Meeting Mrs A

I can't sleep: I've had such an exhilarating day meeting Mr A's Mother, Penelope. It started well, it was a lovely day, albeit slightly overcast as we caught the train to the village of Ashfield where there's a local wildlife sanctuary because Mrs A loves nothing more than communing with owls at the weekend. She met us outside and we sat down in the beautifully decorated restaurant and got to know one another over tea and scones. I was soon chatting away nineteen to the dozen with Mrs A, or 'Penelope' as she likes to be called by everyone bar the milkman 'he takes such liberties Margaret!'

After about an hour, I wandered off to the toilet and as I approached the table on my return I managed to catch the end of their conversation which seemed to include the words 'getting on a bit....beggars can't be choosers and lovely posture' Anyway, we decided to wander around the sanctuary a bit as Penelope sponsors her own European Eagle Owl, Barney, and as a result, is very much a VIP guest there. She joked that Barney would most likely turn up on her doorstep one day seeking refuge! How we all laughed.

After 40 minutes of wandering around looking in various avaries, Mr A or 'Giles Henry Arbuthnot' as his mother correctly calls him suggested that we retire to the Bishop's Mitre public house in the village for a 'flagon of their finest foaming ale'. We had a wonderful time I later pleased to read that the pub had won the coveted 'horse brass collection of the year 1994' award - hurrah!

Giles's father, Frederick joined us later on, apologising that he couldn't make it earlier but he was busy with his grand poo bar duties at the lodge. He'd forgotten to remove his ceremonial apron, but after two halves of Badger's Bottom real ale I was too intoxicated to care. The day ended with Penelope and Frederick inviting us on a lunch aboard the Orient Express in June.