....and I suppose there`s some comfort in knowing that whilst you`ve been away for a week, not much has happened during your absence. My neighbour reliably informs me that the most excitement in Snopper Street was when someone moved their car a bit.

So, not much to report on the home front, but we had a super week away in Cornwall - blessed with good weather, except on Wednesday when we were due for a rest anyway and blessed with memorable walks along the cliffs and beaches of Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Polly Joke, Holywell Bay, Cadgwith and the headlands at Pentire and Trevose. But for me, the week was memorable for achieving one long held ambition and almost achieving another.

The one I did manage after years of near misses was to finally visit the church at St. Neot. This is a small village on the southern edges of Bodmin Moor. It`s very picturesque, quiet and peaceful but its glory is the collection of medieval stained glass windows in the Parish Church of St. Anietus. Certainly the finest church windows in Cornwall and with the possible exception of those at Fairford in Gloucestershire, probably the finest in the whole country. More on that story at http://www.stneot.org.uk/parish_church_of_st_neot.html

The one visit I didn`t quite make this time was to Creegbrawse, a mile or so from Chacewater deep in the heart of the Cornish mining country. I`ve long been fascinated by the Cornish mining industry and Creegbrawse was the site of the beginning of the great county adit, which drained a host of mines over a distance of some 40 miles in the Gwennap, St. Day, Blackwater, Scorrier area and beyond, draining to the Carnon River which has its mouth at Restronguet on the south coast. It was by any standards a remarkable feat of engineering, determination and dedication and one which deserves more acknowledgement than it gets. Maybe next time I`ll make the pilgrimage.

Again, whilst things may not have happened much at home, things have been going on in the `wider world.` I suppose the most notable event was the Pope`s visit. Now those of you who know my religious beliefs (by which I mean there aren`t any) will expect some cynicism about the costly arrival of an old ex-Hitler Youth German dressed up in a frock and waving his arms around at anyone he sees. But no - I`ll put cynicism to one side and just accept that people can believe whatever they want to believe and follow the teachings of whoever they choose. It`s none of my business although I have to repeat what I`ve said before which is that, whilst I may have no quarrel with Him upstairs, his self-appointed representatives on earth are a bit of a problem when it comes to setting examples for the rest of us.

But as if to smite me for teetering on the edge of blasphemy, in my absence my beloved Saints have become rooted in the relegation zone at the foot of Division 3. Our new manager, Nigel Adkins, needs time, patience and goodwill to find his feet and move us forward. If only he would refrain from speaking of himself in the third person. When Snopper hears that kind of thing, then Snopper gets worried. To be fair.

It`s good to be home though.