The second Ashes test is about to begin on Friday down-under, the test is in Adelaide, South Australia. Let's take a local and parochial view of the Aussie test venue.

South Australians proudly dub themselves the only "free" Australian state, that is, the only state not to have been populated by convicts. However, that's about all South Australians can boast!

Labour Gateshead MP Ian Mearns has scored a big hit with his Commons motion criticising the coalition over its decision to slash £162m from school sports nationally.

More than 40 MPs have signed up to the motion, demanding a review with funding for School Sports Partnerships (SSPs) set to end,

Top Tory Gary Streeter, who represents South West Devon, is among those to have backed Mr Mearns' motion.

I love the snow, I really do.

It brings out the Mummy in me. We were on our way home from buying my daughter a ski jacket when it started to snow last Wednesday. A happy coincidence, which nonetheless gave me the feeling of being proactive rather than reactive in the parenting stakes; of being one of those people who run their lives rather than let their lives run them. Oh, I could get used to that feeling.

Then there are the ample opportunities for laying on the sense of tradition, thick as the snow outside my door. Perhaps it is having spent some of my formative years in America, where the gestures are always grand, but the slightest flurry outside and I am running enormous bubbly baths, serving mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows, singing Christmas carols from morning to night though we are not yet out of November. Cosy, cosy, cosy.

With the Ashes down-under this winter, let's take a local and parochial view of the Aussie test venues. First Test: Brisbane in the state of Queensland

Southbank beach on the Brisbane river with the city behind

Queenslanders are affectionately known as "Banana Benders", due to the warm and tropical climate that is perfect for growing fruit, like bananas.

This isn't a post about my propensity to open the door to tradesmen dressed only in flimsy nightie, pink fluffy slippers and a coquettish smile.*

I admit working from home can get lonely sometimes but this has nothing to do with my milkman.

My milkman reminds me of a cantankerous badger. He has unruly silver facial hair, a baggy silhouette and he doesn't speak, he growls. But I love him.

Every morning, even in this most inclement weather, he brings me something so beautiful in its symmetry that it gives me a little thrill.

Of course he brings me milk. But this is not just any milk.

This is locally sourced organic milk in glass bottles.

Every night I get another little thrill when I put out the empties knowing they're going to be washed and used again.

This is the next best thing to having a cow in my garden. It is a concept so simple and so wonderful I might shout it from the streets like some crazy religious fanatic.

Having a milkman makes me feel a bit more like a member of the human race. It brings me one step closer to the rest of the community, a sensation that can be pretty hard to evoke these days.

You might be thinking that I am a bit sad getting so excited about a grocery delivery. If you ask me, it's these little things that make all the difference and if my milkman ever leaves I will be bereft.

My milk comes from the Acorn Dairy in Darlington and is delivered by B&P Dairymen. You can call the Dairymen on 01670 590060. More eco musings at daisygreenmagazine.co.uk

*I don't do this. Nobody does except Barbara Windsor in Carry On films.

So the UK is providing loans to Ireland of around £7bn. But could we yet end having to stump up more loans?

And could those go bad, leaving us with real bills rather than so-called "contingent" liabilities. Remember the sub-prime housing crisis...

The Spainish, Portugese, Italian, Belgium economies are all looking shaky. The Spainish economy for example was fuelled by a housing boom, like that in Ireland, but that has come to a shuddering halt.

And the cost of the loans taken out by Spain has increased, not gone down in the wake of Irish bailout.

Build a Snowman

Ok so this is fairly predictable, but I'm not Les Dennis and I didn't need to survey a 100 people to know what the top answer was.

Last year me and Dad (sorry, Dad and I) built a 6ft tall belter in Heaton Park, with arms, buttons, dark eyes, a jaunty smile and even some yellow shoes courtesy of Jimmy, our talking cocker spaniel.

Was very proud of myself (and my mum, by the way) when we braved the icy conditions to make our weekly date with the Piccolo Music club.

By my reckoning turnout was approximately (I didn't have my abacus) 83% down on your average week, but what we lacked in numbers, we more than made up for in fervour.

And so we should. It was the last week of 'normal' songs before the festive dust gets sprinkled on the songbook and they break out the Christmas selection box.
Bring on the jingle bells ladies.

Rehearsals have cranked up a gear for the Christmas show at nursery, and I don't mind admitting, I'm starting to feel the pressure.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I'm playing the pivotal part of Joseph, so I've had to take things rather more seriously than I'd hoped.

Learning the lines, learning the songs, learning to cope with a fancy dress costume that has nothing resembling a cape or wings... it's all requiring a lot more concentration and effort that I'm used to.

Shadow Business Minister Chi Onwurah is the latest MP to back student occupations.

Here is what the MP for Newcastle Central's message of support says via a blog about Newcastle students occupying part of their university.

That comes as a total of 17 MPs, including Green leader Caroline Lucas and Plaid Parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd have publicly backed student occupations in Parliament.