School shoes/Kickers = £75, 2 pairs grey long leg trousers=£22, Reward for passing her first GCSE at 14 years = £35 + an endless hug , 6 pairs of cotton rich socks = £12, Following conversation with my daughter in M & S cafe during Oxford Circus shopping trip = priceless

ME: It’s so lovely to be spending time with you….

Daughter looks at me as though I am, well, disturbed..

ME: We should do this more often ..

Daughter looks at me as though I am critically disturbed..

ME: So lovely to share things with you…

Daughter looks at me as though …….

ME: Did I ever tell you about the time I was in New York and stayed with a wonderful indie film director who stole my last 20 dollars to feed his drug habit and his beloved obese cat ?

Daughter looks at me as though I am….

ME: Or the time I received a £50 prize for a political philosophy essay I wrote and spent it on a curly perm that went really really really really really really wrong..

Daughter looks at me as though..(still no words)

ME: Know what I’m gonna do ? Write it down….Yep, I’m gonna write the story of me before I had you….

Daughter looks at me as though I am (??????!!!!!!!!!)

ME: So you can read it..

Daughter : I’m dyslexic

ME: Since when?

Daughter : This very moment….