Like cats and ice cream, showers were among life's simple, uncomplicated pleasures.

Competence is a great creator of confidence.

I love Christmas. A time to slow down and enjoy life and be with my family and friends. In busy years, it keeps me sane. In bad years, it makes me feel whole again.

we all grow up thinking our parents found us under cabbage leaves and that sex didn't exist before our personal coming-of-age.

My brother said that at Eton, students were told caning builds character. I suppose girls are caned less because we aren't thought to have much character." "Which is the sort of thing males say when they don't know any women.

What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever.

Parents and children were put on earth to give each other grief. You were my punishment for how I behaved to my own father. And I'll have my revenge when you have children of your own.