Peter Rhodes on wise owls, curious computers and a muddy re-run of The Italian Job

Do bear with me. I have just got a new computer. New computers tend to have one thing in common. They are a bit like your old computer but not as good. This one thinks “the” should appear as “themselves.”

You won't find this day, November 21, marked in bold type in any desk diary or calendar and yet it has always struck me as a very special day . For from today it's only one month to the winter solstice. Just four short weeks and the days start getting longer and, like kids perched at the top of a water slide, we can see the summer shimmering in the distance. This time, with 2020 vision.

Meanwhile, festivity approaches. This silly little game is guaranteed to break the ice at parties. In a bold and accusing voice, you simply state: “Somebody in this room is pretending to be an owl.” Some clot always asks: “Who?”