"arse"

I'm blogging from a glorious rain flecked beer garden in the west of Ireland. I wanted to get away from the appalling weather we are having (sunshine forecast all weekend) so am seeking out some of Ireland's excellent drizzle.

And what is the Bogg recipe for the perfect break? It can be summed up with the following formula, "alcohol, rest, sightseeing and eating" (arse). The day starts with a lazy breakfast of Guinness porridge, then a stroll around town with my best vacation bumbershoot. A long lunch of potatoes and cabbage is followed by a snooze then perhaps a visit to a Bog Mining Museum and a cursory glance at some churches. Then the evening is spent carousing round the pubs seeking the elusive craic and a bit of fiddly diddly music. Perfect.

The other reason for taking a break is that I am thoroughly sick of the expenses row that has been rumbling along, fuelled by my pig-headed refusal to disclose my expenses despite the fact that Hubert Carrington at NCVO, Steve Crikey at CFDG and others all complied without a whimper. I have got nothing to hide but surely that is for me to decide not the press. Anyway, Canopy Finance have now got hold of a copy of my expenses claim form for 2008 (click here to see it...no point being secretive about it now), but the whole thing has left a sour taste in my mouth.

Most people have felt it right and proper that people such as me in positions of responsibility for the whole umbrella sector, whose actions reflect on how brollies as a whole are viewed, should practise what they preach on transparency. But I will choose to highlight the minority that support my blinkered view when speaking about the issue.

I am now going to take hypocrisy to a new level and actually have the temerity and brass balls to sit here and brag about enjoying my holiday, funded out of the salary that I admittedly work hard to earn but is paid for by the members I am accountable to, and criticise journalists for doing their job in seeking information in the public interest just so they can get paid! I know, astonishing isn't it, that journalists should seek to earn a living and perhaps enjoy a bit of "arse" in their lives as well.