Agatha Christie

I did feel that if Agatha Christie had been at dinner last night, it would not have caused much comment ( well other than she has been dead for sometime). I was at a dinner party at Wiveton Hall in Norfolk, a stunning yet rambling house near the coast. Our host could not have been more charming, and his guests were a very ecletic group, who appeared one at a time from some part of the garden or house. First a man from Kabul, who was involved in hush hush work, then a make up artist, Emma Bridgewater the famous potter( her daughter was at prep school with my son). Then a stunning French Morrocan, a writer, a jewellry designer, Paddy the perfect equerry to rich foreigners in London, and a grandson of Lord Delemere. A few children of various ages came and went, dinner was delicous, local crab and homegrown raspberries. A perfect English summer s evening, other than it was pretty cold, and so the huge log fire was lit once the sun had gone down.
I do hope we have an Indian Summer.

Supermarket Etiquette.

Now please tell me the correct etiquette for queues at the supmarket checkout. There were large queue at all of the open tills ( I was in a well known supermarket begining with T) , when I heard on the tannoy that another till would be opened. So I took a chance and went to the nearest unopened till, and 30 seconds later a lady opened up the till. I was the only customer in that queue, where upon the 2 women in and adjacent queue, pushed in front of me on the grounds that they were already in a queue, but for another till ! I was rather speechless. I think they were queue bargers, what do you think?

Supermarket Etiquette.

Standard and Poor

I think the name Standard and Poor for a credit rating agency is very appropriate, on Friday they downgraded America s AAA rating because the US has shown little resolution in long-term deficit reduction and almost defaulted on its public debt.
While this was going on, I was in a totally different "place" where the standard was never poor, in fact it was incredibly high. We were at the three day side-saddle nationals at Addington Manor. The standard of turnout and horsemanship from the lead rein class ( children can compete at 5 years old) to the "old bats class", for ladies over a certain age, was so high. You have never seen so many beautiful women in their silk top hats, silk veils, cream stocks and kid gloves. It is all part of an old fashioned way of life that these women want to keep, elegance, high standards, more than good manners, even if it is only for a few days. Let me know if you wish to glimpse part of this elegant world

"let this be the last famine of our lifetimes"

The title of Alun Mc Donald s commentary in The Times today, with regard to the famine in the Horn of Africa. Mr Mc Donald feels that it is disgraceful that in the 21st century we are still allowing famines to happen. I agree with him but the world has gone mad. Whilst 2,500 lives are lost each day in Somalia to starvation, in Britain alone we spend £9 million a day on obesity related health issues! There is enough food in the world, but the west eat to much of it, and waste too much of it, whilst parts of Africa struggles with civil wars, lack of rain, corrupt governments and very poor infrastructure. The British public are always generous as pictures of starving children fill the pages of our newspapers, but as Mr Mc Donald points out more investment is needed long term to support agriculture and food production in a region which has enormous potential. Sadly I think it is wishful thinking that this will be the last famine of our lifetime.

Sock or not to sock

The leading article in The Times today is "Fashion Flop". David Cameron was seen on holiday in Italy wearing black leather shoes without socks !! As we know sandals are for children, loafers ( again no socks to be cool) for teenagers and adults , but never sandals with socks, and now never black leather shoes without socks. Had David forgotten his socks or was he making a fashion statement ? What I do know is that it must be very uncomfortable wearing black leather shoes on a hot day without socks, his feet must have been rather moist.