I'm reading a fascinating book at the moment. It's called "Don't Forget to Write" and it recounts the wartime memories of a certain Pam Hobbs. I'm sure Pam wouldn't mind me saying there's nothing outstanding about her - beyond her writing abilities - nothing that particularly sets her apart from the crowd. She's not a celebrity. She's not a top sportswoman. But her story - and the way she tells it - is fascinating: how she was evacuated from her Essex home, first to Derbyshire and then to... well, Derbyshire's as far as I've got. One statistic has stuck in my mind so far - at one point, a quarter of the country's population had to leave their homes in fear of the Nazi invasion. London, of course, hit hardest of all.
Makes you think, doesn't it? For instance, I had an absolute mare of a journey into work today, but as I was reading this book waiting for the much-delayed Tube, I felt things slipping into perspective. Don't get me wrong, I was still cross. But I sort of felt I didn't have so much cause to be.
Not for a moment is that a comment on the anger no doubt being felt by the people who can't get into work due to a rail strike on National Express East Anglia trains. They've got to endure two days of it - because the unions and the bosses can't agree on what is or isn't a fair pay deal. I'd love to stick my opinion in here. But I'm not allowed. No doubt there'll be a few opinions flying around the handful of trains running out to Essex tonight. Packed to overflowing no doubt.
Someone who's no stranger to sharing his opinions - it's sort of what he's paid for actually - Mr Boris Johnson. Well, someone expressed their opinion about a little 'summer house' he had built on the back of his house. From the pictures it looks like a glorified shed to me. Anyway, to someone else it was an eyesore - they complained to Islington Council - Islington Council told the Mayor to "get rid". Which he has. Laugh or scowl - you choose when you've seen the pictures.
We've also got pictures of Theo Walcott - Arsenal's young super-whizz - giving something back during a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital today.... and pictures of 'Britain's Got Talent' winners, Diversity, strutting their stuff.
Oh, and we'll be talking to the lawyer who helped get Samantha Orobator out of jail in Laos and flying home to Britain. Authorities over there wanted her to spend life in prison having found her guilty of smuggling drugs. She's pregnant though. She'll give birth here. She'll serve her sentence here. She's on the plane home right now.
I'd better go now too.
See you at six,
Ben & Alex
