Gee, you people are wonderfully friendly! Thanks for the effusive and colourful welcome. I now know exactly how the prodigal son felt: very chuffed... and a little guilty about his long absence.

As to "bits and bobs", I was just guessing an etymology connected to coins. "Bits" as in the US slang (two bits make a quarter) and "bobs" as in the old UK shilling.


BTW what's with this spelling checker? Why does it think I may mean "egalitarian" when I type "effusive". Not even I have that much finger trouble.