Fiona Fridd

“When she was one, Snoopy lost his nose. Her first words were ‘no nose’ as she held Snoopy up for us to see his injury – which was swiftly repaired with cotton and needle. Later, when she broke her wrist, he accompanied her to the operating theatre. She ended up with plaster of paris from palm to armpit, poor child. So did Snoopy – he emerged with his left paw plastered!”

“Why oh why, I thought, are we British brought up to not show emotions? Stiff upper lip and all that. Right now I could have done with the Wailing Wall – all to myself.”