Marvellous. We've passed the 300th milestone - and I'm able to celebrate in style, for various (much appreciated) reasons. Good wishes have been arriving from all over the world, and my international audience has surpassed all previous records, the greatest to date having been 33. I'm still being monitored by the Chinese authorities, so my stats tell me, and Romania and Georgia are also on the radar, not to mention (although I'd better) Australia, France and Switzerland. Japan has featured, and so have many other nations, so if the Newton Blog is playing even the smallest part in uniting nations, then I'm pleased.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, as Mrs C, Alice C and I did. A lovely and bracing walk by the sea was just what the doctor ordered, as was much reading, the chance to listen properly to Sir Elton's latest album, 'The Union', which I have to say left me a little disappointed, but that's probably because I need to listen again; Casulaty, of course, which the Mrs and I thought just a little heavy this week; then off to play for the morning service, where my rendition of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor at the end led to generous applause, back for a deliciously fine Sunday lunch and then another very agreeable walk through the Dorset countryside with the ever-active, affectionate, ever-loving, ever-forgiving friend - and Isla, of course. (Oh don't worry, Mrs C never reads the blog, so I know I'll get away with it.)

Tonight has been as enjoyable as ever: Jaffa cakes, Quavers, which nearly left me a little crotchety, as I thought I wasn't going to be able to wangle a packet, but I just had to wait a minim in order to stave off my hunger pangs. Mind you, I did end up in a little trouble from Mrs C and Miss A, as I'd invited the petrol-heads into our snug to watch Top Gear and was happily ensconced myself, when suddenly I heard uxorial tones suggesting that perhaps I might care to bear in mind that there were other members of the lodge, and that sitting in the snug for most of the evening wasn't exactly as helpful as it might be. All was well in the end, though, once I'd exercised diplomatic powers.

Time to go - and search for a post-retirement position in the United Nations.

Goodnight - wherever you may be.