I turn to my blog after a long absence to ask myself why I have I once more allowed myself to be used and dropped by a so-called "friend?"

It's funny but when I look back over my life I have been hurt far more effectively by women than by men. Yes, a man broke my heart once. But in a straightforward sort of way. There was none of the ambiguity and cruelty I've experienced from some women "friends". And one in particular.

A friend can hurt you so badly - they know your weak spots. They know exactly how to manipulate you for the greatest effect.

I am very lucky,I have some amazingly wonderful friends. And I'm very grateful to them. I hope i can be as good a friend to them as they are to me.

It is really time for me to lick my wounds for the last time and tell one particular person to go to hell - sadly I won't have the chance to do it to her face!

And just one more thing - to the mutual "friend" who dropped both Phil and myself at a time when we needed friends and kindness a lot - it's one thing to hurt me but another thing altogether to hurt my husband when his mum was dying - you can go to hell too!

Sorry about that - rant over.