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ChrisE
Thanks, I like it!

Tyke
Thanks for the clip. I'm not sure if you approve of all the Yorks references. I must ask Cassie about the game.

Simplesimon
I like the Cassie story. I too find diets are hard to start, never managed more than a few days. I assume my Cassie is also short for Cassandra, but you never know, I'll ask her.

I have been too busy to go to the market café for a week or so, but something has been troubling me. Orson posted the letter here from the Telegraph reader who was not allowed to have an All-day breakfast after 11 a.m. Surely it could not have been at my café? I decided to ask Cassie if she had refused the request.
“Possibly” she replied, “What was his name?”
“Professor Ramsden” said I.
“Hmm. There’s a Harry Ramsden who comes in here for fish and chips, but I don’t think he’s a professor. I did refuse one person, but he didn’t do what you did, order the brunch without chips. No, he ordered sausage, egg and beans, and also bacon, tomatoes and black pudding.”
“But that’s two meals. Why didn’t you tell him to order brunch without chips, which is much cheaper? I asked.
“I am not authorised to give financial advice” she said.

Jigjag, it's very good of you to undertake so much research on behalf of the pedantic people (and the hungry people). I think Cassie's patience will be sorely tested with all your recent questioning, but she seems to take it in good part. Her 'people skills' seem very good, maybe as good as the breakfasts she serves up?

Malone
Thanks, I think you're right. I have been testing her patience recently, but her "people skills", as you put it, have certainly improved of late. I think she must have attended one of those "customer service" courses you run. The breakfasts are indeed good and certainly cheap, and the credit for that must go to Paul the chef/owner, but the service from Cassie is excellent.

Jigjag, I didn't notice your reply - and reminded myself that the Crossword threads are entitled to bump us all down occasionally! I was reading something today and wondered if you - or anyone else - could interpret it for me.

It was an interview with Jenny Agutter (the acting person, I'll use that to aovid the actor/actress debate). One question was 'Youve talked in the past about wanting to be more present. Have you got better at it?' Jenny answered the question, but I felt none the wiser (though no doubt better informed). What does this ' 'being present' - mean? It was definitely not anything literal, didn't involve attendances at anything.

Malone
I am as baffled as you are. I have heard that certain people have "presents" or it might be "presence", but I don't know what it means, unless it is that they get noticed in a crowd. Perhaps the great actress (and I must use that word so that Grunger does not tick me off) thinks that being more present means that she will have more presents/presence. "Being present" to me means that you are actually there, like at school register time when you had to answer "present" when your name was called. If she wants to be "more present", I dont get it. You are either present or absent, although you can be present in mind and body, so presumably partly present in mind or body.

JigJag, Malone,

Re your discussion on “ presence”, have you noticed the word “optics” creeping in - as in “ it’s got more optics” - meaning more noticeable?

Jigjag and SimpleSimon, thanks. I think we will have to remain ignorant - but ignorance really is bliss when it comes to many of these new words, phrases and concepts. i am definitely not a touchy-feely person, so all the verbiage about mindfulness, being in nature, optics, reaching out blah blah blah just reawakens my inner curmudgeon.

Happy New Year to you both, and to pedants everywhere. Our work continues, the need for our presence continues....

Malone - we’ll see your “ inner curmudgeon “ and raise you.
We’re just off “ wild swimming” 🤔😱 . Doesn’t that just get your goat too?
Keep up the good work - happy New Year!

I was intrigued by yesterday’s discussion, so I nipped into the market café this morning.
“Well, Cassie, you certainly have presence here” I told her.
“Yes, I got some great presents” she replied, “A coffee-making kit, a case of Libby’s condensed milk, a couple of books, Tales From The Outgrounds and Teach Yourself Chemistry, and a subscription to the Daily Telegraph. The customers were very generous. Would you please thank them for me.”
I said that I would and pass on best wishes for the New Year.