Day 1 of the 30th Olympiad - good luck, Team GB! We rang our ship's bell like crazy at 8.12am to participate in Martin Creed's Work No 1197 Work No 1197 - All the Bells in a Country Rung as Quickly and as Loudly as Possible for Three Minutes. It was fun. Sorry, neighbours. AW

He Wears a Yellow Jersey

We're cheering on Bradley Wiggins, who's really showing his mettle ahead of the pack in the Tour de France General Classification. Show 'em how it's done, Brad! And a Brit at No. 2 as well - Chris Froome. Historic. AW

Independence Day

We commemorate the USA’s Independence Day by flying the “Star-spangled Banner” on 4th July. Its stripes represent the original thirteen states who, perhaps unwisely, eschewed the benefits of being subjects of the British Crown in 1776. As you peer through the cool, dank, overcast, misty drizzle of Sherenden Park in Wimbledon fortnight, spare a thought for the million Americans still without power (and air conditioning) in 41 degrees Celsius days after the violent, heatwave-induced storms of last weekend. SW