Not sure about gardens

In the garden with Gran

Got milk?

Logan was impressed with Gran's rice pudding

Mark sniffs out the comics section

Pretty poor, not surprisingly for Newton Hall library

Stickers

Gateway to the North. Or something.

We're on the way to my mum and dad's for a week, Logan was great on the train! Kept saying choo choo, his new favourite sound.

Jon Stewart rocks

Just a quicky - working on a Jon Stewart profile and came across this clip of his appearance on Crossfire in 2004. CNN's political 'debate' show met its demise only a few months later, when the new network head admitted Stewart had a point.

Anyone who wonders why The Daily Show is one of the most respected American political programmes around ("on Comedy Central, really?") should watch the clip.

In praise of Supernatural

Supernatural is positively the best thing on the box at the moment! Tightly written scripts, brilliant one-liners, sly pop culture (and heavy metal) references, complex characters and demons galore - what's not to love?

It's basically a twisted roadtrip around small-town America, played out to a heavy rock soundtrack. The ongoing story is gripping (will Dean and Sam defeat the yellow-eyed demon once and for all? Will Sam go over to the dark side? Will Dean go to hell, again?), but the writers are smart enough to throw in some brilliant one-off episodes as well.

Sunday night's ep was a perfect example. Written by Ben Eklund (who wrote some of Angel's funniest stand-alones, including the excellent Smile Time that cast Angel as a Henson puppet), Wishful Thinking saw the brothers battling a working wishing well with bad intentions in Concrete, Washington. I know it sounds weird but there's nothing funnier than a suicidal teddy bear and a bullied kid with superpowers ("Kneel before Todd!").

It's a shame it's hidden away on ITV2 on a Sunday evening, but it's had the same slot for its entire run so it must be holding its audience; a weekly ritual in our house is to sit down to a roast dinner and a bit of Sam and Dean. If it carries on the way it's going, it even risks overtaking the venerable Buffy in Mark's estimation.

Okay, so it's not as grown up as Mad Men or as popular as Heroes, but I defy you not to laugh at this! See, people? Watch Supernatural!!

Three princes

BBC Three's slightly batty but throughly watchable programme Undercover Princes debuted on BBC1 last night. Mani is the absolute star of the show!

Their quest may be entirely unrealistic (where in Brighton are you going to find an aristocratic lady/gentleman nice enough, and meek enough, to take home to daddy/the tribe/the royal advisors?), but it's fun watching them lose their inhibitions, and sad to think how much they miss out on by sticking with royal protocol back home.

Roll on the second series!

Book of the fortnight

Sadly overdue, again (insert library joke here). Must try harder to turn these in on time!

Anyway, on with the review. Jo and Dave bought me Twilight for my birthday; I remember the hype surrounding the film (why teenage girls think Robert Pattinson is attractive is beyond me, maybe I need to see the movie) but I hadn't read much about the books.

Jo quite rightly thought a book about American teenagers and vampires would interest me, and once I got used to the slightly adolescent style it was a good read, although definitely a piece of escapism rather than a literary work of genius.

The story centres around Bella, the new girl in a very bleak Washington town, who falls in love with Edward, another outsider, who just happens to be a vampire (but he doesn't eat humans, so that's okay). Cliches abound - lonely teenagers, high school cliques, vampires with good intentions - and the romance element reminded me of Mills and Boon; this is definitely a Buffy-Angel teen fantasy, not a complex Buffy-Spike one (no offence to Joss Whedon, who is a much better writer). The fluffiness is saved by Bella's pithy sarcasm, though (I couldn't help picturing her as Ellen Page), and the plot does darken as it unfolds.

But I'm not the target audience, and it's easy to see why the series is so popular. What teenage girl can't identify with being the outsider, or wanting to fall for the devastatingly handsome but slightly dangerous boy at school (and, even better, have him fall for her?). If you roll your eyes at the mushier stuff, Twilight is a great guilty pleasure and it's way cooler than reading Harry Potter on the tube.

Small thoughts

A builder tipped his hardhat at me the other day, with a "Morning, madam". I know I should be horrified (either at the blatant sexism or the fact I'm old enough to be called madam), but I was secretly rather chuffed. It's sad how little it takes to brighten up my day.

Meet your (jewellery) maker

I've already blogged about the very cool cherry pendant Christine gave me for my birthday. I've lost count of the number of things she's made for me over the years (my wedding band for starters). I love hearing about the different pieces she's working on.

Now she's started her own blog, so you can find out what a jeweller does all day down there in Eastbourne.

Making cookies

Logan made up his own little cookie dance, I think he was mid-flow here.



Eating cookies!

Where can you find pirates?

You've probably seen Weebl's hilarious Kenya animation before (if not, it is absolute genius; Mark used to sing it to Logan when he was wee).

Now there's an updated version - the action has switched to Somalia but the tune is just as catchy ("...can you high seas it...").

Also, check out their badger song, and the Weebl and Bob toons, v funny(pie!).

Logan hits the park

Went to the park at the heath on Saturday with the North London posse. I think Logan liked the roundabout but maybe he just couldn't figure how to get off! He seemed a bit happier once Gracie took control.

Tube art

Saw this at Highgate tube yesterday, I like the idea that taking the underground is a lottery though I'm not sure that's the intended meaning! It's by Stuart Cumberland.

word of the day

Transatlanticism

Is this the first sign of spring?

Spotted my first ice cream van of the year yesterday, something about the sound of the jingle just makes me smile.

Even though of course spring doesn't start until March 21st or thereabouts (whatever the Met Office says).

Lent caveats 6-8

6. Breakfast cereals are not included (but sugar won't be added).
7. Hot chocolate from the tea station at work is not included (sorry, I need it to get me through the day!).
8. Ditto Ovaltine.

Domino excitement

Ok, so I've still not reviewed the Oscars outfits (work keeps getting in the way, grr) but I have got a bit of televisual genius to share with you - Domino Day 2008.

In case you missed it on Channel 5 (it's become a staple of the Stoddard family Christmas), the BBC has handily put together a montage of the best bits. I defy you not to get a teensy bit excited.

And if that weren't enough, here's another example of a celeb you never knew could dance - Christopher Walken showing how it's done, for Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice video. Genius.