2018 has been quite a year! So much so that, despite it being months since my last post, I felt the need to write something here to mark it in some way. I wish I could pour out everything that’s happened – writing being cathartic and all that – but this has never been that sort of blog and actually, the less often I write here, the more self-conscious I feel when I do, so I find myself sharing less and less. In any case, some things need to be private. So… why blog at all? What can I share? Well, 2018 was a crunch year for me. A year of crisis in some ways but als ..read more

Hello! The months have raced by and we find ourselves in July – as I write, there are less than two weeks of term until the summer holidays! Yes, we’re nearly at the end of another academic year so, as usual, I’ve found myself getting all reflective… and those feelings have lead me back to my (rather neglected) blog. Two years ago my eldest was leaving first school, a big change that I wrote all about here. Last year my youngest son was leaving nursery ready to start school in September and I was even more emotional – it was all I could do not to hang onto his te ..read more

Hello there! It’s been AGES since my last post – months and months in fact. I fell out of the blogging habit somewhere along the way and then it kind of felt pointless to try and get back to it. I wasn’t sure what I was trying to achieve and I didn’t really feel I had the time for it. But then I realised the other day that regardless of goals and (un)available time and any sense of overarching purpose, I enjoy blogging. And I just plain old miss it. And I remembered that one of the things I loved most about it was creating a record to look back on ..read more

I’m probably overstating things with the title of this post, but I’m approaching a big birthday and it’s bringing with it some big thoughts. Forty *gulp* – it feels significant, and sensible. Irresolutely grownup. And I’m just not sure I’m ready for that. I remember my dad turning forty when I was a child. In celebration, I bought him a plastic walking stick filled with smarties. I thought it was hilarious: “Haha, Daddy, you’re so old!” Looking back, I’m not sure what he thought of it and I’m also not sure how I’d feel if one of my sons gave me the same present now. Well ..read more

Just over a week ago I reached saturation point with social media. Particularly Facebook. I was suddenly totally sick of it – not just, ‘that’s enough now, thanks’, but more, ‘oh for God’s sake will everyone just SHUT UP!’ What’s on my mind? You don’t need to know, Facebook! MYOB. This, of course, is my issue and not the fault of my Facebook friends. I wasn’t irritated by any one person or few people, just generally by the whole notion that we all share so much so often. And personally I’d had enough of being constantly aware of so many things that so many people were doing, or the ..read more

Ah, the first day of term. With six weeks off, there’s plenty of time to get everything organised so that this day can start totally smoothly, right? With everything where it should be and everyone knowing exactly what to do and when? Yes? Ummmm: drawing by my 4yo son that sums up the mood in our house this morning quite well! “Where’s my jumper?” “I can’t find my P.E kit!” “Did you sort out dinner money for this term?” “How much is it?.. and where’s the cheque book?” “Argh, my school bag’s full of mould!” “My trousers are too big!” “My shoes are too small!” “Seriously, w ..read more

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog post about any aspect of parenthood but, well, it’s that time of year isn’t it? Today was the last day of term and marked a turning point – my youngest had his last morning at nursery before he starts proper school in September. And yes, I’m feeling all emotional about it.On Tuesday he had his ‘nursery graduation’ (these events seem to be the thing now) which involved the kids wearing caps and gowns and doing a little singing performance before being presented with a certificate. It was very cute and lovely but somehow didn’t really tug on ..read more

I’d like to introduce you to a new friend of mine – her name’s Helena: Ok, she’s not strictly speaking a friend, she’s a business, but she’s an idea I dreamt up with one of my oldest friends last year and, as the months have gone by and we’ve plotted and planned to make her a reality, we’ve become rather fond of her. You see, Helena is a positive and determined sort of a character. Feisty and no-nonsense but with a heart as soft as melted butter. She’s focussed too, she knows what’s important to her – creativity and compassion – and she wants to use ..read more

Despite the storm in UK politics recently, I’ve held back from sharing my views on the blog and social media. I’m not quite sure why – last year I was pretty emotionally open about it all on here. I made it clear I was pro-remain and vehemently anti-Trump and believe me, my silence this time round hasn’t meant any lack of political passion this year either. So I’ll be honest with you now – I was nothing short of THRILLED that Labour won more seats in the election last week. I feel it’s a huge step towards a more compassionate society – one where everyone matters and where vital servi ..read more

It’s funny the twists and turns life takes. When I began this blog a few years ago it was with the dream of becoming a published author, yet this weekend when I finally found myself holding a novel bearing my name, it was as an illustrator! As you can see in the photo, the book is The Mystery of The Disappearing Underpants by Nikki Young. It’s aimed at 8 – 11 year olds and centres on Harry, his best friend James and neighbour Stacey who form a spy club and spend their summer holidays solving mysteries. The premise immediately appealed to me because my br ..read more