The Acme gang (i)

For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

To Bristol with Easyjet. The flight is late. Alexis is waiting patiently at the airport. We collectively struggle to find the Alamo office - cunningly hidden at the ‘old terminal’ several hundred metres away.

Across the Severn to Llanishen. Richard is watering the flower beds, prompting a significant downpour. We shelter inside, as Martha heads off to work and George whips things into order.

It’s baked chicken curry for tea, creamy and spicy, straight out of Bill’s Recipe Book. There’s wine to smooth off any rough edges and a robust discussion of vinaigrette recipes.