2013 – a significant year for my family. For m’husband achieves his 50th birthday in December, and we will have been married for 25 years come August. So I decided that such a significant year should be marked with significant events, particularly for the husband who is a man of habit with a marked tendency to talk himself out of trying new things. Every month I am arranging a new experience for him, and he isn’t going to know what it is until he gets there.

January – I despatched him, in the car of a friend who was in on the secret, to a camping and carvanning show. A success. They came back loaded down with leaflets about new caravans and sites.

February – A roaring success. I took him to one of my favourite places on Earth, Eastthorpe Hall, for a half day treatment package. I was confident that the lunch alone would win favour, never mind the treatment. He adored it, although the look on his face 10 minutes in, as they led us off in opposite directions, was priceless.

March – I felt I was on a roll with this project, really pleased about how things were going and excited about what was coming up, but then I bombed in March. We both have more than a touch of the Trekkie to us and like to read and watch science fiction and fantasy, and years ago we talked about going to a Star Trek convention. Well, I couldn’t find one of those but I did find Eastercon, which was held in Bradford over the Easter weekend. Perfect, I thought, and booked two Saturday tickets. I was so wrong. First, on arrival he sucked his teeth (never a good sign) at the cost of the tickets, and then he fell asleep only a short time into the panel discussions. I nudged him awake, but he muttered something about it being just like sitting through a health and safety briefing at work.

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Two things saved me from total disaster: he liked the art exhibition, and then he got a couple of free books including London Falling by Paul Cornell (pictured above on the right). I’ve now read it and it is good. The red pentagram and use of the word ‘evil’ on the cover means I generally wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole, but Mr Cornell seemed like a pleasant person rather than a serial killer and ‘free’ is a great motivator.

April – still mulling over the options in an attempt to get back on top. May and June are sorted.

Watch this space.