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Rosalind

Thanks for your advice earlier today about buying jeans/trousers. You will probably find it hard to believe but I have never bought an article of clothing (for myself) in my life. My mother and wife have always undertaken that function and I have not seen the need to depart from it.

Mrs J brings home many garments for me. I cheerfully try them on and reject some, whilst she rejects others. She is happy to return them as it gives her an excuse to do more shopping.

I must admit that I have tried to buy some clothes and shoes in recent years but I always seem to encounter problems. Mrs J is happy for me to leave it all to her.

Malone

I tried a few combinations as suggested. The sprouts and brandy butter was not a success. The chicken and chickpeas was much better. I thought of horse chestnut and horse radish but that would not be pleasant, so I am trying horse-free chestnut and radish tomorrow.

Grunger

What inventive combinations you're coming up - chicken and chickpeas sounds tasty! I agree that the horse recipes should be dropped, but chestnut and radish hardly seem worth the bother.

On as similar theme, I saw a 'Pigs In Blankets Quiche' in Marks and Spencer yesterday. That wouldn't suit me - I like my pigs to be crisp, burnt etc, not sitting in a bath of eggy custard.

Giving up cake for Christmas seemed a good echo to giving up something for Lent. Actually it is more to do with the dentist, so your guess of a healthier end to the year is good.

You are very lucky Jigjag. I also bought my husband's clothes. One day I chose some rather expensive Italian wool trousers for him, which looked like a paper folded fan after a day at work (at a computer). I took them back to M & S where an assistant uttered the immortal words "Did he sit down in them?" Apparently she wasn't joking. But I did get the cash back and bought 2 pairs of the more usual kind.

Rosalind,

Thanks for the 'no cake for Christmas' information. I was relieved to hear that it was mainly on health grounds (the health of your teeth). I've just watched Mary Berry's recent BBC programme, a Christmas special. She made a delicious-looking chocolate beetroot brownie - I'd be willing to give that a go (and it must be healthier than Red Velvet surely?)

I loved the 'did he sit down in these trousers?' story. How the assistant was able to come out with that line, I'll never know. I'm sure you stuck to normal - and normally-priced - trousers after that experience.

For Rosalind and Jigjag, from today's Times...

3 D. Vegetable poisonous types take in a meat and tomato sauce (9)

PS - no need to give the answer, some people might not have started the puzzle yet.

malone

How amazing! Maybe one of us composes the crossword!

Rosalind

Thanks - I felt I couldn't escape from the stuff, even in a crossword!

Malone Rosalind

It happens so often that it can't be a co-incidence. One of the setters did make occasional humourous contributions to this thread. We have not heard from him for some time though.

A word from yesterday - straightforward - was originally in my M&S story, so I changed it.

Jigjag, Miss Marple, Hercule…

I think you're right - our every move, our every post on this site, is being monitored - and acted upon. First it was the It, sex clues following us around, then I got a batch of cricket clues … now we're being force-fed vegetables.

Re your 'straightforward', thanks for your speedy tactic. One can't be too careful these days.