Rang my mother for a chat but she hung up on me to hear Bertie give a funeral oration at CJ‘s obsequies.  She got back to me quickly.  She felt it lacked grandeur as Bertie cannot pronounce his ths (a fatally common Irish failing – do you wonder why I had years of elocution classes?  Wonder no longer).  I am as shocked that he has died as I was the day I heard Margaret Thatcher was deposed.  I thought that he would go on forever.

In other news, the Dutch Mama has sent me an email containing this line:
“Our Austrian friend is coming to visit on Sunday with her twin baby boys…about a month old now and (I’ve been so looking forward to telling you this) sleeping through the night!! “Mr. Waffle says that travel often upsets small children.  Let us hope for the best.