Dress Code

It doesn't matter whether you're sashaying down the red carpet in Hollywood or stepping out the front door, sometimes it is possible to miss the dress code altogether. As I cleared a pile of correspondence yesterday evening, I spotted a discrete dress code guide given on an invitation to an event the other half and I attended on Saturday. Perhaps through sheer luck rather than judgement I think we managed to cover the 'Smart Casual' suggested, combining thermal underwear with smarter than usual outer garments and leaving the worn boots and ripped jackets at home!

Oscar frocks and hairdos were apparently only a hit this year if described as 'sick'.

Brit Awards

Last night's Brits were viewed by me with a mixture of confusion, delight and ridicule; the first and last doubtless an indication of my advancing years. Too many bright lights and pointless neon-lit curtains with 'stars' who could barely sing, emerging to stalk the stage in rubber-coated jackets. Ridicule and despair at the bastardisation of the wonderful work of Blondie, evocative of my youth (dark ages) all in the name of charity. I know that they're a global phenomenon, but their allure escapes not only me, but also the offspring, which I suppose is gratifying.

The highlight of the evening? An interval-advert confirming that Skyfall is now available on DVD - life is now complete! One teen told me that, should I spend over £30 in a well known supermarket on any given day, I can purchase this piece of cinematic history for a mere £10. Bearing in mind that, due to our extortionate weekly grocery bill, we're one of the families that help the staff of our local branch obtain their annual bonus, I feel that they should be rewarding me with copies gratis. Can DVDs wear thin through over-use - well I'd hate to find that due to over analysis of Daniel Craig's finer action sequences I'd be subjected to hazy pictures!

Bribery - the original art of negotiation

There was a time when a simple promise of a hug or a favourite bedtime story would persuade the offspring that the task demanded of them might at least be attempted. Cauliflower cheese swallowed with a grimace, toys picked up and thrown into a basket, walking the last 200metres back to the car rather than being carried.

As their age increases so does their wisdom,