Flowers for the table

It was my turn to host the U3A veggie cooking group. The theme was Italian and I had to make the pudding. I did the Ottolenghi walnut tiramisu and it was good. But because there’s no other liaising we had no starter and no salad. We had large shells stuffed with ricotta in a rich tomato sauce, a lasagne in rich sauce, a ratatouille, some pasta with sweetcorn and a complicated homemade pasta with spinach and ricotta and a rich tomato sauce. Too much! I suggested we each nominate a course or part of one so we don’t get so many similar dishes but Suzie isn’t keen on being too prescriptive.

However we did ‘enjoy’ a long lunch of varied conversation. Dorothy had recently been to Tasmania and talked a lot about it. She mentioned there were few Aboriginal people there and when Alison pointed out that’s because the Europeans massacred them her riposte was the Vikings did that here. We discussed various U3A groups, Suzy’s daughter’s London nanny job with 2 kids, one who has to go to tutors and do extra work to prepare for the exam in 2 years time so she can go to the prestigious private school of parents’ choice. The other child bites her. We also talked about the pros and cons of NT membership and Historic Houses, Alison’s husband’s quest to see all the Caravaggios, her theatre visits, the problems in the MET, Trump V Biden, our next election (some said the prospective PMs were both awful - Alison said it was easy to pick the least bad) and the gerrymandering of the new constituencies. It looks like in this group Alison and I are outnumbered!! In fact my days in the group are numbered I think.

Re my mention yesterday of King Charles III English coastal path - apparently Therese Coffey decreed this renaming for his coronation! Then a friend emailed a framed photo of him which she said had been sent to all schools. Daughter says this is not strictly accurate - if a school wants one they have to apply. Her school isn’t.

And it’s expected National Insurance will be reduced by 2p tomorrow with councils getting less from Government. It’s mad.