Lion King was really good. If you've not seen the live show, the story is the same but the songs (well most of them) are different. I think the songs are probably better in the stage version with more of an African feel to the music (and, indeed the costumes).

I did wonder how it would work on stage and was a little concerned that it would just be actors in animal costumes, a bit like Cats (actors in cat suits, yawn, didn't really work for me) or Starlight Express (OK, trains rather than animals but it still didn't work for me). I needn't have worried; it was done really well. Yes, there were actors dressed as animals, but in a way that worked. The opening scene as the animals came onto the stage was enough to make your realise that this was going to be something special.

And a school production of the King and I, what's that going to be like? No exaggeration, it was outstanding. I knew it would be good, as I've seen other productions there, but this way exceeded my expectations. Singing, dancing, acting, technical side were all absolutely fantastic. Hard to believe that the maximum age of the actors was 15. As someone mentioned afterwards, they could have put that production on in the Southampton Theatre, charged £25 a ticket, and no one would have asked for their money back.

Apparently there was a thunderstorm one night last week. I slept through it. Completely. Not even a half-wake-up think "oh it's thunder" and go back to sleep. I didn't hear a thing.

My nephew is coming to the UK to play rugby for the season. Some club has offered to pay his airfare, subsidise his accommodation and help him find a job. Seems a bit odd, as it's not a big club. OK, it's probably quite big among its peers, but it seems to be just an average town rugby club, with a few pitches and a club house. It's not one of the major players that you might hear of in the sports reports, such as Saracens, Wasps and London Irish.

What happened to the days when rugby clubs drew their players from the surrounding pubs? Maybe this is what twenty-odd years of professionalism have done to the sport.

My car had its annual service today. I'm slightly ambivalent towards the notion of car servicing. On the one hand I understand the need for regular maintenance and inspections to keep it running well and spot any potential problems. On the other hand, I slightly resent paying over 200 notes to have the oil changed and someone whistle through clenched teeth as he looks over the vehicle.

In this case it wasn't too bad with only one potential problem which isn't too serious (it was pointed out last year but doesn't appear to have deteriorated any). And the car was given a wash and I get RAC roadside assistance for the next year (though the benefit of this is dubious, since I already have full recovery with another breakdown organisation).

I had intended to get the MOT done at the same time, but made a slight cock-up on the calendar front. It is more than one month before the MOT expires so I wouldn't have been able to forward-date the test.