About ice cream

I think it's in the family, because my dad loves ice cream, too. I've just found a new ice cream parlour near where they live, which promises a lot of happy tastings next summer. Autumn seems to be in to stay.

There's a great ice cream place at Morwick Mill near Alnmouth. I haven't been there yet, but my sons, Lady Sunshine, and The Lassie have, and they tell me it's the best ice cream ever, in the world, end of. When I first went to Stratford on Avon as a student I was wowed by the theatre, the surrounding countryside, and everything about it, but the American Ice Cream Parlour was an experience, too. How many flavours can you get through in a week? The secret is to go in with a couple of friends, order three different flavours, and try each other's.

(It's not there now. More time for the theatre, then.)

I think I should introduce ice-cream to Mistmantle. A party of moles could build an ice house, which is what big country houses had before fridges, and Crackle could make ice cream. The squirrels and hedgehogs would like it, I'm not sure if the others would.

PUT FISH IN IT, I'LL EAT IT!

Oh, you're back, Fingal! When you've stopped rolling over laughing about haddock ice cream, you can tell me what you've been doing.

So why am I thinking about ice cream today? Because we had some play traffic cones at after school club, and a small person (barely old enough to be there, but she was with her family) turned them upside down. As I'm sure you've worked out, an upside down traffic cone becomes either a hat (which falls off your head) or an ice cream cone (which doesn't). She generously dished up all sorts of pretend ice cream with strawberry sauce and sweets on top. I think I had four helpings.

Today, friends, I have eaten my body weight in calorie free ice cream. I may now go and help myself to the real thing.