Being a sensitive soul I felt a bit sheepish after being called 'Unkind, unfair' following a throwaway remark I made on Twitter while watching Home Delivery (ITV1, Thursday 9pm).
I'm a mother, and so is my mum, funnily enough. It's a tough role and it's a permanent position.
I follow what I consider quality mummy bloggers on Twitter and I like them because of their refreshing humour, honesty and lack of up-themselves-ness.
I first gave birth in 1994, and last gave birth in 1999. Now you can call me an out of touch dinosaur (some of the new things The Book says you mustn't do in pregnancy/early babyhood confound me) or someone who has experience and has watched new mums come and go with an amused eye. I am now battling The Teenage Years and they kids are teaching me more than I can teach them.
Anyway I said something like 'why doesnt she stop mooing and banging on about how magical giving birth is and stop making normal women feel inadequate because they didn't have a doula and just get the baby out'. Only in 140 characters.
It probably was a bit harsh, but oh, the cow sounds seemed such a waste of energy.
Now I love One Born Every Minute (C4) because of its honesty and how it has demystified birth. It would be good if OBEM could cover the fact that many women can and do have NHS home births if they want and if it is appropriate.
I thought of my Mum - for whose generation or at least not much before her time -home birth was the norm. I can imagine her reaction if she was told she'd be having my brother in my paddling pool with me watching.
All in all I'll stick to #OBEM thanks. I'm all for choice, goodness yes - but I'm a down to Earth, let's get on with it kind of girl. And I'm not sure what this new show brings to the table other than ITV1 jumping on the bandwagon.
But then maybe I am holding a mirror up to my own failings and finding myself wanting.
Anyway I reckon next week's Home Delivery is brought to us by Boden.
Speaking of holding up a mirror to reality, my new favourite show is Gogglebox (C4 Thursday 10pm).
If you haven't seen it yet, and if you love telly I strongly suggest you find it on 4OD, the idea is you take a selection of the public - the same ones each week - and film them watching highlights of the week's telly. It is (in a stroke a genius) narrated by the creator of that famous telly watching family , the Royles, Caroline Aherne, and the characters that have been chosen to commentate for us couldn't be better.
Sandy and friend Sandra down in Brixton are delightful ; how many people now want a No Regret In Jesus sticker on their TV set, I wonder ? "Look at Lenny! He's big and fat !" "Dermot - you have enough money - why ask us!"
I love the Siddiqui boys, especially the one whose spot is far right on the sofa always in his workday suit and tie. Stephanie and Dominic , awfully posh in their country house, are never, ever seen without a drink in their hands. Steph is often berated by hubby for being p!$$ed. I think I spotted her with orange juice this week but I suspect there may have been a large voddie in it.
Comic Relief provoked strong reactions one way or another from all the viewers, not least the younger ones, particularly with the appearance of One Direction.
Little Sister had been looking very much forward to seeing the boys and was naturally deliberately wound up by her big brother, and screaming the usual BE QUIET type stuff when her idols graced the screen. I remember feeling that way very, very well, but about Duran Duran or Spandau.
The Teens were especially teenly cynical. "They're only there (Africa) because they were told they had to go," observes one of the kids.
"I gave £30," says the retired teacher fella, for the millionth time.
The tragic story of Victor the toddler who starved to death had them all reaching for the Kleenex though and Teen Boy left the room.
I noticed Sandy & Sandra had set aside the Guylian while they watched Bill Nighy's harrowing film; but as Sandy ranted that we just don't get to see this kind of reminder of world hunger enough, Sandra opened a packet of Wotsits and Sandy gratefully ate a handful.
I could go on and on about my love for the 'cast' of Gogglebox but I urge you to discover this wonderful cross section of the Great British Public for yourself, and see what unites us - the good old telly.
Finally I have to mention Goodbye Television Centre and particularly , Madness Live:Goodbye Television Centre (both BBC4).
It saddens me very much as a child of the Seventies to see the iconic building abandoned by the Beeb.
In my early teens my friends and I would race up to White City tube - on a Saturday morning if say, Duran Duran were on Saturday Superstore, or on a Thursday afternoon for the live Top of the Pops if it was half term. We could pass the security barriers as many of the guards seemed sweet fellas who indulged us. I am the proud possessor of the autographs of most of Kajagoogoo and Neville from The Fun Boy Three, not to mention David Icke ...
Once (in my absence) my friends snuck through a gap in security and actually got into the corridor next to the TOTP studio, and made a phone call call from a wall phone (like we had back in the day) right next to a Thompson Twin !
Whether they really did get in that evening I'm not sure but either way, TV Centre was a big part of my formative years and important as a chronic telly addict.
Suggs and crew manfully played all the hits through the unseasonable icy sleet and showed us why Madness have endured.
So bye bye TV Centre; I'm sad to see you go.
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