It never fails in Britain. A sprinkling of snow brings out the kids in all of us. Before the last weather warning has faded from view, we are planning the excuses for a day off work, rummaging in the attic for something that resembles a sledge and opening the curtains expectantly to see if our wishes have been granted. This time it didn’t disappoint. Richmond Park resembled a Bruegel painting. It also heralded the best use of For Sale signs I have seen in a long time – great for sledges. I think Foxtons won by a head, skimming showily over the surface, leaving Savills for the loftier upper slopes. Now all we needed was a small bijou restaurant serving gluwein and “fabulous little bowls of pasta darling”. And there are no queues for the ski lifts.

Talking of For Sale signs. When this paper pushing government bought in the new pre sale packs for housing, I rang one of my bestest friends who’d had a hip operation a few years back. “ I’ve just seen a for sale sign on a house round the corner from you. Free HIPS it says. If only you’d waited. You could have bought a house and got your new hips thrown in as well’. What a boon for the beleaguered NHS. Or maybe HIPS are imprisoned somewhere? Where do we free these HIPS and how? Let’s start a movement.