Livin' La Vida Loca

Or to keep up the foreign theme, we're terribly Maison Jardin at number 7B. Special Overgraduate merit points to the reader who correctly identifies that lyric.

None of which really has anything to do with what I'm going to write but the muse is, you will clearly divine, with me this fine day. In fact I've been in a goodish mood for a week or so which is a long run for old misery guts here. But the trouble is that all this relative happiness leaves me in rant deficit. And what am I without going off on one?

I've been out running four times in the last eight days and have only a stiffish back to show for it - not even the hint of a calf strain - says he touching the wooden top of the table. Mens sana etc.

But pull yourself together Dave. Very well, here goes.

Isn't this prolonged election campaign horribly tedious? Can you seriously imagine Ed Miliband as Prime Minister? He makes Cameron look statesmanlike. I can feel my mood lowering as I type this.

Putin v Obama - who would your money be on in a fight? The answer is terrifying for the West. But never mind, America is already gearing up for a presidential election and we have the prospect of a battle between another bloody Clinton and yet another bloody Bush.

So on balance, perhaps things aren't as good as I had allowed myself to believe. As John Bon Jovi would have it - keep the faith.