Category Archives: Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything

On preferring Sicilian Sun to Scandinavian Noir – ‘Inspector Montalbano Sono’

Posted on October 19, 2012 by

Wallander, Sarah Lund, Lisbeth Salander, Harry Hole et al – we are now in thrall to the Scandanavian detective. Introduced to the characters via the wonderful BBC4 I have since escaped into the novels of Henning Mankell, the lead character … Continue reading →

Posted in Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

I don’t know what it is but I’ve lost it…the evaporation of the blogging mojo

Posted on October 2, 2012 by

Over recent months visits to my blog have doubled, but the number of posts I have written has halved. What could the explanation be? It is easy actually, to know why this has happened. I am not sure how to see my … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Temps Perdu – on deja vu and Dorothy Parker

Posted on August 1, 2012 by

I have been experiencing some odd feelings of deja vu in the last few weeks. Trying to explain them to a friend, I struggled and frankly  sounded slightly odd. Perhaps this was because in every day terms we have come to use … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

In praise of daytime antiques programmes – a tribute to David Barby

Posted on July 27, 2012 by

For some reason I have felt compelled to write a quick blog post. Usually I spend quite a lot of time researching and writing a post that involves a literary or historical connection. Or I indulge in reminiscence or even … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything | Tagged , , , , , , | 112 Comments

The WRITER not the film star! The ‘other’ Elizabeth Taylor…..

Posted on July 24, 2012 by

(As I publish this I have just heard Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter Judith Kingham will be on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour tomorrow to talk about the centenary of her mother’s birth and the re-issue of the short stories. It really … Continue reading →

Posted in Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I want to tell you a story….Why reading REALLY matters…

Posted on July 19, 2012 by

Last Saturday I spent three hours in the company of some of the nicest people I have ever met. It was our reading group ‘farewell do’; a chance to say goodbye to one of those happy episodes in life that seem to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mock Orange – a poem for work & the summer weather

Posted on July 16, 2012 by

Mock Orange Watching, as the waxy flowers fall into the scattered gravel of the summer garden; it seems the world, the weather and a clouded view conspire to damp the spirits. Her fingers leave the glass. She turns into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bronze bulls on pianos, or ‘On first Looking into Chapman’s Homer’

Posted on July 9, 2012 by

I haven’t written about  John Keats for a few weeks and have been meaning to start a series of posts on his circle of friends; many of whom were key to his development as a poet. However, an article via … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Keats, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

‘Mum!! The dog ate the flapjacks!!!’ – So I share a perfect recipe with the world..

Posted on July 1, 2012 by

We have a lovely 5-year-old black Labrador x Collie dog called Barnaby. Apparently ‘free’, in that we had him as a puppy following a friend’s dog producing a surprise litter, he has, in truth, cost us a fortune. There have been the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Insomnia – that 5am feeling….

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

I haven’t been able to sleep too well recently. In the past, bed has been a safe place I long to reach at the end of a long day; somewhere I can lie comfortably close to my husband, or turn away and … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments