Month: June 2004

The BBC reports on how a major threat to Homeland Security was averted by quick-thinking White House aides. Apparently, a TV cameraman caught Dubya out of uniform during his trip to Ireland. The cameraman is reported to be on his way to Guantanamo.

To live in England, and to follow the England fooball team, is to know the true meaning of the word heartache. This happens every two years, but you never get used to it.

After their disastrous start against France, England have advanced to the quarter-finals of Euro 2004. All thanks to an 18-year-old kid named Wayne Rooney (note to self, must play more football with Charlie). Next up is the host nation, Portugal, on Thursday night.

Alice and I (and 100,000 other people) spent Sunday evening in Hyde Park, seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was a fantastic night. We particularly enjoyed the opening act, none other than Soul Brother Number One.

One recent soggy Saturday, in a seethingly crowded branch of IKEA at Brent Park, north London, a young couple gaze at a Lack sidetable, and then, with fond exasperation, at each other, and have the following conversation:

“But it’s only £8.”

“But we don’t need it.”


“But it’s only £8!”

“But we don’t … OK. Whatever. Whatever.”

— From a very good, if very long, feature in the Guardian on the phenomenon that is IKEA. We absolutely love IKEA. I’m writing this sitting in a Verksam and working at a Bengt. Charlie loves the children’s play area (and so do we, since we can leave him there for an hour and get some serious shopping done). And then, of course, there are the meatballs.

You may have noticed that Charlie Cam is now in stereo, thanks to a new,
£15 webcam hooked up to my laptop. Charlie Cam II won’t be on all the time, but it might give a new perspective to life at ridey.net.

England snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Courtesy of that man Zidane. It’s going to be a particularly bad Monday in England tomorrow.