This time of year is normally a whirl of craziness and panic. This year I have pared Christmas down to the bone and am, for the first time ever, not only organised but actually enjoying the festive run up.

This isn’t some feat of organisational wizardry, but good old fashioned simplification and list making.

What it has meant is that not only has my recent incapacitation due to recklessness on the stairs not impacted on the festive plans, but also that a couple of weeks ago I was able to take some time out for a trip to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool to visit their exhibition “An English Lady’s Wardrobe”.

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