Good evening.
Hope you had a good weekend and weren't drenched or kept up too late, watching Andy Murray. Are we in danger of becoming a nation of sporting greats, once again?
5 - 0 in cricket's One Day series against South Africa; 4 - 3 in the UNICEF charity football match against the rest of the world. And ,were it not for the Italians ability to bribe F1 marshalls, we'd have had Lewis Hamilton's victory in Belgium to celebrate. Ferrari are wonderful but give us McClaren supporters a fair crack of the whip, Mr. Mosely! No double entendre intended, Max.
And what about cycling? After the able bodied aces of two wheels did so brilliantly in Beijing at the regular Olympics, our equally brilliant disabled pedallers only go and do it at the Paralympics at the weekend, too. If only our sports administrators and 2012 budget managers could do as well. London's 2012 velodrome is over budget - no medals for predicting that - but it will, they tell us, do lots more than they originally planned. BMX, off-road biking, putting a Man on the Moon, using only two wheels... Oh, the list is endless and could have been crafted by Lewis Carol. One theory is that they had forgotten that BMX and off-road biking were Olympic sports. Moon shots are still under consideration I am told, but my 10 year old is hoping for a late entry for Dirt Biking - no, I am not sure what it is either.
I do know, thank God, that he is not disabled and so is not entitled to any help from the council getting to and from school. We are happy with that. Think, then, of the families in Sutton who do have disabled children - mentally and physically - who are entitled to help. They have got used to a taxi picking up little Jack or lovely Jill but now find, in the latest round of cuts, they have to get a special bus, instead. Big deal, some of you may be thinking. Actually it is, as Piers will explain as he goes "on their side" in the latest of our "On Your Side" series.
We'll ask you, then, to tell us what you think about keeping our council taxes as low as possible but also if you think there are any no-go areas. Tough call but we'd love to know your thoughts.
Faye is a touch bohemian today - very dark, grey jeans, (reminding me of Manfred Mann), a black sweater and an amazing leather belt. I asked her how many innocent creatures had given up their God-given right to exist, just so her trousers and sweater might stay in place. She was touched, I think, and said, rather coolly, "none".
Sir Donald Sinden's daughter-in-law was asked the same question, as she left the Savoy, in a three-quarter length fur coat. "Just one", she said, "my late mother-in-law, who left it to me".
Michael Peacock would never be seen in a fur-coat. In fact he is often to be seen in nothing at all. On Hampstead Heath. He is a naturist who opposes plans to minimise the area where fellow naturists can do their thing, not just 'commando' but absolutely, totally starkers. It has become a point of contention up on the Heath, I am told. I think they might have cast around, though, for a less ironically named campaign leader - but who am I to intervene?
One of my best friend's married name is Raincock and her husband never goes out when it is overcast, let alone in a shower - ribaldry he can do without and I know what he means. Glen has been told to keep his clothes on as he reports on Mr. Peacock's protest.
Lucy is scheduled to meet James Nesbitt at the preview of the National Movie Awards. As with my reaction to not being cast in the role of Ms Knightley's interviewer, so is the reaction of many of the women in the newsroom to Ms Cotter's luck with Jimmy - a great actor but a hot bit of totty too, they tell me.
Finally, G8 is a meeting of the most powerful economic nations on the face of the earth - which, the way things are going, could soon include Kazakhstan and Hong Kong ahead of the US and the UK. Russia is no longer invited since that nasty mess in Georgia, so G7 is back to the old, pre-1989 and the collapse of Communism, line-up of US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
(The last three were against the first three in the last WW with the one in the middle playing it's traditional, historic role of being the one on the middle - odd that.)
Anyway, G6 and G5 are a mystery but G4 were a rather fine ensemble of male singing talent who sold millions of albums (they'll be in G7 at this rate) and then broke up to go their own, unharmonious ways. Jonathan Ansell, the cute blonde one (said one of the team, no names, no Salma), is coming in to talk to us about the Mikado at Richmond Theatre. Questions? "I have a little list" and will play the role of the "Lord High Executioner" if he doesn't answer them.
Weather with Chrissie , so Mr Raincock and others can plan their wardrobes.
Papers because we do.
And then your thoughts on the council tax, because we mean it.
See you at 6.
Alastair and Salma
