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 …
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 …
I’m going to tell you now about something which actually happened last week – but it was so scary I haven’t been able to get the words down till now. Child One had a fluey cold, poor thing, after starting her new school and her AS courses in one frantic burst of activity. I knew …
So here it is again. Child abduction. When the papers say, ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’, for once they are bang on. I bet I was only one of thousands, perhaps millions of mothers who felt an involuntary shudder down the spine this morning as the radio announcer told the world about the five-year-old girl last …
Can I just say, I love John Lewis? I know I’ve said this before, and no, I’m not being paid, but in a mad, bad world there’s something just so blissful about a shop which is nice to you when it’s taking your money and, more importantly, is still just as nice to you when …
Alarming news about the teenage girl running off with the 30-year-old teacher. Gah, what was she thinking of? What was he thinking of? I hope she gets home safely, and as soon as possible. And I have every sympathy for her poor mother and her family. Mind you, it made me smile wrly when he …