Approval rating 5*

Guinea Pig Zero's blip of only 4 days ago shows how quickly his refit of the scullery has taken shape - Cobweb's eyes gleam in appreciation of the splendid opportunities afforded for cats.

The new shelving provides much more space for cookery books (yes, all these are they!) and it's even been possible to add a row of my father's remaining collection. It was fun to re-acquaint myself with slim volumes such as the Turkish Cookery Book, a collection of receipts dedicated to those Royal and Distinguished personages, the guests of His Highness the late Viceroy of Egypt, on the occasion of the banquet given at Woolwich, on board His Highness's yacht the Faiz-Jehad, 16th July 1862, and A Cook's Tour of the Soviet Union: eating with our Ally, 1944, while GPZ amused himself with 500 Jolly Good Things, Being the Recipe Book of the Oxfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes, 1928.

Our own supper tonight - ribollita soup and crab risotto - confirmed what an asset it is to have a good selection of recipes close at hand.