Monday

Yes, I know it’s a Bank Holiday and it’s a beautiful sunny day, but there are deadlines. In fact there seem to be more deadlines since I left the BBC staff and went freelance, but I’m not complaining, even if my family are none too impressed. In many ways, this is the perfect work day.

I start by finishing a feature for The Guardian on Miriam Makeba, the veteran diva of South African music. She’s 76 now, and still a quite amazing lady, as I found when I interviewed her in Italy a couple of weeks back. Once that’s finished, I watch the Newcastle vs Chelsea game with my 18-year-old son, William.