H and A enjoy setting up a cafe breakfast for us at the weekends, which is an aspect of parenthood I intend to exploit fully for my own extra time asleep. A is usually the waitress, and bawls 'do you want shreddies or coco pops?' up the stairs till you answer, weakly, that you would love coco pops and a drink of squash, as no hot drinks are served.

This morning I got up after the cafe had shut, but found a sign on the table which read:

No brping or coffing in the cafay

Quite right too. We need to attract the right clientele. This is no greasy spoon, and I am pleased to see that expelling any air through the mouth in a violent manner is frowned upon.

I have travelled by train this week, as my faithful readers will know. Yesterday I went to Porstmouth, from Hedge End. It takes 30 minutes from there, but an hour and 20 minutes from Southampton. Hedge End station is an easy bike ride, just up the road from my school. I also cycled to yoga on Friday, but that is nothing to do with trains.

Portsmouth has a shopping centre near the station called Gunwharf Quays. And very nice it is. It is what Southampton were trying to do with Ocean Village, which failed miserably. I like Porstmouth. Mind you, the sun was shining and I was attending an event at the Grammar School, a ancient building in the old town. I walked through Gunwharf Quays on my way back, and was struck by how many cafes, bars and restaurants there were. I estimate that there is one 'eaterie' per person who lives in the City of Portsmouth. Which would suggest that all the people who work in them are from elsewhere, and that they are not a sociable lot.

We are doing one of those free DVD trial fortnights, and last night watched the Barak or Balat or whatever his name from Kazahkstan who goes to USA to find out how to improve life in Kazahkstan, or wherever it is he lives. It is an extremely uncomfortable, frightening and hilarious film. Three of my good friends all expressed surprise yesterday that I intended to watch it. But I am glad I did. There were some genuinely beautiful, good hearted people in it, and some scarily stereotypical Americans with guns and/or a superiority complex (esp. found the male students attitude to women scary).

Not often you get a film review from me, but the next fortnight they will come thick and fast as we milk Amazon DVD for all we can.