The Ladies Oracle

1. We bought this little book in a shop in Wigtown a couple of years ago. The bookshop is called something like 'the Lady's bookshop' one of the many one the main square of what is, after all, Scotland's book town.

2. There's a cafe buried at the back of the book shop. I remember I had a brilliant ploughman's salad - local cheese, local pickle - sat amongst the piles of books and the dog who lived there sat quietly by our feet.

3. As we sat and ate, a bus party of American women came in, though they didn't know each other well, they had the mark of each other. No love was lost as the benefits of dandelion and burdock were discussed at length with the unsuspecting waitress.

4. We watched it all, taking it all in, enjoying the atmosphere. We had each picked up a few books to look at and buy. On our table was this little hardback - the one you see here - called the Ladies Oracle. I remember things like this from my days as a Bunty reader and at the time I remember my mum saying this was something they used to do. when they were wee. Basically there are a hundred questions for the inquisitive lady and a seemingly foolproof method of answering via the oracle. It gave us an hour or so of fun and took our gaze from the crabbitt, confused women from the midwest, not in Kansas anymore.

5. It mainly involves shutting your eyes and pointing, flicking through pages and finding the answer to your heartfelt question among a list of answers to every heartfelt question the insecure lady might have. On finding it again tonight, I have placed it next to my bed. I shall ask myself a question each morning. The oracle is as good as anything, I reckon.