It was the first day of November 2011.

‘I’m an orphan,’ I joked half-heartedly to my son.

‘But Mum, you’re sixty-one,’ he replied, a distinct tone of sadness noticeable in his voice.

I needed no reminder of that fact. I’ve not taken to being a… Read full post »

I’m not a newspaper or magazine reader.  Neither do I watch or listen to the news religiously, although it’s very difficult to avoid all the tragedy, conflict, despair and heartache when we are bombarded by it from all angles. Some may accuse me of suffering from ostrich syndr/… Read full post »

  I remember the day I was born.  Okay, that’s not strictly true, but the number of times I’ve heard the painful story of my birth has left me feeling as if I recall every moment, along with a lifetime of guilt for the agony I caused.

 My sister was… Read full post »

 I’ve mentioned previously how impressed I’ve been with the standards of efficiency, cleanliness and courtesy while travelling around the States. Visitors to any country are bound to do comparison acts and without a doubt, there are many things I believe England could emulate which w… Read full post »

One of the first things I read in my bulky travel guide to the U.S.A was the suggestion the best way to see this country is by car.  I think it has taken me two trips to the States to realise the truth of this statement, but sadly it has/… Read full post »

Many forms of transport have taken us to, from and around the places we’ve visited so far. There have been hairy moments, scary moments, disappointments and surprises, but all these experiences are worthy of recording in words and pictures for posterity.

New Jersey was cool with some rain, but… Read full post »

Surviving seven days and nights on water isn’t so difficult on board a glorious liner like the Queen Mary 2. Sadly, most of our days were accompanied by fog and most nights interrupted by foghorns, but otherwise it was a smooth crossing. I think a few photos speak far more than… Read full post »

It’s now countdown, checklist and last-minute-panic time as regards our imminent trip.  Having done it once before does help, but it’s still difficult to work out everything we’ll need and what requires doing at home to avoid any disasters while we’re away./… Read full post »

My father was a US Air Force pilot stationed in England during World War Two. Here he met my English mother and the rest is history as they say. I won’t pretend it was a marriage made in heaven or the sixty-three years they spent together before my Mum passed… Read full post »

Thank you to those of you who managed to struggle through the very long saga of my son’s marriage and beyond, particularly those of you who were around at the time of the unfolding drama and already knew a lot about the story.

 For a long time I’ve felt I… Read full post »

PART SEVEN

Amidst the worries and concerns over our son and his family, there would be some very memorable moments during the remainder of 2009. The highlight had to be the trip across the Atlantic on the QM2 in May, followed by three fabulous weeks in the U.S.A, before travelling back… Read full post »

 PART SIX

A few short weeks after the loss of my mother and the birth of my first grandson, my father was admitted to hospital after a bad fall, one of a multiple of traumas since then which still continue to this day. Between visiting my Dad in hospital and caring for his… Read full post »

PART FIVE

By the time Mey Ling had her first scan in March of 2008, I guess we’d accepted the fact there was be another child in their family.  There were concerns of course.  Being disabled, how would Mey Ling cope with a new baby and a toddler around the… Read full post »

PART FOUR

By the end of August 2007, life had returned to the humdrum routine of caring for parents and regular schedules. After the pressure and stresses of the last few months it was something of a relief, but rarely were the worries and concerns about our son’s situation far… Read full post »

PART THREE

If I’d imagined travelling or marriage would dramatically change  my son, then I was initially mistaken. He still seemed the same easy going, clumsy and humourous young man I remembered. The only difference I witnessed was the addition of a pair of rose-coloured spectacles. But… Read full post »

PART TWO

New year 2007 began in a way we could never have predicted. By the seventh of the month we had a daughter-in-law we had never met and a son we hadn’t seen for a long time, facing what we could only see as a very precarious future. Although we… Read full post »

PART ONE

Today is the fourth wedding anniversary of my son and daughter-in-law. Nothing unusual about that I know, but for me it’s a date that will always stir up a cocktail of mixed emotions, complete with a bitter slice of lemon and on occasion the addition of a sweet… Read full post »

I've already confessed to being a founder member of the humbug club. I sigh with relief now the ordeal is over, despite the post-humbug manic sales and continuing hype surrounding the false jollity of this season. I'll now admit I'm not fond of new years either. In fact the older I… Read full post »

  Dear Mr Claus,              

       Here we are again then.  Another year nearly over and Christmas on the horizon.  I hope it’s been a better year for you than it has for me.&nb… Read full post »

As England sinks even further into deep snow, I think there is only one solution to the problems the United Kingdom faces.  Someone needs to turn the weather off. Our climate is described as moderate I believe, but it doesn’t matter what extremity we face, there is always guaranteed panic… Read full post »

I’m aware my reputation as one of the world’s worst humbuggers is quite well known in several circles, online and off.  However, I believe over the years I’ve exhausted writing about the subject and the reasons why I dislike this season of not-so-good-will so much. This… Read full post »

 Sometimes the idea of escaping to take a long holiday somewhere warm, relaxing and uncomplicated dominates my thoughts.  Sounds simple enough, but one problem with this is being unable to get away from the person who causes me the most anxiety and worry, who irritates and annoys me… Read full post »

 I have a feeling my iPod is trying to tell me something. Last time I clicked on shuffle, it threw up the song ‘Happy.’ This week it’s ‘Smile.’ But there is a story attached to this beautiful song I haven’t written about before, so maybe it was meant to/… Read full post »

I’m not an avid television viewer and given the choice would probably choose a comedy or good drama to watch rather than a documentary. But this week I found myself captivated and deeply disturbed by an hour long programme exploring the subject of sex trafficking in Cambodia. A very youn… Read full post »

The word ‘unknown’ is printed on my birth certificate under the section ‘first name.’ Pretty fitting in some ways and due to the fact my parents couldn’t agree on a name for me within the given time allowed. Much as I’m not thrilled by their final sel… Read full post »