Jocasta Innes Diary

hello friends - There`s a Lot of It About ! This is what everyone kept telling me when I went all wobbly just before Christmas, streaming at the nose, partially deaf, alternately sweating and shivering. In my book, a mega cold, but nothing more, though I reckon I went through a box of tissues a day. However it laid me out for weeks, on and off, and I finally gave in and took a course of anti-biotics. I got so I couldnt see the funny side of my family miming speech - ha,ha- without uttering a sound. The anti-biotics helped to the point I can almost taste food again, and today I made my first trip to the health club since the first sniffle. I guess I could have gone before but I found I was snatching at every possible excuse not to - e-mails ( piling up) to deal with, a delivery ( new credit card) to catch, a pheasant getting well past its cook-by date.
Of course I knew all that punishing stuff on the machines would pay off if I could only march myself to the club and just DO IT. Today I simply turned myself into a robot programmed to pick up the bag of gym clobber and go through the motions and yes, I emerged an hour and a half later stretched and sauna`ed, and swum, fairly beaming with endorphins.
But what I really wanted to share was some discoveries I made in my comatose state for the benefit and encouragement of anyone else in my predicament. I list them :
Champagne Cocktails - officially these consist of a measure of shampagne laced with a little brandy. Churchill had a fondness for these at stressfull moments during World War II. My own stressfull moments were minor - like trying to
produce a slap-up Christmas dinner for my clan when every instinct urged me to tumble back into bed. Winston was smart. A champagne cocktail is a great reviver, energiser, even puts a smile on your woeful countenance. OK, I soon moved on to Cava, but my guess is that the rapid bubbly effect helps the shot of serious alcohol invade the system with wonderfully cheering results. Two or three of these a day saw me though a noisy and demanding family Christmas.And quite by chance I made another discovery. Apple Brandy, as made by Julian Temperley, in the West Country, beats any French brandy or Calvados hollow, exhilarating, clean tasting, with a fabulous bouquet of Somerset orchards. It deserves to rank with malt whiskey as an aristocrat of British liquor.
You can order it, as I did, from the mouthwatering Forman and Field food catalogue.www.formanand field.com

Furry Bits

I bought my first furry jerkin in a Designer Sale five years ago. I wore it and wore it, till the bad day when puppy Bella chewed through one shoulder. I was lucky enough to spot a replacement in a rather snooty shop called Oliver Brown in Chelsea. A tad more expensive but softer and lovelier. I wear it all the time, and I notice that all my women friends and a daughter or two are now sporting Top Shop versions, admittedly fake fur, but just as cosy and even better styled. I cant sufficiently stress the wonderfulness of a furry jerkin - they call them gilets now - especially when you are feeling shivery and sorry for yourself. No sleeves, so they dont hamper your movements, but kindly warmth where you need it - back, shoulders. I wear it indoors over a jumper, outside over a coat- a bit Lara in Dr Zhivago, but why not ?

The other furry bit, which has been a great comfort, are a pair of `moon boots' I bought years ago and slung to the back of a cupboard till recently, when cold feet were a problem. The joke is that short furry boots are suddenly a fashion item and I get congratulated by trendy youngsters for my ` cool'. The point is they are comfortingly warm, I can shove my feet into them in two seconds, in the morning, and you can keep your Manolo Blahniks. An overrated designer if you want my honest opinion. I have three pairs, high spindly heels, little pointy toes, which I only wear when I can be sure of not having to walk more than across the kerb to a taxi. Stylish and pretty, yes, but how sexy does a woman feel when her feet are killing her ? I believe a perfect shoe, like a perfect bra, is as much about engineering as design - distributing weight for starters.

Radio 4 is great company for the bedridden,like having alpha visitors all day long and you can nod off during the boring bits. The news can be a pain - first they tell you what they are going to tell you, then they tell it to you, then they repeat what they have told you. You notice peoples little vocal mannerisms, like the way Kate Adie emphasizes the last syllable of certain words - hungrilee, or for that matter, Adee. So I became an addict of Dead Ringers ; if there is a radio presenters tic or mannerism the team brilliantly catches and caricatures it. After a week of Womans Hour the send-up of Jenni Murray, all giggly and flustered in the presence of Pierce Brosnan, was a nicely barbed treat.