On Holding The Front Page...

...well perhaps more an inside page than the cover itself, but the principle is the same.

Just settling down this afternoon for the traditional 'power nap' that falls upon one so readily at this lowering time of year, when who but H should bean her way through the very closed study door to announce in high and strident tones that to the devil with a nap, 'Horse and Hound' had just been on the blower wanting a word with our E.

Hard, if you are not a riding family to put quite into words how potent a sentence that is if you are. How can one compare? Say then that motor cars are your thing and young Clarkson, J. should ring up for a chat; or else when scrivening away over some legal tomes as part of your student studies, the Lord Chancellor should happen to stroll round for tea and a chinwag.

That order of magnitude, I trust you see.

But why her and why they I mused to H? Not the sharpest - not nearly half as sharp as required for sure - response I fear. "Stupid man," sighed she. "It's about that dressage competition she won yesterday." Well, of course what else should it have been but that? Just so indeed.

Wasn't going to indulge in any proud parent crowing by mentioning it, but yes she did come a fine first at a show yesterday, and newsworthy enough it seems it is for H & H to want to conduct the smallest no doubt of interviews with her on her victory.

E, at work when the phone rang, could not reply at once. I trust though she bothered to return the call and, equally, assume her acceptance speech was suitably honed - "I owe it all of course to my horse, my trainers and above all my ever wondrous parents, without whose enduring support and endless cash I would not be standing here now." (Hope at least she remembers our names, unlike the overwhelmed and undone Miss Winslet the other night!)

I may have missed my nap, but I shall not miss a discreet note to Bessy at the Post Office requesting her to order an extra dozen or so of the magazine for next week, in order that they may be casually distributed around the parish for all to read and admire.

Probably won't leave them open at the relevant page, but will have to give some thought to that matter: discretion vs. direction. A tricky dilemma you'll agree.