It’s all been happening since my last post. Except Brextinct which as I write is still an ongoing conundrum. Last week the European Parliament announced a proposal to put an end to the one-hour clock change that happens every summer and winter.  MEPs will choose whether to back permanent summer time or winter with the twice-yearly clock change ending in March 2021.  This got me thinking -am I a Summer or a Winter and would this confuse the animals who traditionally hibernate once the clocks go back? Actually, in my house it seems that we hibernate most rainy days and weekends when we can.  My teen for example has taken to dressing like an early Noel Coward on his return from school.  Appearing in his robe for dinner and declaring ‘After dinner I shall be upstairs in my room but do shout me for dessert.’ Why yes young master. Occasionally he gets a lift to the station from my partner whom he refers to as ‘Carter’.  Carter is a better chauffeur than I as he ‘puts the heating on to warm the car up’.  Rod and back spring to mind.  On reflection given none of us like the dark and cold days of winter I think we’d set out clocks to Summer.  Shall we still be in the EU this time next year when the vote goes ahead?  Who knows.. seems like most of our MPs have already migrated from the House of C…

This time last year I was in the New Forest.  For anyone not familiar the New Forest National Park is in southern England and is famed for it’s walking trails, wild ponies, and donkeys. I love a donkey. There’s something mischevious about them and they resonate with me being rounded belly and a little bit unkempt compared to their lean mean,  pony cousins.  ‘Jack’ pictured above took a shine to me as I did to him. Following my every move and eventually trying to stick his head into the car for a last minute smooch before I left.  There are around 200 donkeys that reside in the New Forest each year.  Male donkeys – called Jack’s – are apparently allowed to stay in the New Forest year round – unless they behave badly and have to be removed. The group that we saw sauntering down the road seem to be on good behaviour.  Save this fellow who seemed intent on going against the drove.  He loved a hedgerow. Car. Rose bush. Collecting bits of foliage as he nibbled his way from house to gate post.  He’s my kinda donkey. Always got a snack for the journey!  I once had a conversation with a well-to-do lady in one of London’s most famous tea rooms with a dollop of jam and scone crumbs on my top and a chocolate powder moustache.  It was only when I visited the ladies did I realise I resembled a bad impression of a Marx brother.  Bit like Paddington Bear always good to have something to eat on your person – preferably of the jam variety.

Talking of jam some people I know are stockpiling French preserves and mustard in the event of a national shortage following Brexit. Oh and loo rolls?! Why? I can understand buying a few extra bottles of Prosecco with an expected increase on imported alcohol. But stockpiling jam jars and loo rolls I just don’t get. I guess some people – like the reticent MPs – just want to have their cake and eat it.

 #New Forest #Cake#Baking #Afternoon Tea #Donkeys