Cathy Dobbs: The pain of being short in a bar

Ordering drinks at a pub with apps and table service was so much easier. Several of my friends said they preferred it as we didn’t have the battle of trying to get the bar staff to notice us.

At 5ft 3in it’s easy to miss me, but this weekend when the barmaid looked at me and the group of beefy lads waiting directly behind me and asked who was next, it just made my blood boil. I’m at the bar – they aren’t, why on earth should they be served before me?

It’s just easier to send my husband up to the bar who, at 6ft tall, gets served in about a quarter of the time I do. And if I go to the pub with my short friends I’ll have to remember to take my kitchen steps.

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about dogs and their incredible sense of smell. It was interesting when a few readers said they didn’t want dogs in public places.

I don’t have a dog, and my son is terrified of them so it would help me out no end if dogs were banned from public places.

I ate out at a restaurant recently where dogs were allowed into the bar area. One big, loud dog barked every time the door opened, which ended up spoiling a long-awaited lunch with a friend. The problem is, with so many expensive pooches around, pub owners aren’t going to change their dog-friendly policy.

By the way, if a dog jumps up and knocks me off my kitchen steps I’ll let you know.

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Talking of inconsiderate people, a social media storm was created when comedian Matt Forde complained about people taking babies to his shows. Once again the furore was caused on Twitter when he said the parent “wouldn't do the decent thing and just leave when it started crying”.

What was the mother or father thinking, taking a baby to a show?

But the big question is – how did this new parent have the energy and stamina to keep their eyes open in a dark theatre?

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Do you have nights where you lie awake, and your mind tortures you with something embarrassing you did years ago?

Well, just feel relieved that you aren’t Ryan Giggs – because he may be worth millions, but the embarrassment of having his love poem read out in court will probably haunt him for the rest of his life. The full poem is easy to find online. I hope the Lionesses are taking note from their male counterparts. When it comes to poetry, leave it to Pam Ayres.