The first thing I did was drop the toddler on the floor. In my defense, it was early days and I didn’t know then that she still needed to learn how to bend in the middle. With her legs stuck out like an Olympic skier she went downhill at a hundred miles an hour, fell … More Cousins and other close relations
I love knitting. Unlike sewing with its exactness, knitting is an activity that allows for mistakes and watching tv at the same time. As the years progress, I have developed a level of proficency – though I suspect that I reached my peak with my last baby shawl and am now on the downward slope … More In the company of Knitters
I cancelled my mother’s life insurance. It was a bit tricky because I knew if she died the next day I would really be annoyed, but she will be 89 years old tomorrow and as of six months ago, has prepaid her funeral and no longer requires the $8,000 this insurance policy was promising to … More Sucking blood from a very hard stone.
I hit a couple of milestones last week. I finished the first draft of my novel and I found myself as plump as a broody hen. I think the two are directly linked because for me, writing 62,000 words (not including the 25,000 in the outtake file), requires sitting on my bum hovering up whatever … More Fat and Finished
I’m the sort of person who needs three forms when I’m on the plane going into the US and they tell you you can’t make a mistake on the form. I always make a mistake. It’s because I think faster than I can write and my first thoughts are not necessarily spellchecked or belonging to … More Opportunity lost
I was 18 years old when I flew by myself from New Zealand, to South Bend, Indiana. It was 1972. I cried all the way from Invercargill to Christchurch which is a long trip in a turbo prop plane. I didn’t even have a passport. When I left Auckland a few hours later, I had … More Family
There are things in life that require great contemplation. At what stage of their development should I remove the weeds from the vegetable garden? What should I take out of the freezer for the evening meal? Should I go to the physio for my arthritic knee when there are no guarantees it will help? It … More Slow
Once upon a time we had banks. They were places that kept the money we deposited and held the mortgages over our houses. The bank buildings were ornate and difficult to heat, but they smelled of money and had a big safe somewhere out the back that was filled with the stuff. I know this … More A DIY Life
If it hadn’t been for the honour awarded to my former boss (and mentor) and the nice woman at the gym who got a QSM, I’d have given a rant here about the stupidity of the Honours System. Who wants a country – particularly one the size of ours, full of Dames and Sirs I … More Missed out again
I’m writing this morning – zoning in on the characters I left yesterday – the man whose son was killed and the reporter who heard him say he was going to kill the person who took his son’s life. It’s raining. My husband is in the kitchen being productive by writing down how much it … More The Reality of being a writer
I am a great fan of Elizabeth Strout. For those of you untouched by her genius, she is an American writer – in her glorious 60’s with something to say. I recently recommended her writing to a friend because of her wonderful characters. When I did a little research online, I discovered that everything she … More In awe of Elizabeth Strout
