Who would have thought that the humble sock could cause our household so much grief and pleasure. I am refering to the normal foot garmet not some new elborate masterpiece of the same name.

I can't say that I can pinpoint a starting point for all of this but over a period of time this small knitted thing has become a focal point of arguments and laughs. So lets deal with the more interesting arguements first.

The main reason for the sock argument is of course the husband. On his arrival home the shoes must come straight off to reveal the black smelly socks that even the girls run in fear of. Now I can handle a breif whiff but 20 minutes after being home the offending socks are still on the go. Thus the argument begins, my main arguement being where does the smell go, the socks in question go directly on the carpet which in this instant are pretty new. It also occurs (loudly) that I am the only one that actually smells the rotting cotton and thus why should I have to lump it all night. The socks eventually come off which should be the end but is actaully only just the beginning. The smell obviously transends the socks so we have the "wash your feet" debate, followed by the you dirty sod you put them in the shoe basket not the laundry basket or you left them on my pillow (as sort of revenge he uses should I say too much). The neighbours must be ready to have us both committed!

Next is the three year old. She frequently has colour days where she will only wear all clothes of one colour. On the whole they are pink days so I have a plently to cover, but the trouble starts on a purple day when the 1 pair of purple socks are dirty or on a blue day where there just aren't any - here world ends as my headache starts.

In on the act jumps the 9 month old as throughout the day we do the battle to keep them on. I put them on she pulls them off over and over and over and over again until bedtime. This must be a common game as I recently saw a advert for an over sock to help sort this little occurance out.

Now I am not totally innocent in all this (don't tell the husband)I moan about mine constantly. Trying to find a decent cotton sock is a battle these days even M&s do them thinner these days (paxo I get you). Then there is the problem of matching a pair of socks to shoes/trainers and just when I think i have it hey presto the girls have a group at which I must reveal a decent and of course matching pair - O hell!

And so on to the laughs - well all of the above - after the event naturally.