Early Alliteration

When I was around 13 or 14 I made the schoolboy error of referring to my Grandmother as Grannyguts. Worse, I did it in front of my father.

After asking me to repeat myself to be sure he hadn't misheard, he proceeded to berate me before giving me a smart tap or two to the top of my head.

Naturally I tried to explain myself, rather feebly as it happens, by saying that it "just sort of slipped out like that". That was true. It was in fact totally unrehearsed and I had absolutely no idea what made me say it.

Now I know better. Over the years, I have developed more than a fondness for alliteration. My rude reference to my Grandmother was simply the start.

Poor old Gran. I quite often gave her a hard time, bringing her to the edge of apoplexy. "Tea is more addictive than cannabis" I once told her, urging her to see if she could do without a cuppa for a few days.

It is entirely possible that I was a young pain in the arse.

Not the News

I watch the news on tv most days. The BBC is still the best although increasingly I am beginning to wonder.

The quality of the reporting is still as good as ever. But this need to involve the viewer is what I don't like.

We are regularly invited to post our comments on the Facebook wall or comment via Twitter.

Totally unnecessary in my book. I am not interested in listening to what a few faceless people have to say.

I'm there for the news. Not for the views.