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The thing is we have come to regard some Italian plurals as singular.

Spaghetti are my favourite food.
Graffiti are a problem in this town.

Neither of those sentences, though strictly correct, sounds natural to me.

Orson...
and the number of shops selling paninis!

hi Chris
I am fine. I hope you and yours are too. My Dorset ancestors had similar use of was and were (and even stranger ones )
On the subject of food, I am rapidly turning into Victor(ia) Meldrew having just visited a local bakery for a Farmhouse loaf or Bloomer, only to find shelves full of Sourdough loaves (which I dislike) . The owner of the store said "people now have different tastes" . Well, not me.
Grrr
If Rosalind checks in, just to let her know (if she doesn't already know) that National Archives are still allowing free online digital downloads of documents. I was able to download a Will of an ancestor dated 1774 this morning, free of charge . That saved a visit to Kew, although I love going there.

Glad to hear that you are all well, Jazzy. So are we, but we are still avoiding events with more than a few people.
I make most of our bread (usually in a breadmaker, but sometimes in the Aga), but I do like sourdough - sorry!

Chris - no need to apologise for liking sourdough :) We all have different tastes.
My late husband used to make bread but now I am on my own, I haven't taken over his role. The village's artisan baker is so good, I could not compete with him. He is 3rd generation of bakers and his pastries and specialities are special.
I spend more time with my music and genealogy now

Very glad I looked in jazzgirl. Thank you for the info
I was amazed to find TNA still allow free downloads where material has been digitized and I love wills! I found one yesterday (though on ancestry) of a 4x gt grandmother. This was 1833 and two women of the same name in the same area made wills that year ( for those not into this stuff, women could only make wills then if single, widowed or had their husband's permission).
Both women had sons called George but luckily mentioned other sons so I could separate them.
My ancestor George was one of the very first City of London policemen. The pay was hardly enough to live on and they were fined if sick unless the illness was due to their job They worked 8 hour shifts often with little space between them and inadequate, poorly made clothes. The police archives still have George's references from 1839!
I too love TNA and need to spend a day there soon.
Rx

Hi Ros
TNA started the free downloads during the pandemic when access to the reading rooms was limited. There is a fair use policy which is explained on their website.
I have taken on a friend's genealogy for him and in a matter of minutes found his line back to 1640 . I was amazed and then found the ancestor who died in 1774 had a connection with Major General James Wolfe who was killed at the height of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham due to injuries from three musket balls . This is one of the most interesting lines I have researched as yet
JG x

Amazing, isn't it, what you find? I hope your friend is suitably impressed.
I found so much about a friend's Scottish ancestor who was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and Freedom of the City of Philadelphia that I wrote a book about him. Never again!

Ros
I think he is impressed. I never charge for my services ! He has rewarded me so far with a huge bag of Desiree potatoes and rhubarb freshy dug from his allotment :)
I admire you for writing a book. If I wrote one (which I won't) one particulaar line (all mariners from Dorset) would be full of so much scandal !

I don't charge either (except for certificates if necessary), though one guy did allow me to choose a garden sculpture, which I still have and love. Potatoes and rhubarb sound good to me!

OOh the scandal sounds good. Of a smuggling nature?