Rapunzel. I’m not talking about the long hair or the witch obviously. It’s the things or sometimes the people (often yourself) who keep you from experiencing the fullness of life.

A month ago I watched Bohemian Rhapsody. One of the saddest parts for me was when Freddie Mercury turned his light on hoping that his ex who was living across the street would flick hers on in reply. He did it twice but only darkness answered. It was one of the loneliest things I have…

For the past few months I have not been able to walk without the support of someone else. I tried with just my trekking poles at the weekend but had to concede that right now, I still need someone to keep me from falling.

Just find another way. There’s a very steep hill above the shore where we stay in Donegal. We were there for two weeks and I vowed I would get down and back before the holiday was out.

I was sitting on a deck chair while the rest of the family headed on to explore the beach when my daughter ran back to give me what you see in the picture above.

Come to you. I’ve been sitting looking out at this tempting pool on the beach in Donegal the last three times I’ve been here. Watching other people swimming in it. Hearing how blue it looks and how warm it feels. But my legs have decided it is far from my reach. As I watched the…

My son is learning that Elton John song on the piano at the moment and with it pounding behind me every day, I couldn’t not write a blog post about it!

Actually? According to whom? Or to what set of criteria?

It is not a new feeling. When I was small I didn’t like going too high, too fast or too deep. I always erred on the safe side. I remember when I was waiting nervously on the edge of an ice rink, my German exchange partner grabbed my hand and tore round the ice with…

There’s better ahead. Over a month ago I drove up to the house we lived in before. I had one motivation: how big was the birch tree now? But it wasn’t there. The new owners had cut it down. I remembered the joy I had felt when it was first planted, the anticipation of it…