Saturday April 255th 2026 "Have YOU ever chosen a song on a jukebox, and instantly regretted it? It's an easy trap to fall into!"

Yes, Friends, have YOU ever chosen a song on a jukebox and instantly regretted it? 

It happened to local man Jared Chambers this week, according to the local Onion News for East Hampshire - check below for my "potted version" of the saga, which seems to have gripped the nation, to put it mildly!

Poor Chambers!!!! Because, as if to heighten the poor guy's misery, on an admittedly 'slow news' day (!), this purely local story was quickly picked up by 'the nationals' - the Times, Telegraph etc - and even led the BBC World Service's early morning bulletins for a while, would you believe!

Poor Chambers (again) !!! His name will be 'mud' all over the world today, that's for sure !!!!

And reading his story here in semi-leafy Liphook, Hampshire, today, brings an admittedly semi-tired smile to the faces of me and my wife Lois, currently suffering our own moderately semi-tired reaction to our this week's COVID jab, which is a pity, to put it mildly!!!

me and my wife Lois - seen here on the sofa tonight, suffering a 

moderately tired reaction to our COVID jab this week

Still feeling listless, we've had a moderately semi-exhausted day today, with the undoubted highlight being another afternoon in bed for 'statutory nap-time', followed in second place by a triumphant outing this morning to the local Co-op: Lois, like me a frugal soul never anxious to waste money, insisted that we use up a £2 off voucher (if you spend £20), and pick up a few grocery items at the same time - a win-win, if ever there was one!!!!

And I can exclusively reveal that the visit was a triumph, not only making full use of our coupon, but also coming away with an even better one - £3 off if you spend £30 !!! We're 'on a roll' here, that's for sure, and the sky's the limit!!!!

(above) the local Co-op on Headley Road, and (below) the results of our

bargain purchase today, and its promise of more riches for our next little outing!

Feeling generous after our money-saving trip this morning, before we hop into bed this afternoon, Lois doesn't forget to water her flowers and veg, which is a nice touch in this uncharacteristically dry spell of weather, and typical of her generous nature, to put it mildly!!!

before we hop into bed this afternoon, my wife Lois doesn't forget

to water her flowers and veg, in a typically generous move !

Luckily we've got some cheering news from our little family to keep us talking, no doubt about that!

Our 51-year-old son-in-law Edward, with his brother Tom, is competing in the Race the Sun (South Downs) charity triathlon challenge today 20 miles to the south of us on the English Channel coast: a 10 mile hike, followed by 2 miles in a kayak, and finally a 33-mile bike ride - what madness!!!! And later he sends us several pictures of their day, which is nice.

our son-in-law Edward (left), with brother Tom, seen today here 

on their 10-mile hike in Sussex,  along the English Channel coast

The lads officially finished 19th out of 120 competitors, but Edward says they would have been 16th if they'd remembered to stop their official clocks when there was an unexpected queue for kayaks - what madness (again) !!!!

Edward, and Alison, our daughter, are going through busy times at the moment. For over a year, they've been renting a house in Churt, Surrey, while their own house - a crumbling Victorian mansion in Headley, Hampshire, 5 miles from us - is being extensively renovated. They're hoping to be able to move back into their home in the autumn, but who knows!!! And yesterday Alison and Edward met with their builders for their weekly 'catch-up' session, touring some of their mansion wearing some stylish 'hard hats', together with representatives of the builders' "team" - what madness, isn't it!!!

flashback to yesterday: our daughter Alison, with husband Edward, and with 

representatives of their builders, tour the 'shell' of their crumbling Victorian

mansion wearing stylish hi-viz jackets and 'hard hats' - what madness!!!

Meanwhile, 9000 miles away in Australia, they're marking ANZAC Day this weekend, celebrating the brave men and women from Australia and New Zealand who came to the UK's aid in two world wars, coming over in 1914 and again in 1939, sailing to Europe and the Middle East in large numbers, to play their part in the defence of the mother country.

Our daughter Sarah lives over there in Perth, Western Australia, with husband Francis and their 12-year-old twins Lily and Jessica, and yesterday there were special events to mark ANZAC day at the twins' Anglican grammar school in Perth's northern suburbs, with pictures on social media. I expect that Lois and I will hear more about the day during our weekly catch-up video call with the family on Sunday morning.

flashback to yesterday: ANZAC Day marked at our twin granddaughters'

Anglican grammar school, in Perth's northern suburbs

ANZAC Day is a big thing over there, and it's touching to see the obvious pride that today's population still feels over the achievements and exploits of their forefathers. 

Sarah and family moved to Perth a couple of years ago. Before going to Australia, our twin granddaughters Lily and Jessica had been learning all about the two world wars and the ANZAC contribution, in history lessons at their previous primary school near Evesham, Worcestershire UK, so it'll be fascinating for them, I'm sure, to hear about it again from the Australian and New Zealand viewpoint.

flashback to July 2024: our twin granddaughters playing their parts in their English 

school's production of "Pirates of the Curry Bean", in Worcestershire UK

Will this do?

[Oh just go to bed! - Ed]

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzz!!!!!