In a bun dance

If I'm going to get something, I usually get it in spades - luck (both kinds), children, clutter, dirty laundry, bright ideas, daft ideas...

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Christmas: How to cope when it isn’t your turn to have the kids

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I wrote this a couple of Christmases ago and I was reminded of it when I saw another mum chum going through similar this year.  Every other year Boys One and Two spend Christmas with their dad. We’ve been doing it this way for 15 years now. So that’s around seven December 25ths I’ve spent […]

The parenting milestones no one tells you about

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It’s possible that before you conceive your first child, milestones are just those old things beside the road or on the set of a panto. Somewhere that Mr Whittington does his turning. You know? But that doesn’t last long. Soon everything is measured out and ticked off – compared to the average, or to her […]

Fund-raising ideas for teenagers

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Boy Two has earned himself a place on a trip to Malaysia in 2019 with the Scouts. It’s a great opportunity to have an adventure, meet new people and enjoy some memorable escapades. I’m delighted for him. The only thing is that he has to raise the cost of getting himself there – no mean […]

A Belfast weekend in pictures

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  I love staying in hotels because someone else clears up while your own house doesn’t get any dirtier. Everyone else loves them for the surprise cake. The Europa was fab – even posting us the clothes one of the boys left behind.   You can just see the H&W gantry cranes over Boy Two’s shoulder. […]

Things you don’t need for a happy Christmas

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Undeniably, inexorably Christmas is coming. I can almost smell the turkey and mince pies. Jingle jingle. This year I have decided I’m going to be jolly from the outset. I’ll be so flipping festive you’ll couldn’t pick me out of a lineup of Santa’s elves. But first I’ve got to get one or two tiny, […]