TURNED my perfectly formed nose right up at the notion of potato painting.

At the beginning, it sounded intriguing.

But watching Mum butcher a bag of potatoes to no real distinguishable end (that was not a star in anyone's book) was pretty painful.

I actually turned to the paint and asked permission to watch it dry.

ONCE again rued the day my mum decided that Mondays would be a good day for Mummy and Freddy time. I was so excited for my first visit to Wheelbirks Farm in Stocksfield.

Mum was pretty excited too. She had it on good authority that the home-cooked food was worth the trip in itself.

But in an uncharacteristic bout of forward planning, she went on the computer so we didn't get lost ... and promptly found out that the guys at Wheelbirks have a day off on a Monday - presumably after a busy weekend, which is when we'll have to schedule our trip for next time.

FELT sorry for the massive crowds of students (hey there cousin Ami) who marched down to London nice and sensibly to make their point - only to have their stamping feet drowned out by a group of sillies.

DEVISED a new card game, based loosely on the principles of pairs. Let's call it pairs with a twist.

It basically involves putting some of the Toy Story cards face down on the floor ... and some of them facing up.

When you turn over one card, you have to try and find a match from the upturned selection, which subsequently offers a much better chance of success and the back pats which come with it. Genius.