alles vergessen' (which I actually thought was pretty impressive), the response I received from our Teutonic guest was 'I can tell that, actually'. And I suppose, in a funny sort of way, I should have been pleased by that. I have to admit that said friend is one of the most amusing young people I have ever come across, as his comedic timing is second to none.

He did, though, think my rendition of Beethoven's 'Pathetique' sonata was pretty commendable, and gave it a good mark. I had to learn it when I was am den Schule, you see, and it's amazing how such things stay with one for the rest of one's days. That, and Rachmaninoff's C sharp minor Prelude: those are the two pivotal moments, I think. If you have the time, do listen to both works, and then, if you're feeling vaguely melancholic for any reason, may I recommend the second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto in A major, K 488? Stunning. Try it. Oh go on, you can download it from iTunes, or whatever they're called. (And if you really want a good cry, then the slow movement of Shostakovitch's 2nd Piano Concerto will finish you off.)

Enjoy - and gute nacht.