Typical. Away 3 weeks, ill in bed for a week, busy filming for a week - so I needed to go out for groceries but also to check the tyres on the car which has been sleeping for 6 weeks.

My garage at the corner of the road is playing a clever new game. It lets the air pressure OUT instead of putting air in. So my slightly soft pressures became almost flat and I had to drive gingerly to another garage (on the Edgware Road where there was some kind of Police Emergency meaning it was blocked up)...

Then shopping in Marylebone Road where clever Ken has decided it would be amusing to change the CASH parking machine to Cards Only so you stand in the rain for several minutes whilst it phones your bank or whatever...

Laden down with duck for roasting tonight, tomorrow's pork chops, leg of lamb and other vital necessities I drove back in the nicely tyred little car to collapse in front of the box, watch the second Harry Potter on the telly, write my Inside Time column for next month, sip a Blue Mountain coffee and tell you online about my exciting real world adventures.

Blue Mountain coffee! This reminds me of my Rasta friends up there in Section in the Blue Mountains.

Definitely the best coffee!

Oh yes, best in the world; trouble is, exactly ten times the price of other coffees -

May I suggest a trip to beuatiful sunny Jamaica where you

Well I'm currently on the National Express East Coast train which left Kings Cross at 1000 after a successful working Sunday / Monday morning - I'm parked at Peterborough and will drive up the A1 to get to the civilisation and countryside of North Lincolnshire. Prior to my company being taken over I was put up in the best hotels available - last night I had to put up with the Travelodge in Kings Cross - damp sheets, lukewarm water and no biscuits with the complimentary tea. The only good thing about the hotel was the stone baked pizza which was exceptionally nice and well priced!

By the way National Express East Coast replaced GNER in December and they are now given away Wi-fi internet for free on their trains!