Thanks for dropping by. I'm a writer and teacher with interests in education, mental health and community. I like to wonder aloud about everyday life, hope and the silly, incongruous things that shape us and make us who we are. I also like hats, cake and those tiny little snores cats make when they sleep. On the Home page, you'll find around 100 wonderings, all different in length and content. Click on any post to keep reading and to subscribe, if you'd like to. You can click on the tabs to find out more about me and my other writing. Have the best kind of day. Deborah x
I found out the other day that there are over thirty words for mud in Sussex. Although the local dialect is rarely used now, some of these beautifully descriptive words still occasionally pop up. Ike - a mess or area of mud Clodgy - muddy and wet, like a field path after heavy rain Gubber … Continue reading Mud and compost, Sussex-style
Does that make sense? I say this a lot, with various responses depending on the context: at work (usually a nod - thank goodness), at home (Yep - they know me), to friends (Absolutely! Bless them.) I can't always hear and understand others correctly because of a strange condition I've explained before but I do … Continue reading Making Sense
Did you know London begins on the A22 just outside Whyteleafe? Unless you're on the train, and then it's probably somewhere like Purley Beeches. This is when you're travelling from Sussex. Of course that's just my opinion. There are actual signs up on roads that say things like 'Welcome to the London Borough of Croydon'. … Continue reading Boundaries, baldness and the art of listening carefully
I'm walking like a cowboy, my knees are socially distancing from each other and my back aches. But I'm happy. I hadn't cycled for at least 20 years, probably more. I have a friend who is a veteran cyclist. She cycles everywhere and is so devoted to her steed that she customises it to suit … Continue reading Pedalling like a believer
'Future Polly's going to love past Polly...' My daughter first said this when she was quite small. 'What do you mean?' It was Sunday afternoon and she led me to her room. Always tidy, with everything in its place, her bedroom was usually an oasis of organised calm, but that night there were things everywhere. … Continue reading Living backwards or forwards?
For years I've been saying inappropriate things. Sometimes people noticed, sometimes not. It probably wasn't obvious most of the time *hopes*. As with everything, you find ways to cope - lip reading, nodding, watching others- a bright smile, laughter, anything to help you join in. But the truth is, you often feel you're observing life … Continue reading Hearing aid
