(No vlog this month on account of my sore mouth and our internet being drastically shaped. It would take ten weeks to upload any video to YouTube at the moment.) 1. Cat’s Cradle – Alas, unfinished. I think it’s because I loved Slaughterhouse Five so much and this is quite different in tone (even more…
On Saturday morning I woke up and couldn’t open my mouth. Hold on, that’s not quite true. I could open my jaw so my teeth were about two inches apart, the same as if you put in your thumb in sideways. I’ve been trying to think of funny ways to tell this story, but in…
This is a recipe modified from Marion Grosby’s Marion: Recipes and stories from a hungry cook (she used pork in hers). Because the kids refused to eat it – more on that later – it fed Adam and me for two nights running. The portion sizes are pretty generous. Ingredients 100g vermicelli noodles 4 garlic cloves, crushed…
From the Starlight Children’s Foundation website: Living with illness or injury can cause enormous strain in the lives of children and their families. The pain, loneliness and isolation that sick children feel dominates their lives, and they often miss out on normal experiences that healthy children take for granted. Starlight provides programs integral to the total care of…
Yesterday, in a move of surprising organisation I’m not normally used to in holiday time, I was able to muster the children together and get them out the door and down to the local shoe shop by 9.10am. Unfortunately, a great many other mothers were even more organised and by the time I arrived I…
There IS such a thing as chicken marengo! I didn’t know! On the other hand, Adam’s bestowed upon me his best withering look of dismay when I shoved this recipe under his nose. “You’re joking.” “What? I didn’t know it was a thing.” “A ‘thing’? What else would it be?” “I thought marengo was a…
One of my writing buddies, Mark Welker, made the above video and I’ll let him describe it: Untold numbers of manuscripts are started, finished, and abandoned at the antique desks of Varuna House. There is always a cup of tea on the boil, a well stocked jar of chocolate biscuits, and enough creative space to…
Like last year, I’m participating in this year’s Month of Poetry – writing a poem every day for January. I said something similar last month when I guest posted over at Problogger, but I do believe the more you stretch and push yourself creatively the more accustomed you become to the exercise. I won’t say…
I devoured this book in about two days and in this time would not shut up about it to my nearest and dearest. Really, with big saucer eyes and with a white-hot grip on your arm they’ll say, “Walk away now! Don’t get her started.” But you’ll listen to me, won’t you? Yes? Excellent. Now,…
