How to combine two wonderful activities: dog-walking and learning?  If you don’t already, I recommend loading up your iPod with BBC Radio 4 ‘In Our Time’ podcasts. These turn a 45-minute dogwalk into a sparklingly intellectual exercise (both for the body and the mind) as you trudge through the snow/leaves/puddles while mentally sitting at the table with the ultrabig boffins of the academic scene. 

So I come back this morning after the daily walk and now I have at least heard of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and am aware of what a bumper big seller it was back in 1563.  And it’s obvious that you don’t even need a dog for this – although you can’t do it without an iPod.  Long bus journeys, trips in the car, waiting to see the doctor, stuck at the airport – it all becomes far more useful and stimulating this way.