I would be a lot keener on giving this a nice Welsh title...

....if we had played better against Italy today.

Oh well.

I am getting slightly concerned that I am in fact the only person left Powell-blogging. What has happened to the rest of you guys? It's not that I don't like the sound of my own voice, but I am getting a tad concerned that the rest of you will get seriously fed up with me if you don't join in soon.

Anyway. The Valley of Bones. Not much happened, did it?

Things I liked:

- Jimmy Brent's new take on the Jean Duport story. I do like the way we keep getting this from different angles. It's probably the cleverest part of the series so far, and it seems to be the main vehicle for Nick's character progression.
- The Lord Haw Haw part. The first time I've ever read anything to give me any idea of the kind of thing he said. I loved the weird pronounciation of Germany.
- Gwatkin. Yeah, he has a silly name, and he's clearly a total weirdo, but he has a certain dignity which he keeps on his own terms, and which makes his downfall a wee bit sad.
- Deafy Morgan. How can you not like Deafy Morgan?
- The speed with which Nick went from being pleased to see you know who at the end to realising that old schoolmates don't necessarily make things better.

Things I really didn't like:

- Look you, spoilsport I do not want to be, but say I would that the people of the valleys DON'T SPEAK LIKE THIS. Nor do the ones from Anglesey, for that matter.
- Oh look, my wife might be in a house somewhere in the country about to have a baby. Do I give a shit? No I do not.

I acknowledge that this last is becoming a recurring theme. Perhaps I should just use a code word - like chauvinist - for future reference?