During the course of researching this latest book I have come across some pretty odd things. Oddest of all recently was the old practice of throwing peas at the wall in order to discover when you were likely to get married.

Now I, and others of a certain age may well remember counting out prune stones (Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief) and throwing apple peel over the left shoulder (it was supposed to fall in the shape of an initial). I can even remember looking for nine peas in a pea pod, because they were supposed to be extremely lucky.

I was pretty gobsmacked however when my research revealed that some people used to throw a handful of cooked peas at the wall, in the belief that if the peas stuck, it meant you would get married in the coming year.

Ah well, takes all sorts, I suppose.....