Well, it’s not every day that you celebrate an occasion as auspicious as this – the big 5-0. Yes, today marks the fiftieth instalment of this blog.

A golden jubilee by any other name. And what a ride it’s been!

It only seems like a couple of months ago that Letters from America came into existence. There have been good times and bad, high points and low points, a few remotely funny stories mixed in with some other stuff. And it feels as if it was only last week that the second part of the Alternative Guide to Swindon’s Street Names was unleashed upon an unsuspecting – and possibly uninterested – audience.

So here’s to the next 50 instalments! Who knows what significant events might happen during that period? Britain may get a new president, I mean prime minister. The US may decide not to pull out of Iraq. An area of arctic ice the size of California may break off and float out to sea. And ex-councillors may have to think up feeble excuses for cruising around an area frequented by prostitutes (“I wanted to try and show them the error of their ways” or “I just wanted to talk to them” are always good for a laugh).

But I’d better clarify one thing. It’s this blog that is 50, not me. Oh no, there’s no way that I am anywhere near that age. I mean, born in 1957, how last century is that???

Nope, nowhere near 50 years old. Not me, not by any stretch of the imagination could I possibly be approaching my half-century etc. etc.

So enjoy the goldie jubilon celebrations while they last and keep those emails, texts and comments coming in. Maybe we might even receive some tributes from the great and the good …