Just back from a long weekend in the wilds of Lancashire walking with my friend Anya in the Ribble valley with no real writerly news, unless you count winning a bottle of fizz at a charity raffle from Fizz off Coronation Street. We - Anya and me that is, not Corrie's Fizz - also went to see romany clairvoyant Omar about whom I can only say: if you're more comfortable with scepticism don't go anywhere near him as he'll seriously rattle your cage.

Off next to Großwallstadt in Bavaria on a charabanc trip with the Bath Male Voice Choir, so there will now be a short intermission.