The day my hair went weird

Woke up this morning and my hair looked perfect. I know, most odd. It normally needs a wash every day as I wake up with it stuck to my face, flattened on one side and sticking up on the other. But this morning, no. It looked lovely. It was as if the hairdo fairies had been in during the night and given me a shampoo and set. So for the first time in months, years, I went to work without washing my hair. I don't think anyone noticed.

Barry Cryer makes me laugh

Now I'm a soft-shandy-drinking southerner I tune into Radio 4 with alarming regularity. Went to see the recording of Hamish and Dougal a few months ago which is currently being broadcast on the wireless to much mirth in our house. The very funny Barry Cryer is in it - he might have wrote it, I'm not sure - but he's excellent and my favourite joke is one of is. Here it is.
My mobile phone's so old, it's got an Alistair Sim card in it.
Boom, as Basil Brush used to say, Boom.

Juicy, Ripe Tomatoes

Can't resist showing off my prize(*) tomatoes which have been growing on a plant that's reached 8ft high in the garden. These little beauties are small and sweet and everything a tomato should be - but usually aren't - not in my local supermarket anyway.
(*) not prize winning in any real sense of the word, you understand.

Candi Staton in Camden

Went to see Candi Staton at the Jazz Café in Camden on Wednesday 23 August. What a night! What a woman! But enough about me. What a voice that Candi Staton's got! As well as the hits – Young Hearts, Run Free, Nights on Broadway, You Got the Love – Candi belted out a couple of Elvis songs, a Merle Haggard and a Tammy Wynette as well as some cracking stuff from her new album. Noticed her keyboard player who never cracked a smile all night looked a bit familiar - it was Mick Talbot (left) who used to play keyboards for The Style Council. Anyway, this was a great gig. Sang on the tube on the way home and am still singing now.

Pete Doherty made me twitch

Living in London means you occasionally spot celebs when you're out at the shops. I once stood next to Richard Branson on the Piccadilly Line, only realising it was the fella himself and not a look-a-like as he had one of those leggy, generic blondes in a red Virgin outfit with him. I work near to where Ricky Gervais lives so see him all the time. In fact I see him so often, I wonder if he's stalking me. Last week I saw the fella from The Dragon's Den, Duncan Bannatyne, the one who owns the fitness clubs. I noticed his suit, which looked expensive and probably was. I even saw Pete Doherty in Habitat on Tottenham Court Road a few weeks ago. The guy has a presence about him, he's vulnerability in a hat. People were taking photos of him on their mobile phones as he flitted from lampshades to crockery. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, he made me twitch. I once passed Ruby Wax in the street. She was wearing far too much make up.

Ladybirds make me smile

When I was a kid I collected ladybirds in jam-jars, fascinated by the tiny red and black living jewels. I still collect ladybirds - unusual and unique ladybird ornaments, jewelry, pictures –but no tat. And when I saw this ladybird graffiti in Antwerp, Belgium in March 2006, I squealed like a kid and took photos from a moving train.

Nancy Banks-Smith - Top TV woman

There are few telly critics I admire and there aren’t any soap critics I enjoy. It’s all "look at me, aren’t I clever?". Well no, you’re not. But there are two telly critics I really love reading and they both write for The Guardian. The first is Nancy Banks-Smith and the other is Grace Dent (who writes the Soap and Lather column each month in The Guide).

David Bowie, Lady Grinning Soul

My life has stumbled along to a David Bowie soundtrack. His songs have been changing my mood since I was 13 years old. But I wish he hadn’t sold his songs to the ads.

Ska music makes me happy

What I know about ska music is this. It’s the only sort of music that bops me round the kitchen, gets my toes tapping, my heart skipping, my face smiling. I’ve got loads of Trojan CD compilations, see The Skatalites on tour every couple of years, and was really into the two-tone explosion back in the 80s. When I found out there was a ska version of the Coronation Street theme tune, I thought all my birthdays had come at once.

I love beer, me

I love proper beer. I mean, proper, real ale. I don’t drink a lot but when I do have a beer I like it to taste of something other than chemicals and fizz. I like beers that taste of honey and fruit, of freshly mown grass, with a delicate sweetness. My favourite beer I’ve tasted so far is Belgian Cantillon Gueze. It kind of sets your teeth on edge the first time you taste it but it’s beautiful to drink, especially in a Belgian bar (my favourite country, romantic and melancholy in the winter) and especially while sitting next to someone wonderful. You know who you are.

I love Coronation Street

I love Coronation Street. Ooh, get me! My first ever blog post.