Okay I admit it. I am starting to feel a teeny bit excited about the World Cup. In fact everyone is, mainly because you can’t get away from it. There is England merchandise everywhere, in fact you can even buy England pants - honestly. My children begged me to buy them a football in M & S the other day. I spent 5 long hard minutes explaining that we don’t need another football because we already have 12 in the garage. Not the point, came the fairly robust reply. I hasten to add we still only have 12 footballs in the garage.....but I did promise my daughter I would buy her some England hair slides and my son a t-shirt.....damn.

But I too have had my head turned by World Cup fever. I was chatting yesterday to some work colleagues and great friends of mine, with whom I shall be working down at Wimbledon later this month. They have all been collecting the Panini World Cup stickers, so when they brandished their almost full albums at me, I must confess I almost rushed straight out to the shops to get one. I haven’t done swapsies for about 300 years, since the time I was marbles champion at school (that is another story), but for no good reason I suddenly longed to return to those halcyon days. I still might.

I shall also be doing the World Cup predictor and a fantasy league team. And even though I shall be perched in a commentary box on Centre Court down at SW19 for a glorious fortnight, I do have the luxury of my own telly in there, so when all British interest except Andy Murray has ended at the Championship (day two normally), I shall be able to watch England crash out of the tournament in penalties. Marvellous.

So in preparation for two weeks of mainly sitting on my derriere, I have been a fitness queen this week. Yesterday I took myself off to the gym for a hearty session, which included a two-mile run which I found really easy.....honestly. I told my husband afterwards , who listened patiently and then just sighed..... I know how he feels. Could it be because I am not training for anything in particular that it is suddenly more enjoyable? Perhaps. But my plan now, again for no good reason, is to up my mileage and see if I can get up to around 8 miles..... I know fabulously pointless but there you have it. And my efforts have even inspired my long suffering other half who went out for his first road run in about 4 years this week. There. You see.......maybe not so pointless afterall........Hee hee. Have a great week.