I know, and I'm sorry. The thing was, you see, that Mrs C and I decided that we would take off to Dorset for the day (apart from anything else we have a 'happiness issue' with one of our young and that needed to be addressed), so we didn't return until after 11pm, so I decided that having driven 130 miles back to Oxford, I would turn in, so my apologies if you were one of the 20 Followers who looked in vain to see whether there were any late night jottings.

This morning started philosophically, when I informed the rezzies that 'It' was towels and flannels. Thence, of course, this being Summer Fields, to a discussion about how such items could really be 'it'. It's amazing what ground can be covered at 7.10am, and once again I was left dumbfounded at the ready enthusiasm of those in my charge. We decided, in the end, that 'it' probably wasn't just towels and flannels, and could, in fact, be just about anything. I then went to make myself my morning mug of instant and to watch the News as our LMs came downstairs.

The other thing that never fails to amaze, even after 17 and a half years, is the versatility of your young men. Tonight, for example, I attended the Guitar Concert, and was hugely impressed that most of the performers, who had been playing rugby for most of the afternoon, could then go and give what was in many cases a superb performance to an adoring audience! I'd also been able to listen to an 8 year old playing Mozart's 'Rondo a la Turka', as he had press-ganged me into a private performance in Macmillan! Wonderful it was, too.

Tonight, 'it' metamorphosed into leagues and cords, for that it what 'it' was, and all were safely gathered in. Bananas, lovingly-cut orange segments and Bourbon biscuits ensured that supplementary nourishment was happily provided, and your correspondent had (and still has) a glass of some kind of chilled plonk purchased yesterday from Burton Bradstock Garage on the go. Actually, as la planque goes, it's not at all mauvais.

Now, though, 'it' is time for me sign off and go and find some kind of tosh on the telly to accompany my refreshment.

Sorry again about last night, and greetings to our Follower in Israel.

Goodnight, all.