We are forever blathering on about the power of words and we speak the truth! I’ve just finished reading Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North by Stuart Maconie. One word in his book transported me back to my youth, landing me in my grandparent’s front room. That word was antimacassars.

No, it’s not the latest beauty product or anything to do with war torn countries. It is a small piece of cloth that is placed over the arms and backs of chairs and sofas to protect the fabric. I clearly remember these wonderful pieces of crocheted linen saving my nana’s settee from the brylcremmed hair of my granddad. In today’s throwaway society where you can pick up a new sofa for less than £100 the antimacassar has all but disappeared. The only place you tend to spot this rare breed will be on the 4.45 to Leeds, protecting train seats from commuting heads. So what word sends you spinning back to your youth?