A large canine contingent .

Friday night . Wilf and ' The Font ' head across the village green . The monthly Beautiful Byeways Committee meeting . A large canine contingent . Three Jack Russells, a Yorkie, and two fidgety Pointers . Wilf ignores the Jack Russells, settles at ' the fonts ' feet and sensibly falls asleep .

Half an hour late, the proceedings begin .The mayor , pork pie hat on the table in front of him , announces he has joined the cash and carry . Cost €35 . Ice Cream can now be served at the Annual Pottery Fair . The deputy mayoress ,who does ' something ' with Airbus, and is therefore assumed to be a business guru , interjects to say that the €35 is for a full years membership . '' All are welcome to use it " she adds magnanimously .

Item 2. The brunette with the beehive hairdo and the silver Ford Mondeo announces that the ' ladies ' will be making a giant paella for the Saints Day lunch .'The Font ' makes the mistake of asking what's needed to make a giant paella. ' A big dish ' comes the deadpan reply . " The Font " makes a mental note to phrase questions more carefully in future .

The mayor and the farmer with the red face and the swollen nose argue about whether alcohol should be served. The summer before we arrived there was an incident with the very old farmer, a half bottle of unattended armagnac ,and the village pond . The fire brigade had to be called. '' Now, surely , no one wants a repetition of that " the mayor says with a semblance of finality .

Wilf trots home . A hint of prawn curry added to his kibbles . Come ten o'clock he settles down by the front door and is still there, snoring happily away when I come downstairs this morning . Old dog knowledge . '' My strength is as the strength of ten , because my heart is pure " .