Good afternoon.
The human spirit seldom fails to amaze. My day started with a casual encounter with one of my favourite people on London Tonight - no names, no pressure. As of habit, but with sincerity, I asked if he and his family had had a "good weekend". They hadn't. The daughter of one of their closest friends had been killed in a cycling accident in Yorkshire: the dead girl had been one of his son's first girlfriends. But he and his family were resolved to rise above their sense of gloom and loss, and do all within their powers to support and nurture the family who had lost their beloved daughter. Humanity in the face of tragedy.
I had already seen and read much of what Margaret Mizen had expressed about the killing of her evidently lovely son Jimmy. Where did she find the strength to forgive, to purge bitterness and to find sympathy for the parents of the youngster who killed her youngster? Tonight, as the hunt continues for that killer we ask the new Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis what he thinks can be done to stop the death toll among London's children soaring pointlessly and poignantly from 13 to 30 and beyond? We'd like your thoughts, too, but I fear cloning the likes of Margaret Mizen and my friend won't do the trick.
The trick to running a successful Olympics is to find venues the athletes love and the host city welcomes.
The 2012 organisers are nowhere near the medal table yet - I'm not sure they'd even qualify on current form! Take Equestrianism: along with sailing and cycling, it is one of our most promising disciplines. Romilly and I were both at the Windsor Horse Show this weekend (separately I hasten to add just incase her's or mine gets the wrong idea) and we both love and support horsey-sport. The Windsor Arena is in the shadow of the eponymous Castle and on the banks of the Thames. One medal hopeful, what is more, is related to the "landlord" too and, no doubt, "Grandma" Queen would be there cheering on young Zara Phillips, daughter of HRH Princess "Olympic medal winner" Anne. So, a no-brainer? No. The 2012 Committee will hold the gee-gee events in Greenwich which the sport says is too small and the locals don't want.
Ben dons hard-hat and jodhpurs in an effort to make sense of it.
Making sense of Boris talking English has always been a challenge, not because he is stupid, but for precisely the opposite reason: why use estuary when a classical allusion can trip off your erudite tongue? But "OYSTERISATION"? Yuck. Most of us are told the world is our oyster but Boris wants your Oyster to be your key to the world. Mad after less than a fortnight in office? We will try to explain.
Less easy to explain is how Lucy is on the red carpet in Leicester Square and talking to Minnie Driver about being a musician as much as an actress. But, given the reason she is on the red carpet is the premiere of a film that is quintessentially about New York and sex in that famous city, rather than London, it may not seem as strange to you as it does to me. Faye, in a wonderfully grow-up summer frock today, seems to think you'll get the hang of it so maybe it is me who has the fried brain. (Re-reading this, I think the evidence against me is mounting.)
Great news, by the way, if you are in search of a property - it is a "buyers' market" and that's official... if you can get a mortgage. Take a stiff drink if you are selling. Louisa's here to give you all the tips you need.
Chrissie, more dressage than three day event, is in Greenwich with an assessment of how long it will be before we are all in cotton - be that frocks or suits.
And the papers will do their damnedest to keep up with us.
See you at 6.
Alastair & Romilly
