Platform 9 3/4

Well, today was busy.

Betsy's Godmother, Nibs, had invited her to the first Viacom UK Bring a Child to Work Day. Viacom own Nickelodeon, Nick Jnr, Nick Toons, MTV, Channel 5, The Comedy Network and various other TV channels all around the world. Nibs is Vice President for European Consumer Products.

There were 15 children, and they spent the day doing quizzes (live adults were dragged into the room, they asked them questions and then guessed what job they do; Betsy said the most unexpected was the Head of Legal and Business Affairs who was wearing a sweatshirt printed with Jellybeans and was 'very cool'). They took a tour of the offices, saw the green rooms and studios, the graphics departments, the room with hundreds of TV's each playing the live feed for one of the channels around the world. They filmed and directed pieces to camera, saw the banks of merchandise and met hundreds of people who when asked, 'what's the best thing about working here?' all said the same thing; 'We get to act like kids all day long'. Nibs took Betsy to lunch at the staff canteen where they have life-size models of the MTV Astronaut hanging from the ceiling. (They also have the Big Brother Diary Room Chair in Reception). They were given two carrier bags full of merchandise, magazines, pens, pencils, notepads, soft toys, mugs, zip card wallets, sweets, tons of stuff. Betsy had an amazing time and was really inspired to work in such a fun and interesting environment. What a lucky girl she was to be able to go to something like that.

Al and I dropped her there and spent the day together. We went to the London Transport Museum, then Pollocks Toy Museum, then Kings Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4. We had a great day. Pollocks Toy Museum was particularly good: it's a strange, decrepit, creepy converted house, stuffed full of old toys. The rooms are silent, creaky, dark and strange. Al and I had a great time there.

Got home, tired out, all of us, and on looking at our bedroom realised that not only had the decorator made a mess of the paper he was able to hang, he has also done a poor job on the paintwork.