We had some Greek asparagus from the supermarket tonight, not bad. Bits and pieces for dinner, apéritif dinatoire, our specialty. Crumbed shrimps, smoked herring, tourtons du Champsaur, saucisson, cheese, Entre-deux-mers and Cotes du Rhone.

After a two-week visit from in-laws, observant Moslems, Better Half's instructions were "Put the champagne back in the fridge, and go and buy som ham."

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}