They arrived yesterday and after I broke a sweat pulling them on (they were far too fashionable to have a zip) I dashed into the kitchen to get compliments from my sister and daughter who were in there drinking tea and gossiping. Well not dash so much, those boots were heavy.

My daughter took a long look, “You need to accessorise those” she said, “With a hard hat.”  ”And a shovel?” added my sister.

Bye bye biker boots.

Consider it done, Virginia.  I have to admit I am already a convert to the principle of choking any tendencies to get pinnied up in the bud. I clobbered my domestic angel years ago when I realised that nobody  in my house a) noticed or b) got listeria  if the tea towels weren’t washed and ironed and stacked in deepest colour first order. My kids think that clothes on the floor is boho-chic, not slobby, and as long as it’s not me picking them up I take the view that they can be as Sienna Miller as they like with their stuff.

What’s that famous saying about the essential qualities of a good wife?  Be  a whore in the garden,  a snorer in the bedroom and a slob in the kitchen – or something like that…….

ps: I have a friend who stacks her tea towels in alphabetical order.  She organises them by the first letter of their colour if they are plain and if they are patterned she arranges them, for example,  under ‘h’ for hedgehog or ‘p’ for poem. I’ve recommended she sees an exorcist but she thinks I’m joking.