IT'S been another busy week. I went to the dentist and asked him what he would recommend for yellow teeth, and he said a brown tie. Then I think I pulled a muscle in my arm when waving the runners off on the Michelmores charity run from the Quay.

This time last week Stacy and I were in Exmouth strolling along the 'prom prom prom'. As we walked through Manor Gardens the birdsong was interrupted by a singer performing as part of their Festival Week. He was belting out The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, originally sung by Marianne Faithful. It is not an uplifting song. We picked up the pace, so as not to burst into tears, and went for an ice cream on the sea front to cheer ourselves up.

While I was enjoying Stacy's Flake, I noticed the inviting sands of Dawlish Warren from across the Exe Estuary and we decided to make that our next port of call. We returned through the park, where a different soloist was hammering his nail into the Festival coffin with the equally glum Imagine by John Lennon. Yep, good times.

The beach by the golf course at Dawlish Warren was quiet and free of X-Factor wannabes, and the Nature Reserve equally peaceful. Heading for home, up the hill to Mamhead and then into Haldon Forest, I noticed a tiny bird about the size of my thumb on the road. I stopped to move it to safety, then poured some water from my bottle on to a blade of grass, which I used to drip-feed it until it was happy: all my days on children's telly finally paying off.

Today the nation goes football-mad, but it seems not everyone is looking forward to the World Cup. Sixteen million of us are set to avoid every game.

Research shows just 60 per cent of people here will watch the tournament, compared to 97 per cent of Brazilians who'll watch their national team. It'll be my American wife's first World Cup. The opening game tomorrow against the States will prove interesting in our home.

On the subject of those Yanks and their lack of interest in a sport that they don't excel at (soccer), I loved this story from earlier this week. High School Musical star Zac Effron said he couldn't wait for Saturday's game against… Manchester United, and actor Jackie Chan has tipped Milan to win!

Personally I think the Grecians will do it. Ciao.