Well – it’s my birthday. Not something I particularly would wish to advertise – but in this social networking age – and given my age is out there – am not able to hide the dreadful truth.
Forgot when I signed into facebook this morning – only to be greeted by loads of ‘happy birthday’ messages – which was really nice. Thank you everybody! I had just finished an hour of ironing (which I do every Sunday whilst watching Andy Marr) and was (and am still) waiting for my two daughters to arise and wish me Happy Birthday.
So – as I just hear now footsteps coming downstairs – I must go. Today I am not going to work – but am going out to lunch followed by a movie – St Trinian’s. I know – extremely lightweight – but it’s Christmas and I want to laugh and eat popcorn.
Then it will be tidy the house, write out the food shopping lists for Xmas key three days, more ironing and watch Christmas movies. My favourites are: Miracle on 34th Street (both versions), Scrooged, Love Actually, Prancer, It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone (shame on me) and several others.
If anyone has any really great Christmas films that they can recommend – please do. I like ones that make me cry (with happiness) when it all comes right at the end!
Lynne Featherstone 
White Christmas, since its odds on it will now not be white by Xmas day. Otherwise it might have been Singin’ in the Rain.
Have just listened to the BBC R4 Today interview with John Bercow (0749), listened with some trepidation after their 0700 news item that was only about the tremendous damage done to parliament – usual early morning bad BBC editing, it seems. Mr Speaker was excellent, very quickly moving on from damage to reversing it – and I don’t believe that there was that much damage. True, the Red Tops and some other unmentionable so-called quality papers had a go, but a lot of their readership had already decided what they thought about the bear pit, as seen in broadcasts of Wednesday Question Time. What we are now experiencing, and, from the little that I have seen and heard through the media, John Bercow has taken a positive attitude from the start. Local MPs in my area, significant front bench spokespersons on all side, and several others who blog (such as you) are demonstrating that there is a new openness around and that it is Whitehall that now needs to improve (I spied a small breakthrough there last Wednesday, but am not going to tell).
Happy viewing!