One of the small criticisms I get writing all this is that it does not reflect well on what actually goes on in the house. The bad temper and general shouting that is inevitable in any place where there are parents and kids spending time together.

I should say that all that goes on. Some of it with bells on. But amidst all that I still do some cooking and pull up the dead weeds in the garden. In fact the cooking is probably a reaction against all the other stuff that goes on. A small way of retaining control and a semblance that I know what I am doing.

So today I made a stew of beef in red wine wine which we ate with slowly cooked red cabbage all of which came from Elizabeth David’s French Provincial Cooking. A desert island book if ever there was one.

Whilst the stew and red cabbage was cooking I made some beer. The first time that I have done it for about twelve years. There is a lot of beer for it to match up to.