Today is Uxorious Day (official) and I have a special message for callmemadam:

( Click here if I call you madam )

Thirty-five years </J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock> since the most sensible thing I've ever done. Still grateful for all the benefits of this happy state, and amazed that – unlike the Self-Assessment 2^nd Payment on Account 2005/06, also taking place today – the govt hasn't found a way to deprive me of them.

The 35^th is known as the Consumer Electronics anniversary, or if not, should be. Appropriately we have gifted ourselves an appliance, hereinafter known as Toppy, to enhance domestic tranquility. Despite an astonishing multiplicity of channels the amount of TV worth watching these days is approximately equal to the square root of bugger-all. But on those rare occasions when something viewable (like Traffic Cops) is broadcast, Sod's Law dictates that something else we wouldn't mind seeing's on at the same time. Now, at last once again we can record one programme whilst watching another, which had been impossible since we went digital a few years ago. So that's why they call it Freeview.

Indeed we can record two programmes at once, whilst watching a third if it's on the same mux as one of them. Or watch two at once, via picture-in-picture. Pause and rewind whilst viewing in real time, start watching a recording before it has finished, and other neat stuff made possible by attaching a MIPS processor and a socking great disk to yer telly.

Adding to our joy, FilmFour is now free. Hooray, good stuff to watch, without sticking one of those naff dishes on our house or paying vast sums to the evil Murdoch empire. Over the weekend, Brief Encounter has been sniffed at and Horse Feathers chortled, and when I get home I'm going to have Duck Soup.

It contains 4,191 audio tracks by 814 artists from ? & The Mysterians to Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, not to mention Étienne Daho & Charlotte Gainsbourg who are mysteriously last in the sort order. And it lives in this charming sock, thanks to the knitting skillz0r of callmemadam.

In addition to uniqueness, benefits over the black nylon default case include the handy pocket - say goodbye to lost-earphone annoyance. And of course, love in every stitch and rib.