Yes, am cruising to Scandinavia and Russia

and Kristiansund,Norway,was our first stop.Voyage V 825,10-24 August 2018.I love this itinerary,I sailed there for  the very first time on the Celebrity Eclipse and loved it so much, have done it  on two  other ships since, this  being the third-Cunard's Queen Victoria. Originally,some six months ago,I booked a Britannia Club Cabin,this particular grade has the least number of cabins and sells out fast.I was in a Club cabin for the first time last Christmas and loved it unreservedly and when I knew I wanted to sail to St Petersburg again, I made a reservation immediately.Only once on board last Friday did I realize that I had been upgraded to a Princess Grill cabin 4094.There is only one grade higher, the Queens Grill.The Grills have own dining room and lounge, terrace adjoining the lunge  and a sun-bathing  area,all on the 11th floor.An elevator that  goes there is operated with a special key.The nicest surprise  was Eduardo,a Colombian maitre d', who was so wonderfully nice to me  at Christmas, and who is  now in The Princes Grill restaurant.We greeted each other like  friends I hope we are going to become.He is a no nonsense man, who came to appreciate my sense of humour and I his kindness.

If it is a Sunday,it must be Kristiansand,Norway

And I wish it was anything but. The town comes into the category you have seen one,you have seen them all.It is neat, it is tidy,it is clean. And that is all it has going for it on this  Sunday morning. There was a "city train" waiting in the port, 14$ return, or 100 krone, to take us to the centre.There  not even  a coffee shop was open.A ship docks with at least 1000 passengers and the Norwegians do not even think it would be the right  and the nice thing to do to welcome us in some way other than expecting  the unsuspecting traveller to spend money on a ride to nowhere and to  nothing. Now that IS being taken for a ride.There was a church in the square with two obligatory  gypsy women  beggars  in front of it, free entrance,thank God for small mercies, I went  inside,sat down, prayed for something to happen, it did not.Took the next train back to the port.So if you ever come to Kristiansand on a Sunday, stay on the ship.

The wise men say that after a bereavement one should wait a year, two,

before making any important decisions.I have waited 8 years and several weeks ago have set in motion a chain of events that would change my life for ever.
Several days ago boom bara boom, something very unexpected  came into my life that may have  taken me in the  completely different direction I am planning now, but  potentially change my future in the most wonderful way imaginable. And I said no because there is one thing,one thing only, so very important to me that has stopped me from taking the chance,one thing,that may not  matter at all in the long run, but at the moment seems to be insurmountable.
And I am  sitting here and asking myself - have I made a mistake?

"We buttoned-up Brits need to chill about nudity"

says the very likeable and  sensible Esther Rantzen. Ms Rantzen, I concur.

Yes, Mr Harvey Weinstein should be prosecuted

for exercising the poorest of the poor judgements  for  sleeping with trout pouts and inflated balloons, who after years of trying to make it big, small,or anything in the show business  and failing miserably, are now crawling out of the woodwork finally having their  five minutes of fame and if not that, at least a pound of flesh. He had the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, the talented  Georgina Chapman,at home. Why on earth would his inflated ego want to jeopardise  his  marriage? And then there is the risk of venereal disease.Harvey, you  really are  an idiot.

"Ottolenghi's Midas touch..."

as the very likeable restaurant critic Fay Maschler refers to Yotam Ottolenghi's  magic in the kitchen.Mr Kipling may make exceedingly good cakes, but no-one makes a cheesecake the way  the very handsome Yotam makes.In summer it is topped with strawberries, in winter with  caramel and  nuts.I am not a fan of caramel,but in this combination it is utterly scrumptious.

The lovely Kate Garraway of ITV's Good Morning

says "We are more adventurous in bed."     WE being the women  of 40+.  Kate,I am well  over 40 and if there is one thing I have learnt  it is that you can take a horse to water  but you can't make it drink it.