There is no guarantee of a rose garden on the road to recovery | Short Letters

Before it was a song, the words “I never promised you a rose garden” (Letters, August 29) belonged to the kindly psychoanalyst Dr. Fried in Hannah Green’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. She wanted to make it clear to her young patient that there was no guarantee that the road to recovery would be pleasant. In fact, things might get worse before they got better.
Pink Lovelady
Tegelhurst, Berkshire

As a retired secondary school teacher, I note that one suggestion for the long-awaited reform of Ofsted is that “new regional teams will work with institutions to address weaknesses” (Report, 2 September). I have an idea: let’s call these regional teams “local education authorities” and their staff “advisors”.
Ruth Eversley
Paulton, Somerset

Belief in the benefits of Guinness and similar drinks for pregnant or new mothers goes back further than the 1960s (Letters, August 30). In Anthony Trollope’s 1877 novel Is He Popenjoy?, the widow Marchioness of Brotherton urges her reluctant daughter-in-law to drink bottled porter – “a pint with lunch and a pint with dinner”, quoting advice given to her by doctors during her own pregnancies 50 years earlier.
Sally Jaine
Totnes, Devon

As an alternative to the restorative powers of tea and coffee, I was offered a bottle of Guinness at my first blood donation in the early 1970s. I accepted and it spurred me on to get 50 donations and a silver pen, but I never encountered alcohol at the sessions again.
Jim Samson
Cockermouth, Cumbria

A local pub is advertising its Boxing Day menu. The first of the year?
Moira Robinson
Kidlington, Oxfordshire