Several emails followed yesterday's blip (well two emails anyway) - enquirng as to the nature of the floor covering in my hall... [sigh]

I can exclusively reveal that there is a covering material involved. An authentic reissue, to be precise, of the exact floor covering that grannies the country over had protecting their axminsters from all and sundry in the late '70s.

Tasteful it ain't. But I defend this prophylactic with the admission that - yes - we chose a feckin impractical colour of carpets for a hall.

(Even more so given the impending pitter patter of tiny footsteps.)

Goodnight all.