A Sunday afternoon, a stifling room, and a beclothed table set with filled rolls, profiteroles and those retro coconut marshmallow cakes. It can only be a family gathering, though this one's a bit special, celebrating the 90th birthday of Mr Frank Walter Talbot, my grandad.

In his four score years and ten he's:

• seen active service in North Africa and picked up a little Swahili
• been a truant officer (straight out of The Beano)
• served as the President of the Ipswich Co-operative Society
• et cetera

There were turns from assorted kiddies, inc. songs and joke-telling from The Boy, quoting the puntastic riddles he finds on the back of the Choobs. Sample: where do cows go on a Saturday night? Answer: to the moooovies!

Good to catch up with certain family members from near and far, and here's looking forward to FWT's 100th.