is not worth living – or so Plato once said, (actually  quoting an earlier speech by Socrates). Over ten years ago, my brother used to say that to me, usually when he discovered the tell-tale Red magazine lying on my sofa.  My magazine days are long gone now, but a few days ago I remembered…

I fear that my generation have lost the ability, or the desire, to stick with things, even when the going gets tough.  Tired of re-painting your house?  Move.  Sick of the sight of your partner? Leave them.  Finding your friends too needy?  Get new ones.  Stuck in the same job for five years?  That’s too…

help you.  I went out on the bike today, only the second adventure beyond the safety of my back garden, and the first by myself.  I’d had this crazy notion that if I borrowed my mum’s bike, I could learn again how to cycle, weak legs and balance issues notwithstanding.  Today was worse than the…

This morning, as I was speaking to another mum, my wee girl went in through the school door without me noticing, or saying goodbye.  For the rest of the time since then, I have found myself feeling a bit out of kilter.  It took a few minutes to diagnose, but then I got it: we…

Perhaps it’s a youngest child syndrome, or a lack of self-confidence garnered from several years of working from home, but the truth is, I am in need of a leader.  You know, somebody to show me how to live, to confirm all of my choices, to egg me on to take the bravest step.  Even…

I have frequently waved away my husband’s insistence that the above term is real.  Of course, when I hear stories and accounts of treatment of women, I acknowledge it is a pressing concern, but my hidden away life keeps me innocent of it. Innocent, that is, until yesterday.  We were all going to a five…

After more than twelve years rebelliously stuffing myself with chick lit, I have finally got my heavy Complete Works of Shakespeare down from the top shelf.  It’s been so long I am surprised to see how many of the plays have little ticks beside them, as ones I’ve read.  I thought I’d start with the…

Two things happened recently which made me feel sad.  The first was yet another familiar instance of wanting to be able to walk faster and further than I could.  It’s like that common nightmare of needing to be somewhere and not being able to run to make it on time.  Your head is telling you…

but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down’*  Now, the other lyrics in this may suggest the self-indulgent reason for being on the floor -‘pissing the night away’ taking  whisky, Vodka, Lager and cider drinks have something to do with it, you would think!  But, ignoring that, the two lines at the…