The keys to the master bedroom

Last week I hosted my first house-party at my holiday lodge in Cornwall. For the first time ever (drumroll), in a mixed group of married and single people sharing accommodation (trumpets), I slept in the master bedroom, and in a king-sized bed in glorious solitude (applause). As a single person (I’m sure I’ve mentioned this[…]

‘Spinster’ is an emotive word that should be consigned to the bin of history.

Watching one of those TV programmes where someone was finding out about their ancestors, my ears pricked up on hearing the word ‘spinster’. It was quoted as the legal description for an unmarried woman, on a ship’s passenger list in the early 20th century. Even used in that bygone context, I was still jolted to[…]