Betty

I think all of us felt a child-like wonder seeing the beautiful Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony a few weeks ago, and it was charming to hear Thomas Heatherwick, the designer, speak at the book festival a few days ago. He told us that the project had been code-named  'Betty' - after someone's dog - to keep it under wraps. Have been following Jon Snow's excellent  Paralympics reports on Channel 4. All of the athletes inspire sheer awe, whether their disabilities have been present from birth, or caused by injury (through accident or war), and I found the profile of the Rwandan amputees, now playing on the same side in sitting volley ball, hard to watch. And, like many, I've become fascinated by wheelchair rugby, I love the violence, in the same way that I love the violence of ice hockey (as a spectator, naturally). Here is a photo of the Paralympics Agitos  in Edinburgh, courtesy of a Twitter user.

Just learned one of my good friends is a volunteer in 'Speed of Light',  he just texted he is off to run up Arthur's Seat (it's dark now, 10pm)!