How the cookie CRUMBLES

Michèle was banned from the biscuit tin growing up, but things are sweeter now

- MICHÈLE A'COURT

Elizabeth and I can't remember exactly how we met. You've probably got friends like this – they turn up in your life and weave themselves into it so warmly, you can barely remember not knowing them.

We've just been discussing this at a shared dinner. Quite by chance, we're in the same study programme, which means we're together on a three-day intensive retreat.

We think originally we met at a writers' festival, maybe a conference? What I do recall clearly is discovering that one of the myriad things we have in common is we both believe the skill of parallel parking a car doesn't get the societal recognition it deserves.