Today I had reason to travel through Cobham, and stopped at the Waitrose there, which now has a 2 storey car park. I fear I have written on Cobham before, but as a child I loved it and thought it a dream location for life, lots of my ancestors are buried thereabouts and I obviously felt the pull of the place. But now! Aargh! A multi storey ( OK, only 2) car park? All the cars are enormous urban tractors, the place has less soul than Esher. The American Community School and Chelsea Football Club training ground are the pulling power of Cobham. There is a street of cottages called Post Boys Row, but even the CEO of the Royal Mail probably does not have a salary that stretches to a mortgage on one of them.

Interesting things on the radio news, as I spent my day driving back and forth across Surrey - it always strikes me as amazing that Arsene Wenger got to be the manager of Arsenal. There are so many other football clubs that don't sound like his name - but he held out for the one that sounded so similar that he could have named it after himself. How amazing is that? I mean, did Blackburn approach him, and he said 'Nope, sorry, I need an anagram of my name at the least.'


Also on the news the mother of one of 5 British hostages who made a plea to their captors, who I didn't quite get who they were but guess they are baddies the US despise. Anyhow, in her speech, she said 'we are normal, peace loving British people. We are not responsible for the actions of the US and British governments'. I winced, because in a way we are. We live in a democracy, we (corporately) chose the government, so we have to take some of the responsibility for their actions - don't we? I mean, I get where she was coming from, but if we don't take responsibility for the actions of our government and hold them to account, who on earth will?

I am reading a book by Adrian Plass called 'Jesus - safe, tender, extreme' which is from Bitterne library and an awesome thought provoking read. He is not afraid to say the things that others are afraid to say.

I have been staying in Thames Ditton, after a great Megatrain journey up here for £6. That's from Southampton to London. We had a little section of the train all to ourselves, and as it was my birthday I splashed out on a cup of tea and a chocolate cookie. Regretted it today though, as I weighed in at a Slimming World group up here and I need to lose at least half a pound this week or will have to pay next week at class - ie I am at the top end of my target zone. Still, it was my birthday and I had a Chinese takeaway too...

I had a win this week - but a crummy one. We have won family tickets to the Dinghy show at Alexander Palace this weekend. Although R is a good sailor of old, and until 2 years ago was the proud owner of a catamaran, I don't think we can muster enthusiasm for getting up there. Anyone want them? It probably will be lots of fun if you are keen on boats.