Seventh - I was pleasantly suprised the other day when our son, who's twelve, rang us while we were at the shops to tell us he'd used the last of the washing powder and to get some more. Off his own bat he'd decided to do the washing for the family. We'd only recently started leaving him alone in the house for short periods and I guess he was at a loose end with no little sister to fight.

That's the worst I've ever done in one of those tests. I can usually take a stab at American culture, but cereals...
As Zaphod might have said "I get weirder things than you /as/ my breakfast cereal."

Mine's much as yours, Miss Cellania, but with occasional stoppages for dread misdemeanours. At one point, when he was going through a particularly vile patch, I realised I'd stopped our son's money for the next three years or so.
That's a bit silly - a kid wouldn't learn from such a long stoppage, so we had a big hug and a long talk and got back on track.

He's learned now to leave his cash at home - a trick his little sister has yet to master.

Just for a moment I read that first one as Elkie Brooks. But no - he's never an Elkie.

Madam doesn't expect to actually /walk/ in these shoes, does she?

Little girls are made of a blend of secret herbs and spices.

free games for kids:- Well, I can fit one in a drawer, or a briefcase, it doesn't need to be plugged in, it uses a lot fewer resources and it's cheaper.

Most of our stuff isn't confidential once the address and account number has been torn off. So those bits go in the compost heap, where woodlice and slugs make a far better job of destroying it than I can ever be bothere to - and the rest goes in the recycling.

D Bozko - you might send some of it over here, then!

I went to school with Emma Hope. She was mad keen on fashion even then.

http://www.emmahope.co.uk/

OddNumber - yes, the UK television network is infested with American shows. It's one of the reasons I don't watch much telly. Not because the shows are American per se, but because most of them exist purely to take up time between the adverts - they neither entertain nor inform except at the most shallow level.

FishBottleT - you expect fashion shoes to provide protection?

Now that is clever. Essence of shoe. Utterly impractical, of course, but really very nice.

Frankly, if I had to stand there and pose for a load of visiting dignitaries, I'd have a fixed smile and a glazed look.

Must be a very American thing - I ain't heard of any of the characters.