It's a boy thing

All this collecting, this putting into order, this uncanny ability to spot which of about 300 Pokemon cards is the one that was left behind by a careless guest. I blame Aristotle. (I'm not suggesting for one New York minute that girls don't - I remember a certain box full of die-cut pictures of kittens and ponies and cherubs, all flowered and bespangled, with impossibly large eyes, over which, at the age of about eight, I obssessed. There. Happy now?)

Nevertheless, I did feel a certain tension when Kit announced that he had put all the Mums he knew - about 30, I guess - in order of excellence.

*ahem*. Drum-roll please - AND IN FIRST PLACE, I BRING YOU

Mrs English!
Mrs English is the mother of one of Kit's good friends, and also Beri's teacher. Also one of my favourite all-time top mums - she says her children were quite scared of her until they were about seven. She definitely gets my vote.

AND IN SECOND PLACE,

Me!
And I was delighted and relieved to get second place, I can tell you.

AND IN THIRD PLACE,

Anisa
Who, when she brought her lot to tea at ours, came bearing such quantities of pudding, vast in variety and amount, that Kit still dreams of that day.

In other news, to the left we have a picture of Beri eating his lunch. That sandwich looks delicious, no? Well, what's not to love about grated mature cheddar on top of chocolate spread?

And to the right - I told you the box was beautiful, didn't I?