It’s a fine thing to keep free range hens if they can be kept out of the flower beds and safe from foxes. They make soothing clucking noises, lay eggs and look decorative.
“It’s brain,” I said: “pure brain! What do you do to get like that Jeeves? I believe you must eat a lot of fish, or something. Do you eat a lot of fish, Jeeves?” “No sir.” (My Man Jeeves, PG Wodehouse)
Last Saturday I read this letter in The Times, after a nudge from its author: Appropriately it is lying on my 1940 edition of Weekend Wodehouse with an introduction by Hilaire Belloc.
1. Write thank you letter to Alistair for inviting me to the Hotel Chocolat last week. Here’s the bar of chocolate I made. Looks like a dog mess but I won’t stress that in my letter.
Thelma Cazalet-Keir (1899 – !989) was a Conservative politician and feminist, serving on the London County Council and as a Member of Parliament. She was also, amongst much else, a member of the Arts Council and a Governor of the BBC.