Apologies first of all for the very late recent updates (and sometimes next day updates). Although I do write the updates at lunchtime, I'm afraid the webmaster has various server and computer problems which he is trying to sort out.

But for the moment they may continue to be late for a few more days. He assures me though that updates will return to the afternoons asap.

Ouch! There I was having a nice Sunday afternoon run around the river when I lost the plot and spectacularly fell onto some nasty gravel. Which was very painful though not as painful as realising how many spectators had seen me. They were all very nice though.

I hobbled home and have been hobbling since. A right hobbler. When I got home the only bandages available were Winnie The Pooh ones so I adorned myself with much Pooh.

When toddler Christopher returned home he chased me round the place demanding his Winnie The Pooh "stickers" back. Looks like no more exercise for me for a while. Oh well, back to the chunky kit kats then.

Mrs NT and her sister went to see Lauren Hill at the Hammersmith Apollo last night. Apparently she was really good and they had a great time. Bit of a girlie singer though which is why I didn't go.

Off to Kempton Park races Wednesday evening so I will be poring over the Racing Post all day trying to find the winners. I used to own parts of racehorses in the 90s - am getting tempted to buy one, maybe next year. They're having a "British" evening with marching band and fireworks so hopefully it will be a good evening!

Hey, I thought there was going to be no "spin" from Gordon Brown. But here it is already. Stories all over the papers that we are about to have VAT added to food and other things because Europe says so.

It's all nonsense - the stories have been planted in the paper so we can all sigh in relief in a few weeks' time when the Government proclaims it has saved us from the extra taxes and so we should be grateful. Taxes that would never be imposed anyway. It's a standard spinning trick.

What's the point of the Alistair Campbell diaries if he's left out all the good stuff? He took out loads of things that "might embarrass" Brown. Wimp!! Apparently we only get the juicy stuff if Brown loses the election. Well, I have one vote that will help!

The BBC fined £50,000 for the Blue Peter cock-up. Now who pays for the BBC - oh we do!! Brilliant move by Ofcom!

I see Tycoon is back tonight cut by half and hour and at 10pm. Perhaps they should have just put it out of its misery and axe it - but I might watch to see if it's as bad as it was.

The "Tycoon store" apparently has hardly seen anyone in it. Peter Jones has a bit of work to do to restore his reputation as an astute businessman. But I guess he doesn't care, he just wants to be on TV! Let's hope ITV stops copying winning formats with poor deriviatives.

John writes: I have the pleasure of being married to a charming girl from the Basque country. National dish: squid cooked in its own ink.

First occasion I met the future in-laws, special dinner cooked in my honour and there was this silver tureen on the table filled to the brim with black soupy mess and tentacles everywhere and the bit they call the sac and I watched trying not to gag as a plateful of the stuff put in front of me. Yeah, I got through it somehow, don't know how but I did. Squid simply doesn't look good on the plate, does it?

Halfway through 'Financial Spread Betting Handbook' and finding its all that you promised. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks John - Arrrgghhh I just don't think I could eat tentacles without throwing up. I think I would have claimed an allergy to fish! Glad you like the book, it's pretty good..

Frank writes: Picked up your book while on vacation in Scotland a few weeks ago. Attracted by title, and it was something to read while enjoying the rainy days in the Dumfries and Galloway area. Robert Burns has a long history around town, and that name is very popular in the region. Anyway your book was an easy read,

It cost me almost $25.00 with the exchange rate @W Smith bookstores. Your honest and simple examples make it a good read for anyone interested in trading. Even after reading it, I open it up to re read some of your excerpts (especially the deadly sins) .

Welcome back and hope your seminars are a real success for you and your participants. I noticed you don't buy many blue chip companies like RBS or Tesco etc? My advice to anyone interested in trading is {if you can't stand to lose money stay away}.

Thanks for the kind words Frank. I'm not that keen on FTSE100 stocks as I find them hard to value - I tend to short them in a bear market though.

The markets continue to be surprisingly strong - but I just roll with it though of course my FTSE short is under water. So what have I been up to? Well, really continuing my strategy of compounding or averaging up, ie buying more shares in companies I already hold at a higher price.

Today I added more Volex (VLX) buying 2,500 shares at 192p. Target 250 stop 180. My main reason for topping up today was the good buying volume coming in.

A 25,000 buyer at 190p. This was followed by a large 50,000 buyer who was willing to pay 5p over the odds at the time to buy at 200p.

I'm always happy to be led by volume - if people want the share badly enough to pay well over the asking price it's always a good sign for me!

I bought a final lot of MS International (MSI) buying a further 1,500 shares at 204 Target 230 stop 190. I bought following news of yet more director buying with one director buying 10,000 and another 15,000 - big votes of confidence considering the shares have already gone up a bit recently.

Elsewhere it's been a really excellent month for my portfolio. Dragon Oil gets star billing - it's been racing higher and well up yet again today.

Shortish term trade Xchanging continues to rise steadily and it had a broker upgrade too. International Ferro Metals advances well on good volumes today. After a brilliant rise, Wellstream is steadyish now which is just fine - I hold ahead of what I hope will be another leg up soon. Corin too is having a breather.

Oilexco moves well and up and over 650p again. A lot of shares just seem to be unchanged today as the summer holidays start to get going in earnest!