Already a subscriber? Log in
Q. The other night I gave my guests a very good wine costing £40 a bottle. They drank it without commenting. I wonder whether there was any way in which I could have made them pay greater attention to what they were drinking without appearing to be soliciting some display of gratitude or praise for my judgment.
Name and address withheld
A. Keep your good wine back for the company of wine bores only. They will want to discuss it without any prompts from yourself.
Q. My children refuse to take waterproof coats to school. If they do take them, they leave them at school and then get caught in cloudbursts on the way home. I have asked the school to insist that the pupils are wearing their waterproofs when they leave the premises, but was told that my children were old enough (at l6 and l7) to look after themselves and should not need nannying in this way. What should I do?
E.M., London SW18
A. Buy each of them a hooded Muji freecut plastic raincoat, which costs only £9.95, comes in its own plastic envelope and will take up virtually no space in whatever bag they are carrying. They will thank you for equipping them with this ‘cool’ product which can be cut along a variety of dotted hemlines to the appropriate length, is ready to be donned at a moment’s notice and will be the envy of their soaked-through friends.
Also in Society
Also by Mary Killen
Latest
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in