"I love you mummy,"

said Phoebe, hugging Nevi around the hips. Except that Nevi was standing a good ten yards off at the time, and Phoebe had latched herself, limpet-like, to a perfect stranger.

Oh how we all laughed! Especially when I chortled to Nevi that Phoebe's new mum was at least a size 12 and that perhaps all the time she's spending down at the gym is having no discernible effect.

Actually, only I laughed then.

And predictably - some might say deservedly - got whupped upside the head for it.