My latest strategy for clearing my mother’s house was to gather together any presents that I had given her in the past and reclaim them for myself. I picked up two handmade lawn cotton teddy bears. The larger one was definitely one of mine; the smaller (and scruffier) possibly a creation of my sister’s.

Meanwhile next door AH was settling down to life as a divorcé. When I popped round later to pay him a visit, I passed his ex-wife in the street with a very tall young man. Now I understood the reason for the split of our friends. I didn’t catch his name, but he was a two metre tall Swede.