And finally...

In the midst of the economic crisis, catastrophes on a local scale are being reported daily. This story is certainly one of them.

A Tyneside pub has called time on one of its regular visitors after the premises were refurbished.

Peggy, a 12-year-old mare, used to enjoy a pint of beer and a packet of crisps alongside her owner at the Alexandra Hotel in Jarrow.

However, she is no longer allowed to prop up the bar following a refit which included new carpets.

The horse still accompanies her owner, Peter Dolan, on his trip to the pub but has to stay tethered outside.

Landlady Jackie Gray said: "Although she is probably cleaner than some of my customers, I had to put my foot down and show her the door."

Mr Dolan, a 62-year-old retired oil rigger, said: "People come into the pub and the first thing they say is 'Where's Peggy?'

"I tell them she's kicked the habit and is teetotal now."

Pop

Another day, another bank going bust. The bubble has well and truly burst, hasn't it? I don't pretend to be an economist but I'm amazed that so many people have been living - even working in the financial industry - and not preparing for the inevitable. The Lehman employees who kept their entire wealth in Lehman shares, and have now lost millions, are a classic example. What went wrong? We seem to have massively over-extended ourselves as a (global) society; nothing shows this more than the ridiculous over-valuing of housing in London.

One prediction I read yesterday said that average house prices might fall by 50% in this recession. Ouch! But from a personal point of view... it would be nice if houses were priced at 3-4x salary rather than the current 10x.

End of an era

London

This is the last blog post I will ever write as a student! Tomorrow morning I start work for TfL as a transport planner on their graduate scheme. It will be a big change, and one that I haven't really come to terms with yet. I'm actually starting my career - this could be the direction I take for the next 40 years, so it's not an insignificant occasion! It's also one that's been a while in the making; I left school 5 years ago and actually still have one last fling of education before wrapping up my Master's: to edit, print and hand in my dissertation.

Once that's done then it really is onwards and upwards, and I need to avoid the mistake of looking back on my life as a student and thinking that the best has already gone. I'm convinced that greater things are still to come... whether that's as a transport planner or perhaps in a more directly 'Christian' occupation; in London or somewhere further afield.

This has all come quite suddenly, not least because I was away on holiday until Thursday night. 2 weeks in France was a welcome break and if I'm honest it was nice to go abroad without a Christian agenda for a change! Photos here, or more on facebook.

I'd better get an early night. Wish me luck/pray for me...