I’m on a bit of a retro foodstuffs kick this weekend. Today I’ve been in a Jammy Dodger frenzy. I woke up with the taste of Jammy Dodgers in my mouth, the scent of sweet jam and shortcake in my bed, despite the fact that I haven’t eaten a Jammy Dodger for at least twenty years, if not longer. The taste and smell, therefore, was of my memory of Jammy Dodgers. Memory of taste can be a very strong thing.

All day, the smell has been driving me crazy - just slightly sweet and vaguely fruity, in the way that only processed sugar and flavouring masquerading as jam can be. I have no idea why I was suddenly badgered by the smell of those biscuits in particular, rather than, say, Garibaldi (squashed-fly biscuits) or custard creams.

After a few hours of being thoroughly teased and taunted by the elusive smell, I finally gave in, went to the off-license/newsagent around the corner and bought a pack of Jammy Dodgers, just so I could check whether they still smelled and tasted the same. I’m pleased to report they do, and are still as stodgy and artificial as I remembered.

The main difference, as far as I can determine, is that where the central reservoir of ‘jam’ (and I use the term advisedly, because I’ve never seen any jam that behaved like that before) used to be stoically round, it is now shaped into an appealling little heart shape. So that’s how I spent the afternoon - gently devouring sweet red hearts on a sunny sunday afternoon, savouring the stickiness - I can think of many worse ways to spend my time.

Now, later, the evening light is doing strange things - I think we’re in for another thunderstorm tonight. The sky has taken on a sepia flush, and the sunlight seems strained and bright, low across the rooftops, under the cloud. I hope a storm is brewing - my skin is strangely prickly and anticipatory, and besides, a storm seems an apt way to draw to a close a tempestuous but wonderful week.

How has my week off been? Well…in a word….FANTASTIC. I have a grin so huge it hurts, I’m tired and achey and feel like I could do with another week off to recover from this one. I haven’t done any of the things I intended (reading, laundry, sleeping), but instead I’ve been enjoying a mad mix of lazy, hazy days and crazy nights.

Most enjoyable, most unexpected, most marvellous. I feel human again - plus tingling with happiness and excitement about the future. And relaaaaaax.