Well that was relatively painless.

Far from the "See a marriage counsellor" response I was expecting, the family have taken a more pragmatic "Yeah - she's a nutter. You're better off indulging yourself in consumer electronics and empty, meaningless sex" approach.

Ok, strip out the second part of that sentence and you're closer to the truth. The thought of my aunt coming out with a line like that actually leaves me faintly nauseous and will, I suspect, result in some very distressing dreams tonight.

Still, it begs the question WHY DID YOU WAIT 15 YEARS BEFORE SAYING ANYTHING?

Judging by the harsh comments regarding my dress sense over the last decade or so, it couldn't have been through any intention of sparing my feelings.

So, dear reader, if you know someone who really needs to be told their relationship is in a bad place, tell them. They may not like it at the time, but it will mean fewer diaries like this popping up over the internet. And that can only be a good thing. Really.