We all went to the Play tonight: it was excellent and greatly enjoyed. So well done, Dr Dean: good to know that the Newton flag is still flying in as many areas of the school as possible. And between my various assistants, Messrs Dean, Bryan, Porter and Randolph (I hope the good doctor won't mind being a Messr just this once), I think we can lay claim to a reasonably comprehensive sweep.

As for my own Newtonian responsibility tonight, well, that was spent largely in the company of an RAC patrol man, who had kindly arrived to sort out the flat battery on my car. He was, in fact, the third such gentleman to visit the school campus in as many days, but the only one who seemed to have any idea of how to fix the problem. He duly did so, and my much-loved old girl is now good for another few years. Now. Back to the car. (It's a good job Mrs C doesn't read this blog - as one of you observed the other day ....... ) (She will when it gets published.) Seriously though (insofar as I can ever get serious in this nightly reportage), he was excellent and managed to sort everything out very professionally. He informed me, with not a little pride, that he had been the RAC's youngest patrol man for two years. He fitted a new battery, charged me another shedload, and went on his way. So that, in addition to the great-train-robbery amount of dosh that I handed over to the local Volvo dealer two weeks ago, means that I shall now go and avail myself of whatever there is in the fridge/cupboard. Or rather, isn't. No, that doesn't really work, does it. One can't avail oneself of what there isn't.

Nearly at 200 posts - and I might just make it. Anyone got any great ideas for a title for this magnum opus?

Bonne nuit