Second helpings

Biscuits feature regularly in The Ancients, and elsewhere in my work (more on that soon!). The panel in which the crone raises the biscuit to her nose is, I’m sure, inspired by my wife Charlotte’s habit of having a good sniff of such things. There’s huge comfort in those sorts of familiar, transporting smells.

“Mustn’t grumble” - wow what a phrase! It’s sort of “Can’t complain” but with a dash of something more sinister - some covert operative listening in, pencil at the ready to add ‘grumbler’ to your secret file.

Here’s a cartoon I did (now available as a greetings card) featuring some of the things we trot out when we really mean “I’m a bit miserable actually - could you put the kettle on and pass the biscuits.”