NEW BOOK

To the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Pall Mall for Lunch with my publisher, Tom Longford of Gracewing.. I have a new book coming out in September - but I'll keep details of that as a surprise for the moment. My book on Pope Benedict is selling quite well - have you bought a copy? Gracewing will oblige...Tom v. happy about a beautiful new book on First Communion which is coming out shortly - showed me the proofs. It really is excellent, a fine companion to the one already produced on Confirmation, by Dora Nash. which is available from Gracewing and has proved a big success.

FLOODS

But I feel mean writing cheerily. There is bad - really bad - flooding in parts of the country. There have been at least four deaths. There are stories of heroism with firemen struggling to save lives, and people people given emergency shelter after being rescued from flooded houses. Many families have had their homes wrecked and lost many precious possesions. Overcast skies promise more rain...