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 have never been a great fan of birds. For a start off they have creepy eyes. And sharp beaks, and claws. Even their feathers have a false sense of ‘whispness’ about them, but birds have never before driven me to the depths of rage I have felt in the last week. It has to … More The War of the Birds
I get some interesting things on my FB page – mainly because the people who post the most are my American friends. I’m not very good at acknowledging their diligence but I suppose if it’s a choice between posting a picture with a dog and a nice story and looking out your window at snowflakes … More In Service – or not.
I am busy buying presents, wrapping presents and spending a fortune sending them overseas before the cut off day. I am, as some of you may already know, a big fan of the postal service which each week delivers a letter to one of my grand-daughters – or in the case of the young ones … More Christmas Confusion
What was the worst thing you did to your kids? I left one of mine behind on the bed once. Packed up the car and was half way down the hill when a little voice from the back piped up. ‘Aren’t we taking the baby?’ I’ve always considered it an understandable mistake. The kid was … More The Worst Greatest Invention of All Time.
I grew up with boys. I had a brother 18 months younger than I and all my cousins were boys. When I started Drummond School there were two girls in my class – counting me, and eleven boys. By the time I was ten no tree was unable to be climbed, opinions were voiced and … More Women
So you’re on Facebook and you have a photo of your dog instead of you. I don’t know your dog but I have to assume you’ve chosen your dog’s photo because you look alike. That’s what they say isn’t it, people morph into their dogs? Not happening you say? Are you sure? Not even one … More Face like a Dog
Who hasn’t lied to their physio? Come on, it’s not like lying to God or pretending you haven’t had the last piece of cake when you jolly well did, lying to the physio is like telling the truth about a certain red suited man who comes down the chimney. I let my kids find that … More Lying to the Physio
The sleepover came and went with no drama to speak of. We took the gold BMW convertible which is sometimes a mistake because people can get a bit shitty and think you’re flaunting your wealth. Just putting it on the table, – no wealth to flaunt. And the car is 18 years old, but that … More Kaikoura
We are going to escape on Thursday. For most people escaping was the first thing they did when the lockdown ended but for us, everything was here. The writing, the creating, the cars – what was the point of forcing ourselves out into the world where crazy people lived? But now, it’s time. The first … More Taking a trip up the road.
I cannot imagine a life without children. They arrive whenever they feel it’s time and shoot off when they’re done. In the meantime, everything you have is theirs and that not only includes run of the mill stuff like food and hair gel, but also your time and the interior recesses of your brain. We … More The Super Species
