Rushed home from Bitterne to tell you the latest news!

Bitterne has an amazing market on Wednesdays! Its so exciting! The place was heaving, and the usual desolation of the precinct was swarming with life. OK, so maybe not getting you going there .... wait for it .... the new WOOLWORTHS is nearly finished! I had to have a sit down. Imagine! My own handy Woolies! What a fantastic shop - see, all my efforts for the Bitterne Marketing Board have come to fruition, with this joyful day when I see a Woolies and a market. I never thought I would live to see this day, I feel like Simeon and Anna, the old prophets in the temple, whose eyes saw the baby Jesus and knew salvation had come to the Jews!!!! WOOLWORTHS HAS COME TO BITTERNE! That's good news if ever I heard some.

I am setting all my faithful followers (thats you!) a challenge -BUY A BITTERNE CHRISTMAS. You have to buy all your family and friends Christmas presents in Bitterne.

Its easy! I have nearly done it! Imagine, not having to go humping heavy bags around town and on and off the bus - a convenient bike ride or walk to your very own precinct of joy.

Granma - stripey socks from the market
Children - toys from market stall ( or Sainsburys have a good range)
Dad - cable ties from the market
Mum - dodgy market stall perfume
Husband or other male - slippers from market stall ( NB STEVE's MUM)
Friend who is a bit hippy - scented candles from market stall
Postman - I dunno. Stamps from post office?
Dog - meat from the market geezer in a trailer with a microphone - yes, we even have one of those.

You can even buy fresh olives - yes, olives - who the hell do they think is going to buy those? Jamie Oliver? Excuse the unintended pun! This isn't Portobello Road, but anyway, they have them, next to the out of date sweet stall.

Make a day trip! The bowling alley is closing at Christmas so worth popping along while you can, and there are some great places to eat on the market - Chinese, Panini, and a burger van you can smell from outside my front door. Oh the joy of this experience. I was jumping up and down in Superdrug!

Not so good news, is that the wonder kettle replacement thing that I got free with my Nectar points has been intermittent at working. I rang Nectar, and after the obligatory shouted, one syllable conversation with someone in a call centre with an elementary grasp of spoken English ( try telling someone your 'Tefal Quick Cup is not working' in one syllable words) I got through to a nice lady called Mandy, who said they had a number of similar calls, and are arranging a pick up and my points will be refunded onto my account. So, out comes the old kettle, and I have enough points to get to Bali or somewhere. But an old kettle, not a new clever one.

Yesterday I had parents' evening, and a migraine afterwards. 17 sets of parents with no break. Luckily they were as charming as their offspring, so all went well. I really do have the nicest class in Britain. Today we were reading lots of poems, and discussing how poems work. Poems really get children going - no need for punctutation or paragraphs or any of that dull stuff, and you can write them in shapes if you want to. I am being serious, they are adoroble children, and there is nothing better than spending your days with 30 fun, enthusiastic and creative individuals. I am serious! I LOVE IT! Why would I have ever done anything else?