When on a Little Red Riding Hood mission to deliver a supply of cottage cheese in my wicker basket to the S family, I came across TF digging muddy trenches in a field. He and has son T were committed to spend the entire weekend labouring at their country cottage. T’s wife L and daughter K were nowhere to be seen: it turned out that they were in town (shopping).

T was so delighted to see me that he invited me in for a cup of tea. We made an arrangement there and then for TPR and me to join him and the rest of the family for dinner that evening.