We’ve all got one. (Or if you are unlucky, two). An acquaintance who phones you when they are in a chirpy mood – “let’s do lunch, go to this exhibition, have supper”. Dates are engraved in diaries, firm plans are made, all sounds great. Invariably, the day before there’s a ping of a text, boing of an email or bleep of an ansafone message…” Oh God I am SO sorry, can’t make tomorrow: then some pathetic (and patently untrue) excuse spills out of their mouth: labrador has rabies, distant relative mortally ill, car tyres flat, broken an eyelash”. I could save myself a fortune in Snopake by not agreeing to any meetings, but I am soppy enough to fall for it every time. What I am not silly enough to do though, is invite her to anything! On the plus side, it makes you value and appreciate your real friends, like my gorgeous fellow Countrywives – happy Bank Holiday Weekend Annabel and Ellie xxx