I'm looking at a Venn diagram entitled, "Am I Overthinking This?" drawn by artist Michelle Rial and it's providing a welcome distraction from trying to work out if we need an extra bottle of milk in the shopping. I've been saying for months that doing food shopping online is not only safer but … [Read more...] about Finding Comfort Where We Can
Recovery
After The Beginning, Before The End.
I'm walking the dog with my daughter realising it's muddier than we'd thought and talking Christmas puddings. "Why do you make two every year?" she asks "So that we have a spare" "For what? An unexpected Christmas?" I do it because my mother did it. Every year there is one pudding … [Read more...] about After The Beginning, Before The End.
Wild Geese
I'm in self-isolation and I've noticed that my chutzpah at having to stay in permanently might have been somewhat misplaced. Currently, I'm well and that's certainly something to be thankful for but, under those circumstances, being confined to home is surprisingly unsettling. The thing I miss … [Read more...] about Wild Geese
When Needing To Know Is Just Too Much
It was 1979 and I was sitting in the living room at Simon Bradshaw's house, watching TV with his family. The room was dark, deep red wallpaper and a long black leather sofa stretching across one wall. The news and the darkness were making me feel that everything was closing in. The Russians … [Read more...] about When Needing To Know Is Just Too Much
A New Definition Of Awkward
Walking home past the big house at the bottom of the road I notice a huge pile of stuff sprawling across the gate and onto the pavement. There is a note taped to the wheelie bin. "Dear dustmen, sorry for all the rubbish but I'm going through a divorce and there's a lot to get rid of." I'm … [Read more...] about A New Definition Of Awkward