Guess what?

The half-nautilus shell, sagitally-sectioned, procured for Nini was initially considered poor.



Like I say, she's a Tartar (and we call her the Ayatollah in private), but articulately so. First, the nautilus wasn't whole, and second it wasn't red'n'white spotted or tentacled like the living specimens on Attenborough's Blue Planet DVD.



Further additions of a mathematical explanation of the Golden Mean and arithmetic series, and a Japanese orchid-painted paper parasol seemed to serve as an emollient. But she's a tough cookie, just the way I like them.