Roll On July 1st

I've grumbled recently on these pages about the actions of our lawmakers, so let me balance that by saying that I have never before been as excited about upcoming legislation as I am about the forthcoming ban on smoking in enclosed public places and workspaces. It's just such an obviously good and sensible piece of legislation, one wonders why it wasn't implemented years ago.  I'm really looking forward to being able to go out for a few drinks and a meal without suffering at the mercy of other people's second hand smoke, returning home with a chesty cough and stinking clothes that have to be immediately quarantined.

A couple of weeks ago, at a bit of a loose end, Joce and I popped to our local with the intention of taking part in the weekly pub quiz.  I love the atmosphere of public houses, and I love quizzes, so it seemed like the perfect way to spend an evening.  But, faced with a barful of chain smokers we found ourselves dizzy and spluttering and had to flee home before the first question had been asked.  Determined not to let our evening be totally spoiled, we stopped at an off-licence for our respective vices (beer and ice cream), before attempting to recreate the pub quiz atmosphere at home with the help of FreePubQuizzes.com - which was fun but not quite the same!

So, well done to MPs for finally bringing England kicking and screaming into the civilized world, and into line with the likes of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, California, New York and New Zealand.  I look forward to challenging all-comers at the local pub quiz come July 1st - I figure that we'll have about two week's worth of attempts before junior comes along and puts paid to our socialising for a while, but at least our son will be born into a Smoke-Free England!