What time are you up? About 9am. I try to lie in, but as I get older, I find it harder. During the week, I have a mid-morning radio show so I’m up at 7am. It’s not the crack of dawn, but I certainly enjoy that moment on a Sunday when I realise I don’t have to drag my carcass out of bed.
What’s for breakfast? My first job of the day is to get coffee and pastries from a lovely bakery called Rye by the Water. My kids like pain au chocolat, while my wife and I like their amazing cheese and Marmite croissants. I might buy a nice granary sandwich loaf as well, for later.
Bit of fresh air? I like mowing the lawn, doing ‘dad’ things I never thought I’d derive the vaguest enjoyment from. We live near the Grand Union canal, the River Brent and the Thames. I’m smitten with boat yards, so I like to go for long walks up the river or the canal.
Sunday roast? We try to eat together on Sunday evenings, but it won’t necessarily be a roast. I might do a bolognese or a carbonara and I like to buy the proper meat from the Italian deli. I spend an awful lot of time cooking simple dishes. I’m not sure why it takes me so long.
Sundays growing up? Fighting with my sister is my main memory. We’d go to church and Mum would do a roast. Whatever the meat, we’d have Yorkshire pudding with gravy, as the starter. Dad was the Midlands correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, so there was no guarantee he’d be around, except on Sundays, when we’d go to the tip, which, for some reason, growing up in Kidderminster, felt like a treat.
Sunday night blues? The opening bars of Songs of Praise or Last of the Summer Wine still make my tummy turn over with the memory that I’ve got to go to school tomorrow. Which is a bit odd, because I haven’t been to school for 33 years.
How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien is published by Penguin at £20. Buy it for £17 at guardianbookshop.com
