Like Bertie with a bone, I’m reluctant to leave Patrick O’Brian. His stepson is Count Nikolai Tolstoy and his eldest daughter is Countess Alexandra Tolstoy-Miloslavsky. May I digress?
Charities are providing critical support to help communities, and vulnerable people across society, cope but they are staring into a funding chasm. Extract from a letter published in WeekendFT yesterday from a slew of charity bosses.
Yesterday we went castle-creeping in Wales. Conveniently Carreg Cennen is within walking, splashing, stile-crossing, gate-vaulting distance of where we are staying. We met sheep, horses and English Longhorn cattle along the way.
Wash Doctors are back. An operative comes to clean the interior and/or exterior of your car using minimum water. Minimum charge is £18 which sounds like good money for the washer but …
Friday lunch was indeed at the Charterhouse, my second visit. Last year I went in the evening for a tour of the interior. On Friday we took a look at the outside; it was jolly chilly.
Battered fish, mushy peas, chips and tartar sauce followed by rice pudding with jam for lunch yesterday. Beer is available every day but wine is usually only served on Sundays. They very decently broke this rule for me so I had a couple of glasses of white Bergerac.
The Benevolent Society of St Patrick Instituted in 1783 to assist Irish persons in need who are resident in London Registered Charity Number: 214824.President: Lord Aylmer Patron: The Duke of Abercorn KG
At lunch last month with three readers, one mentioned Christopher Ondaatje. I had heard that rich Christopher has not got over his not-so-rich brother winning the Booker prize. But I was told that Christopher has another skill besides making a shedload of money as a stockbroker and publisher.
On Friday evening I was invited to dine at the Mansion House as a guest of the Master of the Worshipful Company of Loriners. I had previously only been to one livery company dinner (farriers) and had never dined at the Mansion House before so it was a big night out for me.