Parkes, Beth and I spent last weekend at my Dad and Liz's place in Ilkley, Yorkshire. We had a splendid time and were fed beautiful food and drink. My father has started brewing beer at home and I sampled his first real ale offering, entitled 'Red Eye'. It was a refreshing, light beer with a sweet taste and a sour finish. Magnificent!

7 Weeks Until Christmas

You heard me! You can always tell Christmas is near because the Children In Need television 'extravaganza' takes place. Children In Need raises a staggering amount of money every year which is brilliant but I do find the TV show they transmit on the Friday night staggeringly dull. With this in mind and remembering that the participating celebrity entertainers are the ones with the millions, shouldn't the general public make the TV show and the celebrity entertainers sit at home and ring in to donate their cash. Wogan & Ross could slap a couple of million in to get the ball rolling. What about Cliff Richard!? He is loaded and is getting on a bit - he wouldn't miss a million pounds. Howabout Bono!? Surely he could pop a million in the kitty and a couple of pairs of his sunglasses. Madonna?! Simon Cowell?! C'mon people from showbiz-land, flash your cash!

Q. How big is the world's biggest potato?

A. The world's biggest potato was grown in Germany in 1997 weighing in at 3.2 kg.

That's a big potato. I think that we could grow a bigger one in Thanet's rich and fertile soils. Anyone up for it (preferably someone with a spade)?

While we are on the subject of potatoes a topic that divides opinion between myself and Parkes is chunky chips. If you have chips with your meal in Churchill's (Ramsgate) you'll find they are the largest bad-boy chips around - and I love them!! Please tell me what sort of chips turn you on with the Chip Poll on the left of the screen. Remember your vote counts!

Do you remember when bands were this good? Maybe it was because they were the first but I still think are the greatest of all time.

To everyone in America, Happy Halloween. To everyone everywhere else, it's just Halloween. Dog, Cat & Pet Of The Day have really turned it on today with some spooky pets.

This is Buster wearing a half witch / half scarecrow outfit. He must be so excited about Halloween.

Leon the cat is obviously a veteran of many Halloween parties. Here he is wearing a revealing off-the-shoulder spider outfit.

This Guinea Pig called Lucky is wearing a pumpkin bodysuit. Sexy.

Brussels

Parkes, Beth and I had a lovely weekend in Brussels. Although we did our very best to miss our scheduled Eurostar train going to Brussels the rest of the travelling was a doddle. We ate lots and lots of lovely food, drank some fine beers and wine and generally savoured the atmosphere. Beth was a little snotty and Parkes still is trying to shake off her cold but this didn't spoil the trip.

My job currently means I spend alot of time away from home so to spend three days with the girls was really special. Beth is now sucking her thumb. She is starting to alter her sleeping position which is the start of the long journey to being able to crawl. She is also curling poos out in the bath. Last night's was the size of a grass snake and almost the same colour.

Beth getting excited about her first journey abroad!!

The waffles in Bruxelles are fab. You can have just about any topping on your waffle - Parkes had fresh fruit. Other people were having chocolate, fudge etc. This is where we ate them - they also serve Leffe beer at any time of the day.

Wonderful gothic-looking structures. This building is amazing - very striking and not particularly welcoming. See if you can spot Parkes and Beth.

Parkes looking chic in the Grand Place in Brussels. It is a beautiful square with lots of magnificent buildings and well-behaved pigeons.

Beth enjoying herself in Brussels.

Parkes, Beth and I visited this Buddhist bar/restaurant in Brussels to grab a drink. It was so laid back that our order never arrived. So we left.

Strings having a bath this morning.

Parkes, Beth and I are off to Brussels in the next couple of days. We will be travelling from Ashford International station in Kent. Parkes and I have never packed luggage for a kiddie before and it takes planning. We will attempt to fit all of our stuff into one small rucksack. I will be taking my passport, two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks and two T-shirts. That's travelling light! Parkes will pretty much be taking the same. This will leave loads of space for Beth's gear.

I have been to Brussels before but it was a boozy weekend and I don't see any of the sights. I will endeavour to see the weeing kid statue this time around.

Parkes has been feeling a bit under the weather over the last week. She has been convalescing this weekend - maybe the last three months of broken sleep is catching up with her. The weather on the Island has been fantastic and walks in the fresh air have been the order of the day.

The rugby was disappointing on Saturday but the boys played against a very good side and they should be satisfied with their efforts. To finish runners-up really was an achievement.

Beth has been growing rapidly - she is still a 'small' baby but we like that. The picture shows her 1950's Cliff Richard look. I went to see Cliff Richard at Wembley Arena once. It was rubbish.

Goodbye ABN AMRO - Hello RBS

And so it's goodbye to ABN AMRO. The RBS consortium has taken over the Dutch bank. I first starting working at ABN in 1998 and it has been my working home for six and half of the last 9 years. There have been many highs and a few lows.

I have seen a fair few mergers in my time working for investment banks;

I worked for HSBC in the early nineties when the they merged (or took over) Midland Bank and formed Midland Global Markets

I worked for Bankers' Trust when they merged (or took over) NatWest Markets. Deutsche Bank then took over Bankers' Trust.

I worked for JP Morgan when then were bought out by Chase Manhattan

It is a funny and incestuous industry.

Wow. What an amazing weekend of rugby! England played very well indeed and deserved their place in the World Cup final. Even one of the harbour chip shops had got into the rugby spirit.

Parkes, Beth and I had a lovely weekend strolling around the island in the warm sunshine.

It is that time of year again!! Brussels sprouts are in the shops again and tasting lovely may I say. Only a few years ago I would not go near them and other veg such as cabbage, cauliflower, winter greens etc. Now I love them all and await their seasonal arrival in the shops each year with relish. The picture on the left shows a field full of sprout plants - don't they look almost trifid-like?! I wonder if these trifids get the same flatulence that I get after eating them?

Apparently sprouts were first cultivated in ancient Rome. Another reason to thank the Romans.

It has been a lovely weekend. I have been looking after Beth whilst Parkes was visting Justina in Wiltshire. Beth and I went to a baby massage class on Saturday morning followed by a long walk in the afternoon with Beth in da sling (pictured with East 17 hat). On Sunday we walked some more and when Parkes arrived back in the afternoon we watched the rugby then went for a walk. Man, I can't stop walking.

Talking of rugby, it has been a great weekend. Two cracking quarter-finals on Saturday and England were outstanding. It should be a cracker next weekend against France