Spring forward.

Saw Hayseed Dixie live last night at Leeds Rio's. I have been meaning to catch these guys for a while now and was very pleased I did so. This is a genuine US bluegrass band who caught on a few years back after doing an album of ac/dc covers (hence Hayseed Dixie... geddit?). They have expanded their repertiore to include many other heavy rock songs, all sort of other mad cover versions and some decent songs of their own, and so imagine if you will ... a banjo, fiddle and mandolin wielding foursome belting out the likes of Ace of Spades, War Pigs and Highway to Hell. At wharp speed. Funny and yet respectful: top musicianship, and the raw bluegrass style is somehow just right for those big rock songs. They reckon they are the only outfit ever to play both Download and The Cambridge folk festival, so this is a band who have seriously crossed over ... something. They drink a lot, and boy they are loud.

Holly fell over in the van today - in her wheelchair. I forgot to push the button which secures her 'seat belt' down at the front, so we pulled out of their school after I'd picked her and Jamie up and bang, she goes over backwards . Scared the life out of the both of us, but fortunately no harm done and she forgave me - eventually. Liz went to their parents' evening tonight and they are both doing really well. I always knew Holly was bright as a button but it seems Jamie is too, so that's great.

Three non Premiership teams in the FA Cup semis eh? Great stuff. Except that one of them is fecking Cardiff City.

Budget today. Only 20p or something on a packet of cigarettes? What's wrong with this government? They should have doubled the price of that shit if you ask me.

Two gigs in a week: am off to see The Feeling tomorrow in Manchester. Rich Eatough has consigned them to the pap bin, but I still reckon there's a lot of room for such tuneful lightweight stuff. Not everything has to be lo-fi and edgy. In my humble opinion.

Thought for the day: Creationism. If you believe in it in any way, please please think again as it really is utter nonsense.