In the case of Hamish the hedgehog, who lives here in the Estate building, that means sleep as he’s very, very good at it. Well, and making sure we feed him lots of fresh crickets when he’s awake. How a hedgehog named Hamish came to be here is a wee bit of a mystery at this date, but records kept by the Archivist here suggest that there’s been a hedgehog in residence for centuries now. Certainly the staff has learned to look carefully when sitting, mostly in the kitchen, where he’s commonly found, for fear of getting an 
full of quills from a disgruntled creature. And leaving one’s tea with cream on a low table oft times results in the tea being lapped up by Hamish who afterwards, no surprise, waddles off to find a place to sleep. Hamish knows a good thing when he sees it!
(Now I must admit that many of my fellow musicians are little better than Hamish this time of year if they are not making music or drinking in the Pub…)
The hedgehogs here have lent their name and likeness to The Hedgehog, the inhouse newsletter for the Green Man staff where rumours, gossip, and even sometimes useful information is printed for all here to read. Recently in its pages, we’re had a article on what the staff and visitors here of what the perfect wintertime breakfast is. I’ve said before that I’ll always go with an old favourite of mine — huevos rancheros, which for me are eggs and chorizo wrapped in warm tortillas, then covered with a green chile sauce. That and strong black coffee served with real cream will do nicely, provided all of this is served ’round noon, when I’m, more or less, ready to be awake. If I don’t ‘ave that, I’ll settle for a full Welsh breakfast of three thick Welsh bacon rashers, pork sausage and two lovely eggs. And strong tea.
So let’s see what they said. . . .
Gary Whitehouse has tastes similar to mine: ‘ Well, since my favorite place to be in the winter is either Rarotonga or Tucson, my favorite breakfasts would be: in Rarotonga, fresh tropical fruit and yogurt, followed by one of The Cafe’s chocolate-chip muffins, liberally spread with luscious New Zealand butter, all chased down with a mug of strong black tea with milk; in Tucson, huevos rancheros with some fresh corn tortillas and black coffee.’
Peter Massey says ‘My wintertime breakfast is usually the same as summer — that is one Weatabix or porridge, a slice of toast, and mug of coffee. However on Sunday I have a cooked breakfast (only allow myself one a week because I try not to eat junk food and I value my heart and lipids level) — that is grilled bacon, sausage and tomato and a fried or scrambled egg. Plus a mug of coffee and slice of toast with marmalade.’
Vonnie Carts-Powell likes it simple: ‘Oatmeal, made with milk, adulterated with raisins and apples and sunflower seeds, served with maple syrup.’ That’s not terribly different from what Chris White and Barbara Truex have on a winter’s morning: ‘Especially by January: pancakes (non-wheat of course for me) with warm strawberry syrup made from last spring’s homegrown berries. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to do it with raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries depending on the year’s crops.’ Whereas J. J. Boyce says ‘I’m a working student, and I have classes during the winter months. I like the cheap two dollar breakfasts that you can get at some restaurants. Two eggs, toast with jam, a coffee and some bacon. Satisfying to stomach and wallet.’
Patrick O’Donnell varies his breakfast very little ’round the year: ‘Same as my summertime one: a few thick slices of bacon, a few nice sausage links, one or two eggs sunny-side up with the yellow runny but the white firm, some baked beans, some stewed tomatoes, some mushrooms, perhaps some hashbrowns, and a few thick slices of buttered toast. Finish it all off with some black coffee strong enough to make your toes curl and perhaps, if there’s room, something sweet. And of course, there’s always second breakfast, so leave room for that. . . .’
Robert Tilendis is of Southern USA ancestry so he notes his choice is ‘a bow to [that] Southern side: chicken-fried steak and eggs, grits with lots of butter, biscuits, and strong coffee with cream. Just don’t ask me to move for the rest of the day.’ I promise that we’ll leave him sleeping in a comfortably overstuffed chair in the corner of the Pub nearest the fireplace!
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