• I’m often asked if I’ve met any famous authors. I usually ask who the questioner would like me to have met. It’s usually Jaqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo or one of the invented commitee authors who write things like Beast Quest or Animal Ark. But I was flumoxed this week when I was asked if I knew Katie Price!

  • Yesterday afternoon I began my South Devon Viking Vik Spectacular! Stowford School came in and Librarian Helen Cooper and her gang at the library were ready in their Viking outfits. Even the Ivybridge Library rhino mascot was dressed up. My wife and daughter were up late the night before helping me get the outfit finished. The cats had got my helmet and ripped the mapie wings off so I had to make a new hat. We had a load of fun and the children were last seen walking down the road shouting viking chants of, “Wo ho ah!”

  • My silver birch finally came down and the garden is looking so much lighter. It really had got a bit too big. On benefit is that the view of my neighbour’s Walnut tree has opened up. As if to highlight the fact the sun produced a rainbow to welcome the view.