A reader writes: "This house in St Heliers is on the corner of the street near where I recently moved and unfortunately I can't unsee the moustache now."
What is an adult problem you were not prepared for?
1. Having to institute a "Complete Body Hair Management Programme". Ears, eyebrows, nose, chest ... then losing it the only place I want it ... my head.
2. How often you have to clean to maintain a clean house.
3. How expensive everything is.
4. Having others rely on you as an emotional ballast. I can barely stay sane myself, let alone carry the weight of someone else's sanity.
5. Realising that not even your parents have all the answers. And finally understanding that they were just figuring it out as they went just like we are.
6. Losing people. Loved ones passing away is the hardest. Then there's the nasty breakdown of personal relationships, family relationships and friendships. Then there's the sad drifting apart that happens when life takes you on a different path to a person you were once really close to.
7. It's entirely possible to lose your job through no fault of your own.
Sly dig missed
During a company merger, our assigned HR manager was asked many questions which he promised to answer at the next meeting. Having failed to provide any answers at the following meeting, one of my co-workers said: "You have once again proven that nothing is too much for you", to which the HR manager replied in all sincerity: "Thank you for that, Peter", and looked at me rather strangely when I laughed.
Apostrophe fail
Family words
1. "Hydradanger = hydrangea, courtesy of an 80-year-old landlady 50-odd years ago. I still use it."
2. "Windscream wipers (windscreen wipers) and gorsepipe (exhaust pipe) from my young children."
3. "My lovely mother Heather amuses us in the way that she opens cereal and cracker boxes etc, which is basically by ripping into them and destroying the box. We now just describe this as Heathering. As in "oh no I've Heathered the Weetbix". And my son opening a gift box: "Is it ok if I Heather it?"