When I grow up…

Last Saturday, we went to London to see Matilda. My husband was particularly keen, as our daughter has been playing him the My Big Telly song for years. He adores it. I wasn't that sure to be honest. There are so many other plays I want to see and, having read the book to children … Continue reading When I grow up…

Lifting the heart on a grey day

I don't know what it is about daffodils but they're such HAPPY flowers. The colour of a smile. Not that yellow is the actual colour of a smile (unless you have bad teeth) but it should be. I'm not going out much at present, but my husband came back from the supermarket again with a … Continue reading Lifting the heart on a grey day

Mud and compost, Sussex-style

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

Tea and Other Transforming Things

I refuse to believe you get fussier as you get older  more experienced (we've banned the "o" word in our house due to occasional bouts of melancholy). I mean it's true that answering the question, "Can I get you a cup of tea?" is slightly long-winded these days  - "Yes please, quite strong, but not too strong. … Continue reading Tea and Other Transforming Things

A lifetime of holidays and I’m still learning…

So it wasn't the best weather, and it wasn't the best place.  The windscreen wipers squeaked double-time all the way there and there was rain on and off all week. It was cold. The upstairs shower didn't work and the toilets were dodgy. The roof in the conservatory leaked in three places and the smoke … Continue reading A lifetime of holidays and I’m still learning…

The Humble Transistor – how to shed forty years.

It's Bank Holiday Monday. As we wander round the shop, alongside people in shorts with trolleys of plants and barbecues, and kids clutching garden toys,  my husband whispers, "The older I get, the more I think we're not like most other people." Looking down at our replacement lampshade - I elbowed the old one while … Continue reading The Humble Transistor – how to shed forty years.