Greetings, dear Followers, and very special greetings to our friends in Japan, at this awful and troubling time. We are all thinking of you very much, in the knowledge that the world-renowned tenacity of your nation will ensure, as the Telegraph said, that your country will emerge from this as one that is bigger and better than ever. You are very much in our thoughts and prayers at this time, and thank you for your loyal following of this tiny corner of cyberspace. That, in itself, goes to prove all that I've just written.

The biscuit upgrade has become the biscuit downgrade. The coffee, which as you know is served in the HMDR on Thursdays, is superb (as long as you check carefully by sniffing before you pour that the right beverage is in the right pot, notwithstanding what it says on the tin), but the biscuits, about which I eulogised to 3W during their French lesson, as I suddenly remembered that it was jeudi, were no more than standard choc digestives and Rich Teas. Oh, and ginger nuts, of which I took two, and which caused the HM to look askance at me as I dunked one of them into the mug. I know, I know: shouldn't have done it - yes, I know that. He's got quite a Wodehousian look when he needs to use it. (Oyster shells? Paces? Oh, come on.)

As for tonight, well, Mr Porter has been on duty, and all seems to have been well. However, I have received a message from our kind purveyors of French delicacies that my spelling leaves room for improvement, and so it is with some humility and shame that I admit that I should have written 'chouquettes', following the arrival of our delicious cuisine some weeks ago. My apologies, of course, and renewed and sincere thanks for such a treat.

I'm now trying to work out why doors should be banging, so I shall go and find out. Until tomorrow, then -

Bonne nuit. (I know I've got that right.) Oh, hang on: I must tell you of a comment from a Second Year boy this morning:

'Yes, Henry?'

'Sir, you is still cool and you still have da bling.'

'Erm, thank you Henry.'

YAY!!!!