As the 2010 World Cup draws to a close this weekend in South Africa, women across the globe, especially wives of players from participating countries, are eagerly awaiting the return of their husbands back home.

While millions of football fans have been enjoying the thrills of the World Cup since last month, women, who were denied access to their husbands say they can’t wait for their heartthrobs to return home after Sunday’s final at the Soccer City stadium.

As flowers without water wither away, Menaye Donkor, wife of Ghana’s Sulley Muntari said 2010 World Cup has been great in South Africa but she is happy now that her hubby, who scored a fantastic goal against Uruguay, is due home.

•Sunley Muntari (left) and Menaye.

Speaking on South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, SABC Fashion Show, Menaye praised Ghana’s squad for doing Africa proud. “Ghana made all of us proud and I think my lonely nights are over now. Sulley will soon come home and then we’ll talk about the games as a family”.

•Muntari’s Menaye. Photos: Tunde Oyedele.

Worst hit are the ladies who escorted their husbands to South Africa. They have been coping alone in the hotels as coaches of participating teams do not want them near their husbands to avoid distraction in camp

Caroline Celico, wife of Brazil’s star, Kaka said: “I missed him a lot but I’m not the only one. Some women are used to this because the players travel all the time. But’s it’s hectic in South Africa. I’m, however, happy that the World Cup is over and my man will see me once again,” Caroline said.

•Kaka’s wife, Caroline.

If the women have a choice, may be they would have protested but the wealth from football gives them their daily bread and limelight.

Amaia Salamanca says she can’t wait for the sweet whisper of Spanish star, Ramos, but she must wait until after Sunday’s final against Netherlands to welcome her Real Madrid husband back home.

•Didier Drogba (right) and Lalla.

“I miss Ramos, especially when I see some couples hugging around. I’m happy Spain are playing well, but I have told him the rooms are getting too big for me,” Amaia jokingly said

From the parting statement made by Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kanu immediately after Nigeria crashed out of South Africa 2010 World Cup, it was evident his wife, Amarachi, would be glad he was heading home.

•Nwankwo Kanu (right) and Amarachi.

Kanu, who played just a match for Nigeria at the tournament, was answering questions from international journalists when his wife called to ask when he would join them.

His response was so funny that the journalists at the Mixed Zone of Durban Stadium burst into rounds of laughter. “Oh, you want to know what next I plan to do for the Eagles now that Nigeria has crashed out of the World Cup? Okay, I’m going to meet my wife and kids, who are here in South Africa. They are missing me and I need to go and give them a treat to enjoy the rest of the tournament,” Kanu said as he parried the question.

A close friend of Kanu said Amarachi called her husband to be sure he was not attacked after the last game in which Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Korea.

Amarachi, P.M.Sports gathered, has been a good mother caring for their kids while Kanu was in camp. But, the Igbo lady was quoted as saying she could not wait to welcome her hubby back, especially with the chilly weather of the host country.

Also, Didier Drogba’s wife Lalla, Soma, wife of Matthew Booth of Bafana, say they would hold tight to their husbands immediately after the tournaments before they travel for club assignments again.

•Didier Drogba (right) and Lalla.

“The only language I will like to listen to is: ‘I love you’. That’s what Drogba tells me and I’ve missed that, Lalla said of his Chelsea of England and Cote d’Ivoire hubby....

A spellbinding display of brutal hitting and raw speed from Rafa Nadal secured the Spaniard his second Wimbledon title on Sunday with a 6-3 7-5 6-4 victory over 12th seed Tomas Berdych.

Nadal, who has not lost here since the 2007 final after victory in 2008 and injury prevented his defense last year, completely nullified the 1.95m Czech’s biggest weapons to storm to an eighth career grand slam and open up a cavernous lead at the top of the world rankings.

The win, which completed a second French Open-Wimbledon double in three years for Nadal, came after two hours and 13 minutes when his 20th forehand winner left Berdych stranded at the net on his first championship point.

He celebrated by slumping on to his back on the baseline, holding his face in his hands before embracing Berdych at the net and performing an impromptu roly poly and double fist pump toward his entourage.

“More than a dream for me, always a dream to play in this final,” Nadal said in an on-court interview.

“To have this trophy in my hands, amazing. You’re (Berdych) doing an amazing season, sorry for today but I wish you luck for the rest of the season.” From the moment Nadal bounced, weaved and stretched his way down the corridors of the All England Club to Center Court like a fired-up prize fighter, there was a sense nothing could derail the 24-year-old..

The Game

Both held their opening service games to love on a bright and breezy day, and neither was under early pressure, and even a male fan bellowing “I love you Rafa” could not throw the Spaniard’s focus.

Game seven turned the tone of the match though, as Nadal stepped up a gear and Berdych’s first serve deserted him.

Nadal’s forehand was starting to eat up the Berdych serve, and the Mallorcan brought the crowd to life with a searing forehand pass down the line to bring up three break points.

A cutting backhand return had the Czech stretching and Nadal clenched his fist with stern-faced determination when Berdych’s forehand skewed out.

The pre-match build-up had focused on the Berdych forehand, which had dismantled six-times champion Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the last two rounds, but Nadal reminded everyone that his is the most potent weapon in the game.

Serena Williams Wins at Wimbledon, Tops King With 13th Grand Slam Title

Summers used to be difficult for Serena Williams, whose dad made her and elder sister Venus practice twice daily on the public tennis courts of the Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

Williams raised 13 fingers yesterday to her father, Richard, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon after beating Russia’s Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 for her fourth trophy on the London grass courts. Her 13th Grand Slam singles title moved her one ahead of mentor Billie Jean King, who applauded the American from the Royal Box.

“I hated the summers, because I think we had two practices a day,” Williams said after the match in an interview with a small group of reporters.

“We would always go in the morning, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and then we would have lunch at the park and then right after lunch we’d go back to practice. It was tough. But when you’re that young, you don’t really think about it. At the time, my dad would go sometimes next door to the liquor store to buy us the latest sports drink. It’s all those memories and all that hard work that you just never forget. And, eventually, it pays off.”

At least one of the sisters has appeared in 10 of the last 11 Wimbledon finals.

Serena also won in 2002, 2003 and 2009. Venus won her fifth title in 2008, beating her younger sister. In the past decade, only Russia’s Maria Sharapova in 2004 and Amelie Mauresmo of France in 2006 have broken the Williams’s domination.

The male dominated media loves to promote the image of irrational, emotional, drama queens who are at constant odds with each other. Reality television shows keep us inundated with the “cat-fights” and foolishness of these so-called ’real’ women, who thrive on negative energy and attention. Yet no one ever talks about ‘Divos’ the drama kings of this world who equally have a flare for the dramatic. I dated a man who loved to argue; he would say anything to get a rise out of me. I should have known that something was up when he said “if I wanted to, I could get with your sister.” When I looked at him like he was crazy, then he tried to shrug it off, as a ‘just a joke.’

It is not as socially accepted for men to behave in such a way, like Jay-Z said “males shouldn’t be jealous that’s a female trait,” which I completely disagree with because there are plenty of men who are just as guilty of bringing on the drama. Here are a couple of tips to let you know if your new guy is a Divo:

1. Every time you talk to him he has an elaborate story: Who knows why he does this or maybe his mom never gave him enough attention so he has to have your undivided attention– always. These stories will get grander and grander over time but dealing with his fantasy life can be a huge task, so just be ready to put in the work.

2. He tries to pull you in on act: He needs this fix so bad that he decides to pick a fight with you. He will say anything to push your buttons. Or he may pair himself up with a drama queen, when I was in college, there was this guy who seemed really laid back and nice. he would purposely talk to other girls on campus so that his girlfriend would want to fight him, while he just sat back and laughed under his breath as she created a huge scene on the yard. Who knows, maybe it was his time of the month so he needed to transfer that negative energy to her. That’s an extreme case but if this happens on a smaller level even once it will happen again..

Confusion over the ban on commercial cyclists, popularly known as ‘Okada', created much tension in Jos on Monday, as the Plateau State government began the enforcement exercise.

Sporadic gun shots had rented the air, especially in the state capital, the Ahmadu Bello Way, and most parts of Jos North as the enforcing team, including the Police, FRSC, VIOs, and NSCDC personnel, engaged the commercial motorcyclists in physical combat.

People ran for dare lives, some banks and business outfits hurriedly closed shop, and many cars had their windscreens smashed by the motorcyclists, who were protesting the confiscation of their motorcycles.

The operators, in their hundreds, had turned out to work, in defiance of warnings and threats by the state government on the need to ensure the deadline issued for their operation, and reportedly met before resuming work, in an apparent readiness for a showdown with the implementation Task Force.

The development threw the relatively calm city into another round of tension as the ‘Okada' operators engaged the law enforcement agents in a free-for-all, in spite of the gun shots warning fired to scare them away.

Inside Jos city and the environs, NAN observed that parents were rushing to pick their children from schools, while others were scampering into all directions for safety.

Mohammed Lerama, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Plateau Police Command, was not available to give useful comments, but the Army Public Relations Officer, 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Shekari, said that "the army is not aware of the new development. We were neither contacted nor involved in the enforcement of the ban," he said.

The Media Officer of the military Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis, Kingsley Umoh, also told journalists that the military was not involved.

"But I am sure that the police are capable of enforcing the ban," he said.

Mr. Umoh, however, said the Army "will watch the situation and we will respond appropriately if there is breakdown of law and order.

"I am sure you know that Okada is a very popular means of transportation, so you should expect some tension when you are trying to enforce that ban. But I know we will get over it," he said.

FRSC Sector Commander for Plateau, Samuel Odukoya, said that the ban was being enforced because the state government had signed the bill into law.

Mr. Odukoya added that the ban would have been enforced long time ago but for the intervention by some stakeholders that the Okada riders be given some time.

The Commander did not disclose how many operators had been arrested, but said that they would be charged to court as soon as possible.

GHANIANS woke up yester day morning with a happy hangover after celebrating their 1-0victory over Serbia – the first win by an African team at the WorldCup in South Africa.

The streets of Accra were thronged on Sunday evening as fans milled around, waving the red, gold and green nationalflag .

When man of the match Asamoah Gyan drilled home a late penalty, fans exploded from Duncan’s bar on the side streets ofAccra, blowing whistles, cheering and dancing.

Elsewhere, African media reported brass bands and taxi drivers blowing their respective horns noisily through thecapital, while motorcyclists risked life and limb by driving aroundwhile waving the country’s colourful flag.

In one scene of jubilation, wedding guests abandoned a wedding ceremony to take part in the street celebrations,according to reports.

Fans poured hundreds of congratulatory messages onto the websites of news portals, although some were miffed thatGhana’s Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac had not celebrated the victoryover his countrymen as wildly as his players.

Gyan was quick to devote the victory to fans in Ghana and elsewhere in the continent.

“Everyone is happy for us, not only in Ghana.

“Everyone in Africa will be behind us..

“I thank everyone for supporting the Black Stars,” he said.

Fans were confident of qualification, although they are wary of Germany after watching the 4-0 thumping Joachim Loew’smen handed out to Australia in the other Group D match. — Sapa-DPA

Members of the House of Representatives cutting across the six geographical zones yesterday gave the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, seven days to resign, or be disgraced out of office.

The representatives who call themselves the ‘progressives,' said at a press conference in Abuja that Mr Bankole's leadership is corrupt, inept and high-handed. Armed with what they claimed were incriminating documents, the lawmakers said Mr Bankole's leadership led to an unprecedented rift between both arms of the National Assembly and brought the House to disrepute.

Members of the group include: Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi); George Daika (PDP, Plateau); Bitrus Kaze (PDP, Plateau); Austin Nwachukwu (PDP, Imo); Ehiogie West Idahosa, Anas Adamu (PDP, Jigawa); and Independence Ogunewe (PDP, Imo). Others are Solomon Awhinawhi (PDP, Delta); Ralph Okeke (PDP, Anambra); Darlington Okereke (PDP, Ebonyi); and Asita Honourable (PDP, Rivers).

A litany of complaints

"We hereby, therefore, in strong terms call on Bankole to resign immediately as the speaker of the representatives within 7 days," said Mr Melaye, who spoke for the group. "We are asking him to resign for the following reasons: one, corruption in leadership; two, because of his leadership style, which today is responsible for the rift, disagreement, and disharmony between the two brothers in the National Assembly, the Senate and the Reps. The relationship between the two has never been this bad.

Three, we are also asking him to resign because of his high handedness, disrespect for members; four, his frequent breach of the rules of the House; five, his sweeping and unsubstantiated comments capable of causing disaffection among the various arms of government."

He said the speaker had once openly accused civil servants and the civil service of gross corruption, but failed to substantiate the claims when the then head of service, Ama Pepple, challenged him on the allegations.

"And I want to say that, failure to comply with our call in the interest of the Nigeria and Nigerians, especially the masses of this country, this group has overwhelming evidence, information, everything you see here, they are incriminating records that we will publish, give to you the media, and assure you in seven days, we are going to write a petition that every member including the ones on recess will sign, physically, personally and we will send it to the EFCC, the ICPC, the NSA, the SSS and indeed, the headquarters of his political party."

Bad publicity

Mr Melaye, said under the leadership of Mr Bankole, the sterling qualities, which the House exhibited since 1999, have been lost, stressing that the public perception of the lower chamber has declined.

"We are here this afternoon to unequivocally say without fear of favour, that the House of Representatives, you read about in 1999; the House of Representatives that West Idahosa was a member of; the House of Representatives in 2000; the House of Representatives with its sterling qualities exhibited during (Ghali) Na'Abba; the House of Representatives that was laboriously built by (Aminu) Masari, is not the same today," he said.

"The public perception of the House has ingloriously declined. We used to be the pacesetters of legislative practice in this country, but it is obvious that we have been overtaken because of the ineptitude of leadership (and) because of all these negative manifestations, the House under Bankole has nose-dived and has lost its earned positive reputation."

No child play

Asked if the group will not, like in the past, back down on its demand that Mr Bankole should go, Mr Melaye said, "This is no child play. We have resolved to clean our House. We have resolved and are determined that he who comes to equity must come with cleans hands. And we have resolved that these evidence will be given to each of you and we are ready to defend it anywhere and anytime.

This is not a secret presentation. We are very, very sure of the facts. These documents are incontrovertible."

He said even though Mr Bankole will as usual say that the documents are fake, they intend to challenge him to produce the original.

Collaborating Mr Melaye's claims, Mr Idahosa (PDP Edo state), said the House has never had it so bad in the last 10 years..

"Many of you know that when we talk about the history of the House, I have the privilege of writing the rules together with my colleagues in 1999," he said. "And thereafter, I have served (Salisu) Buhari, Na'Abba, Masari (Patricia) Etteh, and I will say, I have the misfortune of serving in this era. We have never had it so bad. We have never had such a legislative tyranny as we do have now. We have never in this House turned our Ethics and Privileges Committee into a hunting machine of fellow members.''

‘Ostrich display'

In a swift reaction to the demand for Mr Bankole's resignation, the House leadership said Mr Melaye and his group misled the perceptive public with their proverbial ‘ostrich display' by masquerading selfish tendencies for public interest.

"Their activities could best be a swan song but they are advised to avail themselves with the allowances of House rules and extant provisions of the relevant statues," said House spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, in the statement. "The present leadership is a creature and creation of the generality of the House and the prevalent synergy culminating in the successful constitution review vindicates the acceptability of the leadership. Those ‘progressives' should vacate their theatre or be absolved and come to join other discernible members to complement the current legislative engagements for executive action."

Chinese student laments high business cost in Nigeria

TALIBAN fighters are burying dirty needles with their bombs in a bid to infect
British troops with HIV, The Sun can reveal..

The heroin needles are feared to be contaminated with hepatitis and HIV. And
if the bomb goes off, the needles become deadly flying shrapnel.

Senior backbencher Mr Mercer said yesterday: "Are there no depths to which
these people will stoop? This is the definition of a dirty war."

Razor blades are also being used. All Royal Engineer and Royal Logistic Corps
bomb search teams have been issued with protective Kevlar gloves.

Girl frozen in time may hold key to ageing

American scientists are keenly studying the DNA of a 17-year-old girl who still has the body and behaviour of a baby

This 21'st century Peter Pan has defied scientists .A genetic condition (Anageria) opposite to progeria which some speculate Paris Hilton and many other women and MEN will kill for ! Brooke Greenberg is a miracle.

Scientists are hoping to gain new insights into the mysteries of ageing by sequencing the genome of a 17-year-old girl who has the body and behaviour of a tiny toddler.

PHOTO:Brooke Greenberg "baby", then aged 9, with sister Carly who was 6

Brooke Greenberg is old enough to drive a car and next year will be old enough to vote — but at 16lb in weight and just 30in tall, she is still the size of a one-year-old.

Until recently she had been regarded as a medical oddity but a preliminary study of her DNA has suggested her failure to grow could be linked to defects in the genes that make the rest of humanity grow old.

If confirmed, the research could give scientists a fresh understanding of ageing and even suggest new therapies for diseases linked to old age.

“We think that Brooke’s condition presents us with a unique opportunity to understand the process of ageing,” said Richard Walker, a professor at the University of South Florida School of Medicine, who is leading the research team.

“We think that she has a mutation in the genes that control her ageing and development so that she appears to have been frozen in time.

“If we can compare her genome to the normal version then we might be able to find those genes and see exactly what they do and how to control them.”

Such research will be the focus of a conference at the Royal Society in London this week to be attended by some of the world’s leading age researchers.

It follows a series of scientific breakthroughs showing that the life span of many animals can be dramatically extended by making minute changes in single genes.

The work began with tiny worms known as C elegans, which normally live for only about a fortnight. Researchers have been able to extend their life span by up to 10 weeks by making small changes in certain genes.

Scientists have gone on to discover that mutating the same genes in mice had the same effect.

“Mice are genetically very close to humans,” said Cynthia Kenyon, professor of biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco, who is a key speaker at the Royal Society.

“The implication is that ageing is controlled by a relatively small number of genes and that we might be able to target these with new therapies that would improve the quality and length of human life.”

The laboratory findings have been supported by research into humans, focusing on families whose members are long-lived. In one recent study Eline Slagboom, professor of molecular epidemiology at Leiden University, Holland, collected data on 30,500 people in 500 long-lived families to find the metabolic and genetic factors that make them special.

“Such people simply age slower than the rest of us,” she said. “Their skin is better, they have less risk of diseases of old age like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension and their ability to metabolise lipids and other nutrients is better. The question is: what is controlling all these different manifestations of slow ageing?

“So far, the evidence suggests that there could be just a few key genes in charge of it all. If we can find out where they are and how they work, it opens the way to new therapies against the diseases of ageing that could work in all of us.”

Walker and other researchers, including Kenyon, believe that finding the cause of Brooke Greenberg’s condition could be one way to pinpoint some of those genes.

Superficially, Brooke, who lives with her parents Howard and Melanie Greenberg and her three sisters in Reisterstown, a Baltimore suburb, is frozen in time. She looks and acts as if she were a small toddler — for 17 years her family has changed her nappies, rocked her to sleep and given her cuddles.

Brooke has shown some development, including crawling, smiling and giggling when tickled but she has never learnt to speak and still has her infant teeth.

But she has also suffered a succession of life-threatening health problems, including strokes, seizures, ulcers and breathing difficulties — almost as if she were growing old despite not growing up.

Howard Greenberg, Brooke's father, said he wanted the genome research carried out in the hope it might help others.

He said: "Brooke is just a wonderful child. She is very pure. She still babbles just like a 6 month old baby but she still communicates and we always know just what she means."

Walker and his colleagues, who are working with Brooke’s parents to ensure she benefits from any research findings, have just published a research paper which suggests that in reality some parts of her body have indeed aged — but slowly and all at different rates.

“Our hypothesis is that she is suffering from damage in the gene or genes that co-ordinate the way the body develops and ages,” he said.

“If we can use her DNA to find that mutant gene then we can test it in laboratory animals to see if we can switch if off and slow down the ageing process at will.

“Just possibly it could give us an opportunity to answer the question of why we are mortal.”

Jerly Lyngdoh: World’s oldest baby:

Surgeons and pediatricians in India have been puzzled after discovering a 26-year-old man trapped inside the body and mind of a child aged between one and two years.Jerly Lyngdoh – who is still dressed in baby clothes by his parents – has a head circumference that babies 9-12 months old have, measures 84 cm like any two-year-old and weighs 22 pounds.

“Jerly’s infantile features are remarkable, and the only things he shares with an adult are his teeth,” Dr. J. Ryndong told the Hindustan Times.

According to the pediatrician, Lyngdoh suffers from poor secretion of growth hormones from the pituitary gland.

“His is a case opposite to progeria, which means advanced ageing, and we have reasons to say Jerly is a rarity,” Ryndong added. He ruled out the genetic factor, since all six of Jerly’s siblings have no physical or mental disability.

“We also plan to seek expertise from the medical world beyond to crack Jerly’s case,” the doctor said.

It sounds an impossible challenge: to make love every day for a month. But a series of studies have found that as well as bringing you closer together, it could help improve your well being. SARAH KAVANAGH, 31, a project co-ordinator, and her husband Colin, 40, a builder, from Cheshire, decided to try it. So how did they fare? Sarah says:

On the eve of the 12th anniversary of our first date, I told my husband Colin that I'd got him a very special gift that would remind us both just how much we still mean to each other.

As he tried to guess what it might be I assured him that this was something far more meaningful than a weekend away or a blown-up photograph from our wedding album.

His gift was, in fact, to make love with me every day for the following month.

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Happy bedfellows: Sarah and Colin Kavanagh wanted to revive their romance

Colin's immediate reaction, just as I'd hoped, was to look like a man who'd been told he'd won the Lottery.

But almost immediately his face then fell.

'We used to have sex every day as a matter of course,' he said grumpily. 'Now you're offering it up as a gift and I'm supposed to be grateful?'

This really wasn't what I'd expected, having just offered love on request to the man I married seven years ago and who is always bending my ear that we don't do it enough. Somehow my well-meant offer had suddenly brought us to the brink of a row.

I'd come up with the idea because, in common with so many couples, in recent years lovemaking had been relegated in my agenda.

Unlike the heady days when Colin and I first met, now there is always something else that takes precedence - from work to domestic chores and even the simple pleasure of a full night's sleep.

When we met, I was 19 and Colin ten years older - the sexual attraction was mutual and instant. For the first few months, our passionate love life defined us, but as months turned to years and we got engaged and then married, things inevitably changed.

Over time, familiarity, the stresses of work and day-to-day life and the fact my sex drive just isn't what it used to be have combined to dampen the passion we once took for granted.

Groundhog Day: Colin was delighted then concerned that Sarah's special anniversary 'present' would take the spontaneity out of their love life

These days we make love about once a week. And, in common with many of my friend's husbands, Colin regularly complains that this just isn't enough.

Which is why I'd presumed that this gift would be welcomed rather than the cause of a row.

Later that evening, we talked it through.

'At least when we do it, it's spontaneous,' Colin told me. 'You putting it into your diary isn't exactly a turn on.'

But despite his reservations, we decided to give it a go.

Somehow I felt certain that in the years ahead he would look back on this as the most intimate gift of our marriage.

DAY ONE

There's no time like the present, so, for the first time in at least five years we make love on a work day before I've even put the kettle on.

So much for Colin worrying about this taking the spontaneity out of sex: this feels impulsive and slightly wicked.

I arrive at work with a smug smile on my face (though guiltily note that this also means I'm off the hook at bedtime, having done the day's deed already).

DAY TWO

Home from work later than usual, I walk in to find the table beautifully set with candles and flowers and dinner in the oven.

The last time Colin did this was our wedding anniversary, but this is just an ordinary evening. It's amazing what the promise of frequent sex brings out in a man.

DAY THREE

Home to find the table set and Colin's cooking again - I could get used to this. I feel spoilt, especially when he refuses to let me wash up and sends me upstairs for a soak in the bath. This is beginning to feel as much a gift for me as for Colin.

DAY FOUR

I've stayed late at work and missed the last bus home, so I've had to fork out for a taxi when I'm dangerously close to payday. I'm in a foul mood when I walk into the house and am greeted by the same scene as the last two days.

'God, this is starting to feel like Groundhog Day,' I snap unkindly. We eat in silence, and I start to feel guilty when I think how much effort Colin is making. 'Leave the dishes,' I tell him. 'It's time for your present.'

DAY FIVE

Last night could so easily have ended with us going to sleep not speaking after I arrived home so tired and grumpy.

Instead we slept wrapped up in each other's arms, just like the old days. It's Saturday, so we're less restricted on when we can make love. We decide to get our chores done: the house needs cleaning and Colin needs to tackle the garden.

We're shattered and fall asleep on the sofa. Colin's snoring wakes me up just before midnight. 'Quick,' I tell him, as I shake him awake and push the cats out of the room. 'Otherwise it won't count.'

DAY SIX

Sundays in our house are normally lazy affairs, but today we've got a christening to go to and we're running late.

We vow to make love as soon as we get home, but while Colin doesn't drink, I'm partial to champagne, and it's been flowing all afternoon.

Back home, all I want to do is go to bed and sleep, but, of course, I can't.

Struggle: Sarah has to wake Colin up on day five to make love before midnight so that 'it still counts'

DAY SEVEN

I'm beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea.

Last night, love-making felt like a chore for the first time, and because neither of us was particularly in the mood we just went through the motions.

I'm not looking forward to bedtime and Colin admits he's not interested either. Sure enough, we fall asleep without any marital relations taking place. Looks like this could be over before it got started.

DAY EIGHT

I wake up cross with both of us that we've given up so easily, and tell Colin we've got to make up for last night by making love twice today.

We tackle the project with renewed vigour before work and then again straight after dinner.

'At least now we can go to bed and go straight to sleep,' says Colin. I feign indignation, but he's only said exactly what I was thinking.

DAY NINE

Colin wakes up hoping for a repeat performance of yesterday, but I'm not playing. I have to be in work early. 'Tonight, I promise,' I say as we kiss goodbye.

What's normally a brief kiss turns into a passionate one - not bad considering we've been together more than a decade. I think about Colin regularly through the day.

DAY TEN

My sister calls to remind me that I've promised to baby-sit my 11 and 14-year-old nieces this weekend. I tell her that I'm worried this might impact on our lovemaking.

'Welcome to my world,' she scoffs, before telling me I can't back out on my sisterly duties. I tell Colin that we have to practise being very quiet.

DAY 11

The girls arrive armed with DVDs and bags of sweets, and announce they want to stay up really late, just like they did last time they stayed over. By 11pm, I'm pleading with them to go to sleep.

'Forget it,' I snap at Colin when I finally get under the duvet. There's no way I can do that with the girls awake on the other side of the wall.

DAY 12

Little wonder couples with children complain they don't have enough sex: finding an opportunity with these two in the house is all but impossible.

In the end, I send them out with a long shopping list, set the timer on my phone to go off in ten minutes and drag Colin upstairs. 'Look on it as a challenge,' I tell him.

DAY 13

The girls go home and we've got the house to ourselves. Midmorning I say breezily: 'I'll just vacuum and then we can go to bed.'

Bad move. I accidentally suck up one of the girl's hair bobbles and it gets stuck in the machine.

It takes Colin an hour to get it going again, by which time love is the last thing on either of our minds. But we do it anyway and then go out for lunch, something we realise we just don't do often enough.

DAY 14

I go out for a drink after work with a girlfriend and tell her about our project. 'You must be mad,' she says, before warning me that our friendship will be ruined if Colin or I tell her husband what we're up to. 'Don't you dare go giving him any daft ideas.'

DAY 15

I'm going to be working late tonight, so I set the alarm for 6am so we can get our duties out of the way before the day gets started. Colin grunts when I try to nudge him awake. 'I need my sleep,' he groans.

Maybe he'll be a bit more understanding when he's in the mood for love and I say that I'm too tired.

DAY 16

Friends come round for a midweek dinner and comment on how attentive we seem to each other. I keep quiet about why, having taken note of my friend's reaction earlier in the week, but throw Colin a wink.

We're definitely a lot more tactile with each other, and have started flirting again.

DAY 17

I spoke too soon - we've had a huge row over the fact that Colin forgot to put out the bin last night and now we're up to our eyes in rubbish.

He can't see why I'm making such a fuss, which only makes me madder. The last thing I want to do is to make love with Colin. Normally something like this would be the perfect excuse to withhold sex, but that's not an option.

It's difficult to stay cross with someone you've made love to - Colin promises to make a trip to the tip and all is forgiven.

DAY 18

I've got a streaming cold and a headache. Colin is keeping his distance. 'What about a cuddle?' I ask as I splutter into a tissue. 'No thanks,' says Colin. 'I'm sleeping in the spare room.'

DAY 19

Still poorly, so I stay in bed. Colin spends the day bringing me hot drinks and homemade soup, and does all the housework so I can rest.

He's never been this attentive when I've had a cold before - all this lovemaking has made him a changed man.

DAY 20

The weekend has been a write-off on the sex front, yet Colin and I feel closer and more relaxed than we have in a long time.

It brings it home to me how important regular sex in a marriage is to nurture the bond you share.

DAY 21

Back to work, and I'm almost restored to full health. I send Colin a flirty text hinting at the fun we'll be able to enjoy when we see each other later. I can't believe I'm chatting up my own husband.

DAY 22

I notice that my trousers are a little looser, so I step on the scales and discover I've lost 2lb. All this extra exercise is doing me good.

DAY 23

A friend is in town and stays the night. I'd emailed her at the start of the month and told her what we were doing, which she brings up over dinner, joking that we'd better not keep her awake tonight.

This puts Colin in a bad mood because I've let slip what we're up to, and when she goes to bed he has a go at me for being indiscreet. I try to laugh it off, but he's really cross about it. He refuses to make love. I lie awake fuming - isn't it supposed to be the woman who withholds favours?

DAY 24

Colin wakes feeling guilty and suggests we make up for missing out yesterday. I realise that the argument will only escalate if I refuse. Instead, we make love and the grumpiness vanishes. We make love again that evening, our row long forgotten.

DAY 25

I meet my mum for lunch and she comments on how fresh-faced I appear. 'Have you discovered a new foundation?' she asks.

I must say I feel more attractive and better about myself than I have in years. Feeling desired does wonders for a woman's self-esteem.

DAY 26

I'm having to factor in an extra ten minutes into my daily grooming regime so I can shave my legs, and I'm wearing more make-up than usual.

I'm going to continue with this after the month is up - it's nice to feel groomed, whether it's with sex in mind or not.

DAY 27

We're near the end of Colin's gift, so we decide to spend the entire day in bed, just as we did on Sundays when we first became a couple. It's not just about sex - it's about relishing shutting out the rest of the world. We'd like a family, so we need to make the most of days like this.

DAY 28

We've made love 25 times in 28 days, and there's no question that we've grown closer as a result.

I thought I might be relieved to get to the last day, but I'm just determined to make sex far more of a priority than it used to be.

My friend has lent me a DVD I've wanted to watch for ages, so I put it on after dinner. Colin and I cuddle up on the sofa together to watch it - normally he spreads out on one chair while I take over another.

'When did we stop doing this?' I ask him. We go to bed tired and we've got work in the morning.

'Let's just cuddle,' says Colin, and as we drift off to sleep it feels like the perfect end to the present that ended up being a gift not just for Colin, but for our marriage, too...