1. Susan and her boys bring a cup of coffee for me and gingerbread man for Alec. Both are much appreciated.
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2. "If you want to ask me something while I'm talking," she tells her son, "Say 'excuse me'."
A moment later, Alec touches my arm and says "Scuse me?" I marvel at my observant boy because this is not something I've ever tried asking him to do.
3. I am completely unable to put down Andrew Martin's steam train murder mystery
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which I borrowed from Nick. The hero, Jim Stringer's flat voice is hypnotically compelling and I find myself totally immersed in the seedy, smoky London setting.