Sorry, my dear Followers, but as you will have noticed, unless you were engaged in interplanetary travel, there was no post last night.

I should explain immediately that this was in no way due to my tardiness, but rather to the fact that Dr Dean had invited me to his place to assist him with the consumption of a particularly fine bouteille de vin and some utterly wonderful cheeses. So I left Mr Porter to steer the ship and disappeared down the road.

As is the way when one is foolish enough to imagine that one is on a similar plane to those whose intellect you will have observed in your travels last night if you were one of those engaged in the sort of journey to which I referred in my salutation, what with regular replenishments in one's glass, fine cheeses and deliberations which incorporated a lively discussion about the difference between religion and theology, the works of Cardinal Newman and several other historical and literary figures, various works from the choral reportoire of the cathedral and, inevitably, the leavening of all of that with snippets of SF gossip, by the time I'd meandered back to Newton before my uxorial pass had expired, witty banter on the Newton blog was as likely to be forthcoming as a hay feast with hay. And in any case, my brain hurt. (From erudite discussion, you understand.)

This morning brought me back to Earth with a bump (a rather topical metaphor, as it happens) as it was mega-laundry day. Sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and pyjamas. And do you know what? I have at long last worked out why Miss Chloe puts out only three receptacles for four items. Mothers will, of course, have worked it out before I'd even written it, but fathers might have more of an issue solving that one. OK, OK, yes, you're very clever.

Time to go. Thank you for reading, and renewed apologies for last night's lapse.

Incidentally, I see from the stats that we have new Followers in the Netherlands! Welcome, my friends, nice to have you with us.