I do not  need any more notebooks or sketchbooks, I really don't. I certainly don't need to spend loads of money on the very nice things at Ugmonk, particularly this brass discbound sketchbook . There's something about the aesthetics of tobacco pipes that I find fascinating. I may also be harbouring fantasies of being a wizard...

  ANZAC Day Service - Cromer RSL Whilst I have studied the history of the First and Second World Wars and firmly believe that understanding that history, why and how it happened, is important in understanding the contemporary world, something about the memorial ceremonies sets my teeth on edge. I think it's the way they become an excuse for mawkishness and fawning over the military, which I find more than moderately distasteful.  Remembrance Day, ANZAC Day and others are also used by the jingoistic to goad and brow-beat those less inclined to take the 'my country, right or wrong' approach to these conflicts. We are asked to remember the fallen without also necessarily remembering the cavalcade of negligence, incompetence and stupidity from their leaders that set them on the path to death. ANZAC Day at least has slightly less of this as Australia and New Zealand commemorate those sent to die at Gallipoli by their leaders half a world away; although I will qualify this with t...