“Pour it out there will you love? I just can’t move”

HAVING to travel to the coldest, furthest reach of the house to watch Freeview TV has been one of our oldest family traditions.

But now— four children along — this tradition has been consigned to history; my youngest daughter has argued the same old case for Sky — which I’ve heard and dismissed for longer than I care to remember- and won it fair and square. I’ve simply run out of counter-arguments (what can I say? I’ve caved. Four children along, something’s got to give.)

So we’ve dollied up the study downstairs, which has an open fire and abuts the kitchen, to accommodate a new sofa, flat-screen and digi-box. And of course my daughter, who now slumps in front of Friends repeats every evening in the manner of a spent barrister.