Time to shut up shop for Christmas. I’m off to the in-laws for a week of sitting in a comfy chair and reading a book and hopefully not much else. Hope you and yours have good one and I’ll see you in 2013.

Download: Last Train to Christmas – April March (mp3)

Today I will be wearing a black armband to commemorate the sad occasion when the United States made the greatest mistake in it’s history. Besides electing George Bush twice, that is.

But I guess they’ve done alright without us. This coming October it will be 20 years since I moved to America and, despite the shortage of good sausages, this is a fine place to live. Though at the time I wasn’t planning on actually moving here for good, it just sort of happened — but that’s a story for another day.

Download: I Like America – Noel Coward (mp3)

I’m back now, refreshed by the lovely air of Dorset (and the wind, the rain, the fog) but also a bit cream-crackered because of jetlag so I’m not sure what I’ll have for you this week unless you want me to bore you with my holiday snaps. Didn’t think so.

In the meantime here’s a storming tune by Elvis, the title of which is in no way indicative of how I felt in London (despite how much it changes) but I’ve loved this record for years and have always wanted to post it here.

Download: Stranger In My Own Home Town – Elvis Presley (mp3)

Off to England for a holiday tomorrow. We’re doing something a bit different this time, just spending three days in London and then heading down to Lyme Regis for a week in a cottage by the sea. Being a Londoner there are large chunks of England I’ve never been to before (I mean, why go anywhere else? I’m in London) including Dorset so I’m looking forward to it a lot, I hear it’s lovely. But do they have computers down there yet?

So I’ll be seeing you a week and a half from now. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

Download: At Home He’s A Tourist – Gang of Four (mp3)