Having just been asked whether my glasses are my own, or whether I am wearing braces (yes they are, and no I'm not) when I turned off the lights in Heron tonight, I did wonder whether the end of term was having a rather strange effect on all of us. Still, I suppose when the boys heard me say 'I have asked you once to stop talkingduring silent reading: that includes the bathroom', they might have wondered why I might have a bizarre idiosyncrasy that makes me want to speak to rooms in the lodge.

Mrs C's and my week of frantic activitity within and without the gates of SF culminated this morning in a mad dash to west Dorset, to attend Parents' Day at Milton Abbey. It was utterly glorious, with a lovely service in the Abbey, wonderful speeches from the HM and his assistants, drinks on the house lawn - and there would have been much more besides, including the valedictory ball tonight, but we thought we might have extended our away-day licence if we'd stayed any longer. So back we came, so that Mrs C could dive back into the form room for a 3.15pm lesson.

I forgot to tell you that the only drama of my London trip was that I was knocked down by a bicycle just outside the Palace of Westminster, and having seen a camera crew only metres away I couldn't help but think that I'd be featuring, in a less high-profile way than planned, on 'You've Been Framed'! I'm still suffering from a very painful right shin, though, and this is making me walk like an old man. No comments required.

Tom C has 'borrowed' the Peugeot again to go to his Old Boys' Day in Bath and Hannah and Alice have gone down to Xi'an to celebrate their re-union after nine weeks without seeing each other. And guess whose card they've 'borrowed'! (With per, I must add.) They won't have much time together, though, because Hannah's off to Zanzibar on Sunday, to teach English for a charitable organisation out there.

It all awaits you - if you haven't already been round the block .....

Goodnight.