John Gibson: Could my top sett cope with the badger?

I once dined with Clarissa Dickson Wright, treated to breakfast at her Inveresk home. Can’t recall what we had for brekkers.

A mug of tea and porridge, perhaps. But for sure it wasn’t badger. I’d have remembered that. Remembered throwing up. Anyway, Clarissa – she of the cast-iron stomach – is recommending we eat badger, basted and marinated. These creatures are to be culled, lest they spread tuberculosis. They’re prone to the disease.

Badger with broccoli, badger with spinach. Doesn’t sound all that bad, does it? Surely I’ve got your juices flowing at the prospect. After you with the gravy boat, please.

Ponder on this

You’d never give it a second thought but there are people who care, like the Pond Conservation people. We’ve lost UK-wide half of the clear water ponds we had 15 years ago.

Now various charities are pledged to create 30,000 in the next seven years. I see no shortage of ponds before me 
. . . Blackford, Lochend and, in Leith, pawn shops aplenty.

Babs is back

She did a farewell tour in 2000 that raised £56 million. We always suspected that wouldn’t be Barbra Streisand’s last goodbye.

Verily, she is coming back for, hopefully, her grand finale. Tickets on sale soon – at £925. Be yentl with it, Babs, you should be giving your fans time to save up.