Festive Coopers

There I was sitting in the Coopers Cask tonight with my mate Simon, when suddenly my photographer's goggles slipped over my eyes and I realised that the window we were sitting next to actually looked rather lovely with its condensation and it's forlorn little Christmas baubles backlit by the streetlights on Farm Road. So I whipped out the Ricoh and snapped it without a second thought.

One of the most annoying things about the creative process - and Lord knows there are many of them - is the certain knowledge that one is constantly surrounded by potential sources of inspiration, but that one only sees them when the muse deigns to give you a glance. Pah! to the muse I say! Why can't I see them all the time?

Fishfingers, chips and mushy peas

I had lunch with Madge in the pub yesterday. My choice was fishfingers, chips and mushy peas with a homemade tartar sauce. I had high hopes because this was the Earth & Stars in Brighton and they do know how to make a good lunch, but they outdid themselves yesterday.

The fishfingers were more like delicious stubby little fishthumbs with a hint of tarragon, the chips were thick and crispy on the outside and fluffy within, the mushy peas were minty and mouthwatering and the sauce was just right, piquant enough to make a difference but not overwhelming. To wash it down I had a pint and a half of Arundel Ale, which is a gorgeously nutty dark beer that never gets cloying in the way some of those winter-warmers do.

All told it was a triumph, and if your mouth isn't watering by now I would suggest you have some kind of eating disorder.

New friend

This rather intimidating dog approached me while I was eating a crayfish and prawn ciabatta with chips at a nice pub in the wonderfully named Funtingdon, a small and rather posh village near Chichester, last weekend. She sat quietly and politely, never becoming in any way pushy, but never taking her eyes off my face while I ate my lunch. She's one of those scary pit bull types so I didn't feel comfortable stroking her or even engaging with her very much because I don't generally trust dogs like her. But as time went on she won me over with her unflinching attention and eventually I started speaking to her and even stroking her a bit. She behaved impeccably throughout - but I still didn't give her any food. I do so love dogs - even the intimidating ones it seems.

We were in the area to spend some time walking in the country, eating posh food and generally being away from the kids for a day or two to mark our anniversary. It was a delightful weekend that left us aching worthily from our walking exertions, but also thoroughly toxic thanks to the rather excessive blow-out we enjoyed on the Saturday night. I paid my penance in full today by embarking on a 77-mile bike ride that's almost completely incapacitated me - but which has also made me feel incredibly virtuous.