Addendum

While I'm on the subject of myself, having just reclaimed my identity, I would like to mention something. On Monday, during my tragic descent into guts-ache, I had the fortune to visit some friends around the area of Winchcombe. I'd like to make it clear that most people in this area are very friendly and welcoming. And that where we eat was great, with super food, etc.

However.

At least one person there took exception to the idea that a family might eat together, in a civilised fashion, in a restuarant. Today we have social problems of vast importance: family breakdown, parents and children at each others' throats, lack of communication, problems with diet....

so you'd expect people to be delighted to see a family eating with their young children and expecting good manners from them, you know, demanding pleases and thank yous, etc, etc.


Au contraire. In the minds of some of the Great British Public, that a child should be seen - much less heard - in public is still offensive.

And no, there was no screaming, shouting, running about, or anything else that could rationally be construed as offensive. Just children being happy and eating with mummy and daddy.

If we do want to do something, anything about our social problems in this country, we could do worse than encourage families to eat together, in situations where they are expected to behave well, rather than get all nineteenth century on their ass....no?