• Far from being a picture from a Freeman's catalogue,
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this is the cover of Tanker Talk, the house magazine of Ravenshaw-based firm Whale Tankers. Inside it reveals: "Our cover shows the sort of scene you can see around Ravenshaw any time Miss Whale happens to be there leaning against a tree. We chose it as appropriate for an issue largely devoted to Ravenshaw, maids there and what's made there." (Ouch — Ed).
Miss Whale turns up on other pages spreading cheer in this leafy Midlands location — but a pity about the title. Some young women of the Hawk's acquaintance might be less than flattered to be addressed as Miss Whale — the very suggestion might result in a bout of fisticuffs.
• Remember I-Spy? Hours of feeling queasy on long car journeys while your parents tried to distract you by engaging your interest in the number of telegraph poles or post boxes passed...
Now Michelin has relaunched I-Spy activity books, offering 12 spilling titles to the little horrors of the nineties. As well as those pictured, titles in • Readers will recall the Hawk's recent tale of having to provide directions for a relief bus driver on the 127 route from Purley to Mitcham in South London — due to the Hawk's commanding knowledge of the local terrain the passengers arrived safely at their destination.
Have pity then on the hapless Cornish bus driver who made the mistake of asking his passengers the way: his bus ended up stuck under a low bridge at Redruth.
• Six lucky readers will soon be enjoying a bedtime cup of cocoa while reading a copy of Truckers, Terry Pratchett's endearing tale of lorry loving nomes. Each of them knew that Brian Weatherley is CM's editor in answer to the Hawk's competition of 14 February.
Congratulations to N Stone of Leatherhead, Surrey; Mrs VE Goodliffe of Stilton, Cambs; Stephen J Kee of Omagh, County Tyrone; Brian Wharton of Blackburn, Lancs; PN Houghton of Horton, Bristol and S Hunter of Ballyclare, County Antrim. Thanks to Corgi for supplying the books.
dude: At the Zoo; Nature; Sport; In the Night Sky; Creepy Crawlies; Birds; Wild Flowers: Pets and Flags.
Readers can begin their collection by telling the Hawk which town is the venue for the 1991 CM Truckfest. A Michelin Mini-Atlas and a set of CM bumper stickers to the first six out of the hat; answers on a postcard by 29 March.
• The Hawk's young niece has landed a plum job in the top people's department store, Peter Jones in Sloane Square, Chelsea.
Over tea and scones recently in a Lyons Corner House (a Wimpy you old fool — Ed) she related the tale of a Bulgarian academic who visited the store to buy a frilly nightdress for his wife. Confounded by so much choice — fillies in every size, colour and shape — he was speechless, but at last he spluttered: "Why so many different ones? Why don't you make just one good frilly nightdress and spend the money that you have saved on some decent roads?"
The Hawk urgently awaits a response to this excellent suggestion from the [Yip.