Finland

A number of countries have started their national selections for their entry for Eurovision 2007, however as usual the BBC is leaving it until March. Finnish broadcaster YLE has started theirs for the song to represent them in Helsinki, and you can hear the first six entries here.

Quite a mixed bag, I'm sure you'll agree.

Sunday was eventful - I spent the first couple of hours of my morning on the phone trying to get a line to Helsinki. Tickets were put on sale for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest at 10 am, and varying reports have been floating round that tickets for the final sold out in 13 minutes.

The Helsinki phone system almost melted down, and at 11.44 am I finally got a line. Sadly, no tickets for the final for me, but I managed to get one for the semi-final on the Thursday, and one for the 3rd dress rehearsal for the final. I'll get to see the acts and running order at 2pm, but I won't be at the filming/live event that you see on TV. I'll keep trying though.

Lippupalvelu, the company selling the tickets wouldn't take a credit card over the phone, so they invoiced me and I had to wire the money over to Finland. More expense, to an already expensive outlay. Probably a once in a lifetime thing though.

The car went to the garage to be repaired on Tuesday, and I've been given a Toyota Yaris in the meantime. I'm afraid I have nothing nice to say about this car. It takes unleaded, sounds like a Diesel, and has about as much pulling power as Virginia Bottomley. DO NOT GET ONE.

Hot chocolate time methinks.