Five things I like about men

Thank you all for your lovely entries to yesterday's (second) competition to create a British phrase about the weather in 7 words or less. Although Ana's entries were the most authentically British, I was looking for the most quintessentially British and so the winner is Amanda, for her entry: It's jolly smashing weather today, isn't it?

The prize is a suitably British romance novel. You can choose from three different genres - I've read and highly recommend all of them: Prudence by Jilly Cooper (contemp - relatively), The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (historical) or Mad About the Boy by Mathilde Madden (erotic romance - ish). And I'll throw in a little extra.

Email me with your choice of book and address so I can send your prize on.

And now onto today's third and final post from me. Which is a love letter to the male gender.

I'm a little tired of all these pictures of buff sculpted men. I want to look at some of the other things I like about them.

1. They are hairy

I am not alone. I am not. I like hairy chests and stubble and - yes, I'm going to say it, I won't be silenced! - moustaches. Those of you who know me, know that this a subject close to my heart.

Hugh Jackman's hairy chest. Hmmmm, what a torso! What breadth of shoulders and chest. What lovely lovely butch brawn!

But I'm not all about the beef. I loooooove the droopy, melancholic moustache of Mr Brandon Flowers:



And I'm adoring the way Orlando Bloom is working this mediaeval knight look:



2. Their feats of derring do

I might roll my eyes, but I'm secretly impressed by all those stupidly dangerous things men do.

My older boy is 6 and he's getting well into tree-climbing and acrobatic stuff. We've been bonding over parkour recently. The lads in this video are the sort of lads I'd have been crushing on when I was 15.

Me and the boy watch this and 'ooooh' and 'aaaahhh' together. Then I say: You Must Never Never Do This!

3. On the whole, they are good at parking in small spaces, reading maps and finding their way around

Well, my husband is. But then I am usually too busy thinking about men with hairy chests in skin tight breeches and top-boots to be good at any of these things.

4. They are strong

They can carry heavy stuff. They can even push cars that break down and lift furniture. And open stubborn lids on jars of marmalade so that their wives can have toast and marmalade for breakfast.

5. James Purefoy is one

Which brings us back full circle. To hairy chests. I really can't decide whether I like that ridiculously equilateral triangle of Hugh Jackman's or this more natural lean one.


I'll have a good long look and think about it.


Yum.