We’ve been doing it for 13 years now, living apart but very much together in other respects.

At first our work was in different cities and it made sense to keep our own homes, but now that my partner is retired that doesn’t wash any more. It just suits us, enables me to focus on work during the week, and him to watch Sky Sports.

Women often nod knowingly that I have got it right. Men are sometimes puzzled, perhaps wondering who keeps house.

The answer is that he does in his, I do in mine.

True, running two homes is expensive, but they’re not palaces, and I enjoy not having to confer when I change something in mine.

There are many bonuses. To have both a relationship and your own space is a treat – and I am always pleased to see him at weekends and to spend holidays with him.

Our joint time is busy – too busy sometimes – but there is always something special to anticipate, and that makes us feel lucky. He says he enjoys having bases in two cultures – one the heaving metropolis, the other a Midlands market town surrounded by countryside.

He likes having the freedom to do things without consultation, and the freedom not to do things, such as putting up shelves.

And our separate finances mean that we never have to engage in financial negotiations. He’s not an emotional man.

Is there a downside? Apparently I have an uncanny knack of ringing him when he is in the bathroom.

Would we change anything? Not at the moment.

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