The British weather is an endless source of comment. When you want to start a conversation in Britain, you always begin by asking how good or bad the weather has been of late. Yes, it's been pretty good these last couple of days. Hot sun, light winds, but yesterday afternoon?

It poured with rain. Those unlucky enough to still be out and about trudged past my home in a state of abject misery, their clothes two shades darker and dripping wet. I do have sympathy of course. I've been caught out by rain so many times before. Thing is though, even in dry shelter, I couldn't really be all that smug. Having been busy that morning I was sweating like a pig.

It makes me wonder how people used to cope in the days before we thought latin was a good idea. No brick walls or slate roofs back then. Just a fur rug and a muddy straw tent for shelter. Come to think of it, just how far have we advanced as a civilisation? We're just as vulnerable to the elements as we always were. As a nation, we Brits seem very ambivalent about it. We know our weather can turn on us quickly but we so rarely ensure that we're prepared for the worst.

Anyway, must dash, I need a few odds and ends from the supermarket and pick up a newspaper to check if anyones advertised a vacancy. Quick glance out the window... Hmmm... Weather looks good. Yep, I'll think I'll pop down there now....

That Sinking Feeling

The Airbus A330 isn't getting a very good reputation is it? Quantas had one that went into two steep dives, one has tragically exploded over the Atlantic, and now Air France has had a mid-air situation with a faulty airspeed indication. We pilots are superstitious creatures. I can just imagine the rueful expressions of aircrews flying them right now. It seems security needs to be stepped up at airports around the world - Mr Gremlin is busy sliiping onto flights everywhere.

Life is always a risk, no-one is guaranteed survival, and the grim reaper gets us all in the end. Nonetheless, its times like this that makes flying seem more of the gamble it actually is.

Keyboard of the Week

All is well in the land of keyboards. I now have a serviceable instrument with which to entertain, amuse, baffle, confuse, frighten small children, and occupy council noise investigators. Can't wait.