The Man Who Fell To Earth

I don't understand extremes, it's not in my nature, so Felix Baumgartner's skydiving apotheosis - and why he would want to seek it - is a mystery to me. It has however been transfixing, not least because the commentary on the way up was so slow and understated. It reminded me of sitting on the floor at home as a ten year old in 1969 watching the first moon landing; it had a hypnotic quality to it. Bit more difficult this time for the conspiracy theorists to claim it never happened of course, between the live internet feed and the fact that there are probably plenty of amateur astronomers out there with the capability to track events. Maybe it's the year for metaphors of the skydiving, what with the title of the new James Bond Movie and the Olympic opening ceremony with a spoof of the Queen and her Corgi baling out over the stadium.

Felix apparently divides his time between Austria and America but says that "the air is where I am most at home". Personally I prefer the terror and excitement of mixing with people on the ground. Falling 127,000 feet is awesome but human psychology is far scarier simply because most of us try and pretend to be something we are not and the thrill and the danger is trying to discover the real you and me. I suspect Felix isn't the kind to want to go there; anyone who likes to be alone in a pressurised suit at high altitude presumably isn't naturally gregarious. A room full of people and a flip chart would probably bring him down to earth with a bump very quickly...

But credit where credit is due. Felix you were awesome. Those seconds standing on the step of your capsule and then seeing you launch yourself into the void ... wow. We followed you getting ready on the iPad whilst making smoked haddock and fennel soup with a poached egg in it. As for the landing ... it was as gentle as Apollo 11's and classier than any of James Bond's. We Brits salute you. Thanks for sharing, as they say in all the best therapy groups ...

A very productive Sunday, probably because I was up very early with tinitus. Nothing like starting your sunday at 6.30am. TSM and I made lists and got through everything from a detailed review of our household finances to cleaning out my car. I'm not saying the latter was bad but Time Team turned up halfway through to ask if they could dig a trench under the back seats.

Top Gun spent much of the day in bed after being plagued by insomnia. The Dizzle had lunch with his Grandma, and on the way home from picking him up we stopped and bought a new aerial for the car so that he could finally listen to the radio again. Loves his music that boy.

Good weekend that one ...