The Girls
First off, of course - Louise Howarth
Abbi Benjafield and Sadie Riches, in primary school. And maybe Steph Bell too.
Between primary and high school, there's Alex Howarth.
Chamaale Dooldeniya, first friend at high school.
Becky Williams (Head), Abi Parker and Vicky Weal all came next.
I think there was a moment when Laura Gregor McGregor was a 'bestie'.
Then Milli Chenery turned up, followed by Sam Stewart.
Lucy Montagu and Kristy Burton happened at very similar times.
Then George Eldridge, and Celia Cooper.
Coming into sixth form now, and Athena Mills-Vingoe and stole my heart a bit.
Then across to Hampshire, and the main lady, Maria Sethi arrived in my life.
After a few months I had found Sophie Newman and Rhianmor Thomas.
Then back to Norfolk, and Jasmine Donovan happened.
So 21 female best friends in all my life. Still talk to / close with / know well - 11. Not too shabby,
The Boys
Again, starting with the obvious - Ben Howarth
Didn't really know boys / was that close with them for a lot of my childhood. Except, obviously, the above.
Does my dog count? No. Weird.
So, high school. Barnaby Rose. Shane Sumner. James Ingham. Jack Ansell. And Ben Whall.
University. Matt Blanchette. Martin Appleby. Definitely not the boyfriend in the middle. I might have called Rich 'one of my best friends', but I don't think that counts either.
Home again, after all of that, the two boys I live with: Luke Wood and Jack Haynes.
It should be noted that I've dated and/or slept with most of the boys on this list. The last two, thankfully, are an exception to the rule. As is Ansell, as he was Sam's boyfriend whilst we were close. And Howarth. Never slept with him. Dated when we were six or seven. Didn't last.
Still friends? Um... Howarth, Luke and Jack. And I am on 'speaking terms' with some of the others. But, all things considered, he does take top trumps in longest male best friend of all time / have not slept with him despite close friendship / his sisters have been my friends for years but he's always the Howarth that I go to see. Socially. I go see Louise when we need to do exercise. Ben does not get involved in that.
My girls make up my world, but my boys - the relationships that mean something to me are the ones where we were best friends, and he was the person I'd want to tell stupid things to, I'd want to text every second of the day, and I'd feel totally lost if I couldn't speak to him for some reason. And it tends to have always been me that ruined it. Usually by cheating. Actually, thinking about it - Barn, cheated, speaking terms. Shane, cheated, not spoken to in years. Whall, cheated, doesn't want to acknowledge my existence. Ansell - Sam cheated, they broke up, we stopped speaking. Ingham and Matt not really 'boyfriends' but yeah, stuff happened there, mainly my fault. So the black sheep in my horrendous list of failed relationships? Martin.
There's a strange little thought to end the day on.