Mothering/Negotiating With Terrorists/Small Children
The Importance Of Daydreaming
When did I stop daydreaming? It’s something I’ve valued all my life. Something I’ve always known the importance of. Was it when I started writing – desperate to get every thought down on the page? Not to let an idea un-tether itself from me and float away across the paddy field, a wisp getting caught around a grave in the cemetery or lost in a grain of rice.
Continue reading “The Importance Of Daydreaming”Not A Letter To My Younger Self
My younger self is nineteen, she lives on a small Greek Island called Aegina with her best-friend. And her boyfriend. And her best friend’s boyfriend. Sometimes she wishes it was just her and her best friend.
Her family are back in London. She is tanned and skinny and not very interested in food, except for when she’s hungry. She daydreams a lot. She believes that people are good. She worries about the hole in the ozone layer and has campaigned against CFCs.
Continue reading “Not A Letter To My Younger Self”Writing Prompt; I Believe The Sun Never Sets
Each week I attend the Hoi An Writers Group. We write for 10 minutes on a writing prompt given to us by Kerstin Pilz. I’m always surprised by what comes up for me when I write this way.
Continue reading “Writing Prompt; I Believe The Sun Never Sets”I Wanted Breakfast In Bed With My Menopause For My 50th!
Diary Entry 20.08.20.
I didn’t want a big party or a fancy present for my 50th Birthday, all I wanted was breakfast in bed, just me and my menopause. Maybe Netflix could join me and possibly a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate – if we could find one in Vietnam. Or maybe Ferrero Rocher- those posh ones with the sparkly gold wrappers. I’m pretty sure I saw a box of those in the mini mart one time.
Continue reading “I Wanted Breakfast In Bed With My Menopause For My 50th!”The World Is Either Bored Or Dying
The Second Lockdown in Vietnam
The second lockdown in Vietnam was a tough one. I’ve always written a diary during difficult times but since I started writing my book two and a half years ago I’ve taken to witting down all my difficult feelings. It helps me see on paper what’s going on in my head. Invariably I then read back over it, find out what is going on for me and write myself a list!
Continue reading “The World Is Either Bored Or Dying”The Grombre Movement & It’s Impact
On my Insta feed I see women aged forty, fifty and sixty plus with long grey hair, leather jackets, slinky necklaces and a sexy attitude of absolute sass.
Continue reading “The Grombre Movement & It’s Impact”This Too Shall Pass
Traffic fumes and horns couldn’t be blocked out, even by the surly guard at The Resort Hotel. They drifted over him laughing, “You can’t catch me!”
I skirted the hotel restaurant, pristine chairs in place, table runners immaculate. Napkins rolled and caged in bamboo irons, aching to be set free and fluttered into laps. Their life cycle was to be gobbed on, washed and re-caged.
Continue reading “This Too Shall Pass”Why Move To Vietnam With a Family?
You may well ask! Weeeellllll- it was most definitely not an overnight decision.
The first time we came here was 2012 – I remember that year because it was the year I found out I was pregnant with my second child, exactly two weeks after Hubbs had booked and paid for a round the world trip.
We’d already packed our London house and found tenants. Tickets for our trip for me, him and our one and a half year old were already tucked inside our passports in the safe. Why did we still go after finding out daughter number two was on the way? Well that’s another story, and I’m sure I’ll get around to telling it to you sometime. (And when I do I’ll add a link here!)
Continue reading “Why Move To Vietnam With a Family?”“I Love You” Is Not A Coat Peg.
Emily wanted him to tell her he loved her. That would make it all OK. Make her OK. She thought love was like a coat peg on the door that you could hook your life on to. Once you had that peg you were safe from floating away and drowning in the soup of life.
Continue reading ““I Love You” Is Not A Coat Peg.”