The variety of our British weather never ceases to amaze. April 2010 must be on target to be one of the driest on record with the soil in my garden as dry as a bone. What a contrast to recent years when we have had waterlogged lawns thanks to a huge surfeit of "April Showers".
I've just returned from an overnight trip to London where we attended a dinner and counted ourselves fortunate to be dining at the same table as "Parky".
Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, to give him his full title, proved to be a smashing bloke, with none of the airs, graces and pretentiousness that can come with fame.
I've met several "legends" in my time and for the most part they have all been memorable occasions and the celebrities concerned have been wonderful, entertaining individuals.
This was certainly the case with Parky who regaled us with accounts of his early journalistic career in Yorkshire and his experiences in the early days of Granada in Manchester, along with many other interesting tales.
He is not only a knight of the realm and a gentleman. He struck me also as a real "gentle man".
On the way back from London by train we travelled through unbroken Spring sunshine with flowering trees in blossom everywhere. A truly wonderful sight.
Perhaps, more unusual was the cloudless, clear blue skies.
They were COMPLETELY unbroken by cloud - even those usually created every day by aircraft vapour trails in the stratosphere. Britain this weekend was a "no fly zone" thanks to the effects of the volcano dust cloud from Iceland grounding all jets.
A knock-on effect of the flight ban was unblemished blue skies, seen for mile after mile, from the widow of our train.
I have to confess to mixed emotions over it since it is something that I may never witness again in my lifetime.
Another example of the fact that we don't know what we've got until it's gone.
Closure of the CUC in Liverpool - sad day
(Tue 03/01)
Banksy the religious bigot
(Thu 29/12)
The Big Yin is on his way... I can't wait
(Thu 10/11)
A tale of two museums
(Tue 30/08)
Rosie Cooper - we need more politicians like her
(Mon 06/06)
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