I just don't know what to make of Tamara Ecclestone

I'm having a problem deciding what I think of Tamara (pictured here with her sister Petra on the right). She is doing some kind of a documentary about herself and her day to day life with Channel 5. And while it is a blatant piece of self-publicity which clearly shows her venal, shallow nature, there is also an intriguing other side which defies ready explanation. The film showed her setting up a charity auction for Great Ormond Street Hospital, than which there is surely no worthier cause. She also went out buying presents for the children and spent several thousand pounds at somewhere like Hamleys.
Now I am not such a naive cat as to believe her motives to be truly altruistic but the fact remains that were it not for her self publicity those sick kids would not have been in receipt of the toys at all. The same can be said of the auction itself. It apparently cost £500,000 to set up and only made £550,000. But that is £50,000 which the hospital would otherwise have been without and nobody said that Tamara was a brilliant business woman anyway.
I cannot leave the subject of the auction without mentioning that Alexandra Burke (a female pop artist) performed for no fee and made no diva like demands on Tamara's resources either.
So here is the puzzle then. Does it really matter if a worker for charity is vain, shallow and self obsessed as long as the work gets done? I'm beginning to think it does not.
The film also made it apparent that Tamara has a rather sad relationship with her father Bernie whom she quite obviously loves.
Her boyfriend (Omar) would seem little better than a hanger on who cannot be bothered to dress respectably when in her company. And he comes off considerably worse by comparison.
I think I shall continue watching the documentary with perhaps fewer cat calls and derisory remarks than I would have expected and I shall urge Old Nic to do the same.

Another non-celebrity to get out of there

I see somebody called Georgia Salpa is set to join the other would-be celebrities in the Australian hinterland. But who on earth is she? I've read that she is Irish so Old Nic will not like her but that is all I can glean from the press.
But I cannot imagine that anyone with eyes like that and such a tanned complexion can possibly be pure Irish.
Apparently she is being set up to partner the appalling Mark Wright from The Only Way Is Essex which gives a clue to her social level and intelligence. I hope she can put up with loud mouth boors.
Other non-celebs this cat has never heard of already featuring in the line up are: Kris Smith, Iwan Thomas and Davinia Taylor. Whooooooo?
I expect I'll be spared this kind of boredom however because old Nic cannot abide Ant or Dec and even the temptation of watching Georgia with the sound muted is unlikely to sway him otherwise.

What a peaceful night!

I don't know why I don't think of this more often but I 've discovered that the most peaceful place to spend the night is half way up the bed. When I try to sleep at the foot I quite often get Old Nic's big toe in my ribs as he's such a fidget. But about half way up I'm at the pivot point and things are a bit more settled, plus it's quite warm next his tummy.
We both slept late while the wind rustled about the place (much too breezy for small cats like me).
But I feel quite guilty. While I passed a peaceful night there are so many who don't and maybe never will again. It's nearly Poppy Day again and this year The Royal British Legion have launched an improved Christmas draw in which £90,000 can be won. There are magnificent prizes for the runners up and purchasers of tickets online can win £50 M&S vouchers too.

Every £1 entry you buy will help serving and ex-Service personnel and their families. Not just those who fought in the two World Wars, but also those involved in the many conflicts since 1945 and those still fighting today. And, of course you could win our fabulous First Prize of £90,000 cash!

There's nothing worse than wet fur

One of Old Nic's most frequent complaints about me (and he has soooo many!) is that I jump on him in the middle of the night when he's comfortably tucked up in bed. He says I always seem to do it when I've been out in the rain and I'm like a wet sponge. He wonders why I do it. Well there are two reasons really:
1) Because he makes a very satisfying ooooomph sound when I land on his tummy.
2) Because I need to get dry and curling up on the duvet when he's under it is the warmest place to be at night.
Old Nic says that I'll do it once too often one night and I'll find myself back out in the rain with my old suitcase and my collection of furry mice for company.
He doesn't mean it though!

A warm spot for a cat-nap

I'm always on the look out for a warm spot for a bit of a kip and I've come across this rather tempting little item. I'm hoping to be able to talk Old Nic into a small investment of £20.45 for some creature comfort for yours truly. It's my birthday on Nov 5th. Well, we call it my birthday because it was a Guy Fawkes night that he first saw me on the doorstep. He thought I was frightened of the fireworks! Frightened? Moi?
Oh I should also say that the white mark in the corner of the bed pictured here isn't where the model has puked up a hair ball. No, believe it or not it's a design feature! Humans eh?
More about this radiator cat bed here

Police spokespeople should improve their grammar

From a report in the Daily Mail:
"A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police added: 'A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of an historic sexual offence.'"
Police Notice:
Historic means notable or significant. Historical may be the word you want since it means 'from the past' But since a sexual offence remains a sexual offence whether it was committed yesterday or ten years ago, I really wouldn't bother with any adjective at all.
However should the use of historic be truly appropriate I think a more complete explanation is owed to this prurient world. A sexual offence of epic proportion would be of genuine public interest.

Lewis Hamilton splits from his pussycat

Although she is known as a pussycat, I've never felt much affinity with Nicole. She never struck me as particularly bright and I seem to recall Old Nic saying on more than one occasion that they were an ill-matched couple. I know that Old Nic will be happy that Lewis will now be able to concentrate on business again. Which is something that has been sadly lacking in the last few months. Maybe he will also be able to find someone more suitable as a girlfriend, someone younger anyway. Jensen's done all right for himself after all!