[wraymond]

It depends on whether it’s a bad day for good news or a good day for bad news. Or, depending on the effect you were trying to spin to a gullible electorate, it takes 60,000 women to do ...er, no, I can’t even think it. But I’ve no doubt some of them would.

Celia gave up work when our first daughter was about to delight us with her presence. I say gave up work but we both found out it had only just started.

I took a second job to cover the income drop. I was lowly then and could get away with it from a physical point of view. She then looked forward to her state pension on the back of my contributions. Unfortunately, as she is three years older than me, hers did not become payable until she reached 68. After 11 years it still rankles. There is nothing guaranteed about pensions, it’s a small worm on the hook with many barbs and can be cast on the waters at any election. A pocks on all their houses.

Edit: my darling was in the room when I was writing so I had to judge her seeing distance and moderate the type size at the critical point.