Rewind to early January and shin up the ladder of your imagination to peek into the middle bedroom at Broom Acres, and there I am, an unemployed wretch, struggling with a practical Mensa test and Meccano kit in the form of an Ikea high bed. In the background are the medium wavelengths of Radio Five Live - hey, it kept me going through the barren days & nights - and Simon Mayo, the Hellman's heir, is chairing a discussion about how to be lucky.

I'm on a roll
I'm on a roll this time
I feel my luck could change
— Radiohead, Lucky

A doctor had recently published a book explaining how, in his opinion, to improve your fortune. Now I've often considered myself lucky, and still do. Part of it, apparently, is to do with looking on the bright side. Chin-chin, and all that. If my toast falls on the floor (not that it would), the buttered side remains up.

Forward four months to yesterday, Sunday 11-May. I've got paid work, a belly full of roast dinner, the kids are reasonably happy, and we're about to pop round to visit my unsuspecting parents. Switch on my mobile before leaving, 'cos it pays to stay in touch, and there are two new texts:

1. one from the bank with a mini-statement, still a great service
2. the other headed "ED WE WON..."

Initially thought the second message was probably junk SMS, then realised it included my name. Reading on, discovered that this had been sent by the guy who runs our lottery syndicate...

Where am I going to moor another yacht? And can the roof really take another platinum coating? Nope, wasn't really an amount that will force me to go into hiding, chiefly from my family, but still a most amenable bolt from the blue. Three of us started the syndicate way back when, and I'd grown all too used to seeing that weekly email, saying "No win this week". As I say, most amenable.

If You Take Away With You Nothing Else

They only hung me the right way up yesterday:

• as Gary Player said, "the more I practice, the luckier I get"
• if you're going to get a net or an edge, be good enough to acknowledge it
• see that scanned scratchcard above? - thought I'd see how far my lucky streak will stretch; will do it tomorrow and let you know next week

Be seeing you!

Ed