Shall I bring some of Rapunzel's mum's banana cake? Actually, it's so divine it probably wouldn't survive the journey. What we need is a nice local Chorlton communal folk cake - any ideas, Nigel?

My Shruti Box arrived today, all the way from Dheli, carried by a dozen migrating swallows who were paid double-time to detour from South Africa especially. It sweetly drones on the tonic with either an octave, a 4th or a 5th above - and it's entirely tuneable, so I can play it with even my most recalcitrant Jew's Harps, and my pocket trumpet's a bit sharp of concert too! Sweet, but maybe not the sort of cake I'd bring to The Beech just yet - best wait until I get my fat bastard clarinets out of storage...

As the missus says, see you next week, with me butter and cheese and all!