...And the Universal balance is restored.

Had a brilliant day on friday; went shopping with Mrs Kate to that catherdral of consumerism, the Trafford Centre.

Now all the kids have gone back to school, it's a little more relaxing; I mean, I'll still do the T-Centre during the school holidays when the kids have got nothing better to do but hang around in groups, but you can be more yourself without the hordes of them getting in the way in some of the more girlie shops... actually the worst offenders are the young mums who seem to acquire some sort of affinity with shoes and block any possible entry for the rest of us with a strategically positioned pram or two.

The journey there was even brilliant; it was sunny, not too busy, and some guy even blew us a kiss for letting him out of a side-road into the traffic! We had lunch at a Tapas bar, and then a combination of window shopping and trying on the occassional outfit - one of which we each tried .... but I'm not permitted to speak of what happened as a result of that.... well... not in public anyway; except to say that I now have a new slinky size 12 dress that I can't wait to wear at the next opportunity.

And then finally when it was time to come home, even that journey was relaxed and 'brilliant' ....

....but getting home to find a recorded phone message from your boss telling you that BTW, you're on a course in Birmingham on Monday morning, is not exactly the best way to round the day off nicely.

For every action there's an opposite reaction... and the Universal balance is restored.