When I left our house at 100 Prince Street this morning Catherine was set to launch herself off on another day of spring cleaning – she’s got the kevorka for the flotsam this week, and as we’re thinking of letting out our house for the summer she’s going at it with extra verve.

Thirty minutes later I found myself in Casa Mia listening to DB relate the story of the late Eunice Reid’s mad dash to clean up the same house at the end of World War II in anticipation of the arrival home, after 6 years overseas, of her husband Brigadier Bill Reid (punchline: he showed up earlier than expected, and found her in mid-cleaning).