Sleep, come surround me in thy purple cloak

The day did not start well. The departure board at the station listed the 8.11 to Paddington as "On Time", but the added note "regret no coach B" filled me with foreboding. It wasn't on time of course, but the real problem was the fact that it was carrying about twice as many passengers as seats, which seems to happen with monotonous regularity. Also, it seems new inflation figures show an 11 year high (does that take into account tax rises?), it's peeing down with rain, and Fidel Castro is looking gravely ill. I can't say that last piece of news is especially bothersome to me.

Dumpy woke up screaming at midnight but we have a new system in place. All the books say we should let him cry, so we did. He cried for 45 minutes, yes 45! It wasn't easy to listen to, but we have to do something. He did go back to sleep eventually and then didn't wake again until 5.30. And the 5.30 thing was very unspectacular. With luck he will get used to going back to sleep by himself.

The media has suddenly realised that the majority of people in Britain want an English parliament. I can't think why this is suddenly big news, it's been obvious for years. The problem is that the current government don't want to create an English assembly because it means that Scottish MPs won't be able to vote on matters that only concern England. And that means that they wouldn't get half their bills passed. It has been suggested that devolution of the union would mean an end to socialism in England because it only really exists in Scotland. From my point of view this would be the greatest thing that could possibly happen to my country.

It's 11.30 pm and Dumpy has been asleep since 8.00 without waking. This is a very good sign.