The wonder of the fake tweed jacket

In which G.M. Norton reveals his ruse to wearing tweed when it's warm.

With Spring now here, it really is time to consider what to wear when the sun decides to show its face.

I must admit to being something of a forward planner so such thoughts have been whirling around my over-active, confuddled and extremely warped mind for quite a few months.

You see, I simply despise putting away the old tweeds. That’s where the fake tweed jacket comes into play. 

Now, fear not chumrades. I’m not about to encourage counterfeit and illegal wares and risk the good Norton name. I’m referring to a cotton jacket that looks like tweed. Lighter, cooler and unlined.

At this point, I can almost hear mouths dropping open and teaspoons dropping in shock that such items exist. Well, yes they do.

Odds stacked in my favour

In which G.M. Norton wins on the horses. 

I had a flutter on the horses this week. I don’t usually partake, other than the Grand National but I arrived in the office to be told that a horse was running in the Cheltenham Cup called Fox Norton.

Well, that was too much of a coincidence to pass up. Not only is there the obvious Norton link but my beloved’s family name is Fox and I’d had a meeting was a fellow with the surname Fox only the day before. What’s more, the red moleskin waistcoat that I was wearing features a fox on one of the buttons. By this point, I was convinced that I would win oodles of money and was already planning what to spend my winnings on.

New life, new adventures

In which G.M. Norton takes pleasure in the little things.

If you were to ask me what my favourite season was, I’d always plump for autumn, followed by winter. Although spring doesn’t officially start for another week or so, it is definitely starting to feel like it’s spring. And I must say, I am absolutely loving it.

The seersucker might even make another appearance soon

I put something on the Twittering Device on Thursday about a moment I enjoyed on my walk to the office. I was idly walking along, at my usual slow pace, when the random thoughts in my mind were momentarily paused by one of the most beautiful things that I’ve ever had the good fortune of hearing. A symphony of sparrows in full song, high up in a nearby tree. I literally stopped in my tracks, and looked up to see where the noise was coming from. Almost every branch was occupied by one of our two-footed friends, as they entertained me.

Fair Isle and Tintin

In which G.M. Norton brings two loves together.

When I was a young boy, my uncle gave me his copy of a Tintin hardback book, The Calculus Affair. 

From that moment on, I fell in love with the characters, stories, humour and artwork. I found myself consuming absolutely anything I could find that was Tintin related, which included getting up very early to record radio shows onto tape (well, I was an '80s child). 

Recently, I acquired some Tintin pin badges from Messrs E&Bay so have been wearing them frequently ever since.