Afternoon Tea

It may well have been St Valentine's Day yesterday with the attendant cards and chocolate, but today seems an extension, as His Lordship cashed in his Christmas present from his daughter and took me to the Balmoral hotel for afternoon tea, heralded by a glass of Bollanger Champagne to whet the appetite.

We had been told it was quite in order to ask for a 'doggy' bag should we find we couldn't eat everything that was on offer : what a ridiculous thought, given our amazing reputation in the decimation of dainty afternoon teas.

There was a time in our Marathon running days when we chanced our arm by popping into the Ritz in London on the off chance of having afternoon tea, and were then impolite enough to clear everything off the cake stand in front of us.

It was no different today as, although not running, we had an almost nil by mouth abstinence since we got up, but I admit we did actually have to pass on the temptations of the cake trolley at the very end.

I can say we were very glad to have to walk home