We’ve been entertaining tonight – so I pushed the boat out and made a dessert for our guests, despite neither DM not I eating sweet food. I made a strawberry pavlova as we now see the first of the British (the best) strawberries coming into the shops.

Personally, I can’t abide the things – it’s to do with the texture of the pips – ugh – horrible ‘mouth feel’. Anyway, I’d left it till the last minute to assemble to stop the meringue going soft and then served it immediately. The remaining two thirds of the thing was left on the plate. We were out in the garden eating, enjoying our first ‘al fresco’ meal of the year and chatting.

Sab stood up and noticed a little black face helping itself to the remaining pavlova. It was my little girl, Rosie. He went and reprimanded her and she came outside. A few minutes later, DM caught her back munching away. He tapped on the kitchen window and she looked up…..then carried on eating! He went into the kitchen and she looked over her shoulder at him then carried on again.

She then, somewhat unceremoniously got hauled away and I set up my shot. The textured brown stuff in the foreground is the meringue (made, as always in this house, with unbleached sugar) having been licked clean of strawberries and cream. What we’ll never know is if she intended to save the meringue for last or if she didn’t like it!

Two years ago, Val was celebrating her anniversary and it hardly seems possible that last year we were entertaining Ian C and Ray!