A gentle summer’s breeze. It’s just the right temperature to sit in the shade. A dog’s bark drifts from the distance. Children play in the paddling pool. Ice chinks gently in a glass. The grass feels cool underfoot. The word “idyllic” pops into your head unbidden. And then. And then… It is summarily ruined. By a … [Read more…]
On Tuesday evenings, EldestGirl goes to Rainbows, and I kill the hour, happily for the most part, firstly at Waitrose, filling my trolley with yellow-stickered reduced goodness, and secondly, sitting outside – if the weather allows – with a coffee, reading until it is time to collect EldestGirl. I am fairly inconspicuous. I have observed … [Read more…]
“That’s an interesting point, Steve,” I might once have said, “because we do need to drill down into the global footprint and get granular data on our diverse global reach. Let’s grab the low-hanging EMEA fruit today, and then schedule a universal deep-dive to be cascaded at next week’s town hall. Our steering group will … [Read more…]
We have too many toys. We have far too many toys. Our playroom looks like Fisher Price himself threw up all over the place. Our living room – initially intended to be an adult sanctuary, away from the toys in the playroom – looks like a cross between a run-down soft play and a discount … [Read more…]
Honestly, half term sort of snuck up on me. I was aware there was a bank holiday, and that looming at some point, there would be a half term, but I hadn’t properly, properly realised it was here until… it was here. We had planned… nothing. Shit. I desperately tried to overcompensate. Day One We made cornflour … [Read more…]
We have always made an effort with both of our daughters, not to stereotype, not to call things “girly”, or to use words like “tomboy”. We preach that all colours are for everybody, that looking beautiful is less important than being kind. That being kind is important, but so is being clever. It has mostly … [Read more…]
Some people might describe me as seeing things in black and white. I am – I believe – ruthlessly logical, and will accept nothing other than scientific evidence (ideally peer-reviewed in a meaningful sample size) to influence my decision. “But homoeopathy works; I used to have dreadful back pain, but since taking this tiny dropper of … [Read more…]
Bethnal Green is my old stomping ground, my manor, my endz. Yes, of course, like most people who live in and around London, I’m not a true Londoner. I would never claim to be “from the East End”. I don’t even affect a Mockney accent. I was never a proper Eastender. I never had pie, … [Read more…]
We have previously touched on the facts of life with EldestGirl. I was pregnant with YoungestGirl when EldestGirl was coming up for three, and she had a few questions about how the baby got there. At the time, she was easily placated with, “Mummy and Daddy wanted a baby, so we put a seed in … [Read more…]
“EldestGirl, why were you the only child not wearing your sunhat when I picked you up from school today?” I asked. “I don’t like it, Mummy. It’s a bit embarrassing.” You know what, fair enough. It’s bright pink (not her favourite colour), and I had hoped the fact that it had sun-activated designs that appeared … [Read more…]
