1. Someone says the date – “seven seven fourteen – oh!”. I enjoy it as well.

1b. I’d pictured the letters smooth but they just look … flat. I gouged some scratches into the clay and suddenly it comes alive.

1c. I take the time to do a neat job on the peacock’s tail feathers. I’m happy with the result.

1d. I have a new favourite brush: a flat hog bristle apparently.

2. A pair of lolling pink tongues come towards us.

3. The rich sauce, the crunchy lettuce and the sweet-sour vinaigrette.

4. Heavy summer rain.