Annemarie:
OK, here we are in Northern Zambia, by the side of Lake Tanganyika; there are tiny fish, rare cichlids, swimming in the water by our feet, otters popping up for air as we paddle by, thunder clouds gathering over the dramatic rift valley landscape. So what is dominating the conversation tonight as we make our first flakey connection to BBC news in the last week? No, not the most recent Israeli incursion or the problems facing the hungry and destitute in the UK…West Ham are third in the table. Third!! Above Arsenal and Man Utd, third only to Chelsea and Man City, both clubs that could be said to have bought their way to performance. So, really, West Ham are top of the table if you take these factors into account. Not since the 1980s has this kind of thing happened and here we are, stuck in Africa with West Ham playing their socks off!! I am nonplussed by this sense of priority but Martin is VERY happy. OK, well done West Ham but even though it's your theme song it's the cichlids that are "Blowing Bubbles" here.
Footnote: In Dad’s box of old sheet music we found this wonderful weathered copy of ‘I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles’ which had Dad’s grandmother’s name on it. So we gave it to Martin. Here’s a photo.