I don't know if you've ever noticed, but one of the posters along the bottom corridor of Newton shows Picasso's 'Woman in a Blue Hat'. She looks a bit surreal, as I'm sure you'll know anyway, without having to visit the lodge to re-acquaint yourself with that particular opus, and she was in good company tonight, it being shoe-cleaning night.

Various examples of the surreal manifested themselves, from covering a hand in a sock in order to buff up the shoe in the other hand, to an attempt by one resident to use his hair as a buffer-up facility. (He was advised to cease this rather bizarre method.) A number of others decided on more conventional ways of shoe-shining, but even I, who am used to the unusual, was somewhat taken aback when another resident arrived in the laundry (for it was there that tonight's fun and games were happening) and informed me that he could 'fit into his shelf'. He then endeavoured to clamber into his laundry shelf and prove that he could indeed accomplish that which he said he could. I'm beginning to wonder what psychological 'issues' are abroad, with my charges wanting to relocate to drawers and shelves .......

Enough of all that. Of much greater note is the success that four members of SF, but more importantly, members of Newton Lodge, were adjudged the top prep school in the St Edward's Academic Challenge today! The competition was stiff, as all of our major competitors were there, along with representatives from several other schools, and so we were all delighted and very proud when they returned with the joyous tidings! Perhaps that's what they get up to when they're hibernating: mugging up on things academic! Well, whatever they do, it certainly does the trick!

I hope you like the mag: I'm not displeased, I must admit, although you, my dear readers, must be the judges of whether it's any good or not. Suggestions welcome, by the way, seeing as next year's edition will be my last, and I can hide away in West Dorset once it's been published if the ideas are all too radical.

A good day. Until tomorrow, then, although Mr Bryan will be on duty, so the entry will only be - sorry, be only - minimal.

Bonne nuit.