I over-think things, I know, but Halloween does worry me. When I was young, it wasn’t really a thing at all – Bonfire Night was the big deal, with kids collecting a ‘penny for the guy’ on every street corner, with various degrees of cheek. Some of the guys, destined to be burned on the …
Have you noticed how documentaries are dumbing down, while dramas are revving up? I came home last night to find TL watching a BBC4 documentary about the birth of the computer. After watching for a while, I realised that the presenter was making the same points again and again – why? If your audience has …
Right, I’ve got it. The solution to all our current woes. Jimmy Saville, lustful maths teachers, predatory child-snatchers, raping taxi drivers, even abusive footballers. All these nasty, horrid men could be sorted out so easily – just by adding a bit of bromide to our tap water. I don’t know why no one’s thought of …
So it’s 25 years and a day since poor old Michael Fish downplayed the greatest storm to lash southern England for a billion years, or something. Terrible for him. The one time anybody ever listened to the weather forecast, and his seaweed let him down. Yes, I know it’s more complicated than that, but I …
Caught an interesting item on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour today, about girls’ first periods. In some cultures, this pivotal moment is really celebrated – a woman from Mumbai remembered that their doorstep was specially decorated, and she was allowed to have a ‘bindi’ red dot on her forehead for the first time. I’m sure I …
Sponsored post Kelloggs Special K Cracker Crisps Good news for anyone who likes crisps or is watching their weight – I think that covers just about all of us, doesn’t it? I can’t pretend that I’m weight-watching myself, I much prefer to cover my eyes and sing a merry tune as the pounds creep on …
I’ve mentioned before that I am devoted to frozen raspberries. Unfortunately, and inevitably, this means the rest of the family have gone off them. Yes, I’ve done them to death, in ice cream, Eton messes, jam, jelly, sandwiches. You name it, it’s had a raspberry in it somewhere. Nevertheless, I got a bag out of …
It’s that time of year when I just feel there is too much in my head for one person. I’m a bit surprised that lists don’t start erupting from me as I scurry hither and thither. Of course, I’d have to have time to actually write them first …. But, simultaneously, I realise I’m not …
Ten days ago, a friend uttered a sentence that always makes my blood run cold. ‘You’ll love this! You can write about it on your blog.’ Eeek! I was about to break it to her that one woman’s ideal blog-fodder is another’s super-injunction-shattering libel action (we do get a lot of wild gossip at the …
So, we’ve been a so-called blended family now for several years – first unofficially, then officially and now with our status sanctified by marriage. Does it get any easier? I don’t think it does. To be fair, normal parenthood can be pretty damn stretching. Many is the time I’ve hit the bottle after a day …