Sunrise, sunset, Sunday, Monday.... Yes, Swindon has reverted to ordinary greyness. There's a sort of comfortable familiarity about layers of dismal cloud drifting across the town and never letting it be one thing or another.

It's been a suprisingly quiet start to the year. I only heard the first police siren wailing past my home on saturday night. Even Punch & Judy, fresh back from annoying someone else on their christmas holiday, have been quiet and mindful of the fact that thanks to the lack of sound insulation I can hear everything they do. Yes, even that. At least I assume that's what they're doing. But that's their business and I'll spare them the spotlight since they've been nice and considerate since their return.

Now then, as for the latest news about my comings and gopings, I must report an encounter at the front door of the Job Centre. As I arrived a young woman was waiting inside to be let out. To my left, another couple of young ladies, somewhat less attractive than the jaw dropping brunette facing me through the glass sort of assumed I was going to be a gentleman and allow them by. Oh, please use the door, why don't you?

That meant I was standing in the cold draughty pavement outside. Right, they've entered, now it's my turn. As I slipped inside with a scowl the brunette slipped past me with a "You're welcome."

The cheek of it! Chivalry should be offered, not demanded. Or have I missed the point of what she was saying?

More News From Swindon

The printers weren't working at the programme centre this morning. Okay, maybe that's not entirely newsworthy, nor as an event is it entirely new, but hey, it was an excuse for an extra paragraph.

More News From The Swindon Newspaper

A burglar got caught and sentenced to more than two years for being caught a third time. Proof, if any were needed, that police bureaucracy and red tape work after all. All I need to do now is buy another car and wait for it to be vandalised. The police will be able to catch the perpetrator at long last.