I just have a wee bit of time to kill while I’m bidding on a top on ebay. I haven’t bought anything on there for ages and I felt like a moment’s frivolity – you know how it is. It’s only a few coins.

On the subject of coins, I picked up a couple of coins off the pavement last night as I was walking back from dancing. They looked so pretty and shiny next to the tiny puddles and my inner magpie wanted them. Just like the compulsion to pick up conkers and believe me there are quite a few of those collected around the house now. When my boy bought his latest flat there were conkers in all the cupboards because the lady who had lived there considered them lucky. As they have stripped the flat entirely, even down to the brick in places, all the conkers got thrown out. So being concerned for their luck status I soon found them a nice new shiny one to go in the nice new flat – I bet they chucked it as soon as I left but it’s the thought that counts and I thought of them. But back to the coins – I thought they were two five pence pieces but when I picked them up they were a 2 cent (euro) piece and some other foreign coin whose provenance I still haven’t been able to ascertain. An odd little group – if two can be called a group – to find on the late evening pavement.

And while on the subject of pavements - here the connection is a little loose I’m afraid – I was watching a poor woman walking along trying to balance on her stilettos. Why do woman think it makes them look attractive - tottering along with a dislocated-hip-walk. I’m not averse to high heels, I have several pairs – I’m short(ish) and sometimes it’s necessary to elevate – but there is a time and a place and a terrain. Her partner had to push the pushchair so that she could take the steep slopes carefully and her hips were all over the place. I’d say she’ll need new ones by the time she gets to my age and she won’t be so keen on heels then.

I’ve won my top now and paid for it. It’s quite an exotic scoop neck and back top that would look rather well with tight jeans and high heels.