I am about to embark on a roadtrip.

Good evening my fellow Americans.

I've been watching too much West Wing. I'm just about on the last disc of series 3 since starting at the beginning of August and that includes 2 weeks away - it's quite addictivising. Thankfully however I am about to embark the morrow on an adventure the likes I have never seen. In a Volvo 480. But more on that in a moment, I tumble ahead of myself dear reader.

First things first, and I should like to thank Emma for making me a cup of tea. At least I think it's my cup of tea, she asked me a number of minutes ago, having commandeered the kettle on her latest visit - strange, we're usually so eager with the hospitality. I left to tidy my room a little and whence I came back there was a cup of tea. I'm now drinking someone's cup of tea. There's like a three second rule, or something, surely? You snooze, you lose and all that. It might just be with seats. Or germs. I never know how long you've got after you drop something. As long as it's not covered in visible crap or you can brush it off that's fine with me. You need to develop a healthy immune system. Or maybe building up resistance is futile, I get confused by all this information. I heard thinking gives you cancer, I'm trying to cut back.

So anyway - I let the cat out of the bag back there, I was trying to build up to a rising crescendo, sustaining the tension up to the big reveal, but by know you already know that I am the proud owner of a terribly sexy Volvo 480. A dream car, a paragon of Eighties design excess. Some might say arrogance - certainly in the electronics department. It's those cutesy little headlights that have stolen my heart, though. They flip right up out of the bonnet. Sexy. But I tumble even further ahead of myself - I shall wax hard on the virtues of my dear little Swedish sports coupe when I get back at the weekend from my little trip away to Devon. The waxing depends on the blessed thing being able to get me there and back - I am not sure how confident I feel.

Fingers crossed, ALBOWIEB fans. How exciting, I shall get to use the flip-up headlights in anger.