My message has always been that it’s OK to be a home cook, says Trish Deseine.

Jancee Dunn’s new book, How Not To Hate Your Husband After Kids, could be the practical relationship and parenting bible we’ve been missing, writes Suzanne Harrington

Suzanne Harrington loves her dogs but knows that ownership is hard work, 365 days a year, and so has some straight talking for those planning to get one for Christmas

Nora Ephron had effortless style and her steeliness was as impressive as her slick observations. Marjorie Brennan is charmed by a collection of her impressive work.

Rolling north through the pleasant greenery of Tipperary, Laois and er, the other counties you pass getting to Dublin gave me a chance to catch up on my reading.

It’s almost two years to the day — June 26 — since the great scriptwriter Nora Ephron died. She was the creator of Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia — and many other wonderfully light pieces that looked at our endless foolishness with kindness and good humour.

PARENTHOOD, like a lot of things, is not what it used to be. We are bombarded with books, blogs and television programmes on how to be the perfect parent — and produce the perfect child.

While the traditional flashpoint for couples tends to be the dreaded in-laws - sisters in law, fathers in law, brothers in law, and mothers in law have featured in family discord forever - another point of contention can be your partner’s friends.

Before Nancy Meyers, before Sofia Coppola, before Julie Delpy and Kasi Lemmons and Nicole Holofcener, there was Nora Ephron.

Nora Ephron has died at the age of 71.

Meryl Streep may have her next film assignment and Neil Diamond thanked the namesake of his famous tune 'Sweet Caroline' as they joined other luminaries from Broadway, jazz and classical music to receive the Kennedy Centre Honours.

With every other programme on TV seemingly about cooking in one form or another this film, a true story, joins the list … though it’s as thin as a pancake.

PICASSO’S famed Dream painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.

Another l960s TV throwback, with Kidman playing the cute, nose-twitching witch Samantha trying to live a quiet suburban life as an ordinary housewife.

A dinner date that sparked rumours of a romance between Nicole Kidman and Jim Carrey was simply a business meeting according to their representatives.

Kate & Leopold is about as far-fetched as they come.